Councillors who are not members of the Executive act as watchdogs examining Executive decisions and policies, and the overall performance of the council.
These 'non-executive' members of the council make recommendations to the Executive about improvements for residents; this is known as 'overview and scrutiny'.
The process is designed to be non-party political so committees which undertake overview and scrutiny must be politically balanced. Their main role is to:
- hold the Executive to account scrutinising decisions before they are made/implemented
- examine implementation of policies
- consider the introduction of new policies and their effects
- examine the functions of the council's partners.
View more information on overview and scrutiny committee.