The “Centre for Public Scrutiny” set up a National Overview and Scrutiny Forum:

“A National Overview and Scrutiny Forum was set up in 2007 to help develop Overview and Scrutiny in England and Wales. Each English region sends one officer representative, and one councillor representative, to the Forum. Wales sends one officer and one councillor representative as well.

The Forum is convened and facilitated by the Centre for Public Scrutiny but controls its own work programme and is driven by the needs and interests of O&S practitioners.”

So how effective has this Forum(remember, made up of councillors and officers) been in the run- up to local and general elections?

“At its meeting in April 2014, the Forum decided that it would take a break from meetings in person until after the 2015 General Election.”

Now, why would officers and councillors shut down a forum on overview and scrutiny 10 months before elections?

Wow, I would love to see the minutes of THAT meeting! So I click on the link for them:
http://www.cfps.org.uk/nosf-minutes-agenda

Whoops, nothing since 2013 but no fears there is a link from this archive page:

http://www.cfps.org.uk/?location_id=363

which takes you back to the earlier page in a loop where you start again … and again! This is SO like EDDC!

However, a note at the bottom says to call someone in the organisation. No reply.

Request for the minutes has now been made by email.

Transparency? Hmmm!