Commentary on Sections Local involvement networks Section 226: Local involvement networks: referrals of social care matters
532.This section provides that where a local involvement network refers a matter relating to social care services to an overview and scrutiny committee, that committee must acknowledge receipt of the referral and keep the referrer informed of the committee’s actions in relation to the matter. This section allows the Secretary of State to make regulations providing for the time in which the committee must acknowledge receipt of such a referral.
533.This section relates only to referrals of social care matters because there are existing regulation-making powers in section 244(2) of the 2006 Act which relate to scrutiny of health services. Together, the existing regulation-making powers, and the provisions of this section, will ensure that overview and scrutiny committees are required to respond to local involvement networks on the health and social care matters that they refer.
534.Subsections (3) to (5) require the committee to decide whether its powers are exercisable in relation to the matter and, if they are, whether or not they are to be exercised. In exercising those powers, the committee must take into account relevant information provided by a local involvement network.