Requesting Call-In or Scrutiny of Decisions - Glasgow

Technology and Data Scotland 3 Minutes Read · published February 11, 2026 Flag of Scotland

Intro

This guide explains how to request a call-in or scrutiny of a council decision in Glasgow, Scotland, who administers the process and what steps residents, councillors or stakeholders should take. It summarises where the procedure is set out in Glasgow City Council governance documents, the usual timelines for requesting review, the offices you should contact, and practical action steps to apply, appeal or report concerns. Where specific fines or penalties are not published on the council pages cited below, this guide notes that they are not specified on the cited page.

Call-in requests must meet strict timescales under the council procedure.

How call-in and scrutiny work

Call-in lets councillors or specified bodies ask the council to review a decision taken under delegated powers or by committee before it is implemented. Scrutiny functions assess the merits, legality and impact of decisions and can recommend referral back to committee or full council. The council sets the exact rules and eligible requestors in its standing orders and scrutiny committee terms of reference[1] and in the council overview and scrutiny pages[2].

  • Who can call in: typically councillors or designated scrutiny groups.
  • Deadline to request call-in: specified in standing orders or committee rules; check the council document cited below[1].
  • What to submit: a written request stating reasons and any evidence.
  • Where to submit: Democratic Services or Governance office (details below).

Penalties & Enforcement

Call-in and scrutiny processes themselves do not normally create monetary fines for the requester; they are procedural rights and remedies within council governance. Specific penalties or sanctions arising from decisions under review depend on the subject matter of the original decision (for example licensing, planning, environmental health), and those regimes carry their own enforcement rules. Where the council’s governance pages do not state fines or monetary penalties for call-in misuse, this is noted as not specified on the cited page[1].

  • Fine amounts: not specified on the cited page for the call-in procedure; follow the specific statutory regime if the decision concerns licensing, planning or environmental enforcement.
  • Escalation: the scrutiny committee may refer the matter back to the decision-maker, recommend reconsideration or call for further information; specific escalation penalties are not specified on the cited governance pages.
  • Non-monetary sanctions: orders to reconsider decisions, recommendations to suspend implementation, or referral to full council.
  • Enforcer: Governance Services/Democratic Services and the relevant service area enforce implementation of council procedures; contact details are in the resources below.
  • Appeals/review: appeal routes depend on the subject matter (e.g., statutory appeals in planning or licensing); time limits for call-in requests are set in standing orders and must be checked on the council page cited below[1].
If a decision being called in relates to a statutory regime, separate statutory appeal deadlines may apply.

Applications & Forms

The council’s standing orders or democratic services pages set out whether a specific written form is required to request call-in; if no specific form is published the procedure requires a written submission to Democratic Services. The standing orders page cited below should be checked for any prescribed form or template[1].

Action steps

  1. Identify the decision you want reviewed and the decision reference or committee minute.
  2. Check the standing orders or scrutiny page for eligibility, deadlines and required information[1].
  3. Prepare a concise written request stating grounds for call-in and attach evidence.
  4. Submit to Democratic Services/Governance by the published deadline and request confirmation of receipt.
  5. If the call-in is accepted, attend any scrutiny meeting and follow the committee’s directions for further information.

FAQ

Who can request a call-in?
Eligibility is set in the council standing orders; commonly councillors and certain committees may request call-in.
How long do I have to request scrutiny?
Timescales are prescribed in the council standing orders or committee rules; check the governance pages for the current deadline[1].
Will calling in a decision delay service delivery?
Call-in can delay implementation while the matter is reviewed; committees may recommend immediate suspension until review is complete.

How-To

Step-by-step to request call-in or scrutiny.

  1. Locate the decision reference and full committee minute or delegated decision record.
  2. Check standing orders and overview & scrutiny guidance for eligibility and deadlines[1].
  3. Draft a written request explaining the reasons and any material evidence.
  4. Send the request to Democratic Services/Governance by email or post and ask for an acknowledgement.
  5. Attend the scrutiny meeting if requested and provide any additional information required.

Key Takeaways

  • Call-in is a procedural governance remedy, not a penalty regime.
  • Deadlines in standing orders are strict; check them before submitting.
  • Contact Democratic Services early for procedural guidance.

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