The Corporate Policy Development and Scrutiny Panel met on Tuesday 17 March 2026 to discuss the council's budget monitoring, the use of Artificial Intelligence, and progress against corporate strategy performance indicators. The panel noted a projected £1.659 million overspend for the current financial year, primarily driven by pressures in children's services.

Council Tax Support Scheme Software

Councillor Joanna Wright raised a concern regarding the council's Council Tax Support Scheme, highlighting that additional software was needed to accurately model potential changes to the scheme. She argued that this would help the council better support vulnerable residents, citing an example where an uplift in carer's allowance had inadvertently led to a reduced Council Tax support for a resident, increasing their outgoings. Councillor Mark Elliott, Cabinet Member for Resources, confirmed that the software could be purchased within the existing operational budget. Councillor Malcolm Treby, Vice Chair of the Panel, noted that the Council Tax Reduction Scheme was scheduled for discussion in July, allowing for the proposal to be factored in.

'Debate Not Hate' and Member Safety

Councillor Wright also spoke about her personal experience of intimidation and feeling unsafe, which led her to contact the police. She detailed a frustrating experience with the council's reporting mechanisms, including a non-working online link and inappropriate forms, which took nearly two months to resolve. She expressed concern that the council did not have adequate support systems in place for councillors and urged the panel to establish a cross-party working group to review existing support documents and procedures. She requested that the panel ask for a review of support availability, inquire about the last review carried out, obtain a safeguarding procedure for Baines counselling, and speak with the CEO regarding the handling of her case. The panel agreed to add this matter to their future workplan for further discussion.

Household Support Fund Replaced by Crisis and Resilience Fund

Councillor Mark Elliott, Cabinet Member for Resources, informed the panel about the government's decision to replace the Household Support Fund (HSF) with the Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF). This change will result in a reduction of £316,000 in funding and a prohibition on blanket free school meal vouchers during school holidays after summer 2026. Transitional arrangements will be put in place, using part of the new CRF to continue voucher provision for Easter, May half-term, and summer 2026 to avoid a sudden impact on families. A detailed report on the new rules and the council's plans for using the CRF will be presented to the panel in May. Councillor Colin Blackburn inquired about the percentage of the previous £1.9 million HSF budget that was allocated to the meal scheme, which was reported as just under 42%. Councillor Toby Simon requested that Citizens Advice be consulted, as they receive funding from the HSF for fuel vouchers. Councillor Elliott agreed to this.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) Update

The panel received an update on the council's use of AI, following a motion passed by the full council. The report highlighted that AI tools are already being used across various services to improve efficiency, with examples including Co-pilot, Magic Notes, and Zoom AI. The council also has an existing generative AI policy to ensure safe and ethical use. Panel members raised questions about monitoring the cost and value for money of AI licenses, with officers confirming that usage and efficiency are tracked. The existence of a register for AI usage was confirmed, though not every prompt is manually reviewed. Concerns were raised about the accuracy of AI note-takers, with officers explaining that accuracy varies by tool and that monitoring is conducted through Heads of Service, template configuration, and training. The panel was informed about the development of an AI Ethics Committee and the intention to publish an external AI usage report for transparency. Councillor Jess David requested further information on governance procedures and an annual AI update, which was agreed to be included in the panel's workplan. Councillor Blackburn raised concerns about councillors' access to AI tools, and the Cabinet Member supported their consideration as a cohort. The panel noted the update and agreed to include future reporting within their workplan.

Quarter 3 Budget Monitoring Report

Councillor Mark Elliott presented the Quarter 3 budget monitoring report, which indicated a forecast overspend of £1.659 million against the revised revenue budget. This represents an improvement of £764,000 from the Quarter 2 position. However, children's services remain the most significant financial pressure, with an overspend predicted at £7.4 million, largely due to the high cost of residential placements for vulnerable young people. Adult social care also faces pressures, and the economic and cultural sustainable development portfolio is forecasting a significant shortfall due to lower than expected visitor numbers at the Roman Baths. On a positive note, parking services are overperforming, and treasury management has yielded favourable results. The report also detailed slippage in capital schemes, with £55.046 million rephased into future years. Councillor Duncan Hounsell inquired about staffing pressures across various services, which were explained as the need to use temporary staff due to recruitment difficulties. Councillor David raised a question about approximately £1 million in disputed invoices with the Integrated Care Board (ICB), which the Cabinet Member clarified were related to joint work on care packages and were currently in dispute. Councillor Colin Blackburn sought clarification on increased income from network and traffic management, and an update on the Bath South Quays regeneration shortfall, with the Cabinet Member indicating that Councillor Roper, the portfolio holder, could provide further details. A discussion also took place regarding the 'Being Our Best' programme, with clarification sought on the drift from the projected £4.5 million savings. The officer confirmed that a full reconciliation would be provided.

Corporate Strategy Performance

Councillor Mark Elliott introduced the Corporate Strategy Performance report, which provides quarterly updates against key performance indicators (KPIs). Panel members raised questions about renewable energy installation targets, with the Cabinet Member agreeing to provide an update on progress towards the 2030 target. Councillor David inquired about the automatic tightening of targets when indicators are consistently met, and the Cabinet Member confirmed that targets can be reviewed and adjusted, with this possibility to be brought back to the panel. The impact of the Local Outcomes Framework on performance indicators was also discussed, with significant changes expected. Councillor Blackburn requested an update on progress towards 'good jobs' commitments, and the Cabinet Member stated that the portfolio holder for Economic Development could provide this.

Panel Workplan

The panel noted the future workplan, with several suggestions for future agenda items including an annual AI update, follow-up on 'Debate not Hate' member safety processes, new monitoring data for the Local Outcome Framework, Q4 year-end budget monitoring, and a discussion on the replacement of the Household Support Fund with the Crisis and Resilience Fund.