Scrutinising the work of the Council

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is the council’s single overarching scrutiny committee. The committee is responsible for scrutinising the whole range of the Council’s functions and responsibilities, as well as other public service providers’ work and its impact on the local community.

Scrutiny powers and roles

Scrutiny committees and Councillors have the following powers and roles:

To review and/or scrutinise decisions made, or other action taken, in connection with the discharge of any of the council's functions.
To summons any member of the Cabinet, the Chief Executive and/or any officer taking delegated decisions to attend before it to explain any particular decision, the extent to which the actions taken implement Council policy and/or their performance.
To 'call-in' any decision that results in spending or saving £500,000; or that has a significant impact on an area comprising two or more wards in Lambeth or the quality of service provided to a significant number of people living or working in an area, or communities of interest. Calling-in a decision means that the decision is paused until it has been considered by Overview and Scrutiny Committee.
To consider any matter affecting the borough or those who live or work in it.
To make reports and/or recommendations to the full Council, the Cabinet, or the Council's partners in connection with the discharge of any functions affecting the area or those who live, work or study in Lambeth.
To assist the Council in the setting of the budget by considering and commenting on the strategic priorities for the forthcoming financial year and monitoring the setting of the budget to ensure that it reflects those priorities, once they are agreed.