Learning and development

Finance Essentials

Support members to understand and tackle their duties around financial oversight and scrutiny
Discuss the role of scrutiny in budget development and the medium term financial strategy
Examine the relationship between scrutiny and the councils Audit committee
Build confidence in what to look at and how to address questions in relation to finance scrutiny
Deliver one standalone session or a series of more detailed linked seminars

Provide an introduction to the skills and technique to build and refine effective questions
Refresh skills for experienced councillors (including chairs) who would time out to reflect and refine their existing skills
Look at preparation as a key skill to productive questions
Consider the construction of questions to ensure that key details are examined to enable scrutiny to make robust recommendations

Conduct activity to identify the key local outcomes for budget scrutiny
Support councils to identify where the impact is most likely to be, and focus efforts in this space
Provide input to produce a coherent plan for scrutiny involvement throughout the budget process
Support for members to understand the objectives of budget scrutiny
Assist officers in providing councillors with the information and advice they need to support the budget scrutiny process
Offer coaching and mentoring support to develop councillors’ skills as part of the budget process

Explore the links between successful scrutiny programmes and organisational and political culture
Provide guidance on scrutiny powers and processes
Run an interactive, engaging session suited to all whether new or established their roles
Refresh scrutiny knowledge and confidence

Offer a bespoke solution to your particular organisational needs and circumstances
Navigate guidance around scrutiny's legal powers, access to information, work programming and developing recommendations
Offer similar sessions for executive-side officers who may not be familiar with the political dynamics of scrutiny in an authority
Engagement is led to ensure delegates get what they need from the session
Explore best practice on Access to Information and work programming
Provide advice and top tips for developing recommendations

Understand members rights to access information and how to get hold of the right information at the right time.
Discuss how to interpret and use the information to help them I their scrutiny role.
Explore how to use data to help prioritise work and use resource in the most effective way.
Identify key data to escalate issues where necessary to committee for public debate, discussion and decision.
Deliver practical exercises and introduces ways to use data to support effective work programming.

Examine how selecting the right topics, and scrutinising them at the right time is crucial to bringing impact to a scrutiny function
Reflect on how work programming happens now and opportunities to streamline
Consider how to balance a work programme where each topic has the time it deserves, rather than an over populated programme which is unrealistic to scrutinise effectively