West Dunbartonshire Scrutiny Panel

The West Dunbartonshire Scrutiny Panel is a formal body made up of volunteer tenants and residents who receive a factoring service from the Council.  As our ‘critical friend’, the Panel takes an independent and objective view of our housing service performance.

The Panel has access to a wide range of information including key information we share with the Scottish Housing Regulator and annual performance information we make available to our tenants and share with other housing forums.  The Panel uses this information to decide which areas of our housing service it would like to focus on. It compares how we are performing against our own targets as well as how we compare against other local and national targets and standards.  In order to carry out its scrutiny activity the Panel can choose from a range of methods:

  • Mystery shopping
  • Surveys
  • Interviews
  • Visits to housing services
  • Focus Groups
  • Peer Reviews

Once the Panel has completed its investigations  they put together a report with recommendations and present it to our Housing Improvement Board.

Support for the Panel

Support for the Panel members is provided by the Council’s Housing Development Team. All Panel members have access to a wide range of training from the Council and other external organisations.  Panel members are also funded to meet up with other panels at events across Scotland so that they can share information, ideas and experiences.

Panel members decide when, where and how often they will meet.  All expenses for travel are met by the Council.  Members also decide which areas of the housing service they would like to focus on and work at a pace that everyone is comfortable with.

If you would like more information about the Panel, you can see the Panel’s Terms of Reference.

If you would like get involved in the work of the Panel and contribute to making real improvements in our housing service contact  Jane Mack on 0798 354 2993.