Overview and Scrutiny

Purpose of Overview and Scrutiny

Overview and scrutiny exists to ensure the Council's Executive is publicly held to account for its decisions and actions.

It promotes open and transparent decision-making and democratic accountability. It has a wide remit to explore how the Council and its partner organisations could improve services for the people of Nottingham. When evidence shows there could be a better way of doing things, overview and scrutiny can make recommendations for change.

Overview and scrutiny cannot make decisions or overturn the decisions of others.  Instead it aims to support improvement.

Overview and scrutiny has specific powers over:

  • local health service organisations,
  • organisations involved in work to reduce crime
  • disorder and organisations with responsibility for managing flood risk

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - takes an overview of key strategic issues relevant to Nottingham ensuring decision makers are held to account for their decisions and actions.  It commissions review panels to deliver its work programme.

Health Scrutiny Committee - responsible for carrying out the statutory health scrutiny function in Nottingham and scrutinising social care issues.   

Joint City and County Health Scrutiny Committee - complements the Health Scrutiny Panel by carrying out the statutory health scrutiny function for matters that cover the Greater Nottingham area.  The Committee is made up of councillors from both Nottingham City and Nottinghamshire County Councils. 

Call In Panel - a sub-committee of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee that meets as required to consider requests to 'call in' a decision.  'Call In' refers to the power of overview and scrutiny to ask the Council's Executive to reconsider a decision that it has made but not yet implemented.

Scrutiny Review Panels - established by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to carry out time-limited reviews into issues of concern with a view to making recommendations for improvement.

The agendas and minutes for all scrutiny meetings can be accessed online. Please click here to view details of the Council's meetings and decisions.

How to Get Involved with Overview and Scrutiny

There are many different ways to get involved with the work of overview and scrutiny, including:

  • Suggesting a topic for scrutiny
  • Providing information and evidence to inform a particular piece of review work - either written or in person
  • Attending a meeting to listen to discussion

Health scrutiny cannot investigate individual complaints about health or adult social care services.  However information from local people about their needs, experiences and concerns in relation to local health and care services can be useful in helping scrutiny councillors to get an impression of services overall.

If you have an experience that you would like to to share, particularly in relation to forthcoming agenda items (see above), we would like to hear from you.  Please contact us via the contact details below to discuss further. 

Contact Information

For more information about overview and scrutiny, contact the Overview and Scrutiny Team: