The Committee will consider a report the provides a summary of the work that Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), its sub-committees and scrutiny leads delivered in 2021-22 municipal year

This report supplies a summary of the work that Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC), its sub-committees and scrutiny leads delivered in 2021-22 municipal year.  A summary of the discussion on the report is set out below:

The Committee:

v  Agreed on that there had been a really positive improvement in Scrutiny since the establishment of the various sub-committees as it had allowed for more in-depth examination of decisions, policies, and the performance of council services and had given the public increased opportunities to be involved in decisions that will affect their lives.

v  Agreed that the scrutiny function needs to be supported to get a greater understanding of how spending matches against policies, the exposure to significant risk, and to be presented with regular information so that scrutiny members can ask questions and challenge the deliverability of services.

v  Agreed that the Council collectively and the senior leadership of the authority should think about putting more resources in the development of the scrutiny subcommittees to help the Cabinet to make the right decisions or to reflect on decisions that have been made.

v  Agreed on the need for rigorous efforts to feed in opinions of residents, for scrutiny to be able to make meaningful contributions to the work of the Council and lives of local communities.

v  Agreed that as a committee a lot has been achieved in terms of looking at current issues (e.g., budget pressures and anti-social behaviour) and putting the executive under the spotlight and to seeking the views of residents.

v  Agreed on the importance of an open and transparent culture that welcomes constructive challenge can be difficult to maintain at the best of times. However, the role of scrutiny is especially important in the context of the current uncertainties, to give that vital overview of complex systems and partnership working and to reflect community concerns.

In conclusion, the Chair express is appreciation all scrutiny members their contributions over the past 12 months and the Committee resolved to:

1.    Note the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2021-22.

2.    Agreed that the report be submitted to Full Council in the new municipal year; and

3.    Authorised the Director Strategy, Improvement and Transformation to amend the report following comments by the committee before submission to Full Council.