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Is there an aspect of life in Middlesbrough you would like Councillors to investigate?

Local Councillors are currently deciding on a new round of topics to investigate and need your suggestions.

The scrutiny process involves the Council’s elected members examining any topic which impacts on the local area. This often relates to Council services, but the process can also involve relevant external organisations and bodies. Scrutiny ensures that the decisions taken by the Council and its partners are appropriate. It creates an open, transparent way for elected members to shape, question, evaluate and challenge policies, decisions and performance.

At the end of the exercise an investigation report is prepared, which summarises the scrutiny panel's findings and puts forward recommendations to make Middlesbrough a better place to live and work.

As a general rule, topics should relate to community issues that affect the people of the borough. This will allow you to have a say in Council matters by suggesting the holding of enquiries into topics of local concern. Members of the public are also welcome to attend scrutiny meetings where those topics are being discussed. The Overview and Scrutiny Board and the scrutiny panels welcome your suggestions, although they cannot guarantee that all of the suggested topics will be reviewed.

MVDA's involvement to date

A few years ago, MVDA developed a protocol with Middlesbrough Council’s Overview and Scrutiny Board to support greater VCS involvement in the work of Scrutiny Panels where appropriate.  More recently, over the last six months or so, in line with this protocol, MVDA has supported the work of the Social Care and Adult Services Scrutiny Panel as the issue of loneliness and isolation in later life was being considered.  This included supporting the work of the Panel directly through contributing information to complement the evidence provided by VCOs working in this area in Middlesbrough.  We are looking forward to seeing further ideas put forward from a range of sources consideration by councillors over the next year and would encourage all voluntary organisations to consider contributing to this process

Some examples of recent scrutiny investigations include:

  • Listening to the Voice of the Child
  • Selective Licensing Scheme
  • Litter Enforcement  - fly-tipping and back alley cleaning
  • The Sustainable Transformation Partnership (STP) and implications for local residents
  • LED Lighting Scheme
  • Reducing Loneliness and/or Social Isolation in Later Life

Councillors will be deciding which topics they want to investigate, based on suggestions from a variety of sources including your suggestions. So if you would like to have your say and you have a subject you would like to put to Councillors, please email scrutiny@middlesbrough.gov.uk or write to the Democratic Services Team, PO Box 503, Town Hall, Middlesbrough, TS1 9FX by Friday 11 May 2018 and identify your:

  • Suggested topics for scrutiny review
  • Reasons for suggesting the topics

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