As a unitary authority, Herefordshire Council is responsible for a wide range of services including: economic development, education, environmental health and animal welfare, highways, housing, leisure and culture, local tax collection, passenger transport, planning, public health, social care (adults and children), strategic planning, trading standards, transport planning, waste collection and disposal. It also has an overarching 'local leadership' role, being responsible for the economic, social and environmental wellbeing of the county. The council is also the 'corporate parent' to children and young people in its care.

Many of our services are mandatory, meaning the council must either provide the service itself or commission others to do this on its behalf. Some of these mandatory areas of service delivery are subject to a high degree of regulation and control from central government. Other services are discretionary, meaning the council has a degree of choice over the type and level of service to provide.

Local councillors on Herefordshire's scrutiny committees regularly carry out reviews of their scrutiny work programmes. Scrutiny enables your elected local councillors to review and examine issues and services that local people living in the county use or need, holding to account decision makers who provide local council services and services provided by partner organisations.

Scrutiny in local government is about many things - but principally it is about:

• Influencing the development of policy
• Monitoring the performance of council services
• Looking at issues of public concern and interest
• Helping councils to manage transformational change
• Reflecting and addressing the public's views

This is your chance to tell us what local services or decisions need closer scrutiny. What do you think they should look at next? You can submit items for scrutiny by emailing GovernanceSupportTeam@herefordshire.gov.uk

You can view previously asked questions on the public question register.