National plan outlines new streamlined system for scrutiny of Scotland’s councils
The work-plan for a new streamlined scrutiny system for Scotland’s councils is published today, with a 36 per cent reduction in the time scrutiny bodies spend in councils undertaking strategic scrutiny work.
In the National Scrutiny Plan for Local Government 2010/11, Scotland’s scrutiny agencies jointly set out the strategic scrutiny work they will do in councils during the year. The agencies are coordinating their work and focusing on the key issues at each council, in order to make scrutiny more efficient and effective.
Under the plan, scrutiny bodies will spend 36 per cent less time in councils overall compared with 2008, with visits and inspections generally quicker, more focussed, and involving fewer inspectors. To achieve this, the scrutiny activity within each council will also be more proportionate and risk- based. For some councils, this will mean less activity but in others it could mean an increase.
This plan follows a request from the Cabinet Secretary for Finance and Sustainable Growth, asking the Accounts Commission to take on a coordinating and gate-keeping role for corporate level scrutiny in councils. The main audit and inspection agencies for local government have worked together to share information and come to an agreed view on what strategic level scrutiny activity is necessary in each council and where scrutiny bodies need to target their work.
Accounts Commission chair John Baillie said:
“We have worked closely with colleagues in other scrutiny bodies to develop this plan. It is a significant step towards a more streamlined and proportionate system of scrutiny for local government in Scotland and sets out clearly what work will be undertaken in each council over the next year. This is based on a joint agreement among scrutiny bodies about the risks and issues in each council, ensuring that the approach to each local authority is proportionate and individually tailored.
“In the past, when we have planned and undertaken scrutiny of a council, much of the scrutiny took place through scrutiny bodies working independently and with a ‘one size fits all’ approach. This was inefficient for them and also created a significant demand on councils’ time and resources. With the publication of the National Scrutiny Plan for Local Government, councils will have a clear picture of what is happening, with the aim that scrutiny activity is more proportionate, more efficient and appropriate to their circumstances.”
The National Scrutiny Plan for Local Government is supported by Assurance and Improvement Plans (AIPs) for each of the 32 councils.These local plans set out in more detail the reasons behind the planned scrutiny activity for each council.
