The Local Government Act 2000 required all Councils to adopt new political structures which provide a clear role for the Council, the Executive and non executive councillors.
‘Overview and Scrutiny’ in local government is central to the councillor’s role as an elected representative and describes the way that councillors hold the Mayor and Cabinet (otherwise known as the Executive), officers and external organisations to account for the decisions that they make. Councillors who are not members of the executive undertake the role of overview and scrutiny.
The scrutiny process enables councillors to examine the functions of the Council, to ask questions on how decisions have been made, investigate issues of local concern to consider whether service improvements can be put in place and make recommendations to this effect.