Scrutiny

Scrutiny ensures that:

the council and its partners are held accountable for the choices they make
the decision-making process is clear and accessible to the public
there are opportunities for the public to influence and improve the quality of life in the borough

The council takes a collaborative and objective approach to scrutiny. It has two scrutiny committees made up of councillors who are not members of the cabinet. These committees challenge the council (and its partners) and provide clear guidance on relevant issues.

The two scrutiny committees are:

In addition, along with neighbouring boroughs, the council is represented on the Outer North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which looks at and monitors local health services.

Agendas and minutes for the meeting can be viewed on the London Borough of Havering website.

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 purpose of call-in is to give non-cabinet members of the council 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 these 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 Part 2, Chapter 16 of the council’s Constitution.

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

Call-in-form (DOC, 343.50 KB)

Once called in, the decision cannot be changed but The Overview Scrutiny or Health Scrutiny 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 2 Chapter 8 (paragraph 6) of the council’s Constitution.

Councillor call to action

Councillor Call for Action aims to create stronger bonds between scrutiny, councillors and local people.

It offers councillors a chance to bring an important issue before a scrutiny committee for wider debate.

It should only be used when all other ways of resolving the problem have been exhausted within the council.

The full Councillor Call for Action process can be found in Part 2, Chapter 8 (paragraph 7) of the council’s Constitution.

Councillor Call for Action form (DOCX, 15 KB)

Petitions

A petition is a formal document appealing to the council for a right or benefit.

If a valid petition with 1,500 or more signatures is received by the council, then that petition will be presented to a Scrutiny Committee to be debated.

This will be done in accordance with the council’s Petition Scheme.