The Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee met on Monday 11 November 2024 to discuss the Scrutiny Annual Report for 2023/24. The committee resolved to approve the report for submission to the Council Meeting, subject to the inclusion of additional information and a foreword drafted by the Chair.

Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/24

The committee considered the draft Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/24, which outlines the work undertaken by the scrutiny function during the previous municipal year. The report was resolved to be approved for submission to the Council Meeting, with two key amendments. Firstly, it was requested that additional information be included to fully capture the breath and range of activities of the scrutiny function. Secondly, a foreword to the report is to be drafted by the Chair of the Committee.

During the discussion, several points were raised regarding the scrutiny process. It was suggested that consideration should be given to the timing of scrutiny reviews, with a question raised about whether they could be commenced at different times throughout the year, rather than solely at the beginning of the municipal year. Damian Eaton, Assistant Director for Legal & Democratic Governance, explained that scrutiny committees are required to develop a work programme at the start of the municipal year for approval by the Council Meeting, and that reviews spanning across municipal years have previously presented difficulties.

Further comments included a request for increased assistance to scrutiny committees in the selection of review topics. Concerns were also raised that some reports presented to scrutiny committees were quite lengthy which inhibited meaningful discussion. Finally, it was noted that scrutiny committees should receive updates on actions taken in response to recommendations from scrutiny review panels.

The committee resolved to approve the report for submission to the Council Meeting, with the aforementioned amendments. Councillor Colin Foster, Chair of the Scrutiny Co-ordination Committee, and Councillor David Sedgwick, Vice-Chair, were requested to move and second the report when it is presented to the Council Meeting.

The minutes from the previous meeting held on 1 July 2024 were approved as a correct record and signed by the Chair. No declarations of interest or call-in items were raised.