Local authorities are already required to make their constitution documents available for inspection at their offices under section 9P of the Local Government Act 2000. Local authorities must also, under the code, publish their constitution on their website.

There is no definition within the code as to what documents make up the constitution. Hurstpierpoint & Sayers Common Parish Council publish their Standing Orders, Financial Regulations and Members’ Code of Conduct which are widely regarded as the key documents of a local authority’s constitution.