Constitution
Cambridgeshire County Council has a constitution which sets out how the Council operates, how decisions are made, and the procedures that are followed to ensure that these are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people. Some of these processes are required by the law, while others are a matter for the Council to choose.
The Chief Executive and the Monitoring Officer are responsible for keeping the Constitution under review. Any changes of substance are made only following a decision of full Council recommended by Constitution and Ethics Committee.
To ensure you are reading the current version, please use the online documents. The constitution can be read online here.
If you have any questions about keeping the constitution up to date, please contact michelle.rowe@cambridgeshire.gov.uk or telephone 01223 699180.
Scheme of Authorisation
The Scheme of Authorisation enables Executive Directors and Directors who hold delegated powers to authorise officers within their Directorates to undertake functions which lie within the scope of those powers. The Executive Director and Director has discretion to decide which officers to authorise to exercise which powers/functions provided that the powers and functions are within the Executive Director and Director's delegated powers under the Constitution.
The Executive Director and Director remains responsible for the decisions taken on their behalf and must ensure that the officers whom they authorise are suitably qualified and experienced to undertake the function. Each Executive Director and Director is required to maintain a scheme of authorisation for their directorate, detailed below, listing the authorisations granted.
Forward plan of key decisions
Every month the Forward Plan, a document setting out key decisions that will be taken on behalf of the Council is published. It is published at least 28 days before any key decision set out in the document is due to be made. The plan refers to relevant documents expected to be submitted to the decision-makers for their consideration.
Additions to Forward Plan
Any late additions to the forward plan are considered in accordance with the Council Constitution and published here.
Policy and service committee agenda plans
Each policy and service committee will publish every month a document which sets out each item to be considered by the said committee including key decisions published in the forward plan.
