Agenda item

INTRODUCTION TO OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY

The Committee will receive a presentation on the role of Overview and Scrutiny in Havering.

 

Minutes:

The Committee received a presentation giving an insight into how Overview and Scrutiny worked in Havering.  It was important that the committee understood the difference between Executive decisions and those made by the Council.  Members were informed that Council functions were explicitly the responsibility of the full Council and/or its Committees or staff on their behalf.  Whereas Executive functions, were the responsibility of the Executive, meaning the Cabinet or individual Cabinet Members, or staff on their behalf.  The principal interest of an OSC was the Executive decision making function.

 

Overview and Scrutiny was the function by which Council decisions, or indeed any actions taken in connection with Council functions, can be reviewed and/or scrutinised.  Overview and Scrutiny Committees are able to make reports and/ or recommendations to each of full Council, Cabinet or any policy committee.  These reports can be in connection with the discharge of any functions.

 

The Committee noted that the former local government minister, Nick Raynsford MP, once stated Scrutiny is a powerful tool to help identify weaknesses in existing policy and practice, as well as driving improvement”.

 

In Havering there were seven overview and scrutiny committees, five dealt with various aspects of Council services and were aligned with the overall goals of the Council.  They were:

 

·         Children and Learning

·         Environment

·         Individuals

·         Towns and Communities

·         Value

 

The other two – Crime & Disorder and Health were principally outward looking and scrutinised local crime and disorder-related issues and local health services respectively.

 

The Committee noted that only non-Cabinet members may sit on an overview and scrutiny committee, however there was nothing to prevent a Committee meeting with or questioning a relevant Cabinet member in order to aid aspects of scrutiny.  Overview and Scrutiny meetings are open to the public and anyone, including Cabinet Members, may attend.

 

Each overview and scrutiny committee consisted of between six and nine members.  Under the political breakdown rules, the political breakdown of the seats reflected, as far as was practicable, the make-up of the Council as a whole.

 

The Committee were informed that a major part of their work would be undertaking Topic Groups, either as part of an agreed work plan, or because a specific issue arises that needs investigation.  The Committee itself would approve the terms of reference and the scope of its Topic Groups and can set parameters within which they will work.  A recent change is that Council has agreed that Topic Group may include – or indeed be wholly comprised of – members who are not actually members of the parent OSC.  Therefore if a member not on a particular OSC has expertise or an interest in an area being investigated by a Topic Group, he or she can take part if the committee agreed to their inclusion as a member of the Topic Group.

 

The factors for successful scrutiny Topic Groups were outlined to the Committee.  The more tightly and realistically framed that the recommendation are, the more likely they are to be adopted/ implemented.  Members are encouraged to look at various aspects of Council services, by meeting Council officers, holding discussions with the public and community groups and undertaking site visits both within Havering and to gain an understanding of the situations in other Councils.

 

The Committee was informed of the call-in process and how this would be dealt with by an Overview and Scrutiny Committee. The officer explained that often a special meeting of the OSC would have to be fixed at a date and time which may not be popular with all members of the committee.

 

The Councillor Call for Action (CCA) was a power that allowed any Member to bring a matter of concern to an OSC.  The issue could not relate to planning, licensing, health and crime and disorder issues, as separate powers covered these areas.  Members must have attempted to resolve the issue directly with the department concerned prior to bringing them to scrutiny in this way.

 

The Committee was informed that one change, enacted by the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009, was the requirement of each Council to nominate a Statutory Scrutiny Officer.  This person was required to promote the role of Overview and scrutiny in the Authority as well as support all Members and officers in their work and dealings with Overview and Scrutiny.  In Havering the Statutory Scrutiny Officer was Andrew Beesley, Committee Administration Manager.