The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Southwark Council is scheduled to meet on Saturday 17 May 2025. At the meeting, attendees are expected to agree on scrutiny arrangements for the 2025-26 municipal year, including the appointment of scrutiny commissions, their remits, and the allocation of responsibilities for crime and disorder and health matters. The meeting will take place at Southwark Cathedral, London Bridge.

Scrutiny Arrangements for 2025-26

The main item for discussion is the agreement of scrutiny arrangements for the upcoming municipal year.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) is expected to:

• Appoint commissions for 2025-26, agreeing on their title, size, composition and remit.
• Appoint the chairs and vice-chairs of these commissions.
• Determine whether scrutiny of crime and disorder, and health matters are allocated to commissions or retained by the OSC.

In the previous year, 2024/25, four commissions were appointed: Education and Local Economy Scrutiny Commission, Environment Scrutiny Commission, Health and Social Care Scrutiny Commission, and Housing, Community Safety, and Community Engagement Scrutiny Commission.

The report pack notes that the annual council assembly meeting on 17 May 2025 is due to appoint an Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) with 11 places (9 Labour, 2 Liberal Democrat). The chair and vice-chair will also be appointed at that meeting.

The report pack also provides a table outlining the proportionate allocation of seats on commissions based on their size, for both Labour and Liberal Democrat groups. For example, a commission with seven seats would have five Labour members and two Liberal Democrat members.

The report pack also lists co-opted member places from 2024/25, including representatives from the Church of England Diocese, Catholic diocesan representatives, elected parent governor representatives, Tenants Forum, Homeowners Forum and Southwark Tenant Management Organisations Committee.

Cabinet at its meeting on 4 February 2020 considered an item on the Southwark Resident Participation Framework. As part of cabinet’s decision, it recommended that the housing scrutiny commission have nominated places (one place each) for Tenants Forum, Homeowners Forum and Southwark Tenant Management Organisations Committee and that the representatives be able to nominate an item on to the scrutiny commission agenda.

Other Business

The agenda includes standard items such as:

• Apologies for absence.
• Notification of any urgent items of business.
• Disclosure of interests and dispensations.