The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Redbridge Council was scheduled to consider two key reports: the Corporate Debt Management Strategy for 2026/27 and the Customer Experience Strategy. The committee was also due to receive updates from the chairs of various Policy Development Committees and review the Overview and Scrutiny Work Plan for 2025-26.

Corporate Debt Management Strategy 2026/27

The committee was scheduled to review the council's Corporate Debt Management Strategy for 2026/27. This strategy, originally adopted in April 2023, had been reviewed and strengthened to provide greater clarity. The strategy encompasses all debts owed to the council, including Council Tax, Business Rates, parking charges, rent, housing benefit overpayments, and sundry debts. Its key objectives are to maximise income collection, recognise the causes of debt to tailor recovery methods, and standardise procedures. The report indicated that the strategy recommends noting the debt management strategy for 2026/27.

Customer Experience Strategy

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to the Customer Experience Strategy, which is described as a cornerstone of the Modernising Redbridge agenda. This strategy aims to transform how residents access services, how staff resolve issues, and how prevention and early intervention are integrated into council operations. The report highlighted that delivering this strategy requires investment in modern customer experience technology, workforce redesign, and cultural change. The strategy's objectives include simplifying access to services, resolving issues at the earliest possible point, reducing failure demand (repeat or unnecessary contact), embedding early intervention and prevention, and ensuring accessibility and inclusion across all channels. The proposed recommendations included approving the Customer Experience Strategy and endorsing its associated delivery programme, which involves creating a single customer operating model, developing community engagement hubs, redesigning digital and non-digital customer journeys, and strengthening partnerships with the voluntary and community sector. The programme is forecast to deliver significant cash-releasing savings over three years, alongside improvements in resident satisfaction and a reduction in complaints.

Updates from Policy Development Committees and Work Plan

The committee was also scheduled to receive verbal updates from the Chairs of the Policy Development Committees (PDCs). These updates would cover the progress of their respective committees' work. Additionally, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee was expected to review and agree any changes to its own Work Plan for 2025-2026.