Overview and Scrutiny

THE NEXT MEETING of the Scrutiny Committee will take place on Thursday 26 January 2012, at 5.30pm, in the Council Chamber, at Mid Suffolk District Council’s offices in Needham Market. Members of the public are very welcome to attend. On the agenda will be the following items:
    • Treasury Management Strategy 
    • 2012/13 Draft Budget 
    • Review of Scrutiny Committee Forward Plan (Discussion Paper) 


BACKGROUND

Mid Suffolk District Council has a Scrutiny Committee, made up of eight elected members, which supports the work of the Executive Committee and the Council as a whole.

It allows citizens to have a greater say in Council matters by holding public inquiries into matters of local concern. These can lead to reports and recommendations which advise the Executive Committee and Council as a whole on its policies, budget and service delivery. The Scrutiny Committee also monitors the decisions of the Executive Committee or those delegated by the Executive Committee. They may also be consulted by the Executive Committee on forthcoming decisions and the development of policy.

Mid Suffolk District Council operates a single Scrutiny Committee, alongside two Policy Panels, Environment and Community and a mixed party Executive Committee. It also acts as the Council’s Audit Committee and considers both internal and external audit reports.

An overview of the work undertaken by the Scrutiny Committee last year can be found in the Annual Report 2010/11 (PDF, 1.4MB)

The Scrutiny Committee programme of work for 2011/12 is outlined in a separate Work Programme (PDF, 144KB)

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 introduced new powers for Councillors to enable them to tackle local problems on behalf of their constituents. Detailed guidance on how councillors can refer matters of local concern in their wards to the Scrutiny Committee can be found in the Councillor Call for Action Protocol.

The full details of the Scrutiny Committee meetings and membership can be accessed via the  Committee Papers section of the website. 

Membership of the Scrutiny Committee changed in May 2011, following the District Council elections.

The Scrutiny Committee meets monthly. Meetings are open to the public and start at 5.30pm usually in the Council Chamber at Mid Suffolk District Council’s offices in Needham Market. Occasionally meetings may take place at another venue so it is advisable to check the location on the website.

Useful links