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Overview and scrutiny | Sandwell Council

Changes to bin collections due to industrial action

From Monday 5 to Thursday 8 June, general waste collections (grey bin) and garden waste collections (if you subscribe) will be prioritised. Recycling and food waste collections will not take place. Find out about changes to bin collections →

Overview and scrutiny

The council has to have what is called 'overview and scrutiny'. This is a special role carried out by groups of councillors appointed to what we call scrutiny boards.

These scrutiny boards do various things to help look at ways in which things can be made better. These include:

  • Carrying out in-depth reviews of services or policies that affect Sandwell
  • Keeping up to date on new laws and issues that affect the council
  • Making recommendations to the cabinet on what the boards think could be done to make things better
  • Asking cabinet members and other important people questions about how they plan to do things.

We currently have the following scrutiny boards:

  • Budget and Corporate Scrutiny Management Board - chair: Councillor Paul Moore
  • Children's Services and Education Scrutiny Board - chair: Councillor Nicky Hinchliff
  • Economy, Skills, Transport and Environment Scrutiny Board - chair: Councillor Karen Simms
  • Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Board - chair: Councillor Elaine Giles
  • Safer Neighbourhoods and Active Communities Scrutiny Board - chair: Councillor Ellen Fenton

These boards can look at all sorts of topics and issues affecting Sandwell.

Suggest a topic for scrutiny to look at

If you have any suggestions of important issues you think the boards should look at, please let us know by emailing democratic_services@sandwell.gov.uk with details. Please remember, this shouldn't be about personal complaints or issues specific to a person/family.