The work of the executive is monitored by various overview and scrutiny committees, which can check recent decisions, advise on policy development and review service performance. They can also call the executive to account where it is felt that their decisions have not been as effective as they should be.
Membership and independence
Each non-executive member has a seat on at least one of the four overview and scrutiny committees or the additional scrutiny of health committee.
To ensure that these committees take an independent view, executive members are not allowed to be members of them, although the committees can require executive members and officers of the council to attend to give evidence about issues under review. Committees are also able to co-opt additional non-voting members to provide an external view of council services.
There is also a scrutiny board, which helps to coordinate the workload of the committees and seeks to develop best practice. There is also a scrutiny officers network in place for organisations in North Yorkshire to share information, resources and best practice.
See the guide to our overview and scrutiny process for more information about overview and scrutiny committees and the work they do.