Legislation implemented in May 2001 requires every council to have a scrutiny process in place. Each council has developed its own kind of scrutiny arrangement but all scrutiny services involve at least one committee or group made up of councillors.
Scrutiny has a "watch dog" role, as it concentrates on improving the council's performance by monitoring, questioning and making recommendations on the way that services are provided, decisions are taken and policies are implemented. At the heart of the overview and scrutiny process is the consideration of what impact our policies and plans will have on the people and the communities of South Kesteven - the process ensures that the right decisions are taken in the first place.
Details on South Kesteven District Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committees can be found using the below link and then use the existing link called 'Find out about these meetings'
Who / what can be scrutinised?
Any decision we make, and indeed any aspect of how we operate, can be scrutinised. This includes decisions made by our full Council, Cabinet and decisions delegated to officers to make.
What is a call-in and who can do it?
A call-in means that any actions relating to a decision stop until the relevant overview and scrutiny committee can look into it and recommend what to do. This happens when one or more of our Members have evidence to suggest that a decision was not taken in line with the correct process, or does not adhere to the principles of decision-making in our Constitution. It should only be used in exceptional circumstances.
The only decisions that can actually be "called-in" are Cabinet and Cabinet Member decisions, and executive decisions that have been delegated to officers. The chair of the relevant overview and scrutiny committee or any five members of council can call-in a decision.