feature: Services under the spotlight
14 September 2007
Haringey’s services are kept under the watchful eye of its Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
Local services from waste collection to children’s centres and doctors’ surgeries will be under the Haringey Overview and Scrutiny committee spotlight over the coming 12 months.
The powerful committee’s job is to check up on council performance – quizzing senior councillors and officers, carrying out detailed reviews of particular services and taking a hard look at spending plans.
The detailed reviews, listed left, not only look at how the council itself is doing – with evidence from residents welcomed – but also gather evidence of good practice which is working well elsewhere and new ideas to improve the way things are done in Haringey.
The committee also has the power to scrutinise the performance of local NHS services, and works together with neighbouring council scrutiny committees on regional NHS issues.
It has members from all parties represented on the council, and independent local people as well.
Cllr Gideon Bull chairs the committee:
"Scrutiny is very important, holding the council to account for its key decisions, and checking that services are delivering what they promise in the most effective and cost-efficient way," he says.
"Through detailed questioning, consultation with residents, research and the use of expert witnesses, we aim to ensure Haringey Council and the NHS deliver the best possible services for local people.
"We want to hear from local residents as well, and I hope that as many people as possible will get involved."
Scrutiny reviews in 2007/8 include:
- Waste collection
- Services for older people
- Access to GPs
- Neighbourhood management and services
- Safer community strategy
- Children’s centres
- Council budget 2008/9
- Barnet, Enfield and Haringey NHS clinical strategy (joint review with Barnet and Enfield councils’ scrutiny committees)
Check our overview and scrutiny page for information on current, forthcoming and completed scrutiny reviews and how residents can get involved.
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