Decision making - Overview and scrutiny.
Overview and Scrutiny plays a key part in the decision making and policy development processes at Basildon District Council. |
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The Overview and Scrutiny function has 4 specific purposes:
- To hold the Executive (Cabinet) to account
- To help develop new policies and review existing policies
- To oversee performance management and budget monitoring
- To deal with external scrutiny
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Downloadable:
Basildon Council - Annual Overview & Scrutiny Report 2006-07 
Basildon Council - Annual Overview & Scrutiny Report 2005-06
Your Suggestions: Suggest a matter for Overview and Scrutiny 
Useful Link: The Centre for Public Scrutiny 
Overview and Scrutiny comprises the following committees:
The following 3 additional Overview and Scrutiny Committees each have a specific area of responsibility and deal with policy development and performance management.
Membership of the above committees reflects the political make-up of the Council.
The work of the above 3 Overview and Scrutiny committees falls into a number of areas, as follows:
- Policy Reviews. The Overview and Scrutiny Commission is responsible for establishing and co-ordinating Task and Finish groups, to undertake in depth reviews of Council policies and services or any other issue which affect the residents of the District.
- Performance and Budget Monitoring. The Overview and Scrutiny Commission and Committees receive quarterly reports regarding performance and the budget position with regards to areas within their remit. In considering these issues, the Committees may invite relevant officers and the Cabinet Member to respond to their questions or areas of concern.
- Light Touch Reviews. In addition to task and finish groups undertaking in-depth reviews, overview and scrutiny committees will have a less in-depth look at various topics. The Committee will typically ask Council officers to attend the meeting, but may also invite a Cabinet Member or external organisations to assist them in their consideration of the matter. Further to considering the matter, the Committee may make recommendations to the Cabinet or, if it is felt an in-depth review is required, they will refer the matter to the Commission, asking them to establish a task and finish group.
- Call-in. In overview and scrutiny's role of holding the Executive to account, if three Members of the Council are concerned about a decision made by the Cabinet, they can call-in the decision after it has been made (except for financial decisions involving amounts less than £100,000). This has the effect of suspending the implementation of the decision until the Overview and Scrutiny Commission have considered the matter and decided whether to ask the Cabinet to reconsider its decision. Decisions can also be called-in by 20 members of the public. Further information regarding the Council's call-in procedure can be found in the Council's Constitution.
- Pre decision Scrutiny. The Overview and Scrutiny Commission and Committees may consider a matter prior to its consideration by the Cabinet and make comments in connection with the issue for the Cabinet to take into account when reaching its decision.
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