Examples of in-depth policy review and development
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| Barnsley MBC | Investigations of domestic violence and also licensing.
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| Bedfordshire County | Reviews of winter maintenance, waste management and county music services.
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| Brentwood BC | Review of grants to parish councils.
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| Bolton BC | Decision to stop maintaining a failing school called in and debated, with well-attended and reported public forum.
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| LB Camden | Choices about financing capital projects, use of Camden's commercial property portfolio.
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| Hartlepool BC | Review of mobile phone base stations and public concerns about their siting.
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| Maidstone BC | Review of consultation mechanisms and also abandoned vehicles investigations.
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| South Ribble BC | Review of the effectiveness of the council's overall arrangements for delivering best value, review of approach to capital projects.
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| Staffordshire County | Review of the provision of library facilities within a one-stop shop.
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| Stockport BC | Call in process used to provide framework for overview and scrutiny. Five members, two from relevant scrutiny committee, can call in decisions triggering evidence-taking from executive members, officers and external witnesses reviewing background and reasons for proposal.
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| Telford and Wrekin | Scrutiny Chairs attend Cabinet and give views on issues Cabinet and Chairs work together to draw up priority themes and issues on which scrutiny would add value.
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| Worcestershire County | Investigation of Social Services overspend.
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Examples of scrutiny in relation to best value review
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| Bedfordshire County | Programme of best value reviews determined by full council. Individual reviews led by a series of select committees. Involvement of the select committee varies depending on priority of the review.
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| Calderdale | Scrutiny committees have a role in overseeing individual best value reviews in their service areas.
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| Herefordshire | Set up a joint member-officer "challenge team" to offer sustained challenge to the best value process a key points throughout a review.
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| Staffordshire | Developed a "front-end" approach to best value to assist scrutiny members in dealing with best value reports.
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Examples of external scrutiny
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| Bedfordshire County | External scrutiny investigations include: GNVQs and NVQs, the learning & Skills Council, inquiry into February 2002 incident at the Yarl's Wood detention centre.
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| Buckinghamshire County | Report on winter pressures.
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| LB Camden | Investigation of the development of a mental health and social care trust for Camden and Islington.
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| Devon County | Investigation of the foot and mouth outbreak within the county.
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| Hartlepool BC | Inquiry into seacoal collection within Hartlepool: a wide-ranging inquiry that necessitated the engagement of public and private partners in the work of overview and scrutiny.
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| Kent County Council | Modernisation of hospital services in East Kent.
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| LB Lewisham | Review of local authority and health services provided for children under eight with special needs.
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| Sheffield City Council | Rolling progamme of scrutiny of leisure trusts
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| York City Council | Investigation of flooding.
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