🏛️ Strengthening Scrutiny: Learning, Listening and Doing the Job Well

Earlier this year, I was elected as Chair of Haringey’s Housing, Planning and Development Scrutiny Panel, as well as joining the borough’s Overview and Scrutiny Committee. It’s a big responsibility, and I’m determined to do the job properly.

Scrutiny isn’t always the most visible part of what councillors do, but it’s where we can make a real difference — by asking tough but fair questions, challenging the evidence, and pushing for better outcomes for residents across Hornsey and the whole borough.

To make sure I’m as effective as possible, I recently spent two days on an LGA scrutiny training workshop, focusing on how to:

• ask incisive, constructive questions

• develop practical, realistic recommendations

• work well with officers and Cabinet members

• keep residents’ experiences at the heart of every review

I found it genuinely useful, and I’m already bringing what I learned into our sessions.

If you’d like to see scrutiny in action, you can watch two of our sessions from earlier this year 👀🎥:

• ▶️ June 2025 session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PZ60jzJbXnk

• ▶️ November 2025 session: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=znL7HhfYhYM

I’ll keep working hard to make sure scrutiny is robust, fair, and focused on what matters most: improving things for residents. If there are issues you think the panel should be looking at, please do get in touch — your insight is always invaluable.

Cllr Adam Small

Hornsey Ward, Haringey Borough