Review Process
How is a review topic selected?
Scrutiny Commissions look at issues which will affect people who live and work in Hackney. There are several ways in which areas for scrutiny could be identified:
- Feedback received from Councillors about major issues facing their wards is often important to the Council. When areas of concern arise across wards this information can inform the Scrutiny process and plays a vital role shaping policy and developing services
- Part of Scrutiny’s role is to review the impact of Council services on the people who use them. Members of the public may be asked participate in scrutiny reviews where the review would benefit from the input of service users
- The Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board will consider suggestions and requests, and invite members of the public to get involved with the Scrutiny process
- Inspection reports and Corporate Forward Plan
Planned reviews and investigation for an integral part of the work of each Scrutiny Commission. For details of reviews currently being undertaken, and the Commissions’ work plans please see the Current Reviews page.
What happens during a review?
Once the subject of a scrutiny investigation has been agreed a work programme will be drawn up, detailing the terms of reference and how the investigation will take place. This is done in consultation with the relevant Directorates and Team Hackney (Hackney’s Local Strategic Partnership). This work programme will be approved by the Overview and Scrutiny Board.
Commissions can gather evidence in a number of ways:
- Asking Council employees to explain what they do and why they do it
- Requesting Cabinet Members to attend a meeting to discuss a specific issue and detail current policies
- Reviewing what other organisations do and looking at examples of best practice
- Asking experts in a specific field to advise the panel
- Asking local people to supply their views on the issue being investigated through surveys, or inviting them to attend meetings
- Site visits or speaking to people who use a particular service
Conclusion and recommendations
Once information has been collected and analysed, the Commission will reach a conclusion (usually in the form of a report) as to whether there is a problem or scope for improvement that the Council (or relevant statutory body) can address. If there is, it will formulate specific recommendations for improvement. These are publicised, passed to relevant individuals, and monitored.
Page updated: 23 Oct 2008