The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board was scheduled to consider reports on the proposed Council Budget for 2026/27, the financial performance for the third quarter of 2025/26, and the new Crisis and Resilience Fund. The Board was also due to review the work programmes of the various scrutiny committees and its own work programme for the coming year.

Council Budget 2026/27

The Board was scheduled to consider the Council Budget proposals for 2026/27. Discussions were expected to cover the capital programme, including concerns about its scale and ambition, particularly regarding extra care housing and children's services provision. Members were expected to question the phasing of multi-year allocations and the overall scale of new projects versus ongoing ones. Officers were expected to explain the revenue pressures and the distinction between borrowing capacity and actual borrowing. The report pack indicated that members would query the highways asset protection budget and strongly challenge the proposed removal of funding for coastal highways pinch-point improvements, advocating for its reinstatement. The removal of funding for Grantham High Street improvements was also to be discussed, with a recommendation to the Executive to reinstate the allocation. Place-related proposals, including savings in community heritage projects, drainage investment, and adjustments to emergency fault response timescales, were also scheduled for consideration. The report pack highlighted concerns about cost pressures in 2026/27, with detailed explanations provided for children's and adults' services, as well as waste and highways pressures. Members sought assurances regarding savings assumptions and expressed concerns about council tax scenarios, advocating for an increase below the maximum allowed rate. The reduction in reserves and the sustainability of the remaining level were also to be queried. The report pack indicated that the Board would ask the Executive to consider issues relating to funding increases, savings delivery, and the long-term revenue implications of the capital programme. Recommendations were to be made to the Executive regarding the reinsertion of funding for Grantham High Street and the removal of the H-bar recharge policy.

Review of Financial Performance (2025/26 Quarter 3)

The Board was scheduled to review the Council's financial performance for the third quarter of 2025/26. The report indicated a forecast revenue underspend of £6.0m for council budgets, but a forecast overspend of £29.9m for schools revenue budgets. The capital outturn position was also to be presented, with a series of cost pressures reported. Variances within the council's revenue budget and capital programme were to be identified and explained, with confirmation that in-year variances had been fed into the budget setting process for 2026/27. An updated reserve statement was to be included, incorporating forecast use for the Development Fund. Changes made to revenue and capital budgets during the third quarter under delegated powers were to be set out, with a request for approval to make a budget reallocation in the fourth quarter. A key recommendation was to approve the reallocation of £1.517m from the Public Health Grant reserve to fund eligible grant spend within the Children's Services revenue budget.

Crisis and Resilience Fund

The Board was scheduled to consider a report on the new Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF), which replaces the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments. The CRF covers the period from 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029 and represents a shift towards a more preventative, needs-based approach to build financial resilience. The fund is to be allocated across four components: Crisis Payment, Housing Payment, Resilience Services, and Community Coordination. The report indicated that authorities are expected to begin delivering the scheme from 1 April 2026 and submit a delivery plan by 1 July 2026. The Board was invited to consider the report and determine whether it supported the recommendations to the Executive and to agree any additional comments to be passed on.

Scrutiny Committee Work Programmes

The Board was scheduled to receive reports outlining the work programmes of each of the scrutiny committees: Adult Care and Public Health, Children's and Culture, Community Safety, Environment, Growth, Health Scrutiny for Lincolnshire, and Highways and Transport. The purpose of this agenda item was for the Board to note these work programmes and ensure they were content with the planned activities.

Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Work Programme

The Board was scheduled to review its own work programme for the coming year. This item was for noting the content of the programme, which is a live document and can be updated with the Scrutiny Officer. A suggestion was to program a briefing document on the activity of the Greater Lincolnshire Combined County Authority.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as apologies for absence, declarations of interest, minutes of the previous meeting, and announcements by the Chairman, Executive Councillors, and Chief Officers. Consideration of Call-Ins and Councillor Calls for Action were also scheduled, though no items were listed for these.