Committee details

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 any 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.