The Constitution - Part One - Chapter 1 - Purpose and Interpretation of the Constitution

1.1  The Borough Council is committed to exercising its powers, duties and responsibilities:

a) lawfully;
b) fairly and equitably;
c) openly and transparently;
d) in accordance with the interests of the community of Fareham as a whole, taking account of more local interests as appropriate; and
e) in accordance with this Constitution.

Constitution Document

1.2  This document, with its various attachments, is the Constitution of Fareham Borough Council ('The Constitution').

Purpose of the Constitution

1.3   The purpose of the Constitution is to set out in a single document how the Borough Council works and how it makes decisions. It also provides the Council with an operational framework to do its job and to meet its Corporate Objectives.

1.4  Setting out in the Constitution the way in which the Council works is intended to:

a) enable the Council to provide appropriate leadership to the community in partnership with local people, businesses and other organisations;
b) support the involvement of local people in the process of local authority decision-making;
c) help councillors to represent their constituents effectively;
d) enable decisions to be taken efficiently and effectively;
e) create an effective means of holding decision-makers to public account;
f) ensure that no member or officer of the Council will review or scrutinise a decision in which they were directly involved;
g) provide a means of improving the delivery of services to the local community; and
h) ensure that all members and employees of the Council maintain the highest standards of conduct.

Review of the Constitution

1.5  The Borough Council will regularly monitor and evaluate the operation of the Constitution, advised by its Monitoring Officer.

Interpretation

1.6  For the purposes of the Constitution, the following definitions, except where otherwise stated, will apply:

Budget - the Budget includes the allocation of financial resources to different services and projects, proposed contingency funds, setting the Council Tax and decisions relating to the control of the Council's borrowing requirement, the control of its capital expenditure and the setting of virement limits.

Policy Framework - means the following Plans and Strategies:

a) Sustainable Community Strategy;

b) Affordable Housing Strategy;

c) Licensing Policy;

d) Development Plan:

• Fareham Local Plan Part 1: Core Strategy;
• Fareham Local Plan Part 2: Development Sites and Policies;
• Fareham Local Plan Part 3: The Welborne Plan;

e) Community Safety Strategy

f) Corporate Strategy; and

g) Statement of Gambling Policy.

Last Updated - May 2019