Overview and Scrutiny

One Nottingham continues to work closely with Nottingham City Council's Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) structures to ensure that it is accountable for its actions and delivery of outcomes. This section of the website outlines how Overview and Scrutiny operates and how One Nottingham are involved in the process.

Overview and Scrutiny (O&S) was introduced as part of the Government's changes to the way Local Authorities are governed. Whilst the City Council's Executive has the responsibility for taking decisions, the remainder of councillors undertake overview and scrutiny activities. These include holding the Council's Executive Members to account and ensuring that Council services and policies meet the needs of local people.

In Nottingham the Overview and Scrutiny process is managed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. This Committee is responsible for co-ordinating the work of the standing panels and for establishing the Task and Finish Panels which carry out one-off investigations.

The Committee also has responsibility for managing the 'Call-In' process through which Overview and Scrutiny Councillors can require the reconsideration by the Executive of decisions before they are implemented to ensure that they are in the best interests of the city and its residents.

In addition to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, five Standing Panels meet each month. Each panel examines a particular area for which the Council is responsible and undertakes a range of activities, including major reviews, short-term investigations and monitoring activity.

The Panels are:

• The Children and Young People Panel;
• The Health Scrutiny Panel;
• The Performance and Resources Panel;
• The Regeneration, Infrastructure and Sustainability Panel;
• The serving the Adult Community Panel

Overview and Scrutiny and One Nottingham

The work of Overview and Scrutiny is increasingly partnership focused. The delivery of improved performance in key areas through the Local Area Agreement and the drive to provide joined up services mean that partners are involved on a number of levels. Major reviews of services have always involved contributions from a range of agencies and service users but Overview and Scrutiny are finding more and more that when it comes to making recommendations, it is no longer appropriate to direct these solely to the City Council Executive.

Overview and Scrutiny and One Nottingham have adopted a protocol which is based on a commitment to co-operate as partners, to ensure the best possible outcomes for the people of Nottingham.

In the six months since the last meeting between Overview and Scrutiny members and representatives of the One Nottingham Theme Partnerships, a significant proportion of the O&S work programme has focused on partnership working. Key areas of work include:

• Monitoring of the LAA by Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Performance to the second quarter 2008/09 (January 2009)
• LAA 2008-2011 – Refresh Update for 2009 (February 2009)
• LAA 2008-2011 – Ministerial Approval (March 2009)
• Performance to the third quarter 2008/09 (April 2009)

It is anticipated that the final out-turn for relevant indicators for 2008/09 will be presented to relevant Select Committees for scrutiny in September, following the pattern of previous years where partners join the meeting and present their progress reports.

There has also been some major partnership working on Overview and Scrutiny Reviews in the following areas:

Dual Diagnosis (CDP / Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust / NHS Nottingham City / third sector supported housing providers / Nottingham City Council Adult Services (including Supporting People)

Neighbourhood Policing Update (CDP / Police / Nottingham City Council)

The City's Economic Activity Rate (GNP / Enable / Renewal Trust / Working Directions / Navigation Consulting / Co-operative Community Action Nottingham / Women's Aid / NHS Nottingham City / Connexions / SPCFYP / Job Centre Plus / Independent Business Association / Nottinghamshire Healthcare Trust/ Nottingham City Council)

Democratic involvement in, and scrutiny of, LSPs is a fundamental part of their accountability to local people. Overview and scrutiny of LSPs can demonstrate accountability and improve performance.

One Nottingham will continue to work closely with the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its panels to identify issues/challenges and opportunities can be best addressed by joint working.

You can find out more about the work of Overview and Scrutiny at www.nottinghamcity.gov.uk/overviewandscrutiny.