Overview and Scrutiny

All Councils are required to have a least 1 overview & scrutiny committee, although most have more than one (they are often called panels or forums rather than committees). As only a small proportion of councillors elected in 2008 will become part of the cabinet or executive board the vast majority will be required to play a significant role in overview and scrutiny. Overview & scrutiny has an important role in holding executive councillors to account for their decisions, policies and the performance of council services. They can also play a valuable role in assisting with developing and reviewing policies as well as investigating issues of concern to the local community and the activities of other public sector bodies.

Overview & scrutiny committees do not make decisions but they can make recommendations to the executive or full council. Overview & scrutiny committees can also require executive councillors and senior council officers to attend and answer questions. In reviewing decisions, policies and performance overview & scrutiny committees can gather evidence from a range of sources, including the public, service users, independent experts or representatives of other public bodies, to inform their findings. Sometimes reviews or investigations conducted by overview & scrutiny committees can last for several months.

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