Overview and Scrutiny

Our Constitution provides for an Overview and Scrutiny Committee and 2 Scrutiny Panels (Panels A and B) which each have 7 elected members on them.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Scrutiny Panels A and B

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee and 2 Scrutiny Panels support the work of the Cabinet and the council as a whole. The committee and panels play a significant role in policy development and in reviewing decisions that have already been made.

They allow citizens to have a greater say in council matters by holding public inquiries into matters of local concern. These lead to reports and recommendations which advise the Cabinet and the council as a whole on its policies, budgets and service delivery. Indeed, the Cabinet or the council may consult with them on forthcoming decisions and the development of policy.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee also monitors executive decisions once they are made. In certain circumstances, Overview and Scrutiny Members can 'call-in' a decision which has been made by the Cabinet but not yet implemented.

Scrutiny also has a role in:

• reviewing decisions made
• reviewing performance
• policy development and review
• examining issues of concern to local people
• engaging partner organisations and local people.

Scrutiny work programme

A scrutiny work programme is agreed each year. The plan is a list of topics that will be examined by the committee and its panels during that year.

Topics for the work programme are agreed formally on an annual basis, however the work programme is reviewed monthly to consider incorporating new topics as and when they are raised. You can find the current scrutiny work programme in the related documents section of this web page.

On an annual basis the Overview and Scrutiny Committee produce a scrutiny report which details the work that has been undertaken during the previous 12 months. You can find reports from recent years in the related documents section of this web page.