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MEETINGS

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee shall meet in accordance with the calendar of meetings approved by Council. The Chair of the Committee may call an extraordinary meeting of the Committee at any time subject to the ordinary rules on the convening of meetings and the Access to Information Procedure Rules (see Part B Section xxx of the Constitution).

The Scrutiny Sub-Committees shall meet in accordance with a timetable agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, but will establish their own pattern of meetings within this framework and the Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee may decide to lead any Scrutiny Sub-Committees.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee shall also respond, as soon as its work programme permits, to requests from Council and if it considers it appropriate the Mayor or Executive to review particular areas of Council activity. Where they do so, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee shall report their findings and any recommendations back to the Mayor/Executive and/or Council. The Executive shall consider the matter at one of its next two meetings following receipt of the report. If the matter is relevant to the Council only then will they consider the report at their next meeting.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee or any Scrutiny Sub-Committee established for this purpose may hold enquiries and investigate the available options for future direction in policy development and may appoint advisers and assessors to assist them in this process. They may go on site visits, conduct public surveys, hold public meetings, commission research and do all other things that they reasonably consider necessary to inform their deliberations. They may ask witnesses to attend to address them on any matter under consideration and may pay to any advisers, assessors and witnesses a reasonable fee and expenses for doing so.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee will report to Council, Cabinet or the Mayor or appropriate Cabinet Member and make recommendations as appropriate. All reports from Scrutiny Sub-Committees will be agreed by the relevant sub-committee and the Chair of that Committee will provide an update at the next meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. If the report cannot be agreed by the Sub-Committee, or if there are not any meetings of Sub-Committee, and in other exceptional circumstances, the report can be agreed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. Once it has formed recommendations on proposals for development, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee will prepare a formal report and submit it to the Executive Mayor and relevant Cabinet Member and Senior Officers for consideration and a formal response (if the proposals are consistent with the existing budgetary and policy framework) or to Council as appropriate (e.g. if the recommendation would require a departure from or a change to the agreed budget and policy framework).

The Executive shall consider the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and/or Sub-Committee at one of its future meetings setting out its response to any recommendations. The Council will consider the report at its next ordinary meeting if appropriate.

If no decision under 38 is taken, there is a challenge to the recommendations, or the Mayor and Executive specifically wish to comment on the report, then the Executive shall consider the report of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee at one of its future meetings following submission of the report. The Council will consider the report at its next ordinary meeting if appropriate.

In addition to their rights as Councillors, Members of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee or a Scrutiny Sub-Committee have such additional rights to documents, and to notice of meetings as may be set out in the Access to Information Procedure Rules (see Part B Section 8 of the Constitution).

PROCEDURE AT OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY COMMITTEE MEETINGS