16.—(1) Paragraphs (2) to (6) apply where a relevant person refers a matter relating to social care services to an overview and scrutiny committee of a local authority.
(2) The committee must—
(a)acknowledge receipt of the referral within 20 working days beginning with the date on which the referral to which the duty applies was made; and
(b)keep the referrer informed of the committee’s actions in relation to the matter.
(3) The committee must decide whether or not any of its powers is exercisable in relation to the matter referred.
(4) If the committee concludes that any of those powers is exercisable in relation to the matter, the committee must decide whether or not to exercise that power in relation to the matter.
(5) The committee, in exercising any of those powers in relation to the matter, must take into account any relevant information provided by a relevant person.
(6) In paragraph (2), from the relevant time in relation to the local authority which made the arrangements pursuant to which the relevant person made the referral, “referrer” means a relevant local involvement network.
(7) In this regulation—
(a)“a relevant local involvement network” means a person who pursuant to arrangements made under section 221(1) of the Act is to carry on section 221 activities to which the matter referred in paragraph (1) relates to;
(b)a matter is referred by a “relevant person” if the referral is made by a person in carrying on section 221 activities in pursuance of temporary arrangements.