Policy Scrutiny Committee

TERMS OF REFERENCE – POLICY SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

1.

To ensure that needs and aspirations of the citizens of Lincoln are recognised through our community

2.

To assist the Council and the Executive in the development of policy by analysing the Communities unmet needs and wants and evaluating areas by:-  

Undertaking consultation within communities to assist in policy development

Recommending mechanisms to encourage and enhance community participation in the development of policy options

Liaising with other organisations operating in the area whether national, regional or local to ensure that the interests of local people are enhanced by co-ordinating policies and partnership working

3.

To establish gaps in policy and any unmet policy issues facing the authority and make recommendations to the Executive and/or Council on their development.

4.

To scrutinise and monitor the implementation of the Community Plan, Local Area Agreements and the functioning of the Local Strategic Partnership.

5.

To review the policy and provision of service of external partners to ensure that the Council is working in a cohesive manner.

6.

To act as a consultation forum for the development of the Council’s budget and policy framework.

7.

To scrutinise and monitor the development of the Local Development Framework.

8.

To prepare an annual work programme for approval by the Council   having regard to any recommendations by the Council, the Executive or the Scrutiny Select Committee.

9.

To ensure that all matters provided within the work programmes is carried out efficiently including reporting to Council or the Executive.

10.

To respond, in consultation with the Executive to any Government or external consultation concerning any issues within their remits.

11.

To appoint any Panels as is considered appropriate to fulfil their functions.

12.

To question members of the Executive, Chairs of Committees and Panels and appropriate officers about their decisions where necessary subject to any applicable codes of conduct  

13.

To look at areas of concern in the Council where policies, or processes are not enabling the authority to meet its targets and objectives, or where objectives have changed and policy needs to reflect those changes. To recommend to the Executive and or Council changes in policy or process.

14.

To review or scrutinise decisions made, or other action taken, in connection with the discharge of any functions which are the responsibility of the Executive, whether taken by the Executive itself, any committee of the Executive, any individual member of the Executive or any officer.

15.

To hold the Executive to account by reviewing the past and future work programme of portfolio holders and the Executives Forward Plan  

16.

To ensure that all matters provided within the work programmes is carried out efficiently including reporting to Council or the Executive.  

17.

To liaise on significant emerging issues to ensure common understanding on their impact within the authority.

18.

To review the performance of the Executive and senior officers.

19.

To report to Full Council on any decision made by the Executive which the Committee is of the opinion that the decision was a key decision, as defined in the Access to Information Rules as contained in the Constitution, but was not dealt with by the Executive as a key