THE SCRUTINY COMMITTEE WORK PROGRAMME TEMPLATE
Why use a template?
The template is an aid to scoping a topic for Scrutiny. It serves as a checklist for
some essential questions to test the value and practicality of an investigation.
a) Is the topic important?
b) Is it interesting? Is it important to the Community and the District as a whole?
c) Does it link with the Council’s aims?
d) Can the Scrutiny Committee make a difference? Has it got the resources?
e) What is the best way to tackle this topic?
f)
Where would the best venue be for tackling this topic? Can we take it out of the
Council Chamber?
g) What sort of timescale would be appropriate?
Guide to the Headings
a) Topic and Date
Defines the topic – it could be an area of concern, or something that is doing
particularly well. It could be something an officer has asked the Committee to
look at; an issue suggested by Cabinet for pre-Scrutiny; a topic suggested by
non-executive Members, possibly resulting from a Councillor Call for Action. The
topic can be broken down into sub headings to define which aspects the
Committee will be considering. It is preferable, whenever possible, to allocate a
date for the topic. “To be allocated” items often tend to be constantly deferred
until they fall off the Work Programme.
b) Objectives and desired Outcomes
What outcomes are expected from this investigation? What can be achieved?
Will it benefit the Council and the community? Is it likely to capture public interest
and result in positive publicity? At this early stage it is worth checking that work
on this topic is not already being done elsewhere in the Council, or by a
neighbouring authority.
c) How, Where, When
1. How will the investigation be carried out? Discussion; officers’ report; scoped
questions to witnesses; survey; other method
2. Who will carry out the investigation? Committee; sub panel; task and finish
group; working in partnership with another council; member champion; other
method
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3. Who will need to be involved? Officers; partners; local groups; members of
the public?
4. Where will the investigation take place? Council Chamber; Committee Room;
site visit; community venue; somewhere else, appropriate to the topic.
5. Will the method and venue chosen be accessible to everyone with an
interest/involvement in this issue?
6. When is the best time to carry out this review? Is it linked to other work of the
Council that is reported at specific intervals? Is it seasonal? Will witnesses be
available for these dates?
7. What is the timescale for this review? It is important to have a clear timescale
from the outset to prevent topics becoming permanent fixtures on the Work
Programme and taking on a life of their own! Some topics are best suited to a
one-off Task and Finish Group who report their findings and
recommendations to the Committee.
d) Resources required
What resources will be needed to carry out this review effectively? NNDC
Officers, including Service Heads, Scrutiny Officer and Democratic Services
support? Specialists? Witnesses from other organisations? Do we have
sufficient resources to carry out this review effectively?
e) Organisation/Officer/Responsible Portfolio Holder
Identifies those who have responsibility for the topic - this should always include
the lead officer and the portfolio holder, who will both be invited to attend the
relevant meeting. The organisation need not necessarily be NNDC – it could, for
example, be the police or the local bus company. The Local Government and
Involvement in Public Health Act 2007 gives Scrutiny Committees powers to
scrutinise partner authorities who have a duty to “have regard” to a report or
recommendations although they are not bound to implement them.
f)
Priority/urgency/strategic impact on District/community
Members are asked to prioritise topics and to consider their relative urgency.
Priority and urgency are not necessarily the same thing. It may, for example, be a
high priority to scrutinise the provision of an ongoing service which is perceived to
be performing poorly, but more urgent to investigate another service which is
earmarked for withdrawal in the next month! Members should also consider the
strategic impact on the District and community. There may, occasionally, be
sound reasons for scrutinising a ward-based topic, for example a Councillor Call
for Action. Wherever possible, however, the topic should consider the needs of
the whole District and its residents. Even if the topic arises from a particular ward
the investigation should aim to be district-based - for example a concern about
dirty pavements in one of the market towns could become the basis for scrutiny
of the street cleaning contract throughout North Norfolk.
g) Interesting and of public concern
Although this should not be the only consideration when scoping a topic, it is wellworth bearing in mind. The Council has a duty to promote public interest in
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democracy and it should also be remembered that one of the 4 Principles of
Good Scrutiny is “to reflect the voice and concerns of the public and its
communities”. Topics such as Budget Monitoring and the Corporate Plan
undoubtedly impact the residents of North Norfolk but do not capture their
interest, or that of the Press. Good press coverage is invaluable in promoting the
work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. A balanced Work Programme
should aim to include topics of immediate public interest.
h) Impact on Equality and Diversity
Members should consider the equalities implications of any issue they are
reviewing: Have equalities issues been taken into account when developing the
policy/service? Is the service accessible to all? Will the views of disadvantaged
people be heard during the review process? Will the review be held in a venue
that is accessible to all? NB. It is compulsory to consider Equality and Diversity
when scoping topics for Scrutiny.
i)
Links with the Corporate Plan and the Work of the Cabinet
Scrutiny should work in close co-operation with the Cabinet. The Forward Plan is
included with each Overview and Scrutiny Committee Agenda although, at time
of writing, this only includes the key decisions. In deciding on topics for Scrutiny,
Members should consider their relevance to the key aims of the Council, while
recognising that there will be occasions when a topic does not directly dovetail
with those aims but is nonetheless important.
Mary Howard
November 2011
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