HEREFORDSHIRE COUNCIL'S SOCIAL AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT SCRUTINY COMMITTEE

(Following changes to the Council’s Constitution as from 13 May 2005 this committee has been superseded by the Community Services Scrutiny Committee)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 and Economic Development Scrutiny Committee review the Social and Economic Development programme area.

Please contact Mr Craig Goodall, Trainee Committee Officer (Scrutiny) on (01432) 260445 or e-mail: cgoodall@herefordshire.gov.uk