Scrutiny at the Councils

Are you concerned about local issues? If so then you can ask the Adur and Worthing Joint Overview and Scrutiny Committee to investigate - click for details ...

Scrutiny plays a vital role in the Councils' decision-making and policy development processes. It ensures public accountability is exercised at every level and that decisions relating to place, communities, resources and finance are thoroughly reviewed.

Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council have set up a Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee (JOSC) to undertake this role as part of the joint working arrangements. The JOSC is made up of eight members from Adur and eight members from Worthing. The committee is politically balanced.

What does the Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee do?

The Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee is responsible for holding the Executives and Joint Strategic Committee to account, as well as helping to develop new policies.

The committee scrutinises decisions, reviews and advises on existing policies and public services, monitors the Councils' performance and carries out policy development functions. Its aim is to secure continuous positive improvement in the way the Councils' functions are exercised; taking economy, efficiency and effectiveness all into account.

The committee will sometimes set up various smaller working groups, which are established to conduct work on behalf of the committee. Usually made up of four committee members, a working group undertakes a specific piece of scrutiny work, and reports back to the committee with their findings and recommendations. In 2021/22 the committee has set up working groups to review the following issues:

the procurement process undertaken when Worthing Cultural Service was transferred to a Trust in 2019
the Adur and Worthing evening and night time economy (ENTE)
the Adur Homes Repairs and Maintenance service
the Worthing Business Improvement District process and proposals covering 2023-2028

Adur District Council and Worthing Borough Council also each have their own Overview & Scrutiny Committees. Adur's committee is made up of eight members and Worthing's has 15 members.

You can find committee agendas, reports and minutes, as well as details of committee members via the links below:

To find out more about how the Councils' political management is structured, please see:

Political management structure

If you're concerned about a local issue

If there is a local issue that is having an impact on you, your community or business, you can ask the Adur and Worthing Joint Overview & Scrutiny Committee to investigate it by completing the form below.

If you are a local resident you can ask your councillor to help you complete the form. If you are unsure who your councillors are then please see:

Please submit your request using the form below:

Scrutiny Review Request Form