West Northants residents views sought

West Northants Council Overview and Scrutiny programme consultation

West Northamptonshire Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committees are asking for people to submit their ideas about what the Committees should investigate over the next twelve months. The Council has three Overview and Scrutiny Committees: Corporate Scrutiny Committee which scrutinises strategic priorities, the budget and customer services; People Scrutiny Committee which scrutinises social care, health and wellbeing, education, housing and communities; and Place Scrutiny Committee which scrutinises the environment, transport and highways, the local economy and community safety. The Committees can look into any issue affecting residents or the area of West Northamptonshire, and ideas do not need to be related to Council services.  

Overview and Scrutiny Councillors welcome and encourage members of the public who live or work in the West Northamptonshire to get involved in Scrutiny. To take part : click here , visit  https://www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/WNCscrutiny or email us by  5pm on Monday  27 September 2021.

Any topics that the Committees decide to include in their work programmes might be subject to an investigation, called a ‘scrutiny review’. The outcome of any review will be contained in a final report with recommendations for the appropriate organisation(s). The outcome of any review will be contained in a final report with recommendations for the appropriate organisation(s).

Issues that Overview and Scrutiny within West Northamptonshire have previously looked include:  

• • • Broadband
    • Health provisions in relation to Section 106 Agreement
    • Transport in relation to Section 106 Agreement
    • Western Power
    • The external perception of delegated authority to refuse planning permission
    • Protecting Daventry’s vision
    • The Council’s response to Covid-19
    • Food Poverty
    • Gangs and Knife Crime
    • Homelessness
    • Development and delivery of the Council budget
    • Children’s social worker recruitment and retention
    • Operation of highway services

Suggestions for review must meet the following criteria: 

• Affect a group or community of people (Scrutiny will not usually look at individual service complaints)  
• Relate to a service, event or issue in which the Council has a significant stake  
• Not be an issue which Overview and Scrutiny has considered during the last 12 months. However, West Northamptonshire Council was newly formed on 1 April 2021 therefore, for the inaugural Work Programmes this does not apply  
• Not be a planning issue or other matter dealt with by another Council Committee, except where the issue relates to a process. 

Overview and Scrutiny supports the Council’s priorities and underpinning commitments and a lot of scrutiny work is developed around these priorities.  The work of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee and its Task and Finish Groups have no decision making powers but make recommendations for consideration by Cabinet or full Council.  Their work means that they:- 

• Contribute to policy development and help develop major plans and strategies for  West Northamptonshire 
•  Hold the Cabinet to account for its decisions 
•  Examine matters of wider public interest 
•  Conduct reviews of public bodies that are external to the Council 
•  Review services of the Council 
•  Ensure the efficiency and effectiveness of the Council 
•  Carry out joint work with partners during the same review process

If you have any queries or need any help, please contact Democratic Services [democraticservices.westnorthant.gov.uk]democraticservices.westnorthant.gov.uk.