Committee details

Scrutiny is a process whereby councillors can play an influential role in the shaping of policy and decisions that will have a real benefit on behalf of the community they represent. The Committees helps ensure that the Council delivers its key aims and objectives, by creating an open, transparent mechanism for Members to shape, question, evaluate and challenge the Council policies, decisions and performance.

At Woking there are three scrutiny committees;

• Communities & Housing Scrutiny Committee
• Environment & Place Scrutiny Committee
• Resource & Finance Scrutiny Committee.

Within their individual focussed remit (listed below), these Committees monitor performance, review and evaluate services, question decisions and plans made by the council’s Executive, listen to the concerns of local people, and where appropriate make recommendations for action and change.

Four key roles for scrutiny are:

·        Holding the Executive, individual Portfolio Holders and Chief Officers to account and ensuring corporate priorities are met.

·        Policy development and review.

·        External scrutiny, where the committees look at issues which lie outside the Council’s responsibilities.

·        Performance management and best value.

Remit of the Environment & Place Scrutiny Committee

Accessibility, Building control, Development management, Planning policy, Biodiversity, Climate Change, Flood risk management, Economic development, UKSPF, Environmental health, Environmental maintenance, Open spaces and play areas, Woking Palace, Infrastructure, Local Plan, Parking services, Recycling and Waste collection.