Special panels will be meeting regularly again at Ealing Council to hear evidence on key subjects ranging from climate change to COVID-19 – and put them under scrutiny.
Because of the coronavirus pandemic, the sessions of these ‘scrutiny panels’ had been delayed. But they will 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 – COVID-19 pandemic: This panel will review Ealing Council’s response to the coronavirus pandemic, including considering the work of Ealing Together, a collaboration between local community and voluntary groups, residents’ associations and individuals supporting the response to COVID-19.
Scrutiny review panel 2 – Children’s services Ofsted improvements: The panel will consider the outcomes of the 2019 Ofsted inspection of the council’s children’s social care services, services for care leavers (including housing quota), regional adoption arrangements, children’s performance data and the Ealing children short breaks service provision at Haydock Avenue.
Scrutiny review panel 3 – Agile scrutiny – miscellaneous topics: The panel will review the implications of the government’s planning White Paper for the delivery of Ealing’s Local Plan and associated planning services; transparency in the planning process and public engagement for council meetings.
Scrutiny review panel 4 – Climate Emergency: This panel will consider the council’s plans for the adoption of the climate and ecological emergency strategy; what the council is doing to minimise the consumption of energy in the use of its plant and machinery to help reduce overall energy costs, carbon emissions and aid the UK’s carbon reduction obligations; and the council’s role in promoting planet-friendly dietary changes to happen across the borough to mitigate the effects of climate change and the burden on the health care systems.
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.
