Frequently asked questions (FAQs)

Below are some frequently asked questions about Scrutiny. These will be updated regularly. If you would like to ask a question, and it is not covered below, please use our contact us form or email scrutiny@wolverhampton.gov.uk

What is Scrutiny?

The Local Government Act 2000 required all Councils in England and Wales to introduce new political structures, including an overview and scrutiny role.

There are two main roles in Scrutiny:

1. To carry out in-depth reviews of issues of public concern or Council performance where scrutiny could have significant influence
2. To hold Executive (the 10 Cabinet Members who lead on different policy areas and make decisions on these) decision-making to account

Who is involved?

All non-Executive Councillors are involved in Scrutiny. At Wolverhampton, this is 50 out of 60 Councillors, and Scrutiny is one of the key roles for non-Executive Members.

Co-opted Members can be involved in specific policy reviews, where they have expertise or experience in the area the review is looking at. These co-opted members are not necessarily professional staff. They are often service users who can directly advise Scrutiny Members on how Council policies and services are affecting their lives.

What powers does Scrutiny have?

The Scrutiny Board can 'call-in' decisions made by the Cabinet, that have not yet been implemented. This means that the Scrutiny members can request further information about decisions, and can recommend that the Cabinet reconsiders the decisions. 

Policy review groups can gather evidence by inviting expert witnesses to give written or oral evidence.

Scrutiny Members can also call Council officers and Cabinet Members to answer questions.

Scrutiny cannot make decisions. It makes recommendations to the relevant Cabinet Panel or Wolverhampton Primary Care Trust (for Health Scrutiny), which decide whether or not to accept the recommendations. If the recommendations are accepted then an Action Plan is drafted which includes targets and timescales for completion of work with a named lead member of staff responsible for completing the work.

If the recommendations are rejected then reasons have to be given for this.

How do you choose what to scrutinise?

Scrutiny considers areas where it can add value, for example, a policy review's recommendations should result in improved services.

When choosing issues, Scrutiny considers areas of poor peformance, areas of concern raised by people who live and work in Wolverhampton and the information Councillors bring forward from their own wards.

Criteria for assessing whether a topic is suitable for Scrutiny is given on the raise an issue page.

What can't Scrutiny look at and why?

Scrutiny does not look at individual complaints. It also does not investigate areas covered by other committees, such as the Planning Committee, unless there are significant issues relating to procedure.

If you have an individual complaint, please refer to the Council’s complaints procedure.

How can I be involved?

• suggest a topic for Scrutiny
• become involved in a review – policy review members use public consultation where appropriate
• send us your views about current policy reviews
• you can keep updated about what is happening in Scrutiny by looking on these web pages. Details on all reviews will be listed, with agendas and minutes as they become available. The latest news and developments in Scrutiny will also be regularly posted.

What does it mean to be an expert witness?

Scrutiny review groups may decide to ask people with particular expertise or experience to submit evidence as part of the review. This can be either written evidence, or the review group may decide to invite a witness to attend one of its meetings. Scrutiny review groups cannot require that witnesses submit evidence or attend a meeting.

Expert witnesses are provided with information about the review topic and about what aspects of the topic the review group wishes to ask them. All witnesses are sent information about giving evidence to a Scrutiny Policy Review

There is no standard format for providing written evidence, but a form is provided which witnesses can use if they wish.

Having received written evidence the review group sometimes decides it would like to question a witness further. Review groups can also invite witnesses to meetings who have not submitted written evidence in advance. Meetings will be arranged at least 7 days in advance and will be held at a mutually convenient time and venue.

Evidence provided by expert witnesses is kept for one year after a review has finished. Anyone who has given evidence to a scrutiny review will be sent a copy of the review’s draft report for comments.