Scrutiny
Committees
There are four Scrutiny Committees that support the work of the
Executive and the Council as a whole. They allow Members to
consider council matters in greater detail leading to reports and
recommendations which advise Executive on its policies, budget and
service delivery. They may also be consulted by the Executive on
forthcoming decisions and the development of policy..
The
Committees monitor the decisions of the Executive or an individual
Member of the Cabinet. It can, in certain circumstances, consider
‘calling-in’ a decision that has been made by the
Executive or an individual member of the Cabinet but not yet
implemented. This enables the Committee to consider whether the
decision is appropriate and ensure that all evidence has been
presented to Executive for them to make the right
decision.
The
Committee reviews the Council’s performance within the
Performance Management Framework and makes recommendations to the
Executive/Service areas as appropriate, to ensure good performance
levels are maintained.
The
Committees also receive requests from Members in respect of
Councillor Calls for Action.
Each
Scrutiny Committee sets a Work Programme of internal scrutiny for
the year and monitors progress against it.
Budget
Scrutiny Committee
The
Budget Scrutiny Committee has the following specific
responsibilities:
- To
receive the Cabinet/Executive’s Budget proposals and
scrutinise them in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework
Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution.
- To
make recommendations to the Cabinet/Executive in respect of those
Budget proposals in accordance with the Budget and Policy Framework
Procedure Rules in the Council’s Constitution.
- To
monitor the Council’s Budget (General Fund, Capital Programme
and Housing Revenue Account) on a quarterly basis.
- To
raise questions with the relevant Portfolio Holders and officers in
relation to financial issues arising out of the quarterly
monitoring of Budgets.
- To
make recommendations to the Cabinet/Executive in respect of
financial issues arising out of the Budget Monitoring.
- To
refer to the relevant Scrutiny Committee any performance or other
non-financial issues arising out of the quarterly monitoring of the
Council’s Budget.
- To
enable the three Scrutiny Chairs’ to present update
information from their respective Committees.