Topic: The Good Scrutiny Digest
In this section, you will find a selection of practice guides as part of an overall good scrutiny digest for local government.
Browse the wide-ranging content, which all contain tools, templates and top tips for good scrutiny practice and statutory guidance.
Please share your thoughts and talk to us about these guides and materials. info@cfgs.org.uk
Contents
The Good Scrutiny Guide 2019
Gathering and Evaluating Evidence
Demonstrating Impact
Running Effective Reviews
Structures, resources and formal powers
Planning and Priority Setting
Relationships for Effective Governance and Scrutiny
Getting ahead of the local election results
Read this to stay one step ahead of local election results – understand what’s changing, what it means for your council, and how to respond with confidence
Joint scrutiny – a practice guide
Joint scrutiny is about working together to look at shared issues, especially where services cut across boundaries. It’s essentially about making collaboration practical with clear roles, shared goals, and good relationships. Read more on how scrutiny adds value rather than becoming confused or duplicated.
No overall control and scrutiny – a practice guide
This guide explains how scrutiny works in councils where no party is in control, focusing on working across political lines to challenge and improve decisions. The core idea is simple: when power is shared, scrutiny matters more and works best when it’s practical, constructive, and not overly political.
Executive-Scrutiny Protocol – a practice guide
This short guide explains how an Executive–Scrutiny Protocol helps decision-makers and those holding them to account work together more effectively, making council processes clearer, fairer, and more transparent.
Scrutiny of partners and external organisations – a practice guide
Scrutiny of partners and external organisations is about working with other agencies to improve services for local people. It builds strong relationships, gathers evidence, and makes clear recommendations for partners to act on. Working with external organisations brings in wider expertise, strengthens accountability, and helps decisions better reflect community needs.
The use of call-in – a practice guide
This guide sets out how call-in should be used as a practical governance tool to improve decision-making, strengthen accountability, and support constructive challenge. Read on for practical advice on when and how call-in should be used as part of informed decision-making.
Effective scrutiny of finance – a practice guide
This guide explains how effective scrutiny of council financial planning should focus on a council’s medium term financial planning
Scrutiny of SEND – a practice guide
This guide brings together shared insights collected at a learning event; from councils, practitioners, and partners on what effective SEND scrutiny looks like in practice. It is designed to support scrutiny members, officers and key partners including health and education, to approach this work with confidence, clarity, and a strong focus on impact.
Asking the right questions in scrutiny – a practice guide
Questioning is central to scrutiny as it helps us challenge assumptions, understand complex systems, hold decision-makers to account, and uncover the stories behind the data. Read how to frame and questions effectively in this practice guide.
Scrutiny and local government reorganisation – a practice guide
Explore how scrutiny functions can navigate and retain their role effectively during Local Government Reorganisation (LGR), including key principles and considerations for maintaining oversight through the transition.