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Overview and Scrutiny committees are very similar to
select committees at parliamentary level. They are made up of
councillors who represent the community of Telford & Wrekin,
who are able to examine the activities and decisions of the Cabinet
in order to hold them to account and also look at any issue of
concern to local people.
We have four scrutiny commissions which each have a different
area of responsibility. For further information on the remit and
work programme for each of these commissions, click on their
name:
Children & Young People
Environment & Regeneration
Health & Care
Community & Resources
Members meet regularly to review decisions made by the Council's
Cabinet and key decisions made by officers. The commissions are
also involved in looking at the performance of service areas within
their remit and can report on any issue which affects the local
area, for example health bodies, water companies, train
operators.
Every year each commission decides a work programme of in-depth
reviews into areas of particular local interest or concern. These
largely focus upon Council services, although scrutiny commissions
are also able to scrutinise bodies external to the Council. For
these in-depth reviews, members gather a range of evidence from
relevant stakeholders, including community groups, Parish and Town
Councils, local residents, professionals working for other
organisations and Council employees. This enables them to gather a
full picture of the issue and make any recommendations which they
feel are necessary.
See the list of in-depth reviews for this year
2007/08
Read reports from previous scrutiny
reviews
Why do we have scrutiny?
Under the current system of local government, seven Councillors
make up the Council's Cabinet and are responsible for day-to-day
decision making. This concentrates a lot of responsibility into the
hands of a relatively small number of Councillors. Scrutiny acts as
a check and balance to the Cabinet's decisions and seeks to involve
the public to a greater degree to ensure that decisions are not
only in line with council policy, but also in the public
interest.
What influence does scrutiny have?
If scrutiny disagrees with any decisions made, they can refer
the decisions back with recommendations. Its role is to influence
policy and decision-making. It can hold enquiries and investigate
different options and ask witnesses to attend meetings to inform
them of their views. Scrutiny can also hold its own consultation
groups to help it understand how affected parties may feel - this
is usually where you can help us.
Who can it scrutinise?
The Cabinet - all decisions made by the Cabinet and by officers
acting under delegated powers from the Cabinet.
External organisations - It can also report on any issue which
affects the local area. This could include reviewing the
performance of local organisations e.g. water companies, train
operators etc. However, a scrutiny commission cannot require such
an organisation to participate in reviews.
Health bodies - scrutiny also has an express power to scrutinise
health agencies in their local area e.g. NHS hospital trusts,
Primary Care Trusts, Ambulance Trusts or the Strategic Health
Authority. |