The Local Government Act 2000 created a provision for an appropriately designated Scrutiny Committee to suspend the implementation of any Executive Decision taken by either the Cabinet as a whole or by an individual Cabinet Member (also known as a ‘Portfolio Holder’ at Dover District Council) acting through delegated powers. This procedure is known as ‘Call-In’ and its intention is to create a suitable mechanism by which the Non-Executive Members of the Council may challenge the decisions taken by the Executive that they feel to be incorrect in some manner.
Once the appropriately designated Scrutiny Committee has identified an item for Call-In, it must consider the matter within 15 working days and make recommendations to the next meeting of Cabinet for its consideration. The recommendations of the Scrutiny Committee are not binding and the Cabinet has the choice of either amending its original decision in light of the comments of scrutiny or reconfirming its original decision.
The Call-In process is inherently confrontational by its nature and the intention is that it is used only in ‘exceptional circumstances’ (Local Government Act 2000, Section 16) where there are compelling reasons for it.
Although the Call-In procedure is set out in the Local Government Act 2000, there is a degree of variation in the way it is implemented across different authorities. At Dover District Council the Call-In process may be activated either individually by the Chairman or Spokesperson of the Scrutiny (Policy and Performance) Committee or by any three Non-Executive Members of the Council in co-operation.
The following items have previously been the subject of a ‘Call-In’ by Scrutiny.
| SUBJECT | CABINET DECISION | DATE SCRUTINISED | CALL-IN INITIATOR |
| Golf Road Community Centre | CAB44 | 16/07/2002 | T A Bamfield |
| Personnel Division Staffing | CAB87 | 16/09/2002 | B Martin |
| Deal Pier – Structural Refurbishment Contract | CAB196 | 04/02/2003 | B Martin |
| Dover Town Hall Management | CAB239 | 18/03/2003 | Mrs S R Nicholas |
| Provision of Hackney Carriage Stands | CAB40 (e) | 16/07/2003 | K Mills |
| Dover Town Hall – Review of Management Arrangements | CAB52 | 30/07/2003 | K Mills |
| Control on Number of Hackney Carriages | CAB249 | 05/04/2004 | S C Manion |
| Provision of General Practice Services in Dover District | CAB12 | 02/06/2004 | S C Manion |
| Circuses on DDC Land | CAB30 | 12/07/2004 | K Mills |
| Play Areas, MUGAS and Skate Parks in Dover District | CAB5 | 01/06/2005 | J A Cronk S C Delling M S Furnival |
| Off-Street Parking Places Order 2006 | CAB143 | 31/01/2006 | K Mills |
| Replacement of Tennis Hall at Tides, Deal | CAB57 | 24/7/2007 | K Mills |
| Deal Pier Cafe / Bar and Miscellaneous Costs | CAB93 | 03/01/08 | K Mills |
Telephone: 01304 872304
E-mail: scrutiny@dover.gov.uk
