The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Hounslow Council was scheduled to meet on Tuesday 1 September 2026 to discuss a range of important council matters. The agenda included a review of the council's cyber security preparedness, an examination of the performance of the APCOA contract for enforcement services, and updates from various scrutiny panels. The committee was also scheduled to review its work programme and the council's forward plan.

Cyber Security: Landscape, Assurance and Preparedness

The committee was scheduled to consider the current and emerging cyber threat landscape affecting the London Borough of Hounslow. A report outlined the council's approach to cyber security, cyber resilience, and organisational preparedness, detailing the assurance activities and controls in place to manage cyber risk. The intention was for the committee to comment on future priorities and areas for continued development in this critical area. The report highlighted that cyber security is a council-wide responsibility, involving technical controls, governance, staff and member awareness, and partnership working to maintain resilient services and mitigate risks. The evolving threat landscape, including sophisticated social engineering techniques and the impact of Artificial Intelligence, was noted as a significant concern. The council's mitigations include technical controls, staff and member awareness training, and third-party supplier management. External partnerships with organisations such as the National Cyber Security Centre (NCSC) and the Information Security for London (ISfL) were also detailed as crucial for enhancing cyber resilience. Future priorities were identified as ensuring all officers and councillors complete mandatory training, reporting unusual activity promptly, and continuing investment in prevention and detection technology.

Enforcement - APCOA Contract Performance

A key item on the agenda was the performance of the council's contract with APCOA for environmental enforcement services. A report provided context on the council's approach to waste and enforcement, as outlined in the Corporate Plan, and detailed the performance of the APCOA contract and its management. Fly-tipping was identified as a significant ongoing issue in Hounslow, with 10,529 reports recorded for 2026. The APCOA contract, which commenced on 1 July 2024 and runs for three years, allows the council to extend its enforcement capacity to tackle illegal street trading, littering, fly-tipping, Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs), commercial waste compliance, fly-posting, and graffiti. The report detailed the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) levels for various offences, noting that Hounslow had adopted the maximum amounts for littering and fly-tipping from April 2025. Data on APCOA's contract performance from July 2025 to June 2026 was presented, including the number of FPNs issued, cancelled, and paid, broken down by offence type. The council's refreshed approach to waste and enforcement, focusing on prevention, education, behaviour change, and proportionate enforcement, was also discussed.

Scrutiny Panels and Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Updates

The committee was scheduled to receive updates on the work undertaken by its Scrutiny Panels and the North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC). The report indicated that the Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel, chaired by Councillor Karen Smith, had focused on youth crime and the future of youth provision. The Health and Adults Care Scrutiny Panel, chaired by Councillor Paul Baker, had examined family carers, and the Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel, chaired by Councillor Pamila Rodrigues, had investigated housing need, availability, quality, and affordability. The North West London JHOSC, which includes representatives from several London boroughs, had been discussing matters concerning the NHS. The report noted that the JHOSC had considered proposals for the temporary consolidation of specialist children's cardiac, respiratory, and critical care inpatient services.

Work Programme Review

The committee was asked to review its work programme for the 2026/27 municipal year. The report emphasised that a work programme should not be considered fixed and that regular reviews are good practice to incorporate emerging issues. Suggestions for future scrutiny work included issues relating to housing associations, particularly their interaction with fly-tipping on land with unclear ownership, and the quality of housing provision. Fly-tipping itself was also proposed as a substantive topic for future scrutiny, examining current policies, enforcement arrangements, and new initiatives. The possibility of separating housing and environment scrutiny functions into distinct panels was also raised. The committee was reminded that regular scrutiny of the council's budget and Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) should continue.

Forward Plan Review

The committee was presented with the council's Forward Plan, which lists all key decisions to be taken by the Cabinet, Cabinet Sub-Groups, the Leader, and Cabinet Members. The purpose of this agenda item was for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to review the Forward Plan and consider whether any of the work contained within it should be brought before the committee for scrutiny later in the municipal year. The report highlighted that regular review of the Forward Plan allows the committee to engage with future key decisions in a timely manner and consider issues that may have emerged since the initial work programming. The Forward Plan itself indicated several key decisions scheduled for September 2026, including statutory changes to the Planning Committee and Constitution, the Hounslow Youth Justice Plan, the appointment of an Independent Member to the Audit and Governance Committee, and the West London Residential Project Outline Business Case.