Overview and scrutiny

Overview and scrutiny is a way of making sure all important decisions the council makes are examined in public. This helps to make our processes clear to everyone.

Scrutiny is excellent for concentrating minds on problems that need solving, is very good at finding out what the problems are and then suggesting improvements.

We regularly check new the decisions that are made and review existing policies and procedures.

Our work promotes open and transparent decision-making.

There is an overview and scrutiny management committee and six commissions that play a very important role in the way the council and local democracy work. We look at decisions the council is about to make to ensure they are in the best interests of everyone in the city.

You can play a part

Are you interested in influencing discussions relating to council decisions?

Co-optees are used during some overview and scrutiny enquiries. As a co-optee, your views and ideas will bring a different and broader perspective to panel discussions.

What we do and you can help with

The overview and scrutiny management committee and six commissions carry out enquiries into important issues that affect the well-being of the city. We then recommend improvements to -

• cabinet - up to 10 councillors with a portfolio (special area of work)
• full council - a meeting of all the councillors, usually once a month
• other organisations, such as local health trusts

We also -

• help the council and chief officers with the budget
• help to make policies and study them to make sure they cover everything they should
• think about and discuss council plans before they are put into action
• question councillors, officers and others, reviewing and scrutinising their plans and decisions in relation to individual decisions and over a period of time
• check the council's performance against its policy objectives and scrutinise and review particular service areas' performance targets
• check the performance of ONE HULL (link opens in new widow), the local strategic partnership, and that of other organisations, such as voluntary groups funded by the council
• talk to local organisations so that the views of Hull's communities are heard when decisions are made
• question and gather information and evidence from any person (with their consent)

The council has agreed a scheme which allows the overview and scrutiny management committee to give voting rights to co-optees in relation to specific panel enquiries. These rights are limited to matters relating to that panel and are only for the duration of the panel’s work.

If you are interested in becoming a co-opted member of the scrutiny commissions please contact us on 01482 300 300 or email scrutiny@hullcc.gov.uk

Overview and scrutiny management committee information

Children's services overview and scrutiny committee information

Crime and community safety overview and scrutiny commission information

Efficiency and audit overview and scrutiny committee information

Environment and transport overview and scrutiny commission information

Health and social well-being overview and scrutiny commission information

Housing, neighbourhood renewal and urban regeneration overview and scrutiny commission information

Value for Money Overview and Scrutiny Committee

Contact us

If you have any comments you would like to make to feed into our current scrutiny enquiries, or any suggestions of other issues you think should be scrutinised you can write to us or phone us. You can also submit a comment online -
 

What will happen to my comments or suggestions?
If your comment relates to an existing enquiry, we will give it to the relevant commission.

The overview and scrutiny management committee will decide whether to include any suggestions in the scrutiny work programme.

Scrutiny generally focuses on strategic issues and cannot deal with individual complaints. Want to make a complaint?