Overview and Scrutiny Meetings
The Council has three Overview and Scrutiny Committees
What do Overview and Scrutiny Committees do?
- Support the Cabinet and Council in policy development and review work
- Get involved in the Best Value review
- Examine performance management information
- Set their own work programmes (details of which are attached to meeting agendas)
- In-depth analysis of policy issues, research, consultations, encourage community participation
- 'Call-in' executive decisions made but not yet implemented to see if they are appropriate; scrutinise decisions and decision making
- Question the Cabinet members, other members and officers on views and proposals
- Investigate matters of local concern and if necessary make recommendations to Cabinet and Full Council.
Each Overview and Scrutiny Committee has 10 councillors sitting on it, politically proportionate to the overall political balance of the full council. Members of the Cabinet cannot serve on these committees.
The Committees meet regularly over the year and can co-opt non-voting members (representing organisations, groups or members of the public with a special interest) onto the committee for individual items or meetings.
Members of the community are welcome to attend meetings and can ask questions (previously submitted) of the committee. How to ask a question.
Generally the Overview and Scrutiny Committees cover the following areas;
Environment - Transportation, environmental health, environmental services, building control, and planning (not individual applications)
Resources - Information technology, audit, accountancy, insurance, council tax, business rates, human resources, health and safety, equalities, elections, legal, corporate policy, communication and consultation
Social - Partnership working, housing, leisure and community services.
For details of membership, dates of meetings, agendas, reports and minutes of the Overview and Scrutiny Committees please see our Committee Information System.