Council Constitution

Part 3a - Terms of Reference and Scheme of Delegation

9. Overview (Audit) Panel

9.1 Role

1. The Overview (Audit) Panel shall act as a mechanism to allow for a dialogue between the Executive and Scrutiny to provide a constant rolling review (but not scrutiny) of Council activities and will have responsibility to overview the Council’s Improvement Programme and budget. It will also provide an important role in forward business planning for the Council’s agenda.
2. The Panel will also provide for agenda planning for future scrutiny programmes and provide important links for policy review and future policy development
3. The Panel will also co-ordinate the scrutiny processes including co-ordination of scrutiny reviews involving more than one Scrutiny Panel.
4. To provide a facility for the main Opposition Spokespersons to be invited to attend meetings of the Panel (with speaking rights) in respect of items relating to their brief.
5. To have DELEGATED POWERS to approve the unaudited Statement of Accounts.
6. To approve the audited statement of accounts.

9.2 Call In Panel

The non Executive Members of the Overview (Audit) Panel (i.e. the Chair and Deputy Chair of the Overview Panel, the Chairs of the Scrutiny Panels, the Chair of Council Business, two Front Line Members and two Opposition Members, subject to the political balance rules) shall be responsible for giving consideration to call in or decisions outside the budget or policy framework, in accordance with the procedures set out in Part 4(f) of the Constitution.