Effective scrutiny arrangements are an essential component of local democracy, enhancing accountability and transparency of decision making and enabling local councillors to represent the views of their constituents.

These arrangements have been established to enable local councillors, on behalf of their communities, to scrutinise and challenge the Cabinet and the Mayor and to consider matters of strategic importance to residents within the North East CA area with a view to influencing their decisions and policy, working together to make sure the North East is recognised as an outstanding place to live, work, visit and invest.