Part 2 - Articles of the Constitution

8.01     Scrutiny committees

8.01.1    The role of scrutiny committees is to:

1. Help to hold the executive to account for the decisions that it makes;
2. Review, constructively challenge and monitor the Cabinet’s policies and programmes to ensure that community and corporate priorities are achieved within budget;
3. Review, constructively challenge and monitor other decisions made or actions taken in connection with the discharge of any of the Council’s functions and consider any matter affecting the area or its inhabitants;
4. Engage in policy review and development;
5. Focus on improvement and how it can be achieved cost effectively;
6. Engage with the community;
7. Look outwards and show community leadership by providing constructive challenge to other public bodies particularly those with whom the County Council delivers services in partnership;
8. Liaise with external organisations operating in the area, whether national, regional or local, to ensure that the interests of the people of Gloucestershire are enhanced by collaborative working;
9. Raise the profile of the County Council;
10. Consider called-in decisions;
11. Consider any matters referred by full Council or Cabinet.

8.01.2    The remit and role of each scrutiny committee is described fully in Part 3 of the Constitution.

8.02     Finance and other resources

The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee will exercise overall responsibility for the finances and other resources that the Council makes available to the scrutiny function (if any).

8.03     Annual Report

An Annual Scrutiny Report will be presented each year to full Council. The report will be prepared by the Statutory Scrutiny Officer, following consultation with the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of the scrutiny committees, and may make recommendations to secure adequate resources for the discharge of the scrutiny function. Upon receiving this report, the full Council will take such action as it considers necessary to address those recommendations.

8.04     Proceedings of Scrutiny Committees

Scrutiny Committees will conduct their proceedings in accordance with the Scrutiny Procedure Rules set out in Part 4 of the Constitution. The committees and their functions are set out in 3.9 of Section 3, Part 3 of the Constitution.