What is Scrutiny?
Scrutiny is a process whereby councillors and citizens can play an influential role in policy development and review, evaluating Council services, and questioning decisions and plans made by the Council.
Scrutiny committees must consist of non-executive Members, i.e. Members who are not part of the Council’s Cabinet. Each scrutiny committee is made up of councillors from the different political groups, and the number of councillors from each party reflects the overall political balance of the Council. These committees can examine any Council function, or consider any issue which affects the wider community.
The ethos of scrutiny is to provide constructive challenge to the Council's decision-making and performance, regardless of the Council's political composition. In doing so, the Council’s scrutiny function supports all services to improve performance and outcomes for all of East Staffordshire’s citizens.
The Council has four scrutiny committees, focussing on different areas of the Council’s activities:
• The Scrutiny (Value for Money Council) Committee;
• The Scrutiny (Climate Change and Environment) Committee;
• The Scrutiny (Regeneration, Development and Market Hall) Committee; and
• The Scrutiny (Health and Wellbeing) Committee.
Can I Attend a Scrutiny Meeting?
Each scrutiny committee meets at least quarterly. These meetings are usually held at Burton Town Hall, commencing at 6.30pm.
All scrutiny committees will meet in public except in exceptional circumstances. Members of the public are able to attend the Town Hall to observe proceedings, or you can choose to view the live broadcast available from the Council and Democracy pages, either as a meeting happens, or at a later date at your convenience.
However, if a report is properly considered to be confidential or exempt (i.e. not available to the press and public) there will be a motion considered at the committee for those items to be discussed in private.
Dates for all specific meetings are available from the Council and Democracy pages of our website, along with all associated agendas, minutes and papers.
How Can I Get Involved in Scrutiny?
In addition to observing proceedings, written questions can be submitted by citizens to the relevant committee at least three working days in advance of a meeting.
Assistance on how to present questions is available upon request from the Democratic Services Team, but as a general rule, questions should not be frivolous, defamatory or offensive.
Citizens will then be invited to raise their questions at the beginning of each meeting. A maximum of 20 minutes will be allocated for this purpose. In order to allow each member of the public wishing to participate at the meeting to speak, an allocated time limit of 5 minutes per speaker will be given.
If a question cannot be heard within the 20 minutes allocated for public participation, the remaining question(s) will be brought forward to the next meeting of the relevant Scrutiny Committee. If it is not possible to answer the question at the meeting, a response will be provided within ten working days of the meeting.
Questions should be submitted to democratic.services@eaststaffsbc.gov.uk.
Further guidance is available in the Protocol for Public Participation During Scrutiny Committees, which forms part of the Council's Constitution.