The Constitution of Hampshire County Council

The purpose of this Constitution is to set out in a single place and in clear language how the County Council works and how it makes decisions.

The County Council is responsible for a wide range of services. It must provide some of these services by law; others are discretionary.

The County Council is a statutory corporation; that is, a body created by government under an Act of Parliament. A statutory corporation can only do things it is specifically authorised to do by law, by regulations (often referred to as statutory instruments) and by decisions of government ministers, who have themselves been authorised by Parliament.

The County Council's role is to act strategically and implement policy as determined by Cabinet and to deliver services to the people of Hampshire (and sometimes beyond) in an open, transparent and cost-effective way; acting in the best interests of Hampshire and its members of the public as a whole.