Chapter 6 - Scrutiny - Portsmouth City Council

Scrutiny Management Panel

To oversee the development of the scrutiny function and have overall responsibility for setting and monitoring standards for scrutiny.

6.1.1 Work Programme

To have overall management responsibility for the work programmes of the themed scrutiny panels including:
Identification of topics that could be the subject of scrutiny enquiries in consultation with themed panels, partners and the public in order to prioritise and manage workloads and ensure that review topics are chosen that reflect the city’s priorities and are focused on improvement.
outputs from themed scrutiny panels
monitoring of implementation of recommendations arising from completed scrutiny reviews

6.1.2 Hold Cabinet to Account

To review and scrutinise decisions made by and performance of the Cabinet and to monitor the forward plan
To question members of the Cabinet and chief officers about their decisions and performance

6.1.3 Review of topics, policy and performance

To review specific topic areas that fall within the panel’s remit and make reports and/or recommendations to the Cabinet in connection with the discharge of any functions
To review and monitor the policies of the city council on corporate, economic and financial plans and programmes, including the revenue estimates and capital programme
To review and scrutinise the performance of the council in relation to its policy objectives and performance targets as referred from Governance & Audit & Standards Committee
To consider and allocate reports on performance issues, which are outside the remit of the Governance & Audit & Standards Committee to the appropriate scrutiny panel.
To consider and advise the Council on reports issued in respect of council services by statutory agencies.
To review specific topic areas that fall within the Panel’s remit and make reports and/or recommendations to the Cabinet in connection with the discharge of any functions.

6.1.4 Call In and councillor call for action

To exercise the right to call-in decisions made but not yet implemented, for reconsideration and consider decisions that have been called-in for examination at the request of members.
To have responsibility for formally responding to the councillor call for action

6.1.5 Partnership working and public involvement

6.1.7 Reporting

To submit an annual report to Scrutiny Management Panel on the work of the scrutiny panels
It is proposed that meetings between the chair of the Scrutiny Management Panel and the Leader should take place every three months.

6-member panels meet in accordance with a timetable set by the chair in agreement with panel members.

6.2.1 The role of the scrutiny themed panels

To suggest possible topics for review for coordination by the Scrutiny Management Panel.
To review specific topic areas that fall within the panel’s remit (as allocated by the Scrutiny Management Panel) and make reports and/or recommendations to the Cabinet in connection with the discharge of any functions and from there to full council as appropriate.
To review and scrutinise decisions made by and performance of the Cabinet where allocated by the Scrutiny Management Panel.
To agree its own scoping documents for reviews it undertakes.
To liaise with partners and external organisations as appropriate.
To adopt a policy development role with competent evidence-based reports.
To review and scrutinise the performance of the council in relation to its policy objectives and performance targets, where allocated by the Scrutiny Management Panel.
To question members of the Cabinet and committees and chief officers about their decision and performance where relevant to the work of the panel.
To act as a point of referral for Notices of Motion submitted to Council.

6.2.2 Role of the Health Overview and Scrutiny Panel.

This panel consists of 6 members and 6 co-optees from adjoining local authorities. Please refer to Part 2 of the Constitution ‘Decision-Making’.