Overview and scrutiny
Get involved
Do you have any suggestions for topics you would like the council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Budget and Performance Panel to consider?
Both bodies meet on a regular basis and would like to hear from you if you have a suggestion. Your topic could be something which the council is responsible for, or a more general issue affecting the area.
If you have a suggestion, please contact Stephen Metcalfe on 01524 582073, email scrutiny@lancaster.gov.uk or write to:
Overview and Scrutiny
Democratic Services
Town Hall
Dalton Square
Lancaster
LA1 1PJ
Introduction
Overview and Scrutiny is an important role and tool for promoting the best interests and well-being of the district, and ensuring that local people receive high quality services that are relevant to their needs.
The key principles of effective scrutiny are to:
- Provide 'critical friend challenge' to decision makers
- Consider the concerns of the public and communities
- Be led and owned by 'independent minded' councillors
- Positively impact on the delivery of services
What is overview and scrutiny?
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee aims to evaluate the decisions made by the council and hold meetings to discuss the decisions made. The Committee can ask for them to be reconsidered, and also the areas and services they feel the council could perform better in.
Task Groups are set up by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to investigate how the council can perform better such as in the provision of cemeteries, how homelessness can be reduced, how young people can have greater involvement in decision making and assessing the value of the council's civic traditions.
Five roles for overview and scrutiny
- Holding Cabinet, Individual Cabinet Members and Chief Officers to Account and ensuring Corporate Priorities are met.
- Policy Development and Review
- External Scrutiny i.e. Healthcare Providers, Education Institutions, Public Transport Providers, Emergency Services etc.
- Performance Management
- Engaging the Public, Press and Partner Organisations
View a timetable of meetings of the Overview and Scrutiny committee, including agenda and minutes.
Budget and performance panel
The Budget and Performance Panel is a function of Overview and Scrutiny that has responsibility for carrying out scrutiny of the council's budget and performance at both strategic and service level.
View information on the Budget and Performance Panel and details of its meetings.
Task groups
The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is responsible for establishing Task and Finish Groups to carry out reviews and investigations into any matters that they would like to be scrutinised in detail. Task Groups will review the performance and plans for specific service areas or focus on areas of concern. These may also include services outside the council.
Centre for Governance and Scrutiny
The Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS) is an independent body created to promote the value of scrutiny in modern and effective government and support non-executives in their scrutiny role. The CfGS also support scrutineers through events, networks, publications, online services and project work.
Last updated: 06 June 2023