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Reviewing our Constitution
In May 2008 Brighton & Hove City Council adopted a new constitution. It was agreed that a review of how it was working would take place after six months, then 12 months.
We are now at the 12 month review stage, to find out what happened as a result of the six month review, see further down the page.
12 Month Review of the Constitution
What is the new Constitution?
The council was required by law to change its governance arrangements. Since May 2008, many of the decisions that were previously taken by committees are now taken by the cabinet as a whole or by cabinet members.
Meetings of the whole council still have a very important role. The whole council sets the budget and the policy framework within which decisions are taken. More powerful overview and scrutiny committees make recommendations about policy, both before and after decisions are taken.
This basic structure is fixed by law. But the council can modify its day to day operations, including councillor portfolios, times of meetings and procedures.
You can find out more by reading our summary of Brighton & Hove's New Constitution [PDF 30kb]
What do you think about the council's new constitution?
Following the six month review some key changes were highlighted, including extending speaking rights at all Cabinet and Cabinet Member meetings.
We are now at the 12 month review stage and we want to look again at how the system is working and make any changes that may be needed.
We’d like to hear your views on how you think the constitution is working and what impact, positive or negative, it has on how people and organisations interact with the council. If you’d like to suggest ways of improving how the constitution works, we’d like to hear those too.
We need your comments please by 24 October 2009.
What happens next?
Comments will be collated and then reported to the Governance Committee on 17 November 2009. They will make recommendations to Cabinet as to how the Constitution might be amended.
Contact us
If you have any queries about the survey please email us at consultation@brighton-hove.gov.uk or call us on 01273 294375.
Six Month Review of the Constitution
What happened?
Following the 6 month review your comments, along with those expressed by other interested parties, were considered by the Governance Committee on 10th March 2009.
Findings and Recommendations
The responses to the six month review of the Council’s Constitution were considered at Governance Committee on 10 March 2009 and the recommendations were referred to Cabinet and Full Council for approval on 14 May 2009. The recommendations included:-
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To extend speaking rights and a seat at the table at Cabinet and Cabinet Member Meetings to the Leader/Convenor (or their nominated spokesperson) of all opposition parties.
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Opposition parties to have access to an Officer briefing for Cabinet;
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To add Community Affairs and Inclusion as an item on the Cabinet agenda at least every six months and invite community representatives to those meetings.
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Officers to consider the format of the Forward Plan and look at examples from a range of authorities to ensure it is as effective as possible.
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Officers to identify models of best practice for Overview and Scrutiny and report back to Cabinet and OSC.
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That the Council takes every opportunity to emphasise and highlight the possibility to ask questions at Cabinet and Cabinet Members Meetings, as well as Full Council to ensure that there is awareness of the ability to raise issues at all of these meetings.
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As the six month review was intended to be a “light touch” review, it is proposed that the responses in relation to area committees and neighbourhood forums should be reviewed when the Council looks more in depth at the Constitution at the 12 month stage.
For a full copy of the report and appendices, please follow this link for the 10th March Governance Cttee [pdf 109kb]