Introduction
A well-designed scrutiny work programme is the cornerstone of effective scrutiny. It is much more than a list of topics to come to committee. A developed programme supports councillors to identify key areas for review, it ensures accountability and supports the continuous improvement of local services. It prioritises issues of public concern, aligns with the strategic goals of the council, and provides a clear framework for addressing community needs and challenges.
Developing this programme requires careful planning, stakeholder engagement, and a focus on evidence-based decision-making, ensuring that scrutiny remains relevant, transparent, and impactful throughout the year.
Whilst each authority will have a process that has individual features, there are common principles and processes which will help to get to an effective programme.
Top Tips
- Members should set the work programme on an annual basis, regularly reviewed, with enough flexibility to adapt as situations change.
- Scrutiny cannot and should not look at everything – take the time to prioritise in order to have the most impact. Evaluation tools can help focus and prioritise work.
- Use management information (Risk, Performance, Feedback) to help direct the work of the Committee.
- Seek ways in which the public can be involved in the selection of topics for scrutiny as well as in specific scrutiny work.
What will you look at?
The first question that needs to be asked is ‘what issues are important?’ To answer this question is a process of longlisting and identifying topics. You will want to cast the net wide to get a range of potential issues from a variety of sources, including council priorities, statutory duties, public feedback, and emerging local or national concerns. These may even be suggested by Cabinet members or other Committees. Longlisting allows scrutiny committees to explore a broad spectrum of topics before narrowing them down to those most pressing and impactful.
Evidence based evaluation of issues:
Once you have a long list of issues the next stage is to take a methodical approach to refine these down to a realistic amount of work. Different councils will have their own evaluation tool or prioritisation matrix. The essential elements in many of these are on the infographic.
Here the most essential question is ‘can scrutiny add value?’ Underpinning this is an understanding of where in the decision-making cycle the issue is, as well as what work may already be underway. If scrutiny cannot meaningfully add value, then the issue should not go on the work programme. If it is unclear whether scrutiny can add value, further exploration should be undertaken.
How? Which approach should you use?
Scrutiny members have many approaches in their toolkit and should consider the best approach to apply to the review and engagement with specifics issues. For example, an area of policy development, or an area where changes need to be made is likely to benefit from investitive work such as a task group or spotlight review. However, the approach should be tailored to the complexity and nature of the issue under review.
Effective scrutiny does not need to take place in a formal committee setting. A creative approach can enhance the scrutiny process, allowing members to engage with evidence and issues in more dynamic ways. Flexibility in how scrutiny sessions are conducted allows for greater participation from witnesses and members, especially for those unable to attend in person.
Underpinning all of the ways in which scrutiny can be carried out is the need to engage, and reflect the concerns of the public.
Some options
Transparent and formal: Regular committee meetings are essential for holding decision-makers accountable in a public setting. You could also consider holding a Single-Item agenda for in-depth scrutiny of high-priority issues, the committee may focus on a single topic.
These are smaller groups tasked by the committee to conduct detailed, investigative work on a specific issue over a set period. Task groups allow members to gain specialist knowledge on a particular issue, providing greater insight than general committee discussions. They often gather evidence in closed sessions, and triangulate research information. After completing their investigation, the task group reports back to the main committee with findings and recommendations.
Similar to a task group but in a much shorter timeframe, a focused, often one-off investigation into a specific issue or service area, typically involving a dedicated session or site visit. These can be used to scrutinise emerging issues or areas requiring immediate attention.
Visiting locations where services are delivered provides first-hand insight into their operation and effectiveness.
This can be a useful approach to dig deeper into an issue, particularly where a member has a particular interest or concern. Usually, the member would bring their findings back to committee, where the matter can be resolved, possibly with recommendations to cabinet, or further work agreed to be undertaken.
Written reports and data can provide essential background information, particularly on complex or technical issues. However, to be the most useful these should be short!
Briefings explaining services or issues with presentation can be live or pre-recorded. These offer members the chance to receive evidence at their own pace, which can be helpful for complex or time-consuming topics, and accessible for busy diaries.
All scrutiny should consider how the voice of the public is heard, whether that be time at committee, or specific evidence gathering sessions in task groups. For more ideas and detail: Public participation par excellence – CFGS
When should you look at an issue?
Determining when scrutiny should consider an issue plays a significant role in how impactful the activity can be. Scrutiny should consider the timeframe of council decision making when it comes to scheduling when to look at an issue. Scrutiny can have a significant impact by bringing issues to light which the council is unaware of or has yet to develop policy on.
The majority of scrutiny topics are likely to be ones that will be considered as part of the decision-making process at some stage. For significant developments, direction setting or policy making, scrutiny should be planned as part of the early development. Having the opportunity to influence policy and decisions before they are finalised, allowing scrutiny committees to evaluate potential impacts, examine the evidence base, and propose improvements is termed ‘pre-decision scrutiny’. This can have a significant impact on the principles and shape of the policy. By engaging at an early stage, scrutiny can help ensure that decisions are well-informed, aligned with strategic goals, and responsive to the needs of the community.
There will be times when a decision needs to be made in a reactive manner, and scrutiny may only consider it right before the decision is taken. At this stage, scrutiny can still have impact, but this is unlikely to be large scale change.
Finally, scrutiny can ‘call in’ decisions that have been made, at this stage you can only recommend that the Cabinet or Executive reconsiders the decision taken.
Your work programme
Putting this all together, you will want to reflect some of the journey and reasoning that you have taken to reach the work programme on the work programme itself. Many scrutiny practitioners find it helpful to detail where the issue has originated from, as well as why scrutiny has added the item to the work programme. The time frame and the format should also be recorded on your plan.
The headings below also help to make sure that the good intentions that are started when the work programme is set, perhaps at an annual session, do not drift over time. It can be many months later when scrutiny comes to consider an issue, and so to have the origin and additional information about the topic can help frame the work.
Infographic slides (click through the dots or arrows below)
All resources