IMPROVING public transport, the local economy and the Worcestershire Hub are among issues that will be investigated by County Hall’s new watchdog group.

Worcestershire County Council’s overview and scrutiny performance board (OSPB) is a cross-party group of leading backbench councillors who will meet regularly to hold the ruling Tory administration to account.

The board and its sub-committees will investigate policy areas, monitor how the council is performing, and recommend policy ideas to the ruling cabinet.

The board has decided the following areas will be priorities for investigation this year: Improving the economy by supporting local businesses; passenger transport; the safeguarding of vulnerable adults; review of the funds distributed to councillors to spend on local health issues; reviewing the support available for children with special educational needs; examining how the council considers bringing children into care; looking at the quality of service from the Worcestershire Hub; and how the council considers petitions from the public.

The watchdog group is chaired by Liberal Democrat councillor Tom Wells, who said: “If communities raise concerns about any other service areas, and we feel a scrutiny exercise would be beneficial, we will look to fit these into our programmes.

“I am committed to ensuring that the OSPB delivers outcomes that will be of real benefit to the people of Worcestershire, and so I would ask businesses and residents to get in touch with us.”

Other areas that will also be considered for scrutiny include waste disposal, care for dementia sufferers and how the council works with other authorities.