Citation and commencement

1. This Order may be cited as the Overview and Scrutiny (Reference by Councillors) (Excluded Matters) (England) Order 2012 and comes into force on 4th May 2012.

Interpretation

2. In this Order-

"enactment" includes subordinate legislation;

"licensing decision" means-

"the Planning Acts" means-

"planning decision" means-

"right of recourse to a review" does not include any right to make a complaint to the Commission for Local Administration pursuant to the Local Government Act 1974(7).

Excluded matters

3. Subject to article 4, the descriptions of matters specified as excluded matters for the purposes of section 9FC of the Local Government Act 2000 are-

(a)any matter relating to a planning decision;

(b)any matter relating to a licensing decision;

(c)any matter relating to a person in respect of which that person has a right of recourse to a review or right of appeal conferred by or under any enactment;

(d)any matter which is vexatious, discriminatory or not reasonable to be included in the agenda for, or to be discussed at, a meeting of the overview and scrutiny committee or at a meeting of a sub-committee of that committee.

Systemic failure in discharge of functions not an excluded matter

4.-(1) A matter does not fall within a description in article 3(a) to (c) if it consists of an allegation that a function for which the authority is responsible has not been discharged at all or that its discharge has failed or is failing on a systemic basis.

(2) Paragraph (1) applies notwithstanding the fact that the allegation specifies or refers to-

(a)any matter relating to a planning decision;

(b)any matter relating to a licensing decision; or

(c)any matter relating to a person in respect of which that person has a right of recourse to a review or right of appeal conferred by or under any enactment.

Revocation

5. The Overview and Scrutiny (Reference by Councillors) (Excluded Matters) (England) Order 2008 is revoked(8).

EXPLANATORY NOTE

(This note is not part of the Order)

Section 9FC(1)(c) of the Local Government Act 2000 (inserted by section 21 of, and Schedule 2 to, the Localism Act 2011) requires the executive arrangements of a local authority in England to include provision enabling those of its members who are not members of the overview and scrutiny committee to refer to that committee any matter relevant to the committee's functions, which is not an excluded matter.

Section 9FC(5) defines "excluded matter" as a matter which is a local crime and disorder matter within the meaning of section 19 of the Police and Justice Act 2006 or a matter of any description specified in an order made by the Secretary of State for the purposes of section 9FC.

This Order specifies descriptions of matters that are excluded matters for the purposes of section 9FC and therefore cannot be referred to an overview and scrutiny committee by a member of the authority who is not also a member of the committee (article 3).

Article 4 provides that a matter which consists of an allegation of systemic failure of an authority to discharge a function for which the authority is responsible may be referred to an overview and scrutiny committee, notwithstanding the fact that the allegation specifies matters which would otherwise be excluded by virtue of article 3.

A full impact assessment has not been produced for this Order as no impact on the private or voluntary sectors is foreseen.