Reviewing Council Decisions and Performance

What is Overview and Scrutiny?

Scrutiny Committees have the power to look at any issue which affects the local area or its inhabitants. This gives them a unique legitimacy to examine issues in a way that no other individual or organisation can.

Key roles for scrutiny committees include:

• holding the Executive and other decision-makers to account
• policy development and review
• performance management
• reviewing the activities of external partners

The principles of good scrutiny are:

• to provide constructive 'critical friend' challenge
• to amplify the voice and concerns of the public
• to be led by independent people who take responsibility for their role
• to drive improvement in public services

How does scrutiny work at West Berkshire Council?

The Council's Overview and Scrutiny functions are undertaken by back-bench councillors. Members of the Executive are not permitted to be part of a scrutiny committee, sub-committee, panel, or task and finish group.

West Berkshire Council has three Scrutiny Committees: the Resources and Place Scrutiny Committee, the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee, and the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee.

The Resources and Place Scrutiny Committee is responsible for examining, or reviewing, the decisions, policies and services of West Berkshire Council, delivered by the Resources and Place Directorates, as well as those of certain partner organisations. It acts as the Council's Crime and Disorder Committee, with powers to scrutinise the Community Safety Partnership (known locally as the Building Communities Together Partnership). It is legally required to meet as the Crime and Disorder Committee at least once a year. It also has responsibility for scrutiny of the Council's budget and corporate performance.

Browse Resources and Place Scrutiny Committee Agendas

The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee is responsible for examining, or reviewing, the decisions, policies and services of West Berkshire Council that relate to Public Health and Adult Social Care. It also seeks assurance that the needs and experiences of local residents are considered as an integral part of the planning, development and operation of NHS health services and that those services are safe and effective in meeting local needs. In addition, health scrutiny has a strategic role in taking an overview of how well integration of health, public health and social care is working and making recommendations about how it could be improved.

Browse Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee meetings and agendas

The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee responds to formal consultations on health matters (e.g. proposed changes to NHS services). However, where changes are proposed to health services that affect patient flows across local authority boundaries, those local authorities are obliged to set up a Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committees (JHOSC). West Berkshire Council has two Members on the Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West JHOSC, which has responsibility for scrutinising the activities of the Integrated Care Board. (This is currently administered by Buckinghamshire Council.)

Browse Buckinghamshire, Oxfordshire and Berkshire West JHOSC meetings and agendas

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee is responsible for examining, or reviewing, the decisions, policies and services of West Berkshire Council that relate to Children's Social Care, Education, Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND), and Early Years.

Browse Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee meetings and agendas

The terms of reference for the above Scrutiny Committees can be found in Parts 6.4, 6.9 and 6.10 of the Council's Constitution.

Calling-in decisions

If a decision made by the Executive or an Individual Executive Member, or a senior officer is disputed then it can be 'called-in' for review.

Call-in has the effect of stopping the decision from being implemented until the relevant Scrutiny Committee has reviewed it. The Scrutiny Committee is unable to overturn a decision, but they are able to refer it back to the decision maker for further consideration with recommendations for changes.

Members of the public are not able to ask for a decision to be called-in, but can contact their local councillor to request that they do so.

When a report on a decision is published, it will state whether or not it can be called-in. Not all items will be eligible, and reports that are marked as 'not subject to call-in' will include an explanation as to why this is.

Call-in requires five members, who were not involved in making the decision, to request that it is reviewed. The Council Constitution requires that a call-in request should be made within five working days of the decision being published. 

Annual Scrutiny Reports

West Berkshire Council publishes an Annual Scrutiny Report which provides a summary of scrutiny activity and achievements over the previous year.

You can view these reports below.