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What is Scrutiny?

What does Scrutiny Do?

The Council’s four Scrutiny Committees play an important role in reviewing and shaping services and policy and act as a critical friend to decision makers.

Scrutiny Committees do not make decisions but can request to pre-scrutinise future items of Cabinet business in order to provide feedback and/or make recommendations prior to a decision being taken.

Similarly, Scrutiny Committees may be asked to look at a particular item of business in detail before providing feedback and/or recommendations to either the Cabinet or Full Council to inform decision making. Often, this work is carried out by Scrutiny Working Groups made up of elected Members from the relevant Scrutiny Committee.

Scrutiny Members

Scrutiny Committees are politically balanced and include elected members from different political groups.

Scrutiny Chairs are divided between political groups using a formula which takes into account the political make up of the Council

How Can I Get Involved

At the discretion of the Committee Chair, residents are able to speak on items being considered by Scrutiny. Details on how you can request to speak at a meeting of Scrutiny are included on the respective Scrutiny Committee pages.

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