Corporate Scrutiny Committee

Membership and Quorum The Committee shall be politically balanced and comprise 13 councillors plus any coopted members appointed by City Council or the Committee. The quorum shall be one third of the Committee membership.

Purpose

  To provide strategic oversight and scrutiny of the council’s corporate functions, ensuring transparency, accountability, and continuous improvement in finance, governance, performance and service delivery across the organisation. In doing so the Committee will discharge the council’s overview and scrutiny function in respect of the following council functions:  

·  Strategic planning and governance

·  Finance and resources

·  Performance

·  Corporate change and transformation

·  Equality, diversity and inclusion

·  Customer Services

·  Digital and technology

·  Climate change

·  Such other areas allocated by City Council   In addition, the Committee will undertake the following formal overarching scrutiny responsibilities:  

1.  Consider and respond to issues, queries and concerns referred to it by City Council, Cabinet and any of the scrutiny committees.

2.  Consider overview and scrutiny development, working practices and constitutional arrangements and make recommendations where necessary to Constitutional Committee, Cabinet or City Council.

3.  Oversee and encourage the council’s involvement in and where appropriate, leadership of, external overview and scrutiny activity at local, regional and national level) and to nominate members to represent the council for this purpose.

4.  Produce an annual report to City Council on all scrutiny work undertaken during the year.

Terms of Reference

  In carrying out its functions the committee shall:   a.  Consider, or arrange for the consideration of, any decisions (relevant to the Committee’s terms of reference), which are “called in” for scrutiny in accordance with the provisions of section 15 of the Overview and Scrutiny Procedure Rules (Part 4E of the Newcastle Charter). b.  Consider, or arrange for the consideration, of any matter referred to it (relevant to the Committee’s terms of reference), by a member of the Council in accordance with section 9FC of the Local Government Act 2000 (Councillor Call for Action). The committee may discharge this responsibility by referring the matter to an appropriate sub-committee, standing or task and finish group for consideration. c.  Co-ordinate its own work programmes and consider any related insight and guidance provided by the Scrutiny Governance Group. d.  Make reports or recommendations to City Council, the Cabinet or other committees or sub-committees or relevant partners or other organisations. e.  Conduct or commission research, subject to resources being available. f.  Consult with relevant individuals, groups, communities and experts. g.  Require members of the Cabinet and senior officers of the Council (Head of Service and above) to attend to answer questions in accordance with paragraph 13 of Part 4E of the Charter. h.  Review and scrutinise the performance of other organisations and public bodies relevant to its area of work, utilising where necessary the powers conferred by section 9F (2) of the Local Government Act 2000. i.  Question and gather evidence from any person or organisation (with their consent). j.  Make appropriate use of any resources allocated to them to help it carry out its functions. k.  Appoint sub-committees, task and finish groups, and standing groups to help it carry out the Council’s scrutiny functions relevant to the committee’s terms of reference. The Scrutiny Governance Group will be consulted about any such proposal and their advice and guidance considered prior to formalising any appointment. l.  When creating these sub-committees and groups, the committee shall: ·  Determine the remits, and nominate members to serve on any sub-committee, standing or task and finish groups it appoints. Each sub-committee, standing or task and finish group should include at least one member of the original scrutiny committee amongst its membership. The original scrutiny committee will normally appoint at least the Chair of any such groups, who shall be drawn from the membership of the original scrutiny committee. ·  Standing and task and finish groups shall normally be time limited, and the original scrutiny committee should set timescales for them to complete their work. ·  Ensure all sub-committees, standing and task and finish groups are making progress and require them to report to the original scrutiny committee on a regular basis, and at least quarterly. m.  Task small groups or individual members to carry out work on its behalf including areas related to its work programme (for example making a site visit or interviewing witnesses), subject to all such work being agreed by the committee in advance and to report back to the committee at the appropriate time. These powers may be delegated to sub-committees, standing or task and finish groups in order to allow them to effectively carry out the functions they are tasked with. The committee may wish to reserve to itself the power to sign off any reports from its sub-committees, standing and task and finish groups and to make decisions about the use of resources. n.  Resolve any disputes between the sub-committees, standing and/or task and finish groups it appoints, in which event the decision of the committee will be final. In respect of the above and in all scrutiny matters, the committee shall consider the advice and guidance of the Scrutiny Governance Group.