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Overview and Scrutiny

The overview and scrutiny function is at the heart of a Councillor's role as an elected representative. In this section you will find details about the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and their reviews and documents, as well as find out how you can get involved. Find out more via the links on the left hand side of this page.

We hope you find the information useful and enlightening. The work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and the Scrutiny Review Panels is designed to be as open and accessible as possible. If you have any comments on these web pages or any work relating to Overview and Scrutiny, then please contact:

Overview and Scrutiny
7th Floor
River Park House
255 High Road
Wood Green
N22 8HQ

Tel 020 8489 2933/2921/6950
Fax 020 8489 2662
Email Scrutiny@haringey.gov.uk.

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What is Scrutiny in Haringey?

Scrutiny is a statutory service and helps to ensure that local public services are delivered effectively, efficiently and in the best interests of residents. It is an important mechanism through which public accountability can be exercised. All Councillors (except Cabinet Members) can participate in the scrutiny of the Council and its partners.

The Council has an overarching Overview and Scrutiny Committee which is made up of non-Cabinet Councillors, statutory and non statutory co-optees. Councillors sitting on the Committee reflect the political balance of the Council. Scrutiny topic areas are chosen and investigated in an objective manner by those not directly involved in taking decisions.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee looks at services and issues that are important to the local community. Every year the Committee sets a programme of work, which aims to help the Council and it's partners to achieve the improvements outlined in the community strategy for the borough.

Scrutiny has wide ranging powers to investigate and inform their deliberations, including the right to documents and the calling of witnesses. Recently powers have been extended in a number of ways including a responsibility to scrutinise the Local Area Agreement partners in respect of the achievement of local targets, and crime reduction and disorder issues. Councillors are also able to refer any local matter relating to local government, affecting the Councillors ward or constituent to Overview and Scrutiny, through the Councillor Call for Action.

To assist the Council and its partners achieve their aims and targets the Overview and Scrutiny Committee commissions in-depth reviews into local policy and performance issues. More details on the reviews carried out can be found on the scrutiny reviews pages.

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The role of Scrutiny

Overview and Scrutiny is part of the council’s arrangements for making sure decision-making processes are transparent, robust, take account of local need and contribute to the overall vision in the borough’s Community Strategy. Scrutiny performs the following main tasks:-

Examining and holding the Cabinet and partners to account for performance - The Leader and Chief Executive are invited to attend the Committee to discuss corporate priorities and budget setting. Cabinet portfolio holders are also invited to the Committee to discuss specific aspects of their area of responsibility.
Reviewing key decisions and making clear recommendations for improvement -The Committee achieves this by receiving reports on Performance Management focussed on Local Area Agreement targets and Haringey’s Standing leadership Conference priorities. The Committee also receives reports on Council strategies and policies and they get involved in the Council’s financial planning process through the budget scrutiny process.
Consulting and Involving local people – local people have greater opportunity to get involved in the local decision making process and this will increasingly be possible through involvement in scrutiny. More can be found about this on the links on the left of this page.
Influencing strategic policy that delivers on the Local Area Agreement and Sustainable Community Strategy – Recently scrutiny Lead Member responsibilities were introduced for each of the Standing Leadership Conference theme boards.
Examining and responding to petitions, referrals from the Local Involvement Network, Call-ins and Councillor Call for Action.

The websites in the external links section below also have pages relating to scrutiny.

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