Scrutiny Work Programme

Introduction

The Scrutiny Work Programme details the planned activity to be undertaken over the coming months. The items on the work programme are determined by the Committee in line with the Council’s Scheme of Delegation (Part 3 of the Constitution) and the Scrutiny Procedures Rules. This includes provision for the rights of County Councillors to ask for any matter to be considered by a Committee or to call-in certain decisions. 

​Co-ordination of the activities of Scrutiny Committees is undertaken by the Chairs and Vice-Chairs of Scrutiny Committees to avoid duplication of effort and to ensure that the resources of the Council are best directed to support the work of Scrutiny Committees.      

​Before an issue is added to the work programme Members should consider the prioritisation tool– asking the questions: 

• ​Whether the issue is in the public interest 
• ​Is there a change to national policy? 
• ​Does it affect people across Devon? 
• ​Are there performance or risk concerns?  
• ​Is it a safety issue? 
• ​Are people concerned about it? 
• ​Can scrutiny add value by looking at it? 
• ​Is it active?  

​The Work Programme will be broadly set once a year and then agreed by Scrutiny Committees, with enough flexibility to amend at each meeting as different priorities arise and will published on the Council’s website as soon as possible thereafter. Topics highlighted in yellow are provisional and have yet to be confirmed by the relevant Scrutiny Committee. 

​​The timescales and dates are indicative of when a Scrutiny Committee will review the item it is however possible that they may need to be rescheduled and new items added as new circumstances come to light. Please ensure therefore that you refer to the most up to date Plan.

Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services (CIRS) Scrutiny Committee

CIRS Committee Work Programme

Purpose: A formal public meeting where active items are discussed, and actions taken. Covered by the constitution.  

Open to Members of the Public, livestreamed/webcast.

Committee Date: 26 March 2026

Item	Purpose of the report	Alignment to Strategic Plan
Libraries	To review the consultation response and the evidence base for the Cabinet decision on Libraries	Continuous improvement of Services / Economic inclusion and local prosperity / Stronger communities and safer places
Standing Overview Group meeting – Joint Children’s and Adults Social Care Systems Replacement Project	To increase awareness and understanding of, and maintain oversight of the Joint Children and Adults systems replacement project.	Continuous improvement of services / Supporting independence and dignity / Positive futures for our young people

Committee Date: June 2026

Item	Purpose of the report	Alignment to Strategic Plan
Treasury Management Stewardship Annual Report 2025/26		Continuous improvement of services
Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI)	To receive and review the Annual EDI Report, providing assurance on how the Council is meeting its statutory equality duties and delivering against its Equality, Diversity & Inclusion objectives.	Economic inclusion and local prosperity / Stronger communities and safer places
Evaluation of Community-Self Delivery Scheme	As requested by Council September 2025: that taking into account the previous scrutiny recommendations in relation to the 20 is plenty programme and the Parish Councils who have already self- funded a programme,  best endeavours will be taken for officers to review both of those programmes successes and performance within the next 12 months which could include a new speed limit policy, and take a report  to the Corporate Infrastructure and Regulatory Services Scrutiny committee.	Continuous improvement of services
Locality Budgets	Annual statement on locality budgets for audit and monitoring purposes	Stronger communities and safer places / Economic inclusion and local prosperity

Children’s Scrutiny Committee

Children’s Committee Work Programme

Purpose: a formal public meeting where active items are discussed, and actions taken. Covered by the constitution.

Open to Members of the Public, livestreamed/webcast.

Committee Date: 16 March 2026

Item	Purpose of the report	Alignment to Strategic Plan
SEND Improvement Programme Update	Set out the delivery and performance of the SEND Improvement Programme	Positive futures for our young people
Report of the Fostering Member Champion	To receive a report on the work and activity of the Fostering Member Champion	Positive futures for our young people
Children’s Scrutiny Committee – Report of visits and Standing Overview Groups	To receive a report of the Committee on the activities undertaken, e.g. visits and/or Standing Overview Groups	Positive futures for our young people

Potential future items

• Reform of the SEND system
• Children’s Social Care reforms
• Inclusion and Learning Strategy
• Education Annual Report
• Voice of Children, Young People, Families and Carers

Children’s Outside of Committee Work Programme

Masterclasses

Purpose: An information sharing session where issues can be presented informally to members to raise awareness and increase knowledge– open to all members of the Council.  Recorded on teams. No formal minutes or notes taken.  

Masterclass Date	Item	Alignment to Committee Dates
6 January 2026	Elective Home Education and Devon and the role of the Virtual School	January 2026

Task Groups / Spotlight Reviews

Task Group: An in-depth review undertaken by a small group of Members over a number of meetings, will determine its own terms of reference and report back to public committee with recommendations. 

Spotlight Review:  A short, sharp, focussed investigation, usually undertaken on one day, will report back to public committee with recommendations.

Frequency: Determined by Committee, best practice is for a limited number to look at in depth, focussed issues e.g. max 2 per committee.

None currently programmed.

Standing Overview Group (SOG)

Purpose: A Standing Overview Group meeting takes place outside of the formal Committee, where Members discuss and review key topics. These sessions help to both develop Members knowledge and understanding of complex issues/topics but also promote good governance and accountability through Members critical friend challenge and recommendations.

Topic	Purpose	Alignment to Strategic Plan	SOG Report to Committee
Regional Adoption Agency Joint Scrutiny Group Meeting	Meeting of Chairs and Vice Chairs from across the Adopt South West	Positive futures for young people	Date TBC
OFSTED Annual Conversation / Safe Evaluation		Positive futures for young people
Annual reports – EHE/CME, DiAS, Fostering Services		Positive futures for young people

Health and Adult Care Scrutiny Committee

Health and Adult Care Committee Work Programme

Purpose: A formal public meeting where active items are discussed, and actions taken. Covered by the constitution.

Open to Members of the Public, livestreamed/webcast.

Committee Date: 23 March 2026

Item	Purpose of the report	Alignment to Strategic Plan
Housing	To review services provided to support vulnerable adults by helping them find appropriate housing and providing care to maintain their independence and well-being.	Supporting independence and dignity
End of Life Care Task Group	12 month update on the progress against the Task Group’s recommendations.	Supporting independence and dignity
Deprivation of Liberty Safeguards	Integrated Adult Social Care progress on Deprivation of Liberty and plans for Liberty Protection Safeguards.	Supporting independence and dignity
CoLab Visit	To review the report of the Members site visit to Colab, Exeter	Supporting independence and dignity
Care Direct Plus – Adult Social Care Visit	To review the report of the Members site visit to the Barnstaple officers	Supporting independence and dignity
Health and Adult Care General Update	Overview of key areas of activity including NHS budget, performance (CQC Focus), customer feedback, Dementia Strategy	Supporting independence and dignity

Committee Date: 22 June 2026

Item	Purpose of the report	Alignment to Strategic Plan
Adult Safeguarding Data	Further analysis (including sub-analysis) of performance against targets.	Supporting independence and dignity
CQC Inspection Report and Improvement Plan	To review the CQC inspection report alongside the improvement plan.	Supporting independence and dignity
Transition from Children’s Social Care to Adult Social Care Spotlight Review	To agree the final report and recommendations from the review.	Supporting independence and dignity
Dentistry	To review the latest on dentistry in Devon to include an update on dental contract reform.	Supporting independence and dignity
Adult Social Care Compliments and Complaints	To review the report of the Standing Overview Group	Supporting independence and dignity
Compliments and Complaints Annual Report	To review the Annual Report 2025/26	Supporting independence and dignity
Health and Adult Care General Update	Overview of key areas of activity including performance (Q4 report).	Supporting independence and dignity
NHS Devon ICB and RDUH Financial Pressures	To review the financial positions.	Supporting independence and dignity
Standing Overview Group – Quality Accounts	Devon’s NHS providers routinely deliver presentations to Members of the Standing Overview Group, on their Quality Accounts and their priorities in terms of improvement. This process informs the Quality Account statements which are produced annually by the Committee.	Supporting independence and dignity

Committee Date: 14 September 2026

Item	Purpose of the report	Alignment to Strategic Plan
Adult Social Care in Prisons	To consider the support provided to prisoners in Devon with a social care need along with their transition arrangements when they are released from prison.	Supporting independence and dignity
Hospital Discharge	To include the position on hospital discharge pathways, including the ‘Hospital at Home’ model, current performance, pressures, and proposed improvements across the system	Supporting independence and dignity
Health and Adult Care General Update	Overview of key areas of activity including customer feedback (Q1 2026/27); performance (Q1 report).	Supporting independence and dignity

Potential Future Items:

• Community Pharmacy
• NHS Devon Commissioning Plan
• Social Worker Recruitment and Retention
• Teignmouth Primary Care Facility
• Digital Poverty
• Drug and Alcohol Abuse
• SWASFT Fire Co-Responder Service
• Hospital Discharge Team
• Dementia Strategy

Health and Adult Care Outside of Committee Work Programme