Cheshire East Council has announced that it is to update and streamline its constitution – the legal framework which governs the way the council operates and how its decisions are made.
It says the review will focus on refining current processes and procedures to maximise efficiency, governance and transparency. It will result in the production of a new constitution that aims to provide greater clarity around how the council operates and enable greater community engagement with the democratic process.
Although the council has made regular updates, it has decided upon a fresh and holistic approach to developing a new constitution.
The council commissioned Bevan Brittan Solicitors – legal advisers to the public sector - to carry out an initial review of its current constitution and report back.
As a result, the council's constitution committee has now appointed a sub-committee of eight elected members to progress the review and make recommendations for any changes that should be made.
Final proposals for a new constitution will go to full council for consideration.
The council's Acting Chief Executive, Kath O'Dwyer, said: "We welcome the extremely helpful advice of our external legal advisers and will set in motion a comprehensive programme of work to review the current constitution, bringing together the recommendations and aspirations of elected members and officers."
Councillor Andrew Martin, chairman of the constitution committee, said: "Our intention is that this review will ensure efficient and transparent decision making and make the democratic process more accessible to our residents, members of the council, officers, our partners and stakeholders."
