Submit your suggestions for scrutiny topics

We want to widen the focus of Scrutiny investigations and encourage the public to suggest Scrutiny topics for potential review. There are 2 phases.

Phase 1 - Suggesting topics for Scrutiny review Southwark residents and people who work in the Borough can suggest topics they would like Scrutiny to investigate - suggestions are made through the Scrutiny Topic Suggestion Survey. From June each year, we gather the topics suggested and proceed to Phase 2 - Selecting and publishing topics for Scrutiny work programmes.

*** Please note: the municipal year is well underway. Suggestions made now will - if selected - be passed to the relevant scrutiny committee for next year's work planning discussions (approximately June 2026 to late July 2026). ***

Phase 2 - Selecting and publishing topics for Scrutiny work programmes The following criteria will be used to help evaluate topics for selection:

• within scope – issues are likely to affect significant numbers of people across the Borough and investigating them could produce useful outcomes
• relevance – should be of timely interest or concern
• supported by evidence – information showing how the topic being suggested is significant for the Borough will help selection
• are not Complaints, or Licensing or Planning issues which have their own processes

Selected suggestions from the public and councillors form Scrutiny Committee work programmes which we display as they are agreed (usually from late July of each year.) The in-depth nature of Scrutiny work means that in a given year, only a few suggestions can be taken forward for review.

Alternative formats: To suggest topics for scrutiny investigation in a different format, email scrutinyteam2@southwark.gov.uk or write to Scrutiny Team, Governance & Assurance, 2nd Floor, Southwark Council, 160 Tooley Street, PO BOX 64529, London, SE1P 5LX

Click on “Suggest a topic for Scrutiny investigation” to make a suggestion.