Groups will be meeting regularly again this year at Ealing Council to hear evidence on key subjects ranging from education to parks – and put them under scrutiny.
These ‘scrutiny panels’ give you the chance to air your views on important topics and get involved. There are four new panels this year:
Scrutiny review panel 1 – Education: This will review the provision, quality and funding of education in the borough. It will consider areas such as schools funding, schools planning, the Ealing Learning Partnership, special educational needs provision, and equality and inclusion.
Scrutiny review panel 2 – Active citizenship: This will consider the council’s active citizenship programme, including the neighbourhoods outcome review; residents’ engagement; the work of street patrolling groups; ‘plogging’ activity; and the Ealing Parks Foundation.
Scrutiny review panel 3 – Local effects of national issues: This will review the local effects of national issues in the borough, including the financial pressures upon the council and the impact; changes to the universal credit; potential changes to the Housing Act e.g. tenancy law; and the new Environment Bill.
Scrutiny review panel 4 – Leisure: This will consider the current leisure provision in the borough, including the sports facilities, the arts and arrangements for our parks.
These new panels are in addition to two ongoing panels that sit each year:
Overview and scrutiny committee: This oversees and manages the scrutiny function of the council. It also undertakes scrutiny of core aspects of the council’s operations, such as performance, budget strategy, crime and disorder. It also looks at some policies before these go to the council’s cabinet for decisions.
Health and adult social services: This is responsible for scrutinising health services in the borough and the provision of social services for adults. Some of the areas that the panel will cover include the Better Lives transformation programme, Ealing Community Partners community services, mental health services, and adult safeguarding.
Get involved
The panels are keen to hear the views of the local community on all the areas that they will be scrutinising over the year. So if you wish to give your views or want to be involved in the work of any of the panels then do get in touch with the council’s Scrutiny Unit by emailing scrutiny@ealing.gov.uk or calling 020 8825 7497.
More information about scrutiny in Ealing including meeting dates, work programmes, agendas and reports is available on the council’s website.
