1
Overview and Scrutiny
Committee
Composition:Nine Councillors in political balance.
Members of the Committee shall not be members of the
Cabinet.
The Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee
will be appointed by Council annually.
However, only non-cabinet Councillors are entitled to vote for the
Chair.
The Chair and Vice Chair shall not be members of the
largest political group which has Councillors on the
Cabinet.
Terms of Reference
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has overall
responsibility for the performance of all Overview and Scrutiny
functions (under the Local Government Act 2000) on behalf of the
Council and for ensuring its effectiveness, including:
1.1
To consider and Call-in decisions relating to the
discharge of Cabinet functions before those decisions are put into
effect. The Overview and Scrutiny Committee can ask the Cabinet to
reconsider any such decision (or, exceptionally, refer it to
Council under the Procedure Rules in Part
3).
1.2
To scrutinise decisions relating to the discharge of
the Cabinet functions after they are put into effect.
1.3
To consider the notices of forthcoming Key Decisions and comment as appropriate to the
decision-maker on Key Decisions (before they are
taken by the Leader, Cabinet, Portfolio Holders or
Officers).
1.4
To conduct reviews of policy, services and aspects
of services where there is an identifiable need, by itself or
through setting up a Task Group.
1.5
To make suggestions on the development of policies
and suggest new policies where appropriate.
1.6
To work with or appoint representatives to work with
other local authorities and organisations to carry out joint
scrutiny.
1.7
Together with Budget and Performance Panel, to
assist the Cabinet in the development of the Budget and Policy
Framework and, where appropriate, establish Task Groups, or
identify topics for scrutiny.
1.8
To receive and consider the Cabinet’s work in
response to external inspection and review. The Committee may refer
a particular external review or inspection to the Budget and
Performance Panel or a Task Group for consideration.
1.9
To create Task Groups and set their Terms of
Reference, in order to fulfil the Overview and Scrutiny
requirements of the Council and the Annual Overview and Scrutiny
Work Programme.
1.10
To receive reports, presentations and updates in
order to scrutinise the Cabinet’s priorities for and its
performance in the year.
1.11
To review and scrutinise the performance of the
Cabinet, Cabinet Committees and appropriate Officers both in
relation to individual decisions and over time (provided such
matters are not excluded by regulations such as individual Planning
or Licensing decisions).
1.12
To approve an Annual Overview and Scrutiny Work
Programme, including the power to request and receive the Work
Programme of the Budget and Performance Panel and Task Groups it
appoints so as to ensure that their time is effectively and
efficiently utilised and that the potential for duplication of
effort is minimised.
1.13
To produce a unified Annual Report for the whole
scrutiny process, with sections provided by the Budget and
Performance Panel and each of the Task Groups.
1.14
To allocate money from approved Overview and
Scrutiny budgets for its own use, and upon request to support the
Budget and Performance Panel and Task Groups in meeting their
objectives and furthering the Overview and Scrutiny work programme
and development.
1.15
To consider matters arising from a Councillor Call for Action (CCfA) under the Local Government Act
2000.
1.16
To undertake the functions of the Council’s
crime and disorder committee for the purposes of Section 19 of the
Police and Justice Act, including consideration of a CCfA relating to crime and disorder
matters.