Local Government Act (Northern Ireland) 2014

Overview and scrutiny committees: functions

27.—(1) Executive arrangements by a council must include provision for the appointment by the council of one or more committees of the council (referred to in this Part as overview and scrutiny committees).

(2) Executive arrangements by a council must ensure that its overview and scrutiny committee has power (or its overview and scrutiny committees have power between them)—

(a) to review or scrutinise decisions made, or other action taken, in connection with the discharge of any functions which are the responsibility of the executive;

(b) to make reports or recommendations to the council or the executive with respect to the discharge of any functions which are the responsibility of the executive;

(c) to review or scrutinise decisions made, or other action taken, in connection with the discharge of any functions which are not the responsibility of the executive;

(d) to make reports or recommendations to the council or the executive with respect to the discharge of any functions which are not the responsibility of the executive;

(e) to make reports or recommendations to the council or the executive on matters which affect the council’s district or the inhabitants of that district.

(3) For the purpose of dealing with a matter of concern to more than one overview and scrutiny committee of the council, standing orders may provide for the council to appoint an ad hoc overview and scrutiny committee or for the relevant committees to sit concurrently.

(4) The power of an overview and scrutiny committee under subsection (2)(a) to review or scrutinise a decision made but not implemented includes power—

(a) to recommend that the decision be reconsidered by the person who made it; or

(b) to arrange for its function under subsection (2)(a), so far as it relates to the decision, to be exercised by the council.

(5) An overview and scrutiny committee of a council may not discharge any functions other than its functions under this section and sections 28 to 33.