Part Two – Article 2
ARTICLE 2 - MEMBERS OF THE COUNCIL
2.01
Composition and Eligibility
(a)
Composition. The Council comprises 50 members, otherwise called
Councillors. Two or three Councillors will be elected by the voters of each
ward in accordance with a scheme drawn up by the Local Government
Commission and approved by the Secretary of State.
(b)
Eligibility. To be eligible to hold the office of Councillor, a person must
be a British subject or a citizen of the Republic of Ireland [or a relevant
citizen of the European Union] who has attained the age of 21 years and:
(c)
2.02
1.
is and continues to be a local government elector for the area of the
Authority; or
2.
has during the whole of the twelve months preceding occupied as
owner or tenant any land or other premises in that area; or
3.
whose principal or only place of work during that twelve months has
been in that area; or
4.
has during the whole of those twelve months resided in that area.
Councillors not to be appointed. A person shall, so long as he is, and
for twelve months after he ceases to be, a member of the Council, be
disqualified from being appointed, or elected by the Council to any paid
office, other than to the office of Leader or Cabinet Member.
Election and Terms of Councillors
The regular election of Councillors will be held on the first Thursday in May
every four years beginning in 2002. The terms of office of Councillors will start
on the fourth day after being elected and will finish on the fourth day after the
date of the next regular election.
2.03
Roles and Functions of all Councillors
(a)
Principal Roles
All Councillors:
1.
are collectively the ultimate policy-makers and carry out a number of
strategic and corporate management functions;
2.
represent their communities and bring their views into the Council’s
decision-making process;
3.
deal with individual casework and act as an advocate for constituents
in resolving particular concerns or grievances;
4.
balance different interests identified within the ward and represent
the ward as a whole;
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Part Two – Article 2
(b)
2.04
2.05
5.
are involved in decision-making;
6.
are available to represent the Council on other bodies; and
7.
maintain the highest standards of conduct and ethics.
Rights and Duties
1.
Councillors have rights of access to documents, information, land
and buildings of the Council as are necessary for the proper
discharge of their functions and in accordance with the law.
2.
Councillors will not make public information that is confidential or
exempt without the consent of the Council nor divulge information
given in confidence to anyone other than a Councillor or officer
entitled to know it.
3.
For these purposes, ‘confidential’ and ‘exempt’ information are
defined in the Access to Information Rules in part 4 of this
Constitution.
Membership of Committees
(a)
Whether or not they have been appointed to any committee, delivery
board or subsidiary forum, members can attend meetings of those groups
unless they have ceased to be members of the Council. Members who
attend meetings under this article do not speak except with the permission
and at the sole discretion of the chairman, nor do they vote.
(b)
If a member (including a co-opted member) fails throughout a period of
six consecutive months to attend any meetings of a committee or, delivery
board to which he or she has been appointed or co-opted, they will cease
to be a member of that committee or group unless their absence is due to
a reason which has been previously approved.
(c)
The Mayor and Deputy Mayor are, ex-officio, non-voting members of
every committee of the Council (although this does not prevent the
Deputy Mayor being appointed as a voting member of any committee of
the Council).
(d)
Committees are constituted to reflect the statutory obligation to give
effect so far as is reasonably practicable to the principles of political
proportionality. The membership of committees and sub-committees
therefore reflects the political balance of the whole Council.
Limitation on Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen of Committees
(a)
A Councillor holds the office of chairman and vice-chairman of a
committee for one year until the appointment of committees at the Annual
Meeting.
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Part Two – Article 2
2.06
2.07
(b)
In the case of an appointment to fill a casual vacancy a Councillor holds
office as chairman or vice-chairman until the next annual appointment of
committees.
(c)
A Councillor who has held office as chairman or vice-chairman of a
committee may be re-elected to office at the first meeting of the
Committee following the Annual Meeting.
Acceptance of Office
(a)
Persons elected as Councillors and the person elected by Councillors to be
Mayor, shall not, unless he has made a declaration of acceptance of office
in a form prescribed by rules made by the Secretary of State, and the
declaration has within two months from the date of the election been
delivered to the Town Clerk act in the office except for the purpose of
making such a declaration.
(b)
If such a declaration is not made and delivered to the Town Clerk within
the appointed time, the office of the person elected shall at the expiration
of that time become vacant.
Continuity of Business after an Election
Committee members hold office until their successors are appointed, as long as
they continue to be Members.
2.08
Conduct
Councillors and co-opted members at all times must observe the Members Code
of Conduct and the Protocol on Member/Officer Relations set out in part 5 of
this Constitution.
2.09
Allowances
Councillors are entitled to receive allowances in accordance with the Members
Allowances Scheme set out in part 6 of this Constitution.
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