Who can call in a decision?

Usually scrutiny members or councillors as defined in the council constitution; check the constitution for the qualifying membership and grounds.

How long do I have to call in a decision?

The precise working-day deadline is set out in the council constitution or decision notice; it is not specified on the cited page so you must check the published decision.

Where do I send a call-in?

Send a written call-in to Democratic Services or the Monitoring Officer using the council contact routes.

Call-In Timescales for Liverpool Scrutiny Reviews

General Governance and Administration England 3 Minutes Read · published February 12, 2026

Liverpool, England uses the council constitution and overview and scrutiny procedures to manage call-ins of executive decisions. This guide explains where to find the controlling documents, how to request a call-in, typical routes for enforcement and appeal, and practical steps to act quickly when a decision affecting local services is made.

Check the council constitution or contact Democratic Services immediately after a decision is published.

Penalties & Enforcement

The call-in procedure itself is a governance mechanism rather than a criminal byelaw; financial penalties for failing to comply with scrutiny process steps are not generally set out as fines on the constitution page, and specific monetary sanctions are not specified on the cited page.^[1] Responsibility for overseeing compliance with call-in rules sits with the Monitoring Officer and Democratic Services under the council constitution, and complaints about failure to follow call-in procedures should be directed to Democratic Services or the Monitoring Officer via the council contact routes.^[2]

Timescale for a valid call-in: not specified on the cited page; check the constitution or committee papers for the decision notice.^[1]
Publication and notice periods: follow the council decision notice and committee timetable as published in minutes and decision logs.
Enforcer/overseer: Monitoring Officer and Democratic Services (see contact routes).^[2]
Inspection and complaint pathways: raise procedural complaints via Democratic Services or the council complaints form.
Non-monetary sanctions: procedural decisions can be referred back to the decision-maker, placed on a committee agenda, or judicially reviewed where lawful grounds exist; specific remedies depend on the decision and are not set as fixed amounts on the cited page.

If you believe a call-in has been ignored, contact Democratic Services immediately to record the issue.

Applications & Forms

There is no separate national “call-in form” mandated; councils typically require a written submission stating the grounds for call-in and the name and position of the member(s) calling in. The Liverpool constitution and committee pages should be consulted for any local form or template; if no form is published, a clearly headed email or letter to Democratic Services is the accepted route.^[1]

Form name/number: none specified on the cited page; use the written call-in submission route set out by Democratic Services.
Deadline to submit: not specified on the cited page; check the decision notice and constitution for working-day limits.
Submission method: email or letter to Democratic Services / Monitoring Officer via official contact pages.^[2]

Action steps

Identify the exact decision notice and publication date.
Prepare a short written call-in stating grounds and proposer names.
Submit to Democratic Services / Monitoring Officer and request an acknowledgment.
If refused, request reasons in writing and consider legal advice on judicial review within legal time limits.

FAQ

Who can call in a decision?: Usually scrutiny members or councillors as defined in the council constitution; check the constitution for the qualifying membership and grounds.
How long do I have to call in a decision?: The precise working-day deadline is set out in the council constitution or decision notice; it is not specified on the cited page so you must check the published decision.^[1]
Where do I send a call-in?: Send a written call-in to Democratic Services or the Monitoring Officer using the council contact routes.^[2]

How-To

Locate the published decision notice and note the date and decision reference.
Draft a concise written call-in stating the grounds and the councillor(s) requesting the call-in.
Send the submission to Democratic Services and the Monitoring Officer by email or post; request written acknowledgement.
If the call-in is rejected, request the council's reasons in writing and consider legal advice on next steps, including judicial review within statutory time limits.

Key Takeaways

Act quickly once a decision is published and check the decision notice for any stated deadlines.
Use written submissions to Democratic Services; no separate centralised form is specified on the cited page.
Contact the Monitoring Officer or Democratic Services for procedural queries and complaint escalation.