The Public Protection and Enforcement Policy Development & Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday 29 January 2026 was set to cover a range of important operational and policy matters. Key discussions were anticipated to include the draft budget for the upcoming financial year, performance updates across various public protection services, and a review of the council's risk register. Additionally, the committee was scheduled to receive annual reports from the London Fire Brigade and the Bromley and Lewisham Probation Delivery Unit.

Portfolio Holder Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update from the Portfolio Holder for Public Protection and Enforcement. This update would likely cover recent activities and achievements within the portfolio, providing an overview of the work undertaken by the various public protection teams.

Public Protection Performance Overview

A comprehensive overview of the performance of public protection services was scheduled for discussion. This would involve a review of key performance indicators (KPIs) and an assessment of how services are meeting their targets. The report for this item indicated that all performance status expectation indicators were green, with Public Protection Officers being congratulated for their hard work.

Draft Budget 2026/27

The committee was set to scrutinise the draft budget for the Public Protection and Enforcement portfolio for the 2026/27 financial year. This discussion would involve considering future cost pressures, planned mitigation measures, and potential savings from transformation initiatives. The report highlighted that the council faces significant financial challenges due to reduced government funding and rising inflation, with a projected budget gap of £53.1 million per annum by 2028/29. The draft budget for the Public Protection and Enforcement portfolio was £4.424 million.

Stray Dog Service Update

An update on the Stray Dog Service was scheduled, detailing current performance, operational arrangements, demand trends, and compliance with statutory duties. The service is provided by SDK Environmental Ltd. under a contract until January 2028. The report noted a consistent rehoming rate of 100% in line with the council's 'No Animal Destruction Policy', and highlighted that SDK has met performance targets, with only one exception in Year 1 regarding collection times.

Risk Register

The committee was scheduled to review the revised Public Protection and Enforcement Risk Register. This register details identified risks, their potential causes and effects, and the existing controls in place to mitigate them. A key risk highlighted was the Increased Costs for Coroners Service, which had a current risk rating of 20 (red). This increase is attributed to rising service demands, inflationary pressures, the transfer of police staff to local authority provision, and the need for new premises for the Coroner's court.

London Fire Brigade Annual Report

The committee was to receive an annual report from the London Fire Brigade, focusing on their achievements in Bromley during 2025 and their priorities for 2026. The report highlighted significant increases in Fire Safety Audits and Home Fire Safety Visits (HFSVs), with Bromley achieving the highest number of HFSVs across all London boroughs. Key priorities for 2026 include completing Simultaneous Evacuation remediation, driving down deliberate fires, and addressing emerging risks such as lithium-ion batteries and wildfires.

Bromley and Lewisham Probation Delivery Unit Annual Report

The committee was also scheduled to receive an annual report from the Bromley and Lewisham Probation Delivery Unit. This report would likely outline the unit's performance, activities, and any key developments or challenges in their work within the borough.

Matters Arising and Work Programme

The committee was due to review progress on matters arising from previous meetings and consider the forward work programme. This would involve discussing any outstanding actions and planning future scrutiny activities for the committee. The report indicated that all matters arising from the previous meeting had been actioned or completed, with the London Fire Brigade update having been moved to this meeting.