Scrutiny at Oxford City Council

What is scrutiny?

The Local Government Act 2000 required all councils in England and Wales to develop new political management structures establishing clear decision making responsibilities.

We have established a City Executive Board made up of nine councillors that make decisions relating to council services. One of the key roles for councillors not on the Executive Board is to review the decisions made by the City Executive Board and hold them to account.

We have two overview and scrutiny committees:

• Communities and Partnership Scrutiny Committee
• Value and Performance Scrutiny Committee

We also have an informal Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group.

The role of each scrutiny committee is to:

• Provide 'critical friend' challenge to decision makers at the council
• Reflect and enable the voice and concerns of the public and local community
• Review and monitor the implementation of plans and strategies, to ensure they are meeting delivery targets
• Review council core policy and strategy documents prior to their publication
• Scrutinise external organisations and partnerships that influence and deliver services within the City
• Conduct in- depth reviews of issues linked to corporate and community priorities.

The Overview and Scrutiny Co-ordinating Group is responsible for managing the scrutiny research budget and producing an annual scrutiny report. 

Who is on the scrutiny committees and when do they meet?

Visit our Council Meetings pages and select the relevant committee for up to date membership details and meeting dates.

How can I get involved in scrutiny?

Members of the public are encouraged to get involved in the overview and scrutiny process. If you would like to address one of the scrutiny committees or suggest a review topic, please contact us.

Page last reviewed 28 Aug 2008