Council Constitution

Part 2 - Articles of the Constitution

Article 14 - District Assemblies

14.1 District Assemblies

The Council will appoint District Assemblies as it sees fit, as part of its commitment to local democracy, improved service delivery in the context of best value and more efficient, transparent and accountable decision making.

14.2 Form, Composition and Function

1. Membership: All Ward Councillors in a District Assembly area will be Members of the District Assembly.
   
   
2. Responsibilities of Individual Councillors: The District Assembly will allocate responsibility to individual Councillor(s) for certain District Assembly functions(s). They will be required to report regularly to Assembly meetings. They will be expected to involve relevant Advisory Group Members in carrying out this responsibility.
    
3. Advisory Group: Each District Assembly will appoint an advisory group comprising a small number of individuals living or working in the District Assembly area. Student representatives from secondary schools in the area will also be Members of the Advisory Group.
   
   
4. Functions: The Council and the Executive will include details of the delegations to District Assemblies, including the functions delegated, the budget and any limitations on delegation.

District Assemblies are not allowed to discuss matters such as planning applications that are the responsibility of the Speakers Panel.

14.3 Public Participation

At each ordinary meeting, Members of the public can submit a question (or have one submitted on their behalf) on matters that are relevant to the Council and the District Assembly.

All questions must be submitted:-

1. in writing; no later than five minutes before the start time of the meeting, as set out in the notice for the meeting; or
2. via e-mail no later than 12 noon on the day of the District Assembly.

The person submitting the question can ask the question in person or have it read out for them by the Chair of District Assembly or their nominee. The Member of the public will have a maximum period of five minutes to speak on all their questions.

Members of the public are expected to act and behave in a manner consistent with the Citizen responsibilities set out in Article 3.2.

14.4 District Assemblies - Access to Information

District Assemblies will comply with the Access to Information Rules (Part 4(e)).

Agendas and notices for District Assembly meetings which deal with both functions of the Executive and functions which are not the responsibility of the Executive will state clearly which items are which.

14.5 Call in Procedure

All delegated decisions taken by District Assemblies will be subject to the Council’s Call In Procedure and cannot therefore the implemented until after the expiry of the five day call in period.