[peter kidd]

Hi Mike,

Here in Salford we have a dedicated budget scrutiny committee, which meets monthly and considers monitoring report on the revenue and capital budgets. we also look in detail at directorate budget pressures as they emerge and other fiancial policies strategies. we also consider the budget proposals for the coming year and oversee the budget consultation excercise.

We also have an Audit and Accounts committee, whilst not strictly a scrutiny committee, we support the meetings. It meets roughly quarterly to look at the work of internal audit, reports from the audit commission. It also considers and approves the annual statement of accounts.

If you think this may help, I would be glad to send you papers or point you in the direction of further information.

If after this you would like to sort a visit I'm sure the chair would support this, though we would have to clear it with him.

my email is peter.kidd@salford.gov.uk

[Paul Dean]

The winning and runner-up submissions for the 2008 and 2009 CfPS annual awards published on this site have some good case studies showing different approaches to finance/budget scrutiny.

I'd suggest looking at those and contacting the authorities which look like they have an approach which might work for you.

[Ed Hammond]

This year's shortlisted candidates... two of these should be within easy travelling distance.

Finance Scrutiny - judged by CIPFA

Winner - London Borough of Harrow - Review of the council's relationship with the voluntary and community sector

Shortlisted

London Borough of Harrow - Review of the council's relationship with the 3rd sector
Staffordshire County Council - the Council's Budget Scrutiny Process
Westminster City Council - Condition of Roads and Pavements

[David Collins]

My Scrutiny Committees are being asked

• To receive the re-priced base budget for the relevant services
• To consider where savings / efficiencies could be made in the light of the budget deficit
• To propose actions to assist in reducing the deficit
• To propose longer term changes that could be made to service provision to reduce expenditure
  

Any ideas for an approach? (I think we want more than "turn off unwanted lights etc" now)