Scrutiny members have the power to call in a decision made by an Executive Member or the Executive if they believe that it is contrary to the Council's established policy and budget framework.
A request for a call in must be signed by three councillors from more than one political group and may be made up to five days after the publication of the decision.
The Director of Corporate and Legal Services will decide whether the request meets the criteria for call in and, if it does, will convene a meeting of the appropriate Scrutiny Panel.
The Scrutiny Panel will consider the call in request by:
- Giving one of the three members who requested the call in the opportunity to present their case for calling in the matter;
- Allowing the decision maker the opportunity to explain their decision and answer any questions from the three members who called in the decision;
- Inviting any other members of the Scrutiny Panel to ask questions of the decision maker or of the three members who requested the call in.
Having considered the call in request, the Scrutiny Panel may decide:
- That the decision is contrary to policy and should be referred to a meeting of full Council;
- That it has concerns about the way the decision was made and that it should be referred back to the decision making body for reconsideration; or
- To take no further action.
A call in will usually be open to the public and the details published on the Council's website.
There are certain decisions which cannot be the subject of a call in. Decisions made by the Licensing and Planning Applications Committees and those decisions which are urgent are all exempt from call in.
Councillor Call for Action (CCFA)
The 'Councillor Call for Action' (CCFA) provisions within the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 have now come into force, giving all Councillors the opportunity to bring an issue of local concern to scrutiny when all other avenues for resolution of that issue have been exhausted.
For further information
Further information about the call in process at Eden District Council may be obtained by contacting the Scrutiny Officer.
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Contact: Scrutiny Officer, Corney Square, Penrith, Cumbria CA11 7QF
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Telephone: 01768 212180
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Email: scrutiny@eden.gov.uk
