Overview
and Scrutiny
Overview and Scrutiny is a way for County Councillors who do not
sit on the County Council's Cabinet to make sure the Council is
delivering services efficiently and effectively.
Learn More About
Scrutiny Reviews
How to Get Involved
Contact Us
Suzanne O'Leary, Overview and Scrutiny Manager
Email: scrutiny@worcestershire.gov.uk
Tel: 01905
728673
Scrutiny Team
Legal and Democratic Services
Worcestershire County Council
County Hall
Spetchley Road
Worcester WR5 2NP
Frequently Asked Questions
About Overview and Scrutiny
Overview and Scrutiny is a key part of the checks and balances
necessary to hold the Cabinet to
account. It is key to improving policies and performance. It
can help ensure that services respond to the needs of the local
community and are efficient, cost effective and easy to use.
Councillors can also scrutinise a number of organisations which
work with the Council to improve local services.
Overview and Scrutiny is also a way of involving local people, communities and
organisations to ensure that their views are used to improve
services whenever possible.
Worcestershire County Council has established an Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board (OSPB)
to undertake this work, supported by four
Overview and Scrutiny Panels and the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
These bodies can consider any matter affecting Worcestershire or
its residents and have powers to:
- review and make recommendations on any
council functions, policies or budgets
- make reports and recommendations directly to
the Council's Cabinet and full Council.
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Scrutiny Reviews
Scrutiny reviews by councillors are time-limited projects that
look at issues in detail. They can be carried out by the
OSPB, Panels or HOSC or by specially created Scrutiny Task
Groups.
The reviews investigate services and issues,
examine how policies are being implemented, what people think of
them and what changes, if any are needed.
Councillors carrying out a scrutiny review can:
- question Cabinet members and senior Council staff about their
decisions and performance
- hear from local people and organisations
- conduct research
- visit other local authorities
- ask other organisations to comment.
Councillors collect as much evidence as they
can and then publish a report. Their reports may contain
recommendations for improvements and changes for the Cabinet to
consider. Scrutiny reports may sometimes be discussed by
the full Council before being submitted to the Cabinet.
The Cabinet must respond to the scrutiny
report and decide whether or not to accept any recommendations.
(Back)
- Centre for Public Scrutiny
A small charity whose principal focus is on scrutiny,
accountability and good governance, both in the public sector and
amongst those people and organisations who deliver publicly-funded
services.
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This page was last reviewed 1 May 2013 at 10:09.
The page is next due for review 28 October 2014.