About

What is Overview and Scrutiny?

Overview and Scrutiny represents a new way of working for Councils. The process is about improving services for people by being responsive to your needs.

Members in meeting

In January 2002 we introduced a new Constitution for the County Council which consists of:

A Cabinet who are elected by the Council and make the main policy decisions.
An Overview and Scrutiny Committee and Sub-Committees which hold the Cabinet to account and can examine in depth any of the decisions it makes, or assist in areas of policy formulation.
Routine day to day decisions delegated to Chief Officers.

You can view the Constitution of the Council by clicking on the link further down the page.

Why have Overview and Scrutiny?

Overview and Scrutiny is an important part of the Government’s drive to modernise local government to ensure that we provide better public services.

The old Committee system we operated, in common with many other local authorities, was outdated. Under the new Constitution we have changed the way in which we make major decisions and now have a system based on the parliamentary model. Our aim is to make our decision-making processes more transparent, accountable and inclusive.

You can find out more about why we have changed our way of working and the Government’s agenda for modernising local government on the local government pages of the Government's Communities and Local Government website.

How will Overview and Scrutiny work in Durham County Council?

Structure

The Overview and Scrutiny process we have adopted in County Durham is based broadly on the lines of the parliamentary select committee model. The Executive (the Cabinet) is held to account for its decisions or assisted in policy formulation by Non-Executive Members (in the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and/or its Sub Committees).

In developing the Overview and Scrutiny structure we looked to our Mission Statement which is 'To make County Durham the best place in which to live, work and bring up a family' and the following corporate aims which underpin it, which are:

Development of Lifelong Learning.
Promoting Strong, Healthy and Safe Communities.
Looking after the Environment.
Building a Strong Economy.
Effective Corporate Leadership.

A Sub-Committee has been created for each of these aims. We have also established a Scrutiny Sub-Committee for Health (in partnership with District Councils) which came into operation in 2003 when new statutory responsibilities were given to Overview and Scrutiny.

The structures we have set up to undertake the Overview and Scrutiny function in the County Council are as follows, with the main Overview and Scrutiny Committee having the following 'Scrutiny Sub-Committees':

To find out more about the organisation and work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Sub-Committees, please click the links in the boxes in the Organisation chart above.

Operation

In general, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its Sub-Committees will:

Review and/or scrutinise decisions made or actions taken in connection with the discharge of any of the Council’s functions;
Make reports and/or recommendations to the full Council and/or the Cabinet in connection with the discharge of any functions;
Consider any matter affecting the area or its inhabitants; and
Exercise the right to ask the Cabinet to think again about any decisions they have made (call-in).

The Scrutiny Sub-Committees will decide which areas they wish to examine and may look at particular areas in depth. This may arise following representations by members of the public about a particular matter; be an issue identified by councillors themselves; or follow on from reports or performance assessment on the Council’s activities made by outside agencies, such as the Council’s External Auditors. To do this the Sub-Committees may appoint smaller Working Groups.

In looking at a particular issue, the Working Groups appointed by Scrutiny Sub-Committees will usually:

Establish the current position.
Seek help from experts on the issue.
Invite members of the public to give their views.
Look at what is happening in other Councils.
See how we compare to similar Councils and, if they are better than us in that area, establish why that is.
Produce a report for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Make recommendations to the Cabinet/Council as appropriate.
Monitor progress against any agreed recommendations to ensure that improvements are being achieved.

More detailed information about how the Overview and Scrutiny process will operate within Durham County Council can be found on the Constitution (2007) page.

Principles

We believe that, for scrutiny to be effective, the process must be open, fair, constructive and positive. Our aim will be to challenge so we can ultimately improve, not apportion blame when things go wrong.

We want the scrutiny process to be inclusive and aim to give all those who wish to contribute, whether as Councillors, Officers, Co-optees, specialists or members of the public giving evidence, to feel valued and to be able to speak freely and openly.

We try to provide opportunities at appropriate stages of the process for those who wish to contribute to do so. So that you know what to expect and how you will be treated when you give evidence to our Scrutiny Committees, we have produced guidance notes for witnesses. It is important to us that you feel comfortable with the process, so we also ask those who give evidence to complete a Witness Evaluation Form, to enable us to monitor and improve our process.

Find out more about how and when you can have your say.