Brighton & Hove Council's 'Scrutiny Committee' To Hold First Meeting

Members of Brighton & Hove City Council’s new Labour cabinet are due to set out their strategic priorities at the first “scrutiny committee” meeting next week.

And members of the public have a brief window – until midday today (Wednesday July 3) – to apply to address the committee at Hove Town Hall which is scheduled for next week.

They can either lead a deputation, entitling them to make a speech, or ask a question in person at the meeting at 4pm on Tuesday (July 9).

Brighton and Hove City Council has created two new overview and scrutiny committees to run alongside the new decision-making cabinet. The cabinet has replaced the previous system of policy-making committees.

The first meeting to be scheduled is the council’s People Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It has also set up a Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee and has retained its existing Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

But the People Overview and Scrutiny Committee agenda papers contain just one report, setting out the terms of reference.

The only other item of substantive business is headed, “Presentations by cabinet members” and is followed by a line saying:

“Cabinet members to present on their strategic priorities (verbal).”

This is despite a legal requirement for reports to be made public at least five days before a meeting.

The Local Government Act 1972 says:

“An item of business may not be considered at a meeting of a principal council unless either (a) a copy of the agenda including the item (or a copy of the item) is open to inspection by members of the public … for at least five clear days before the meeting.”

The People Overview and Scrutiny Committee, which is due to meet four times a year, is made up of nine councillors – six of them Labour – and seven co-opted members.

The People and Place committees are expected to be “internally focused” on services provided by the council. The Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee focuses on other organisations, predominantly NHS trusts.

The People Overview and Scrutiny Committee is expected to cover

• housing, homelessness and services for tenants and residents
• adult social care
• the council’s public health services
• children and young people’s services
• council-led local education authority functions
• adult skills and learning
• library services
• “life events” such as bereavement and registration services
• communities and equalities