How does scrutiny work?

In Carlisle, scrutiny operates through three Overview and Scrutiny Panels - Community, Economy & Environment and Resources.

Each Panel is made up of 8 non-executive members appointed to reflect the political make up of the Council.  The Panels meet up every six weeks and these meetings are generally open to the public.

The Panels also work in more informal ways, for example by holding workshops, going on site visits or looking at a topic in-depth by a small group of Members (sometimes called a Scrutiny Review).  The Panels set their own work programme and produce an annual report on their activities. 

More information on each of the Panels can be found here.