Overview & Scrutiny Committee

Meetings of this committee are audio recorded   Constitution: 11 Members (excluding members of the Cabinet and the Chairman ofthe Council) based on political proportionality.

The Committee shall report directly to Council. Frequency of Meetings: at least 4 timesper year. Terms of reference:  

1.     To consider any matters which affect the authority or the whole or part of itsadministrative area or some or all of the inhabitants of that area.

2.     To carry out an overarching scrutiny role. To develop the annual scrutiny workprogramme and submit it to Council for agreement.

3.     To develop, scrutinise or review council policies and to make proposals to theCabinet, as appropriate, for new or amended policies.

4.     To scrutinise policy decisions to ensure compliance with approved policy objectivesand to review decisions or proposed decisions of the Council, the Cabinet orofficers.

5.     To comment upon and make recommendations to the Cabinet on external reportsand consultation papers.

6.     To consider issues of performance.

7.     To receive reports from the West Sussex Joint Scrutiny Steering Group on any jointscrutiny reviews carried out and to comment upon and make recommendations, asnecessary, to the Cabinet on those reports and recommendations.

8.     To review performance against the Council’s Corporate Plan and Annual Reportand to report to Council as appropriate.

9.     To consider decisions which have been requested for call-in and to carry out thepowers in relation to Cabinet decisions made but not implemented as set out inSection 21(3) of the Local Government Act 2000.

10.To consider a petition or a request for a review of the council’s response to apetition in accordance with the council's petition scheme.

11.To request evidence from or attendance by officers of the Council, members of thepublic, local organisations, external bodies and partnerships as covered by scrutinyguidance and legislation to contribute to and promote transparent scrutiny reviews.

12.To appoint time limited task and finish groups or working groups led by Members, orto establish one off scrutiny reviews where that is appropriate, to undertake detailedscrutiny work and to involve both Scrutiny and Non-Scrutiny Members with therelevant skills or background to assist with those reviews.

13.To have the option to increase the size of the Committee temporarily for specific indepth reviews by drawing upon Member expertise with specific interest and outsidespecialists as appropriate.

14.To procure specialist information services designed to supplement resourcesordinarily available to the Committee using delegated budgetary powers.

15.To consider proposals for change to the scrutiny process and make associatedrecommendations as required.

16.To present an Annual Report of the Committee’s work to full Council.

17.To make recommendations to the Cabinet or Council as appropriate. To referappropriate matters to the Corporate Governance and Audit Committee for review.

18.To require partner authorities or external organisations to ‘have regard’ to a reportor recommendations as required.  

Speaking at council and committee meetings