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Scrutiny 

The Local Government Act 2000 requires that local authorities have a scrutiny function. More recently this has been extended to make sure that crime and disorder and health matters are under constant scrutiny.

Scrutiny takes a 'critical friend' approach and ensures that the Council and its partners are held accountable for the choices they make, that the decision-making process is clear and accessible to the public, and that there are opportunities for the public to influence and improve circumstances in the borough.

Scrutiny is non-adversarial and non-partisan, and it is this collaborative and objective approach that allows the Select Committees to both challenge the Council (and its partners) and provide clear guidance on relevant issues.

Scrutiny works for, and on behalf of, local people. We welcome public involvement at every opportunity. Get involved if you would like to contribute to the scrutiny process and help make Barking and Dagenham a better place.

Call-in

The power to ‘Call-in’ a decision of a local authority executive body was introduced under the Local Government Act 2000. The purpose of Call-in is to give backbench councillors the opportunity to challenge decisions and hold decision makers to account, ensuring that executive powers are discharged properly.

Call-in does not apply when a decision is deemed to be urgent. This is because any delay likely to be caused by the Call-in process could seriously prejudice the Council’s or the public’s interests.

Councillors are able to Call-in a decision for one or more of the following reasons:

  • The decision is not in line with Council policy
  • The decision is not in accordance with the Council’s budget
  • The decision was not taken in accordance with the principles of decision-making set out in Article 12 of the Council's Constitution.

Councillors wishing to Call-in a Cabinet decision must complete a Call-in Form.

Once Called-in, the decision cannot be changed but select committees can refer it back to the decision maker for reconsideration. When a decision is referred back, the decision maker may be asked to consider particular points or alternative courses of action recommended by scrutiny members.

Call-in should only be used in exceptional circumstances and should be avoided through regular checking of the Council’s Forward Plan and effective pre-decision scrutiny. The full Call-in process can be found in Part B, Article 6A of the Council's Constitution.

Called-in decisions May 2010 - present

Councillor Call for Action

Councillor Call for Action helps Councillors respond directly to local problems.

Councillor Call for Action offers a chance to bring a pressing issue to a wider audience and discuss it in a neutral forum. Councillor Call for Action should only be used when all other avenues to resolve the problem have been exhausted. 

It is hoped that Councillor Call for Action will bring issues, which might otherwise be overlooked, to the attention of scrutiny and create stronger bonds between scrutiny, Councillors, and local people.

Councillor Call for Action Guidance

Petitions

If a valid petition with 1500 or more signatures is received by the Council then that petition will be presented to a Select Committee to be debated. This will be done in accordance with the Council's Petition Scheme.
 

Contact

Overview and Scrutiny Team

Civic Centre

Dagenham

RM10 7BN

 

Phone: 020 8227 5796

Fax: 020 8724 8135

Email: scrutiny@lbbd.gov.uk

 

Centre for Public Scrutiny

The Centre for Public Scrutiny promotes the value of scrutiny and accountability in modern and effective government and supports non-executives in their scrutiny role.