Invitation to residents May 2024: Propose a topic for investigation by the Corporate Improvement Scrutiny Committee

Overview

Slough Borough Council’s ‘Overview and Scrutiny Committee’ wants your ideas for topics it should investigate over the coming year.

During the month of May, the ten local councillors who make up the committee will be considering how to prioritise this year’s ‘work programme’ – they are keen to hear suggestions for issues or services which need a closer look. They want to make a long-list of ideas from members of the public, officers of the council, fellow councillors, the council’s inspectors and commissioners, and representatives from other local organisations, to help them decide how to have the best possible impact on the way the council is run, and the services it provides.

Lots of subjects will be shortlisted by the committee and only a few can become full committee items or more detailed ‘task and finish group’ investigations. But if your topic is chosen, the committee will investigate the matter you raise, setting out all the relevant evidence with the ultimate aim of making recommendations to the cabinet to change and improve the way things are done. 

If you have something in mind, use the link below to make your suggestion.

If you would like to get some help with submitting your proposal, why not ask one of your local ward councillors: Your Councillors (slough.gov.uk)

If you have more than one topic you would like to suggest, it would really help us keep track of things if you could submit them separately.

Please bear in mind, the committee is unable to consider individual service complaints, planning issues, licencing issues and/or issues already considered by the committee within the last 6 months.

Why your views matter

Overview and Scrutiny is an important part of local democracy. This committee’s job is to hold the council’s Leader and cabinet to account, and to make suggestions to them about how to improve things.

In Slough, this is done by the Corporate Improvement Scrutiny Committee. Its membership is made up of 10 Slough Borough Councillors (5 Conservative, 4 Labour and 1 Liberal Democrat).

The committee aims to:

• provide constructive “critical friend” challenge;
• amplify the voices and concerns of the public;
• be led by independent people who take responsibility for their role; and
• drive improvement in public services.

When the committee can show evidence that improvements can be made, they make recommendations to the SBC Cabinet. The cabinet is required by law to respond to these recommendations. This ensures transparency and you can see what they do by attending the relevant public meetings, viewing them online or reading the agendas and minutes of their meetings.

What happens next

Your suggestions will be considered by the Scrutiny Committee Members in a number of workshops running from 21 May to 5 June as they develop the forward plan for 2024-25. This will be formally approved by the committee at their public meeting on 25 June.