The Overview and Scrutiny Committee has statutory powers to examine decisions made or planned by the executive, aiming to improve policies and council performance in Cheltenham. It acts as a critical friend to the executive, amplifying public concerns and driving improvements in local services. The committee can establish task groups to investigate specific issues, but it cannot consider planning or licensing matters or individual complaints, as these are handled by separate processes. The committee decides which suggested issues it can investigate, with limits on the number of active task groups.