Please click on the appropriate link below to view the document. Please note that all these documents are in Adobe Acrobat pdf format and by necessity quite large.
The Dartford Borough Council's Constitution
The Constitution sets out how the Council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures which are followed to ensure that these are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people. Some of these processes are required by the law, while others are a matter for the Council to choose. The Constitution is divided into 16 Articles and eight parts which set out how the Council operates, how decisions are made and the procedures to be followed (see below) to ensure transparency and accountability to local people.
The Constitution is broken down into 11 parts.
Part One: Summary and explanation
Part Two: Articles of the Constitution
Part Three: Scheme of Delegations to Officers
- Responsibility for Functions
- Scheme of Delegations to Officers
- Rules of Substitution
- Crime and Disorder (Overview and Scrutiny) Committee Protocol
- Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Procedure
- Development Control Board Public Speaking Protocol
- Deed,Trust and Obligations Committee - Conflicts of Interest Policy
- Recording, Filming, Photographing and Broadcasting Council Meetings
- Joint Transportation Board (JTB) Agreement
Part Four: Standing Orders, Financial Regulations
- Standing Orders (Procedural)
- Contract Standing Orders
- Financial Regulations
Part Five: Terms of reference
Part Six: Codes and Protocols
- [Member] Code of Conduct
- Arrangements for dealing with [Member] Code of Conduct Complaints
- Member Dispensations Procedure Guide
- Member/Officer Relations' Protocol
- Member/Officer Relations' FAQs
- Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality
- Gifts, Benefits and Hospitality FAQs
- Probity in Planning Protocol
- Probity in Licensing Protocol
- Sensitive Interests
- Use of Council Facilities and Resources by Councillors
- Use of Council Facilities and Resources by Councillors FAQs
- Outside Bodies
- Protocol on Release of Confidential Information
- Protocol on Release of Confidential Information FAQs
- Dual-hatted Members' FAQs
- Lobbying FAQs
- Predisposition, Predetermination and Bias FAQs
- LGA Overview of Social Media for Councillors
- LGA Councillors' Guide to Handling Harassment, Abuse and Intimidation
- LGA Checklist for Councillors - How can you most effectively use social media as a councillor?
Part Seven: Financial regulations and contract standing orders
Part Eight: Members allowances, indemnities
- Members' Allowances Scheme
- Indemnities for Members and Officers
Part Nine: Probity, Propriety
- Counterfraud and Corruption Strategy
- Whistleblowing Policy
- Code of Corporate Governance
Part 10: Employees, management and staffing structure
Part 11: Other
- Corporate Complaints
- Environmenatl Information Regulations
- ePetitions
- Freedom of Information
- Openness Regulations
- RIPA (Regulation of Investigatory Powers) Policy Statement
- Policy for Interrogating Social Media for Investigative Purposes
- Data Protection
- Corporate Data Quality Policy
- Processing Electronic Card Payments
- Disposal of Council owned land
- Strategic Asset Management Plan 2021-2024
- Assets of Community Value - Community Right to Bid
- Violent and Potentially Violent Persons Warning Markers – Their Use and Best Practice
Petitions Procedure
(Minimum fifteen (15) valid qualifying signatures) - Petitions which are referred to an Officer for action/decision under delegated authority or to the Cabinet, relevant Committee, Board etc. Petitions exclude support for or opposition to planning and licensing applications
Member Code of Conduct and Interests' Registers
On 16 July 2012, Dartford Borough Council adopted a Code of Conduct which describes how Councillors and [voting] Co-opted Members on committees of the Council should conduct themselves. Parish/Town Councils in the Borough of Dartford must also adopt a code of conduct.
Aldermen/Alderwomen and Freemen/Freewomen of the Borough of Dartford
Please address any enquiries relating to items on this page to:
Head of Legal Services & Monitoring Officer
Dartford Borough Council
Civic Centre
Home Gardens
Dartford
Kent DA1 1DR
DX 142726 DARTFORD 7
Tel: 01322 343434
Online: Contact Legal Services