Issue - meetings

To consider the appointment of the Authority’s Statutory Scrutiny Officer.

The Committee considered a report on the appointment of a Statutory Scrutiny Officer.

Section 31 of the Local Democracy, Economic Development and Construction Act 2009 required all authorities in England to designate a Scrutiny Officer, with the exception of district councils in two-tier areas. The functions of this role were to:

1. Promote the role of the authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Committees.
2. Support the authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Committees and the Members of those committees.
3. Provide support and guidance to:

?         Members of the authority

?         Members of the executive of the authority, and

?         Officers of the authority

in relation to the functions of the authority’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee or Committees.

An Officer designated by a local authority under this section was to be known as the authority’s ‘Scrutiny Officer’.

A local authority may not designate any of the following under this section:

1. The head of the authority’s paid service designated under section 4 of the Local Government and Housing Act 1989;
2. The authority’s Monitoring Officer designated under section 5 of that Act;
3. The authority’s Chief Finance Officer, within the meaning of that section.

The Corporate Scrutiny Committee had considered the matter on 19^th April 2010 and had concluded that the Democratic Services Manager would be the most appropriate appointment within the Council.

RESOLVED

That Council be recommended to agree that the Democratic Services Manager be appointed as the Statutory Scrutiny Officer.