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OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME

 

 

Meeting: 03/02/2026 - Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Item 63)

63 OVERVIEW AND SCRUTINY WORK PROGRAMME pdf icon PDF 21 KB

REPORT OF THE SCRUTINY OFFICER

 

This report highlights items scheduled in the work programme of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee for the 2025-26 civic year. It also includes items that have not yet been assigned to a specific meeting of the Committee.

Additional documents:

Decision:

RESOLVED:

 

(1)         That the Committee prioritised topics for inclusion in the Work Programme attached as Appendix A and, where appropriate, determined the high-level form and timing of scrutiny input.

 

(2)         That the Committee, having considered the most recent iteration of the Forward Plan, as attached at Appendix B, suggested a list of items to be considered at its meetings in the coming civic year.

 

(3)         That the Committee noted the Decisions and Monitoring Tracker, attached as Appendix C to the report.

 

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

 

(1)         To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focused Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effectively policy development and meaningful policy and service change.

 

(2)         The need to observe Constitutional requirements and monitor the Forward Plan for appropriate items to scrutinise remains a key aspect of work programming.

Minutes:

Audio recording – 2 hours 0 minutes 14 seconds

 

The Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager presented the report entitled ‘Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme’ and advised that:

 

·                The Decisions and Monitoring Tracker was attached at Appendix C to the report.

·                Referrals made by the Committee to Cabinet on the Council Delivery Plan 2025-26 Q2 Update and Council Tax Reduction Scheme were considered with the respective reports at Cabinet, and the recommendations for both were approved. 

·                The Work Programme was attached at Appendix A to the report.

·                The report on Digital Transformation and Inclusion would be postponed to the next Committee meeting in March due to a miscommunication with officers.

·                Other items scheduled for the next Committee meeting were the RIPA Annual Report, Council Delivery Plan 2025-26 Q3 Update and S106 Task and Finish Group report.

·                Suggestions for future discussion topics should be made to the Scrutiny Officer by Friday 13 February.

·                The Forward Plan for 16 January was attached at Appendix B to the report.

·                Members should submit questions in advance of meetings to allow Executive Members and Officers time to prepare answers.

·                An in-person Scrutiny Session as part of Member Development Week would take place on 12 May at 7pm and would include a chance to draft the 2026-27 Work Programme.

·                There was an additional recommendation for the Committee to note the Decisions and Monitoring Tracker as attached at Appendix C to the report.

 

The following Members asked questions:

 

·                Councillor Tina Bhartwas

·                Councillor Ralph Muncer

 

In response to questions, the Committee, Member and Scrutiny Manager advised that:

 

·                The Chair, Vice-Chair and Scrutiny Officer would meet later this week to consider topics for discussion at the next Committee meeting.

·                An update to the Annual Safeguarding Review had been circulated to Members.

·                Draft Developer Contributions SPD could be considered as one of the topics for discussion at the next Committee meeting.

 

The Chair and Councillor Paul Ward thanked Executive Members and Officers for the thorough and informative presentations that they had provided to the Committee. 

 

Councillor Sadie Billing proposed and Councillor Ralph Muncer seconded and, following a vote, it was:

 

RESOLVED:

 

(1)       That the Committee prioritised topics for inclusion in the Work Programme attached as Appendix A and, where appropriate, determined the high-level form and timing of scrutiny input.

 

(2)       That the Committee, having considered the most recent iteration of the Forward Plan, as attached at Appendix B, suggested a list of items to be considered at its meetings in the coming civic year.

 

(3)       That the Committee noted the Decisions and Monitoring Tracker, attached as Appendix C to the report.

 

REASONS FOR DECISIONS:

 

(1)       To allow the Committee to set a work programme which provides focused Member oversight, encourages open debate and seeks to achieve service improvement through effectively policy development and meaningful policy and service change.

 

(2)       The need to observe Constitutional requirements and monitor the Forward Plan for appropriate items to scrutinise remains a key aspect of work programming.