Overview and Scrutiny

Overview and Scrutiny is a function of local authorities in England and Wales. It was introduced by the Local Government Act 2000 which created separate Executive and Overview and Scrutiny functions within councils.

Councils operating Executive Arrangements are required to create an Overview and Scrutiny Committee which is composed of councillors who are not on the Executive Committee of that council. Overview and Scrutiny Committees are required to meet the rules on proportionality defined in the Local Government And Housing Act 1989 (i.e. the committee must reflect the respective sizes of the political groups on the council). Councils which operate Alternative Arrangements are required to create an Overview and Scrutiny committee which is similarly politically proportionate. (Alternative Arrangements are normally operated by councils covering an area with a population of less than 85,000 but can also include larger councils, for example Brighton and Hove until 2008).

Some local authorities subdivide their main Overview and Scrutiny Committee into sub-committees, often titled Select Committees after parliamentary practice, though a wide variety of designations and structures are in use.

Functions of Overview and Scrutiny

The role of overview and scrutiny differs from authority to authority and can usually be ascertained with reference to the Council's Constitution.

Scrutiny may under the Local Government Act 2000 make recommendations to the council's executive, and under...
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