The Chairmen of the Scrutiny Panels set out in Article 6 of the Constitution will be automatically appointed to the Scrutiny Commission for the period of their office.

The Scrutiny Commission will co-ordinate the work of the Scrutiny Panels, but it is not itself a Scrutiny Panel. The Scrutiny Commission has no power to establish any Committees or amend its Terms of Reference.

Terms of Reference

1) To approve an annual overview and scrutiny work programme, including the programme of any Sub-Panel appointed by a Scrutiny Panel, to ensure that there is efficient use of all Panels' and sub-panels’ time, and that the potential for duplication of effort is minimised.

2) Where matters fall within the remit of more than one Scrutiny Panel or Sub-Panel, to determine which of them will assume responsibility for any particular issue, and to resolve any issues of dispute between Scrutiny Panels.

3) To receive requests from the Cabinet and/or the full Council for reports from Scrutiny Panels and to allocate them if appropriate to one or more Scrutiny Panels.

4) To put in place and maintain a system to ensure that referrals from overview and scrutiny to the Cabinet, either by way of report or for reconsideration are managed efficiently and do not exceed the limits set out in this Constitution.

5) At the request of the Cabinet, to make decisions about the priority of referrals made in the event of reports to the Cabinet exceeding limits in this Constitution, or if the volume of such reports creates difficulty for the management of Cabinet business or jeopardises the efficient running of Council business.

6) To have the powers of a Scrutiny Panel in relation to Cabinet decisions made but not implemented as set out in section 21(3) of the Local Government Act 2000, as do all other Scrutiny Panels. See Procedure Rule 206 (Call-In of decisions).