Council Constitution

The Constitution has the important purpose of providing a guide for local people, businesses and other organisations to understand how the council's decision-making works. It is also a handbook for councillors and staff directly involved in the council's business. It has been formally approved by the council and will be kept under review and updated from time to time.

The governance model plan (pdf format, 526Kb) shows how governance at Oxfordshire County Council works, subject to the provisions of the Constitution

The Constitution (pdf format, 5.4 MB) can be viewed as a whole or in individual parts below.

Constitution contents

• Contents (pdf format, 99 KB)

Part 1 - Introduction

1.1  The Constitution (2 February 2026)
1.2  How OCC Operates (2 February 2026)
1.3  Decision Making (2 February 2026)

Part 2 - Oxfordshire Fire and Rescue Service (October 2022)

Part 3 - Council

3.1 Council Procedure Rules (2 February 2026)
3.2 Budget and Policy Framework Procedure Rules (30 April 2024)
3.3 Virement Rules (1 April 2025)
3.4 "Local Choice" Functions (9 December 2014)
3.5 Agency, Partnership and Joint Agreements (21 May 2024)

Part 4 - Cabinet

4.1 Membership of Cabinet and Shadow Cabinet (2 February 2026)
4.2 Cabinet Procedure Rules (2 February 2026)
4.3 Cabinet Committees (2 February 2026)

• Part 4.3 - Appendix A - Oxfordshire Shareholder Committee Terms of Reference (2 February 2026)

4.4 Delegated Decisions by Individual Cabinet Members (1 April 2025)
4.5 Cabinet Advisory Groups (10 April 2024)

Part 5 - Committees and sub-committees

5.1A  Membership of Committees and Sub-Committees (9 September 2025)
5.1B Health and Wellbeing board (1 April 2025)
5.1C Remuneration Committee (9 September 2025)
5.1D  Membership of Other Committees

Part 6 - Overview and scrutiny committees

6.1A Overview and Scrutiny Committees (2 February 2026)
6.1B Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (2 February 2026)
6.1C Buckinghamshire Oxfordshire Berkshire West Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee 1 April 2025)
6.2 Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules (2 February 2026)

Part 7 - Scheme of delegation to officers

7.1 Officers (2 February 2026)
7.2 Scheme of Delegation to Officers (2 February 2026)

Part 8 - Other procedure rules

8.1 Access to Information Procedure Rules (2 February 2026)
8.2 Financial Procedure Rules (2 February 2026)

• Section 01 - Financial regulations - introduction (pdf format, 135 KB)
• Section 02 - Financial roles and responsibility (pdf format, 208 KB)
• Section 03 - Financial planning (pdf format, 194KB)
• Section 04 - Financial management (pdf format, 216 KB)
• Section 05 - Capital (4 November 2025) (pdf format, 260 KB)
• Section 06 - Accounting records and financial systems (pdf format, 128 KB)
• Section 07 - Risk management and internal control (pdf format, 256 KB)
• Section 08 - Control of resources (pdf format, 297 KB)
• Section 09 - Income and expenditure (pdf format, 267 KB)
• Section 10 - External arrangements (pdf format, 214 KB)

8.3 Contract Procedure Rules (1 April 2025)
8.4 Officer Employment Procedure Rules (2 February 2026)

• Annex 1 (2 February 2026) – Procedure to be Complied with in Respect of Dismissal of Senior Officers
• Annex 2 (2 February 202) – Protocol for Employees Working Part-time and/or Temporarily for, or providing Consultancy to, other Bodies or Councils
• Annex 3 (18 November 2024) – Senior Posts and Proposed Appointor

8.5 Members Champion Role Guidance Notes (9 December 2025 

Part 9 - Codes and protocols

9.1 Members' Code of Conduct (including general principles) (2 February 2026)

• Appendix A (5 April 2022) – The Seven Principles of Public Life
• Appendix B (5 April 2022) – Disclosable Pecuniary Interests
• Appendix C (5 April 2022) – Disclosure of Other Registrable Interests

9.2 Protocol on Members' Rights and Responsibilities (2 February 2026)
9.3 Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) – Guidance for Members(2 February 2026)
9.4 Members’ Planning Code of Practice (2 February 20206)
9.5 Protocol on Member/Officer Relations (2 February 2026)
9.6 Officers' code of conduct (24 May 2024)
9.7 Protocol on Consultation with Employees (9 December 2014)

Part 10 - Members’ allowances

10.1 Members’ Allowances (9 December 2025)