Overview & scrutiny

Overview and scrutiny is part of the council’s arrangements for making sure decision-making processes are robust, take account of local need and contribute to the overall vision in the borough’s community plan.

Introduced through the Local Government Act of 2000, its purpose is to act as a system of checks and balances which:

• hold the executive (leader and cabinet) to account
• undertake policy development and review
• monitor and improve performance
• investigate issues of public concern and
• carry out scrutiny of other public bodies providing services to local people including specific duties around Health

The Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Bill 2007 extends the scrutiny powers of the council further.   In particular the new process of ‘councillor call for action’ enables elected councillors to refer any local government issue or function affecting their ward or constituents to the overview and scrutiny committee.

The committee carries out its work in a number of ways. These include time-limited reviews, challenge sessions, receiving petitions and deputations and by members questioning and calling-in cabinet decisions.

Overview and scrutiny committee

The committee is made up of nine councillors and five co-opted members, including two Roman Catholic and Church of England representatives and two parent governor representatives who can vote on education issues. The co-optees include a non-voting Muslim community representative for education issues. 

There is a scrutiny lead member for each of the five community plan themes and a lead member for the health scrutiny panel.

• Councillor Abdul Asad – Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee
• Councillor Bill Turner – Vice-Chair, Scrutiny Lead for Excellent Public Services
• Councillor Waiseul Islam – Scrutiny Lead for a Great Place to Live
• Councillor Stephanie Eaton – Scrutiny Lead for Healthy Communities and Chair of the Health Scrutiny Panel
• Councillor A A Sardar – Scrutiny Lead for Prosperous Communities
• Councillor Ann Jackson – Scrutiny Lead for One Tower Hamlets
• Councillor Shiria Khatun – Scrutiny Lead for Safe and Supportive Communities
• Councillor Oliur Rahman
• Councillor Shahed Ali
• 2 Vacancies
  
• List of all the councillors

Health scrutiny panel

Local authorities with social services duties have a responsibility to look into health matters, make recommendations to NHS bodies and have a right to be consulted when changes are made to the way health services are provided.

The health scrutiny panel is set up as a sub panel of the overview & scrutiny committee.  The panel meets quarterly and typically carries out one review each year on a key local health issue. 

• Find more information on what health scrutiny does