Overview & Scrutiny involves councillors investigating how well local public services operate and reviewing new policy proposals under development. In this way it provides ideas, challenge and debate that contribute to improving services and addressing local issues.
Scrutiny councillors will be reviewing the draft budget during December 2010 and January 2011. They will look at the aims of specific budget proposals and how delivering them may affect council services. Their findings will then be reported to the Cabinet for consideration before the final budget is discussed.
Following publication of the draft budget, Scrutiny councillors have invited suggestions from members of the public about which budget proposals should
be reviewed.
A special meeting of the Scrutiny Management Committee was held on 20 December 2010 to give people an opportunity to give their views.
Following this, it has been decided that there should be a further opportunity to take views from members of the public. This will be at a meeting of the Finance, Improvement & Performance Scrutiny Working Group on 5 January 2011 at 2.30pm at County Hall, Northampton.
Any member of the public may attend the meeting on 5 January 2011 and speak to the Working Group. As before, Scrutiny councillors are particularly keen to hear from groups representing those involved in delivering services or representing service users.
Scrutiny of the draft budget happens at the same time as the ‘You Choose’ consultation process but has a different aim. People who make suggestions to scrutiny councillors about which budget proposals they should scrutinise are also encouraged to use the ‘You Choose’ process to give their own views on the draft budget.
If you wish to register to speak at the Finance, Improvement & Performance Working Group meeting on 5 January 2011 please email jedmunds@northamptonshire.gov.uk, giving your name and address and the point you wish to raise. You should register to speak by 12 noon on 31 December 2010.
For further information about Overview & Scrutiny, please visit our webpages.
