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ITEM EN7(b)

SCRUTINY CO-ORDINATING GROUP –
11 APRIL 2003

SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMMES – GETTING THE RIGHT BALANCE

Note by the Head of Scrutiny

  1. After operating our new political management arrangements for just over 18 months some valuable experience has been gained of developing the scrutiny process and establishing scrutiny committees’ work programmes. Following the work by Peter Binns and Frances Taylor and the Audit Commission’s CPA report we are able to evaluate what has been learnt in order to improve our performance.

  2. The Scrutiny Committees’ work programmes should drive the activities of the committees and help to shape and focus the issues on individual agendas. Scrutiny activities can be wide ranging and in determining whether issues are included in the work programme members need to be satisfied these activities will add value to improving the Council’s performance and contribute to the well being of the community.

  3. Work programmes may comprise:

  • Reviewing overall performance of the Executive and services

  • Contributing to the budget and policy framework documents

  • Influencing prospective decisions by examining issues within the Executive’s Forward Plan

  • comment on the Best Value Review outcomes before they go to the Executive

  • Evaluating the implementation of Best Value Reviews

  • Challenging Executive decisions (through call-in)

  • In-depth policy review/ policy development

  • Addressing community concerns

  • Scrutinising the activities of other bodies

  1. In carrying out activities in the work programme the scrutiny committees’ can use a variety of different methods ranging from whole Committee investigations, small task groups investigating and reporting back, individual members investigating issues and reporting back or through scrutiny review panels. The choice of method will depend upon the nature of the activity being undertaken.

  2. There may be a concern that Scrutiny Committees feel that they have to be responsible for looking at all issues in the Executive Portfolio area which falls within their terms of reference. There are dangers in this approach as other elements of the work programme could be neglected and the committees are seen as merely responding to the Executive’s agenda and not effectively scrutinising. As Peter Binns pointed out in his evaluation the Committees need to determine their own priorities and create the capacity to deal with issues effectively. In deciding whether issues should be included in the work programme it is important that committees achieve a balance of activities over the year. It is also important to have an "overview" in order to determine what time, energy and resources can be most effectively and productively applied. Some committees have begun to adopt a "pre-screening" process of developing an overview on an issue before pursuing it. The review scoping template has also been used as a tool to help focus and clarify the activity. As part of this process, some criteria should be used to undertake an evaluation of the issue and whether it should be included in the work programme. If it is included what method for undertaking the activity will be used. Suggested criteria are:-

  • Is the issue strategic and significant?

  • Will the scrutiny activity add value to the overall performance of the Council?

  • Is it likely to lead to effective outcomes?

  • Will scrutiny involvement be duplicating some other work?

  • Is it an issue of concern to partners and stakeholders?

  • Is it an issue of community concern?

  • How resource intensive will the activity be?

  • Is the activity timely?

Any scrutiny activity should meet at least some of these criteria.

  1. The Co-ordinating Group is RECOMMENDED to discuss the issues raised and the criteria suggested above.

DEREK BISHOP
Head of Scrutiny

3 April 2003.

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