Initial findings from a survey by the Centre for Public Scrutiny released today show 82% of scrutiny officers believed most recommendations made by scrutiny committees were accepted by councils in 2018-19 and 62% of overall respondents, which includes councillors with a scrutiny role, agreed the scrutiny function has an impact on the lives of people locally.

However, just 31% of respondents agreed there is parity of esteem between the executive and scrutiny. One said the view of scrutiny needed to change to “one of support as a critical friend, not just a constitutionally necessary committee” while a number of respondents said they needed more resources.

One said: “Our staffing model benefits from a committed and hardworking team providing a high level of scrutiny support but is completely under resourced to do other than being responsive to emergent issues.”

New government guidance for scrutiny committees published in May urged councils to “embrace scrutiny” of their spending decisions and said scrutiny committees should be “constructive, critical friends” with “a vital role” of amplifying public voices and concerns when councils take important decisions.

However, only 39% of respondents agreed that scrutiny in their area “works hard to involve and engage the public in its work” while 60% said they needed more formal powers to look at the work of local partners and other service providers.

Centre for Public Scrutiny chair Jacqui McKinlay was expected to tell the organisation’s annual conference today that the role of scrutiny in holding council decision-makers to account is “critical” to building public trust.

“It is no secret that essential trust between the public and our national democratic institutions has splintered in the past few years.  The role of scrutiny in publicly holding our local decision makers to account is critical in building trust amongst residents.

She said: “As the recent government scrutiny regulations make clear, if scrutiny is to be play an essential role, there must be a council-wide cultural commitment to scrutiny starting from the top.

“Without executive buy-in and appropriate support to make it work, there is much less chance of scrutiny making an impact and adding value.

“Scrutiny is increasingly challenging, uncomfortable and potentially politically difficult – but it is an essential component of residents having trust that local democracy is working.”