The Corporate and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel met on Monday 1 June 2026 to discuss Worcestershire's volunteers and review the council's work programme. The panel considered an update on volunteering across the county, including funding arrangements for the Voluntary, Community and Social Enterprise (VCSE) sector, and reviewed the proposed work programme for the remainder of 2026.

Worcestershire's Volunteers

The panel received an update on the significant contribution of volunteers across Worcestershire, with approximately 1,800 individuals supporting direct council activities and a further 4,100 residents volunteering for surveys. Public Health initiatives also benefit from around 1,200 volunteer health champions and nearly 1,100 trained volunteers offering suicide awareness support. In the 2025/2026 financial year, over 22,000 hours of volunteer activity were recorded across various council services, with an estimated financial equivalent of £22,281 for the archive and archaeology service alone.

The council is enhancing support for its volunteers, with plans to offer an employee assistance programme equivalent to that for staff, alongside shopping rewards and discounts. Externally funded initiatives include the 'Love Volunteering' portal, launched in early 2026, which aims to advertise, recruit, and manage volunteers across the county. This portal is available free of charge to voluntary and statutory organisations, with 205 residents and 105 organisations already registered.

Research conducted by the Worcestershire VCSE Alliance, with the council acting as the accountable body, has identified 2,717 VCSE organisations in the county. A survey indicated that the average organisation has 25 volunteers contributing approximately 50 hours per week, with the estimated cash equivalent of volunteer support exceeding £4.5 million annually. This research is expected to inform longer-term action plans to strengthen and sustain the VCSE sector.

The report highlighted the health and wellbeing benefits of volunteering, including reduced social isolation, improved mental wellbeing, and increased physical activity. Public Health grants support community-led initiatives, often delivered by volunteers, which build local capability and resilience. Examples include run leader training, physical activity sessions, and community responder organisations.

The panel was asked to consider the report, provide comments to the Cabinet Member for Environment and Communities, and determine if further scrutiny was required.

Work Programme

The panel reviewed its work programme for 2026, which is part of the council's rolling Annual Work Programme agreed by Council on 6 November 2025. The Corporate and Communities Overview and Scrutiny Panel is responsible for scrutinising commissioning, contracts, transformation, finance, localism and communities, and organisation and employees.

The work programme includes scheduled updates on Worcestershire's Volunteers, the Members' Case Management System on the Member Portal, and the LGR Transformation Programme. Future items for scrutiny include Artificial Intelligence (AI), the Council's Procurement Register of Contracts, a revised Workforce Strategy focusing on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI), the implementation of the Archives and Archaeology Strategy, and responses to legislative changes in Registration Services. The panel also noted potential future items such as the Household Support Fund, communication policies for social media, and reviews of the Museums, Arts and Culture Strategy. Standing items include quarterly performance and budget monitoring, budget scrutiny, and the annual refresh of the scrutiny work programme. The panel was asked to consider the 2026 Work Programme and agree any amendments, while retaining flexibility for urgent issues.