The Constitution and Members' Development Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday 17 September 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of proposed updates to the council's Constitution, which are presented in a quarterly report. Additionally, the committee will receive the minutes from its previous meeting held on 30 July 2026.

Constitution Updates - Quarterly Report

A significant item scheduled for discussion is the Constitution Updates - Quarterly Report . This report, prepared by Charlotte Benjamin, Corporate Director of Legal and Corporate Services, outlines a series of proposed amendments to the council's Constitution. These changes are intended to ensure the Constitution remains current, compliant with legislation, and easy to understand. The report details amendments that have already been actioned under the delegated authority of the Monitoring Officer, as well as those that will be recommended for approval by the Full Council.

The report highlights several specific amendments. One proposed change involves extending the time allowed for a quorum at council meetings from five minutes to fifteen minutes. Another set of amendments relates to the Members' Scheme of Allowances, which was approved by Full Council on 20 May 2026. These include adjustments to the basic allowance for members and the mileage rate for travel expenses.

Further proposed amendments address the definition of Deputy Chief Officer within the Constitution's key terms, and changes to the process for submitting public questions to council meetings, including the replacement of an email address with a link to an online form. There are also proposed updates concerning the roles and responsibilities of statutory officers, particularly in relation to the Teesside Pension Fund and the Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Senior Officer, reflecting changes brought about by the Pensions Act 2026¹.

The report also notes amendments authorised by the Monitoring Officer under delegated powers, such as changes to the designated officer for the Scrutiny Officer role and updates to the wording concerning the Audit Committee's purpose and reporting requirements.

Minutes of the Previous Meeting

The committee is also scheduled to receive and note the minutes from its previous meeting, which took place on 30 July 2026. The minutes from that meeting indicate that discussions were held regarding proposed amendments to the Teesside Pension Fund Committee's Terms of Reference, in response to changes in the governance landscape for the Local Government Pension Scheme introduced by the Pensions Act 2026. These proposed amendments were recommended to Full Council for approval. The minutes also detail discussions and agreements on various amendments to the Constitution, including the extension of the quorum waiting time and updates to the Members' Scheme of Allowances.