The Democracy Story
Kick Off
Posted on 12 June 2013 by ali.marks
Not unlike the sense of excitement building at the start of a new football season, so the kick off is nearly underway to the eagerly anticipated first round of scrutiny committees following the County Council elections in May. The new committee memberships have all been agreed as have the chairs and vice-chairs. With 19 new…
Tags: Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee, Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, People's Scrutiny Committee, Place Scrutiny Committee, scrutiny, scrutiny team
Singing our praise
Posted on 5 April 2013 by ali.marks
Every year the scrutiny committees publish their annual report describing what they have been up to and what they have achieved. Being able to trace tangible outcomes is one of the challenges scrutiny faces but this year, we have achieved a number of things. This year’s annual report will be presented to the last meeting of the County Council before the elections, on 25 April.
The deed is done… We have a budget!
Posted on 22 February 2013 by ali.marks
Last night, the County Council set its annual budget for 2013/14. More than £521 million will be spent on providing services for people living and working in Devon next year. Scrutiny helped shape the budget proposals and many of the suggestions made by scrutiny committees were taken forward.
Tags: budget, Place Scrutiny Committee | No Comments
Snow me the money!
Posted on 25 January 2013 by ali.marks
The scrutiny of the 2013/14 budget is in full swing – this week all the scrutiny committees had a close look at the proposals for the services they usually review and how they’re going to be funded over the next 14 months or so.
Tags: budget, Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee, Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, People's Scrutiny Committee, Place Scrutiny Committee | No Comments
That time of the year again… Let’s talk money
Posted on 10 January 2013 by ali.marks
2012 hasn't been an easy year for local government, with a very difficult financial climate and increasing pressure to deliver more with less, the financial climate will remain unsettled in the medium term. During January, individual scrutiny committees will take a close look at the proposed 2013/14 budgets of the service area(s) they normally review before all scrutiny members get together and agree one collective set of recommendations to the Cabinet. Do get involved!
Tags: budget, Corporate Services Scrutiny Committee, Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, People's Scrutiny Committee, Place Scrutiny Committee, public health | No Comments
A Successful Scrutiny year
Posted on 24 December 2012 by Camilla De Bernhardt
My esteemed colleagues have already covered Christmas wishes and festivities as well as the serious business of on-going work at this time of year. So on Christmas Eve as the ending of the year, and the beginning of a new it falls to me to reflect on the successes and to look to the forthcoming…
Tags: scrutiny, year | No Comments
Scrutiny at Christmas
Posted on 20 December 2012 by ali.marks
As we rapidly approach this most festive of seasons there is little or no let up for People’s Scrutiny… The External Placements Task Group is due to be published on the 10 January 2013 Committee agenda and so I find myself in one of the trickiest parts of our role, trying to agree on a…
Feliz Navidad +++ Joyeux Noël +++ Frohe Weihnachten
Posted on 14 December 2012 by ali.marks
Last week the scrutiny team could be seen in action – mystery shopping and seeking out undercover evidence in and around Exeter for our Christmas do. We made a fair effort in dressing up too... and we would like to say thank you to everyone who supported scrutiny during the year.
Tags: annual report, scrutiny team, thank you | No Comments
The hidden dangers of falling: Not just for the elderly…
Posted on 8 November 2012 by ali.marks
Approximately one in three people aged over 65 will fall in any one year in Devon. This figure rises to one in two in the over 85s. Because the problem of people falling is so sizeable, it is really important that professionals from all walks of life deliver services which provide the best possible outcomes for patients - but also that people make better lifestyle choices for themselves throughout their lives.
Tags: falls, Health & Wellbeing Scrutiny Committee, public health | No Comments
Who does what?
Posted on 1 October 2012 by Camilla De Bernhardt
A week ago one of our scrutiny committees held a “spotlight review” looking at the working relationship between the County Council and the community and voluntary sector. A spotlight review is the term we use for a task group squished into one meeting. They are particularly useful for gaining a quick, in-depth view of a…