Scrutiny (sometimes called overview and scrutiny) is a process whereby councillors who are not the council’s executive can play an influential role in the shaping of policy and decisions that will have a real benefit on behalf of the community they represent.
The process involves scrutiny committees monitoring performance, reviewing and evaluating services, questioning decision and plans made by the council’s executive, listening to the concerns of local people, and where appropriate making recommendations for action and change.
Four key roles for overview and scrutiny:
- Holding executive, individual cabinet members and chief officers to account and ensuring corporate priorities are met
- Policy development and review
- External scrutiny, such as health care providers
- Performance management and best value
In Blackpool there are four scrutiny committees as follows:
These committees can establish review panels to carry out in depth reviews and investigations into any matters that members would like to look at in detail. The work plans of each committee can be found on each agenda.
Annual report
Each year scrutiny reflects on its achievements and areas for improvement and collates an annual report.
Scrutiny leadership board
The scrutiny leadership board comprises of chairs and vice chairs of each scrutiny committee, the chair of audit committee and is led by the scrutiny lead member. The board co-ordinates the work of the committees and is driving scrutiny improvement.
Call in process
When a decision is made by the executive, or a cabinet member or a key decision made by an officer or under joint arrangements it will be subject to call in. Non executive members will have up to three working days from publication of the decision to call it in. Full details of the call in process can be found in the constitution.
Your view on local services
To scrutinise local services properly the members of the scrutiny committees need to know what issues concern you as a resident of Blackpool.
If you think that a particular topic or service should be scrutinised, or you have input or an idea in relation to a current scrutiny review, please contact the scrutiny team by emailing scrutiny@blackpool.gov.uk
Key scrutiny documents and links