The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Newham Council met on Tuesday 17 February 2026. The meeting's agenda included a review of the Council's Work Programme, consideration of the final budget proposals for the 2026/27 financial year, and updates from Scrutiny Commission Chairs.

Work Programme

The committee was scheduled to consider the Council's Annual Scrutiny Work Programme for 2025-2026. This programme is developed at the start of each municipal year, in accordance with the LB Newham Scrutiny/Executive Protocol, and aims to ensure that the scrutiny function focuses on delivering work of genuine value and relevance to the authority's operations. The work programme is dynamic and may need to accommodate emergent issues throughout the year. Items for the March meeting were also to be confirmed.

Final Budget Proposals 2026/27

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to considering the Council's final budget proposals for the 2026/27 financial year, as presented to Cabinet. This included a review of the Revenue Budget and the proposed Capital Programme. The budget proposals aimed to balance significant ongoing demand-led, demographic, and inflationary pressures with total savings and additional income, largely due to government's Fair Funding Review increases. The report highlighted that Exceptional Financial Support would not be required to balance the budget, indicating a move towards a sustainable financial position for the next three years.

Key aspects of the budget proposals included:

• Council Tax Increase: An overall 4.99% increase in the Council's element of Council Tax was proposed, comprising a 2.99% general increase and a 2.00% Adult Social Care Precept increase.
• Savings and Growth: The proposals outlined total net savings of £89.812m and growth proposals of £277.913m in the Medium Term Financial Strategy.
• Capital Investment Programme: The proposed Capital Investment Programme for 2026/27 to 2028/29 was to be agreed, alongside the unchanged Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) infrastructure list.
• Treasury Management Strategy: The Treasury Management Strategy and Prudential Indicators were to be reviewed, with a focus on managing borrowing and investment risks.
• Fees and Charges: Proposed fees and charges for 2026/27 were to be agreed or noted.
• Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG): The DSG settlement for 2026/27 was set at £290.802m, with approval sought for the local funding formula.
• Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS): The 5-year MTFS for 2026/27 to 2030/31 was to be considered, outlining projections for budget growth and savings, and identifying forecast budget gaps in the later years.
• Reserves: A review of reserves was presented, showing consolidation of reserves, an increase in the General Fund Balance, and the introduction of new Transformation and Business Risk Reserves. The General Fund Balance was set to be maintained at 10% of the Net Revenue Budget.
• Risks and Contingency: A general Contingency budget of £10.000m was included for 2026/27 to meet in-year financial pressures.

The report also detailed the consultation process undertaken regarding the budget proposals, including feedback from residents and stakeholders.

Scrutiny Chairs Updates

The committee was scheduled to receive oral updates from the Chairs of the various Scrutiny Commissions, providing an overview of their recent activities and any emerging issues. These updates would cover areas such as Health and Adult Social Care, Education and Children's Services, and Crime, Environment and Transport.

Appointments

The committee was expected to appoint members to Scrutiny Commissions, Scrutiny Inquiry Working Parties, and to external bodies, based on priority topics agreed from the Scrutiny Work Programme.

Forward Plan of Key Decisions

Members were requested to review the Forward Plan of Key Decisions, which is available online, and to raise any issues requiring clarification. This process helps identify any issues requiring consideration for inclusion in the Overview & Scrutiny Committee's indicative work programme.

Date of Next Meeting

The date and time of the next meeting of the committee was to be agreed, currently scheduled for 17 March 2026.