Sunderland City Council: realigning scrutiny towards strategic objectives
CfGS can: help identify governance and scrutiny gaps and provide you recommendations to improve the day-to-day running of your council.
Who: CfGS’ Chief Executive Jacqui McKinlay conducted a review of Overview and Scrutiny in Sunderland City Council, concentrating on whether the current approach to working is fit for purpose in times of austerity. We conducted interviews with scrutiny chairs, leads and officers in order to glean where there were strengths and where there were gaps that needed to be filled.
Outcome: CfGS provided a report outlining several recommendations to make sure that Sunderland’s Overview and Scrutiny function focussed on improving outcomes and holding the council to account, two areas that were seen as lacking. “Jacqui ran a couple of sessions and then produced a report. The report did exactly what it needed to do – the changes are going through Council now.” Charlotte Burnham, Head of Scrutiny and Area Arrangements, Sunderland City Council.
The changes have now passed Council and will be implemented for the municipal year 2016/2017.
About the Author: Ed Hammond
Ed leads CfGS's work on devolution, transformation and on support to councils and other public bodies on governance and accountability.
