Part 4 - Scrutiny procedure rules

15.1       Where a Scrutiny Committee makes a report to Council or Cabinet, it may publish the report or recommendations.

15.2       The committee must by notice in writing require Council or Cabinet as appropriate, within two months of the date on which it receives the report or recommendations, or (if later) the notice, to

               15.2.1           Consider the report or recommendations;

               15.2.2           Respond to the Scrutiny Committee indicating what (if any) action the Council or Cabinet propose to take;

               15.2.3           Where a Scrutiny Committee has published the report or recommendations, publish the response;

               15.2.4           Where the Scrutiny Committee provided a copy of the report or recommendations to a Member, provide a copy of the response to the Member

15.3       The publication of reports or recommendations is subject to the exclusion of any exempt or confidential information as defined in paragraphs 3 and 4 of the Rules on Access to Information.

15.4      Reports from Scrutiny Committees relating to executive matters will normally be submitted to the Cabinet for consideration. Reports relating to non-executive matters can be submitted by a Scrutiny Committee to any other Council body or to any external body. In exceptional circumstances (which shall be specified in the minutes), a Scrutiny Committee may make a report direct to full Council.

15.5       If the report proposes a departure from or change to the agreed Policy Framework or budget, the full Council will consider the matter having regard to advice, if any, received from, the Cabinet. 

15.6       If a Scrutiny Committee cannot unanimously agree on one single final report to the Cabinet, to any other Council body or exceptionally, to the full Council, then one separate report may be prepared and submitted for consideration along with the majority report.

15.7       The Cabinet, the other Council body or, exceptionally, the full Council, shall consider the report(s) from the Scrutiny Committee at the next available meeting unless the matter which is the subject of the report(s) is scheduled to be considered by the Cabinet within two months from the date the report(s) was adopted by the Scrutiny Committee. In such cases the report(s) of the Scrutiny Committee shall be considered by the Cabinet when it considers the matter. The Cabinet may refer the Scrutiny Committee report(s) to the Leader of the Council or a Cabinet Member for consideration and response.

15.8     This rule does not apply to the call-in of Cabinet decisions: reports that result from call-ins are dealt with under the Cabinet Procedure Rules.