Scrutiny of the Mayor
To make sure the Mayor is open and accountable, their work will be reviewed through a process called scrutiny. This means that local councillors from across the area will regularly examine the Mayor’s decisions, strategies, and performance.
What scrutiny committees do
- Review the Mayor’s strategies and major decisions.
- Hold the Mayor to account for progress and performance.
- Make recommendations for improvements and better outcomes.
- Check value for money, ensuring public funds are used effectively.
How you can get involved
- Attend meetings – scrutiny meetings are open to the public.
- Ask questions – residents can submit questions to be raised.
- Read reports – all scrutiny findings and recommendations will be published online.
How the system works
Democratic accountability flow diagram
This diagram shows how democratic accountability flows from residents who elect the Mayor, through the Strategic Authority (Mayor plus 5 seats), to Scrutiny Committees made up of local councillors, who then produce public reports and recommendations that go back to residents, creating a complete accountability cycle.
flowchart TD
A[Residents elect Mayor] --> B[Mayor]
B --> C[Strategic Authority\nMayor + 5 seats]
C --> D[Scrutiny Committees\nLocal councillors]
D --> E[Public reports & recommendations]
E --> F[Back to residents]
For sources and further reading, see References.