The constitution is divided into 15 articles which set out the basic rules governing the council's business.  More detailed procedures and codes of practice are provided in separate rules and protocols at the end of the document.

The constitution is updated on a monthly basis - version 28 (dated 16 January 2012) is available by downloading the documents to the right of this page.

Index

Index (pdf, 24kb) (opens in a new window)

Part one

Part 1 - Summary and explanation (pdf, 141kb) (opens in a new window)

Part two

Part 2 - Articles of the constitution (pdf, 264kb) (opens in a new window)

• Article 1 - The constitution

• Article 2 - Members of the council

• Article 3 - Citizens and the council

• Article 4 - The full council

• Article 5 - Chairing the council

• Article 6 - Overview and scrutiny meetings

• Article 7 - Policy, regulatory and other meetings

• Article 8 - The Standards Committee

• Article 9 - Area committees and forums

• Article 10 - Joint arrangements

• Article 11- Officers of the council

• Article 12 - Decision making

• Article 13 - Finance, contracts and legal matters

• Article 14 - Review and revision of the constitution

• Article 15 - Suspension, interpretation and publication of the constitution

• Schedule 1 - Description of alternative arrangements

Part three

Part 3 - Scheme of management (responsibility for functions) (pdf, 369kb) (opens in a new window)

• Terms of reference of meetings

• Scheme of delegation to officers

Part four

Part 4 - Rules of procedure (pdf, 350kb) (opens in a new window)

• Council meeting procedure rules

• Financial regulations

• Contractual standing orders

• Access to information procedure rules

• Overview and scrutiny procedure rules

Part five

Part 5 - Codes of conduct and protocols - Items 1-7 (pdf, 571kb) (opens in a new window)  and Items 8-14 (pdf, 328kb) (opens in a new window)

1. The ten general principles of public life

2. Members' code of conduct

3. Declaring interests - flowchart

4. Council procedures relating to declarations of interest

5. Code of practice for members and officers on planning procedures

6. Code of practice for members on gifts and hospitality

7. Procedures for local assessments of complaints about members' conduct

8. Monitoring Officer's protocol

9. Officers' code of conduct

10. Protocol on member/officer relations

11. Local code of corporate governance

12. Freedom of Information Act 2000 - guidance for councillors

13. Anti-fraud and corruption strategy

14. Publicity protocol for complaints to Standards Committee

Part six

Part 6 - Members' allowances scheme (pdf, 192kb) (opens in a new window)

• Schedule 1 - Representatives on outside bodies

Part seven

Part 7 - Management structure (pdf, 197kb) (opens in a new window)

Part eight

Part 8 - Other useful information (pdf, 252kb) (opens in a new window)

(Part 8 contains useful information which may change frequently and which is ancillary to the constitution)

• Members' roles descriptions

• Glossary

• Abbreviations & acronyms

• Contact details

• Democratic Services Manager
  Name: Katrina Rowe
  Email: katrinarowe@purbeck-dc.gov.uk
  Tel: 01929 557221
  Full details for Katrina Rowe