The Council’s Constitution is the Council’s ‘Rule Book’. It provides the basis upon which decisions can be taken (including a scheme of delegation), sets out the roles and responsibilities of councillors and officers, how the Council operates, how decisions are made (and the procedures to be followed) and ensures the transparency of the decision-making process.
Some components of the Constitution are required by law whilst others are a matter for the Council’s discretion. Reviews of the Constitution are undertaken by the Constitution Review Working Party in conjunction with the Monitoring Officer and any proposed changes are subject to approval by Full Council.
The Constitution can be found here: Document TWBC Constitution – Tunbridge Wells Borough Council
The Constitution is divided into sections. As a new Councillor, you may first wish to read the Procedure Rules in Section 4 (Tunbridge Wells Borough Council Constitution)
We would also recommend familiari/p4-r-o-p/sing yourself with the various Codes and Protocols (set out in Part 5) – the Code of Conduct and any other relevant Codes (in particular the Codes relating to Planning (Page 79) or Licensing (Page 89) if you are sitting on those committees).