200.Paragraph 54, by adding a new section 21F to the Local Government Act 2000, extends the powers of overview and scrutiny committees in England under the Local Government Act 2000. It provides powers to lead local flood authorities to allow for the scrutiny of risk management authorities as to the exercise of their flood and coastal erosion risk management functions.
201.It gives risk management authorities a duty to comply with requests for information, or responses to reports, from the overview and scrutiny committees.
202.It provides for the Secretary of State to make regulations about the duties set out above. This can include provisions about procedures, notices, exemptions, requirements to provide information orally, the nature of information and publication.
203.Risk management authorities must have regard to the reports and recommendations of the overview and scrutiny committees.
204.This provision also provides for the Secretary of State’s existing powers to make regulations, in respect of joint overview and scrutiny committees, to be used in respect of scrutiny under this new provision.