Overview and Scrutiny

Introduction

Welcome to the Haringey Scrutiny website pages. 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.

• What is Scrutiny?
• The Role of Scrutiny

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 inviting as possible. If you have any comments on these web pages or any work relating to Overview and Scrutiny, then please contact:

Trevor Cripps
Overview and Scrutiny Manager
7th Floor
River Park House
255 High Road
Wood Green
London, N22 8HQ

Tel 020 8489 6922
Fax 020 8489 2662
Email Scrutiny@haringey.gov.uk

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What is Scrutiny?

Councillors who are not on the Cabinet can be appointed to one or more scrutiny panels. They are given the opportunity to be involved in scrutinising policy and the services provided for residents.

By conducting meetings in public at which policy and performance issues of importance to the Council are debated, Scrutiny Councillors make recommendations to the Cabinet body about the decisions the Cabinet make.

Overview and Scrutiny takes a strategic view of the Council's services and, by ensuring that important decisions are examined in public, helps to make the Council's governance processes transparent.

Scrutiny bodies do not have decision making powers but are uniquely placed to influence the decision making process as their recommendations are based on evidence and therefore difficult to dismiss. Scrutiny works by taking a close look at a specific policy or service area and, after finding out the views of stakeholders, the scrutiny councillors make recommendations to the decision maker, usually the Council's Cabinet, for improvements.

Scrutiny Councillors examine issues at quarterly meetings and, in far greater depth at Scrutiny Reviews (which are run on similar lines to parliamentary select committee enquiries).

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The role of Scrutiny

By taking a detailed look at the Council’s decisions and policies Overview and Scrutiny works to ensure and promote open and transparent decision making and democratic accountability in Haringey. Scrutiny performs the following main tasks:

• Holding the Cabinet to account
  Scrutinising and questioning decisions of the Cabinet and the ways in which the decisions are implemented, scrutiny ensures the decision making process is open and transparent.
• Policy development and review
  Developing and reviewing policy in an inclusive cross-party manner that involves local communities and other interested parties, scrutiny ensures that all non-Cabinet councillors can influence and improve the council’s performance and approach to public services.
• Performance management
  Reviewing the performance of the Council and suggesting possible improvements.
• External scrutiny
  Scrutinising local services not provided by the Council (e.g Health Services) Overview and scrutiny has the power to consider issues that do not involve services delivered directly by the Council, such as local health services or other services that have an impact on the health and well-being of residents in Haringey.
• Adding value
  By being actively involved at the earliest possible stage on issues that are a priority to the council, scrutiny can assist in ensuring that policies and services are delivering on the targets set by the council.

Below are some useful links to external websites related to Scrutiny. The Centre for Public Scrutiny (CFPS) website brings together best practice examples and innovative scrutiny ideas from around England.

The other websites also have pages relating to scrutiny.

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Useful External Links

Ev lînkên li jêr parçeke cîtewna Belediya Haringeyê nînin.

Ji kerema xwe daxûyaniya me ya legal bixwînin beriya ku hun van lînkan bi kar tînin.

• The Centre for Public Scrutiny
• Improvement and Development Agency
• London Councils website (formerly Association of Local Government)

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