Chapter 14 – Legal, Financial and Contract Matters

The management of the council’s financial affairs will be conducted in accordance with the financial rules set out in Part 3 of this Constitution.

Every contract made by the council will comply with the contract procedure rules set out in Part 3 of this Constitution.

The city solicitor as chief legal officer, is authorised to institute, defend or participate in any legal proceedings in any case where such action is necessary to give effect to decisions of the council or in any case where the city solicitor considers that such action is necessary to protect the council’s interests.

Where any document is necessary to any legal procedure or proceedings on behalf of the council, it will be signed by the city solicitor or by any other person authorised by the city solicitor, unless any enactment otherwise authorises or requires, or the council has given requisite authority to some other person.

Any contract with a value exceeding £100,000 entered into on behalf of the city council in the course of the discharge of a cabinet function shall be made in writing. Such contracts must either be signed by the city solicitor or person or persons as may be authorised by the city solicitor or shall be made under the Common Seal of the council attested by the city solicitor or such person or persons as shall be authorised by the city solicitor to sign on his or her behalf.

The common seal of the council will be kept in a safe place in the custody of the city solicitor. A decision of the council, or of any part of it, will be sufficient authority for sealing any document necessary to give effect to the decision. The common seal will be affixed to those documents which in the opinion of the city solicitor should be sealed. The affixing of the common seal will be attested by the city solicitor or some other person or persons authorised by him or her.