HEREFORDSHIRE
COUNCIL'S SOCIAL CARE AND HOUSING SCRUTINY COMMITTEE
(As from May 05 Childcare matters are dealt with by
the Children’s Services Scrutiny Committee. Consequently this committee was re-named Adult
Social Care and Strategic Housing Scrutiny Committee)
The Council has established
Scrutiny Committees for Education, Environment, Health, Social Care
and Housing and Social and Economic Development.
A Strategic Monitoring Committee
scrutinises Policy and Finance matters and co-ordinates the work of
these Committees.
The purpose of the Committees is
to ensure the accountability and transparency of the Council's
decision making process.
The principal roles of Scrutiny Committees are
to
·
Help in
developing Council policy
·
Probe, investigate, test the options and ask the
difficult questions before and after decisions are taken
·
Look in more detail at areas of concern which may
have been raised by the Cabinet itself, by other Councillors or by
members of the public
·
"call in" decisions -
this is a statutory power which gives Scrutiny Committees the right
to place a decision on hold pending further scrutiny.
·
Review performance of the Council
·
Conduct Best Value reviews
·
Undertake external scrutiny work engaging partners
and the public
Formal
meetings of the Committees are held in public.
The Social Care and Housing Scrutiny Committee review the
Social Care and Strategic Housing programme areas including
scrutiny of arrangements under Section 31 of the Health Act 1999
having regard also to links with the Herefordshire Partnership and
the Health Scrutiny Committee.
For further information please contact Tim Brown, Committee
Manager (Scrutiny) on (01432) 260239 or e-mail: tbrown@herefordshire.gov.uk