Constitution Press Release

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MEMBERS of the public are welcome to contribute when Hartlepool Councillors next week consider comments and suggestions to review a key document which helps shape the running of the Council.


All councils are required by law to prepare and keep up to date a document known as the 'Constitution', which contains information as to the rights of local people and how they can participate in the running of the council.

A special Working Group - made up of all the Hartlepool Councillors - has been created to review the Constitution. It will then make formal recommendations - through the Council's Monitoring Officer - to the Full Council for any changes to the Constitution for implementation in the municipal year 2014/15.

The Working Group will hold its first meeting on Tuesday 28th January at 5pm in the Council Chamber in Civic Centre, Victoria Road.

Although this is not a formal council meeting, the Full Council previously agreed that, as an exception, members of the public should be allowed to attend this and any future meetings of this Working Group to contribute to this review.

As part of the review, the Working Group will consider the responses received during public consultation on the constitution last autumn, as well as comments and suggestions from councillors and council staff.

Since last May, following a referendum on how the Council should be governed, a committee system has replaced the Elected Mayor who appointed councillors to form a Cabinet, where certain decisions were taken.

All decisions are now taken either by meetings of the Full Council, committees or by a council officer under delegated authority. The Constitution outlines who has responsibility for decisions as well as how local people can become involved.

Under the Constitution, members of the public are able to put questions to the chairs of the Council's policy committees at their regular meetings and ask two questions at meetings of the Full Council. All the policy chairs also attend neighbourhood forum meetings for 'Face The Public' question sessions.

A copy of the Council's current Constitution can be viewed at the Civic Centre and also on the Council's website at www.hartlepool.gov.uk

Peter Devlin, the Council's Chief Solicitor and Monitoring Officer, will be assisting the Working Group to draw up recommendations for changes to the Constitution.

He said: "Although the Constitution was thoroughly revised following the outcome of the 2012 referendum and the subsequent introduction of the committee system, the Council is required by law to review the Constitution regularly so that it is kept up to date.

"We would like to thank everyone who took part in the recent consultation and gave us their views. Members of the public are also very welcome to attend the Working Group's meetings to contribute to the review of this important document."     


Press release PRO36637. 20 January 2014.
Issued by Julian Heward, Public Relations Officer, on 01429 523044