A GUIDE TO OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY OF COUNTY COUNCIL FUNCTIONS IN LEICESTERSHIRE

The Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners have a particular responsibility to ensure that the general role and specific functions of Overview and Scrutiny which are set out in Articles of the Constitution  are discharged effectively.

In order to achieve this, the Commissioners and Deputy Commissioners should:-

a) be responsible for ensuring the effective discharge of the Overview and Scrutiny function by means of promoting and encouraging debate which is both challenging and constructive leading to conclusions which are clear, understandable and supported by well argued reasons;

b) keep in touch with issues being considered at Cabinet meetings;

c) be proactive in identifying potential sources of relevant information which may be used in judging the performance of the Council, for example by looking at views expressed by users and the public and information arising from any external examination of the Authority;

d) promote and encourage the use of the Guidance Notes produced to assist Overview and Scrutiny members;

e) monitor and review methods of working within Scrutiny and make recommendations on possible changes;

f) monitor developments and consider lessons learnt from guidance, inspection and research undertaken at a national or local level and report to the Scrutiny Commission on revised working methods;

g) ensure that Overview and Scrutiny plays a proactive role in performance management and policy development;

h) ensure that the focus of investigations is on how the Council and partners are performing and delivering services, issues emerging as concerns of local people and best practice elsewhere;

i) take the lead in identifying issues for detailed consideration, the scope of any investigation or review and determine the method for undertaking such reviews/investigations and share the chairing of any panels established by the Commission;

j) ensure that recommendations arising from issues considered at Scrutiny are followed up;

k) to act as Scrutiny Champions within the Council and be responsible for assisting and mentoring members of their Political Group;

l) ensure that they are aware of significant issues which are debated at Overview and Scrutiny meetings and the outcomes of that process in the light of the need to maintain a critical but constructive relationship with the Executive and external bodies;

m) advise the Member Learning and Development Working Party on all issues of member training of Scrutiny members and the future development of Scrutiny.

[Note: Deputy Commissioners will make an annual report on the discharge of their role as described by this Job Description and their impact and effectiveness to the Scrutiny Commissioners to facilitate the production by them of an Annual Report (see (n) below).]

In addition to the above, Commissioners will have a specific role, to:-

n) oversee the preparation (on behalf of all Overview and Scrutiny bodies) of an annual report on activities undertaken by those bodies and the reports submitted by the Deputy Commissioners on the discharge of their role. [Note: The Annual report is to be agreed by the Scrutiny Commission prior to presentation to the Council];

o) keep in touch with the Forward Plan of Key Decisions;

p) liaise with the Executive on management of business and in relation to reviews/investigations to ensure that duplication of effort is avoided;

q) oversee the work programmes for all Overview and Scrutiny bodies, having regard to officer and member capacity and ensure that good project management processes are put in place.

The Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen of Overview and Scrutiny Committees have a particular responsibility to ensure that their respective Committees discharge their general role and specific functions which are set out in Articles of the Constitution.

In order to achieve this, the Chairmen and Deputy Chairmen should:-

a) be responsible for ensuring the efficient management of the Committee’s business by way of regular agenda planning meetings;

b) consider whether it will be appropriate to invite Cabinet members, other members, officers, or representatives of external bodies to attend to assist Overview and Scrutiny committees in their deliberations;

c) be proactive about keeping in touch with service and corporate developments by maintaining contact with relevant departments, for example by holding regular meetings with the Chief Officer and others;

d) ensure that they are familiar with the general nature and content of plans and strategies within the Policy Framework as set out in Schedule 2 of the Articles to the Constitution which are of particular relevance to the work of the Committee and consider how scrutiny of these plans can most effectively be undertaken through adopting a selective approach;

e) be proactive in identifying potential sources of relevant information which may be used in judging the performance of the Authority for example by looking at views expressed by users and the public and information arising from any external examination of the Authority;

f) take the lead in identifying appropriate ways of reporting issues to Overview and Scrutiny committees with a view to stimulating debate;

g) take the lead in identifying issues which may merit detailed examination and refer such matters to the Scrutiny Commission;

h) take action on behalf of the Committee in commenting on matters referred from the Cabinet which are of an urgent nature;

i) take the lead in preparing the annual report on the work undertaken by them and the Committee for submission to the Scrutiny Commissioners who have the responsibility for producing a single annual report on behalf of all Overview and Scrutiny Committees;

j) promote and encourage the use of the Guidance Notes produced to assist Scrutiny members;

k) monitor and review methods of working and make recommendations on possible changes;

l) follow the various codes of practice and standards of behaviour laid down by the Council, including the Code of Corporate Governance.

In addition to the above, the Chairmen will also have a specific role to:-

m) ensure the effective discharge of the Overview and Scrutiny function by means of encouraging rigorous debate at Committees which is analytical, challenging and constructive leading to conclusions which are clear, understandable and supported by well argued reasons.