The Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet to review the council's financial position at the end of Quarter 2 of 2025/26, and to consider the committee's work programme. The committee was also scheduled to look at minutes from joint meetings of the Adults & Health Scrutiny Panel and the Children & Young People's Scrutiny Panel regarding the Council's Transitions Programme.

Here's a breakdown of the key items from the agenda:

Finance Update – Q2 2025/26

The committee was scheduled to discuss the council's financial position at Quarter 2 of the 2025/26 financial year. A report on this topic had originally been published as part of the agenda for the Cabinet meeting on 9 December 2025.

The report noted that the council's financial forecast for Quarter 2 showed a £23.4 million overspend, an improvement of £10.7 million since Quarter 1. This figure included £37 million of budgeted spending funded from Exceptional Financial Support (EFS).

The report stated that there remained a number of potential, unquantifiable risks within the £23.4 million forecast overspend, such as inflationary pressures, unfunded costs within schools due to falling rolls and additional bad debt provision requirements.

The report also stated that the council had implemented additional spend control measures which included reduced use of purchase cards and Section 151 ¹ scrutiny of all contract and decision reports above £25,000.

The report included details of the forecast for the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), which at Quarter 2, stood at £3.1 million overspend. It noted that pressure remained in the High Needs Block (HNB) which supports provision of delivery to children with Special Education Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) was projected to have an underspend of £514,000. The underspend was largely from Housing Management (£645,000), mainly from staffing vacancies and reduced emergency hotel accommodation costs. However, it was noted that future demand from damp and mould casework under Awaab's Law could increase pressures by year end.

The report also provided details of progress against 2025/26 savings targets, and the Finance Response and Recovery Plans.

Appendix 9 of the report provided a summary of council debts which had been written off in Quarter 2, totalling £4.844 million, of which 81% were parking debts.

Appendix 10 contained details of the Financial Response and Recovery Plan.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to consider its work programme for 2025-26. The draft work plan included the following potential items:

• Terms of Reference & Panel Portfolios
• Overview and Scrutiny Work Plan
• 2024/25 Provisional Financial Outturn report
• Update report on preparation for 2026/27 Budget and 2026/31 MTFS
• Cabinet Member Questions - Leader of the Council
• Finance and Performance update – Q1
• Annual Feedback & Resolutions report
• Customer Services & Experience of Residents in contacting the Council
• Budget Scrutiny – Strategy & Engagement
• Finance update – Q2 Previously agreed savings (OSC remit only)
• Budget Scrutiny - Panel feedback and recommendations. To consider panel's draft recommendations and agree input into Cabinet's final budget proposal discussions
• Treasury Management Strategy Statement
• Non-finance items (TBD) Worklessness
• Finance and Performance update – Q3

The draft work plan also included a list of scrutiny reviews and their expected submission dates to the OSC:

• Violence Against Women & Girls - January 2026
• Hospital Discharge - January 2026
• Under 1s Borough Provision and Delivery of Outcomes - March 2026
• Cycling & Walking Action Plan - March 2026
• Communications with Residents (Adult Social Care) - March 2026

The committee was also scheduled to consider the Council's Forward Plan, which provides notice of key decisions expected to be made by the council over the next 3 months.

Minutes of Scrutiny Panel Meetings

The committee was scheduled to receive and note the minutes of joint meetings between the Adults & Health Scrutiny Panel and the Children & Young People's Scrutiny Panel on the subject of the Council's Transitions Programme. These meetings were held on:

• 10 June 2025
• 28 May 2024

The Minutes - Transitions 10 June 2025 meeting included a presentation on the Council's Transitions Programme. According to the minutes, the panel sought assurances about the numbers of agency staff within the Transitions service, queried about the role of health colleagues in the development of a transitions service, and raised concerns about the findings of a CMA study that stated that one of the biggest drivers of high cost placements, was private companies charging vastly over inflated rates.

The Minutes of Joint Meeting on Transistions - 28 May 2024 meeting also received a presentation which provided an update on the development of a new Transitions programme in Haringey. According to the minutes, the panel sought assurances about a lack of a joined up approach in the past and how officers would ensure that there were clear lines of communication between different services, sought clarification about differing thresholds for intervention for children versus adults, and questioned the governance structure of the Transitions Board and the extent to which the bodies that fed into the Board had decision making powers.

Previously Approved Savings

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on progress against savings under the remit of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee that were approved in previous years but are being implemented during the forthcoming MTFS period. The OSC Previously Approved Savings 10th-Dec-2025 19.00 Overview and Scrutiny Committee report was to follow.