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 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 Resource & Finance Scrutiny Committee

Asset Management, Corporate Finance planning and policy, Council tax, Fees and charges, Revs and Benefits, Corporate strategy and policy review, Customer services, HR services, Digital services and, ICT, Democratic and Legal Services, Elections and electoral registration, Marketing, Communications & engagement, Improvement/Recovery Plan, Medium Term Financial Strategy, and Transformation.