Question to the Department for Levelling Up, Housing & Communities:

To ask Her Majesty's Government, further to the Written Answer by Lord Bourne of Aberystwyth on 20 February (HL5546), what steps may be taken when a city mayor has abolished an overview and scrutiny committee.

Principal councils in England are required by statute to have at least one overview and scrutiny committee.

Any concerns about the legality of a council’s actions should first be addressed to the council’s Monitoring Officer who is responsible for ensuring the authority complies with its legal obligations. Councils not complying with their statutory obligations can be challenged by way of judicial review.