Author: Ed Hammond
Bikeshedding and the challenge of amateurs scrutinising experts
We can all tell stories about times when we have been in meetings and large amounts of time have been expended by those present arguing volubly about something comparatively insignificant, only to neglect something extremely important. My own personal example is from a scrutiny committee which I was observing about five years ago, where members […]
The governance of complexity – four themes to bear in mind
Life’s complicated. So are public services. Once upon a time, we tell ourselves, things were simpler. Councils, organised into easy-to-understand departments, delivered things – things like education, housing, social services, parks, libraries. Committees of councillors made the decisions about where money was spent and why. Ratepayers read reports of these committees in local newspapers. All […]
Combined authority scrutiny and gender balance
There was another election not so long ago; the one for combined authority mayors. While the Westminster result was a broadly positive one for gender balance (the number of female MPs breaking the 200 barrier for the first time), the Mayoral election was less inspiring. No female metro Mayors – and Mayoral Cabinets predominantly (in […]
Scrutiny – cost and control
What is the main reason for the reduction in the number of officer posts dedicated to overview and scrutiny in English councils? Usually, it’s explained as an issue to do with resources – senior officers often tell us that in an ideal world it would make sense for there to be a specific policy resource […]
The election – implications for local government
That was a surprise. As our minds turn with weary inevitability towards another General Election in the autumn, it’s a good time to see if we can read the runes and understand what – if anything – this result means for local government. Our Chair, Bob Kerslake, has told the LGC that he thinks that […]
Good evidence is the backbone of good scrutiny
Using evidence in scrutiny – new practice guide published What is evidence? How do we get hold of it, and once we’ve done so, what do we do with it? Good evidence is the backbone of good scrutiny. Without it, making effective recommendations is impossible. But it is one of the trickiest things to get right. […]
Is devo dead?
Ed Hammond explores the future health of devolution and what it means for scrutiny. Lord Porter, Chair of the Local Government Association, thinks devo is dead, and said as much at the District Councils’ Network conference a few weeks back. The Local Government Chronicle has declared it to be on life support. The signs are […]
Notwestminster: local democracy, grounded in reality
Last month saw the third Notwestminster get-together. I hesitate to describe it as a “conference” (because it isn’t really one of those) or an unconference (because it isn’t one of those either). Its organisers – Dave McKenna (@DrDaveMckenna), Diane Sims (@72prufrocks)and Carl Whistlecraft (@Gr8governance) sensibly sidestep the issue and don’t use a qualifier at all […]
Take part in an LGA peer review!
The LGA is currently inviting volunteers to take part in peer reviews. Part of the package from which LGA member councils benefit is the offer to have a “corporate peer challenge” carried out to review the health and direction of the authority and its work. This is not an inspection, but a process by which […]
Studying scrutiny: what’s its impact?
The CfGS is continuing to look into various issues relating to scrutiny. We have recently done a survey of scrutiny perceptions, and are currently working on estimating the impact of scrutiny across England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. Whether you have filled the previous survey or not, we would to like to invite all scrutiny practitioners to share their […]