Overview and Scrutiny Webpage |
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Do you think the Council could improve the way it works? | ||||||||
What is Overview & Scrutiny? | ||||||||
Why Scrutinise? | ||||||||
How do Overview & Scrutiny Committees work? | ||||||||
Come and watch an Overview & Scrutiny Committee | ||||||||
What is a Scrutiny Investigation? | ||||||||
We need your views! | ||||||||
Contact us | ||||||||
Links | ||||||||
Do you think the Council could improve the way it works? | ||||||||
Are you concerned about a local issue? | ||||||||
Overview & Scrutiny Committees continually oversee the work of the Council to make sure that it delivers services in the best way and for the benefit of the local community. Overview & Scrutiny Committees can also investigate any issue of concern to the local community, and in doing so they may investigate the work of other public bodies. Recently, Sections 18 and 20 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 came into force in Wales. As a result every Council is required to have an Overview & Scrutiny Committee to oversee the work of the Community Safety Partnership in reducing local crime & disorder and the fear of crime. If you are concerned about an issue or you believe the Council can improve the way it works you can ask an Overview & Scrutiny Committee to investigate. Click on the following link to download a printable scrutiny request form Download Scrutiny request form. Alternatively you can request a copy by emailing scrutiny@bridgend.gov.uk | ||||||||
What is Overview & Scrutiny? | ||||||||
The role of Overview & Scrutiny is to look at the services and issues that affect the lives of people in Bridgend County Borough | ||||||||
Good Public Scrutiny | ||||||||
Provides ‘critical friend’ challenge to executive policy-makers and decision-makers; | ||||||||
Enables the voice and concerns of the public | ||||||||
Is carried out by ‘independent minded governors’ who lead and own the scrutiny role | ||||||||
Drives improvement in public services | ||||||||
Why Scrutinise? | ||||||||
Scrutiny plays an essential role in promoting accountability, efficiency and effectiveness in the Council’s decision making process and the way in which it delivers services. Scrutiny can also assist in aligning council policy and priorities to the issues that matter to those who live and work in the County Borough. | ||||||||
What difference does it make? | ||||||||
Effective Overview & Scrutiny can lead to: | ||||||||
Better decision making | ||||||||
Improved Service Delivery and Performance | ||||||||
Robust Policy Development arising from public consultation and input of independent expertise | ||||||||
Enhanced Democracy, Inclusiveness, Community Leadership and Engagement | ||||||||
Adds a clear dimension of transparency and accountability to the political workings of the Council | ||||||||
Provides an opportunity for all Members to develop specialist skills and knowledge that can benefit future policy making and performance monitoring processes | ||||||||
Creates a culture of evidence based self-challenge | ||||||||
How do Overview & Scrutiny Committees work? | ||||||||
There are five Overview & Scrutiny Committees, each chaired by an opposition Member. The five committees are: | ||||||||
Community Safety and Governance (formerly Strategic Partnership and Governance) |
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Overview & Scrutiny Committees can: | ||||||||
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Prepare reports and make recommendations to Council or Cabinet | |||||||
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Recommend that non-Councillors be appointed as co-opted members | |||||||
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Require Cabinet Members and Senior Officers to attend and answer questions | |||||||
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Invite others to attend as invitees | |||||||
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Appoint Research and Evaluation Panels to conduct investigations | |||||||
Overview & Scrutiny Committees cannot: | ||||||||
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Make decisions | |||||||
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Consider the decisions of regulatory bodies such as the Licensing Committee or the Planning and Development Committee | |||||||
For more information on how the Overview & Scrutiny process operates in Bridgend click here to see detailed guidance for members and here to see detailed guidance for members of the Public. | ||||||||
Come and watch an Overview & Scrutiny Committee | ||||||||
All Overview & Scrutiny Committee meetings are open to the public, click here to see the times, dates and venues of forthcoming meetings. | ||||||||
What is a Scrutiny Investigation? | ||||||||
Overview & Scrutiny Committees are independent of the Council’s Cabinet and have powers to require Cabinet Members and Senior Officers to appear before them and answer questions. The Community Safety and Governance Overview & Scrutiny Committee when discharging into Crime & Disorder functions has the power to require the attendance of Senior Officers and members of the Community Safety Partnerships to answer questions relating to local Crime & Disorder matters. Overview & Scrutiny Committees will often interview a range of people which can include service users, independent experts, representatives of the local community and Officers from other public bodies. At the end of its investigation the Committee will produce a report detailing all the evidence gathered and its recommendations for improvement. Click on the link to view reports previously produced by Overview & Scrutiny Committees. | ||||||||
We need your views! | ||||||||
Overview & Scrutiny Committees usually seek to hear the views of as many people as possible as part of their investigations. If you want to give your views on a topic currently being investigated through a Committees Forward Work Programme. Click here for details of the items that the Overview & Scrutiny Committees will be looking at in 2011/2012 | ||||||||
Contact us | ||||||||
Bridgend County Borough Council Overview & Scrutiny Unit Level 2, Civic Offices Bridgend CF31 4WB Tel: 01656 643695 Email: scrutiny@bridgend.gov.uk | ||||||||
Links | ||||||||
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- Last Updated: 23/08/2011
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