The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Hounslow Council met on Monday 26 January 2026 to discuss the council's budget proposals for 2026/27, changes within the NHS, and updates from various scrutiny panels. The committee also reviewed the council's forward plan and work programme.

One Hounslow Financial Strategy (OHFS) - 2026/27 Budget Proposals

The committee was scheduled to consider the draft budget proposals for the 2026/27 financial year as part of the One Hounslow Financial Strategy (OHFS). This strategy outlines the council's medium-term financial plans and aims to ensure financial sustainability. The report detailed the projected budget gap for 2026/27, which was influenced by factors such as inflation, demand growth for services, and the provisional Local Government Funding Settlement. The proposals aimed to bridge this gap through a combination of savings programmes and anticipated funding uplifts. The committee was also to review the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget position, which faced challenges related to reserve balances and the impact of inflation and interest rates. The report detailed various saving proposals across different council portfolios, including areas such as commercialisation, fees and charges, procurement, income generation, and operating efficiencies within both support and frontline services.

NHS and Local Health System Changes

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on significant changes within the NHS, specifically the planned merger of the North West London and North Central London Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) to form a new West and North London ICB on 1 April 2026. This merger is intended to create a more streamlined organisation with a reduced running cost, focusing on strategic commissioning. The report outlined the drivers for this change, the emerging operating model for Place and Neighbourhood levels, and the potential impact on service commissioning and delivery within Hounslow. The committee was expected to discuss how these changes might affect local services, the relationship between the local authority and the new ICB, and its resourcing.

Scrutiny Panel and Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee Updates

The committee was to receive updates on the ongoing work of its various scrutiny panels. The Children and Young People Scrutiny Panel was focusing on the Families First Partnership Programme, the Health and Adults Care Scrutiny Panel was examining pressures in adult social care and new test sites, and the Housing and Environment Scrutiny Panel was investigating land ownership in the borough. Additionally, an update was expected from the North West London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee (JHOSC), which addresses health matters across multiple boroughs. Hounslow's representative on the JHOSC, Councillor Marina Sharma, was scheduled to provide information on recent discussions, which had included topics such as Urgent and Emergency Care, Same Day Access in Primary Care, Continuing Health Care Criteria, and the SEN Continence Service.

Forward Plan Review

The committee was scheduled to review the council's Forward Plan, which lists all upcoming key decisions to be made by the Cabinet, Cabinet Sub-Groups, the Leader, and Cabinet Members. The purpose of this review was to allow the Overview and Scrutiny Committee to consider whether any of the items listed in the plan should be subject to further scrutiny by the committee later in the municipal year. The committee was reminded that its time is limited and that adding new scrutiny items might necessitate the removal of others from its work programme.

Work Programme Review

The committee was scheduled to review and agree its Work Programme for the municipal year. The Work Programme guides the committee's focus and should be regularly reviewed to incorporate new or emergent issues. The current programme included items such as the One Hounslow Delivery Plan, the Lampton Group, the Medium Term Financial Strategy, the Regulator of Social Housing inspection report, and updates from scrutiny panels. The committee was to consider if any items should be added or removed, with the understanding that adding new topics might require the removal of others due to time constraints.