City of York Council (Logo)

Meeting:

Full Council

Meeting date:

18/09/2025

Report of:

Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer

Portfolio of:

Executive Leader – Cllr Claire Douglas


Decision Report: Executive / Scrutiny Protocol for City of York Council


Subject of Report

 

1.           On 27 March 2025 Council endorsed an action plan to implement recommendations arising from a Scrutiny Impact Review of City of York Council undertaken by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny (CfGS). The approved recommendations included revisiting and refreshing the Executive/Scrutiny protocol, with this work to be taken forward by a cross-party working group for discussion and agreement with the Leader and Deputy Leader once proposals had been developed.

 

2.           The cross-party Scrutiny Review Working Group established following Council’s endorsement of the action plan considered and developed draft proposals for a refreshed Executive/Scrutiny Protocol during June 2025. Following consultation and agreement with the Leader and Deputy Leader, the Working Group approved an agreed draft Executive / Scrutiny Protocol for City of York Council at its meeting on 23 July for referral to Audit and Governance Committee, with the recommendation that the Protocol be approved for inclusion in the Council’s Constitution.

 

3.           At its meeting on 3 September 2025, the Audit and Governance Committee resolved to commend to Council for approval a proposed revision of the Council’s Constitution to incorporate the Executive / Scrutiny Protocol for City of York Council into Article 8 – Scrutiny.

 

Financial Strategy Implications

 

4.           None directly arising from this report.

 

Recommendation and Reasons

 

5.        Council is recommended to approve the proposed revision to Article 8 of the Council’s Constitution to incorporate the Executive / Scrutiny Protocol for City of York Council.

 

6.        Reason: To strengthen the scrutiny function and to fulfil the recommendation endorsed by Council in March 2025 in relation to a refreshed Executive / Scrutiny Protocol.


Options Analysis and Evidential Basis

 

7.           Members may choose to approve or not approve the proposed amendment to the Constitution.

 

Organisational Impact and Implications

 

8.           The implications are as follows:

·                    Financial - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Human Resources (HR) - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Legal - none directly arising from this report. The Council has a statutory duty to operate a scrutiny function.

·                    Procurement - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Health and Wellbeing - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Environment and Climate action - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Affordability - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Equalities and Human Rights - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Data Protection and Privacy - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Communications - none directly arising from this report.

·                    Economy - none directly arising from this report.

 

Risks and Mitigations

9.           Not approving the proposed amendment would risk leaving the recommendation endorsed by Council in March 2025 in respect of a refreshed Executive/Scrutiny protocol unfulfilled.

 

Wards Impacted

 

10.        All wards affected.

 

Contact details

 

For further information please contact the author of this Decision Report.

 

Author

 

Name:

Bryn Roberts

Job Title:

Director of Governance and Monitoring Officer

Service Area:

Governance, Corporate

Report approved:

Yes

Date:

09/09/2025


Background papers

 

·        Article 8 – Scrutiny

 

Annexes

·        Annex A – Revised Article 8 – Scrutiny (clean)

·        Annex B – Revised Article 8 – Scrutiny (tracked changes)