Our constitution has been designed to ensure that the decisions we make are efficient, transparent and accountable to you. It sets out how the Royal Borough operates, how decisions are made and how our procedures ensure decisions are efficient, transparent and accountable to local people.

It contains details of our executive arrangements, including rules, areas of responsibility and codes of conduct.

The Royal Borough of Greenwich has a leader and cabinet style of executive arrangement - one of the three options permitted under the Local Government Act.

Read the Royal Borough's Constitution

The constitution is divided into seven parts:

Part one

Part one contains a summary of the constitution and a glossary of terms used in the constitution.

Download part one of the constitution

Part two

Part two contains the 16 articles. These set out the basic rules governing the council's business, including the rights of citizens and how the key parts of the council operate.

Download part two of the constitution

Part three

Part three sets out which parts of the council are responsible for carrying out its functions. The law specifies the functions that full council or its committees must carry out. These are called 'council functions', and are mainly agreeing major policies and the annual budget, and planning and licensing.

The Leader of the Council, who is responsible for all executive functions, is appointed by the full council for a four year term (appointed at the annual meeting following the borough-wide elections). The Leader appoints the Cabinet (up to 10 councillors including the Leader of the Council). The Leader of the Council is responsible for determining the scheme of delegation. Most functions can be delegated, and delegations are listed here, along with the terms of reference of member-level bodies and the council's consultative arrangements.

Download part three of the constitution

Part four

Part four contains more detailed procedures. These regulate meetings of the council, its committees, overview and scrutiny committee and the executive (Cabinet). There are procedures governing access to meetings and reports, and how the council agrees its budget and major policies. Finally there are procedures controlling the council's finances, contracts and the employment of staff.

Download part four of the constitution

Part five

Part five has codes of conduct for councillors and council staff, and a protocol governing member-officer relations. The councillors' code of conduct is a locally adopted code. The council's standards committee is responsible for investigating complaints that councillors have breached the code. The staff code of conduct will consist of terms to be approved by Parliament. It will complement the councillors' code, and will be incorporated in staff terms and conditions of employment.

Download part five of the constitution

Part six

Part six sets out the scheme of allowances for councillors. The council has agreed this taking account of the recommendations of the pan-London independent remuneration panel, managed by London Councils.

Download part six of the constitution

Part seven

Part seven has the council's organisation and management structure.

Download part seven of the constitution