How to get involved
All of the council's Overview and Scrutiny Committees (OSC) meet in public unless there is a very good reason why they must be private. Other than attending meetings as an observer, there are a number of other ways that you can get involved.
Asking a question, making a statement or making a deputation
The Council's Constitution allows any member of the public to speak at a meeting of an Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) on any issue relevant to the OSC or on any specific agenda item. You will usually have 3 minutes to speak, and a response is usually provided at the meeting or in writing afterwards. If you would like to speak at an OSC meeting, no notice is required. If notice is given, however, it will be easier to provide a more detailed reply at the meeting. Contact committeemeetings@centralbedfordshire.gov.uk for more information.
Submitting a petition or e-petition
A petition or e-petition can be submitted to the Monitoring Officer of the council at any time, subject to the principles contained in the Council's Constitution. If the petition is accepted and there is at least 7 days' notice, it will be submitted to the next relevant decision-making body (i.e., the Council, Executive, or other Committee). If an organiser feels that there has been an inadequate response to their petition, then a relevant OSC can review that response.
Suggest an item for the work programme
The work programmes of the OSCs are flexible and are considered at each OSC meeting. You can suggest an item to be added to the work programme of an OSC at any time by contacting the Overview and Scrutiny team. The OSC does not, however, consider individual complaints; it focuses on strategic issues.
Procedures covering each of these are contained in the Council's Constitution.
Overview and Scrutiny toolkit
The Overview and Scrutiny toolkit (PDF 381.1KB) 
is a useful resource for those involved with or interested in the Overview and Scrutiny Committees. The toolkit provides details on the process as well as practical advice for witnesses, officers, and Members.