Issue - meetings

To note the membership and terms of reference for the Overview & Scrutiny Committee.

Report to follow.

Scrutiny Officer, Philip Slawther, explained that the recommendations in the report were:

• To note the terms of reference provided in Appendix A.
• To agree the amended Scrutiny Protocol for 2026/27 in Appendix B.
• To formally establish the four Scrutiny Panels and to agree the membership of these Panels as set out in the tabled papers.
• To appoint two Councillors as Haringey’s representatives to the North Central London Joint Health Overview & Scrutiny Committee (NCL JHOSC) for 2026/27.

Cllr das Neves reported that, following initial discussions between committee members, the preferred approach was to retain the existing terms of reference but that the committee may wish to realign these later in the year when more was known about the plans of the new administration, particularly the new Corporate Delivery Plan (CDP). She added that a session with the Centre for Governance & Scrutiny was planned soon to consider areas of best practice and how to evolve the scrutiny structures, including public engagement.

Cllr Cawley-Harrison added that, when the new CDP became available, this would provide an opportunity to review the remits of the Scrutiny Panels and ensure that they were properly focused on key scrutiny priorities. Cllr das Neves concurred with this and also noted the importance of allocating adequate time to scrutinise areas of cross-cutting work within the Council.

Cllr Cawley-Harrison suggested that Panel Chairs should report back to the Committee if they felt, after initial discussions with their new Panels, that there were any areas of responsibility missing from the draft remit.

A minor error on the Panel Membership list in the tabled papers was highlighted. While the membership of the Housing, Planning & Development & Scrutiny Panel was correctly listed, the Chair of the Panel was not recorded and it was clarified that the Chair for 2026/27 would be Cllr Cawley-Harrison.

With these points taken into consideration, the recommendations in the report were agreed by the Committee. It was also agreed that Cllr Lucia das Neves and Cllr Bethany Anderson be appointed as Haringey’s representatives on the NCL JHOSC.

RESOLVED –

• That the amended Scrutiny Protocol for 2026/27 be formally adopted.

• That four Scrutiny Panels be established with the remits and membership as set out in the tabled papers.
• That Cllr Lucia das Neves and Cllr Bethany Anderson be appointed as Haringey’s representatives on the NCL JHOSC for the 2026/27 municipal year.