The Overview and Scrutiny Committee can review and scrutinise any matters which affect the council, its area or the inhabitants of that area, providing greater transparency and accountability in the delivery of services locally.
The Committee has 13 members. Any councillor is able to sit on the Committee, except for members of the Cabinet and no councillor can be involved in scrutinising a decision with which they have been directly involved.
Chairman: Councillor John Cope
Vice-Chairman: Councillor Pippa Graeme
To find out more about the membership of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, see Committee details: Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
The detailed arrangements for the operation of overview and scrutiny are in the Council's Constitution.
Attend a meeting
You are welcome to attend any committee meeting. Meetings are usually held in the Civic Centre in Esher and start at 7pm. View the meetings calendar for more information.
Work programme
At its first meeting of the Municipal Year, the Committee agrees its intended work programme. This work programme is subject to amendment throughout the year as relevant issues arise.
In addition to discussion at formal meetings, the Committee can also set up smaller time-limited task and finish groups to review in depth and complex issues in a more informal way.
Have your say
One of the key roles for overview and scrutiny is to reflect the issues that the people who live and work in the borough are concerned about. We want you to tell us what you think we should be focusing on in the future.
Benefits of overview and scrutiny
Overview and scrutiny should encourage a more reflective evidence-based approach to decision-making. The benefits of overview and scrutiny include:
- greater transparency and accountability
- improved efficiency and service performance
- better policy making
- opportunities for input from external and independent experts
- enhanced democracy and inclusiveness in decision making
- Annual report
Every year an Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report is produced to provide a summary of what has been achieved throughout the year; and how the process can be improved in future years:
More information
If you would like further information about overview and scrutiny don't hesitate to contact policy@elmbridge.gov.uk.