The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee of Wiltshire Council met on Thursday 28 May 2026 to elect a new Chair and Vice-Chair, review updates on various task groups, and discuss the Wiltshire Community Strategic Partnership. Key decisions included the endorsement of interim reports from the Stone Circle and MyWilts App task groups, and the referral of these to the Cabinet for response. The committee also agreed to establish a rapid scrutiny exercise for the Revised Service Devolution and Asset Transfer Policy.

Election of Chairman and Vice-Chairman

The committee began by electing Councillor Graham Wright as Chairman and Councillor Gerry Murray as Vice-Chairman for the forthcoming year.

Wiltshire Community Strategic Partnership (WCSP) Update

An update was provided on the work of the Wiltshire Community Strategic Partnership (WCSP). The report highlighted that Wiltshire remains a relatively safe county, with a refreshed CSP Strategy for 2025-2028 focusing on safer communities, reducing harm, and protecting vulnerable people. Key risks identified included resource pressures across all partners, potential increases in response times due to proposed fire station closures, the impact of criminal justice reforms, and a reduction in prevention capacity due to loss of national funding. Performance data showed a year-on-year reduction in anti-social behaviour (ASB) by 10.5%, low levels of serious violence, stable domestic abuse demand, and an increase in rural crime, particularly hare coursing. Key developments included improved CSP governance, new partnership boards such as the Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) board, and the expansion of Business Crime Reduction Partnerships. Emerging issues included public concern around knife crime despite low overall risk, increasing complexity of vulnerability, and heightened national security risks. The committee was asked to review and scrutinise the CSP to provide community insights and oversight on progress against the community safety strategy.

Executive Response to the Report of the Stone Circle Standing Task Group

The committee received the Cabinet's response to the interim report of the Stone Circle Standing Task Group. The Cabinet accepted recommendations to encourage formal annual meetings for Stone Circle, with reports to full Council on its contribution to 'My Wiltshire Plan' and financial position, increasing democratic accountability. The Director of Legal and Governance was asked to report back on the need for further Part II confidentiality. Cabinet also accepted that future commercial activity should be supported by comprehensive business cases and risk registers, reviewed by Cabinet and scrutiny prior to investment. They further agreed that risk assessments for work delivered by council-owned companies should include a review of staff capacity and skills.

Executive Response to the Report of the MyWilts App Task Group

The committee received the Deputy Leader's response to the final report of the MyWilts App Task Group. The executive accepted recommendations to acknowledge the productivity of the task group and thank officers for addressing feedback. Work continues to resolve issues preventing Android users from opening maps in MyWilts. Task group members were involved in testing the Councillor Portal and improvements to the 'Follow a Case' functionality. A training video for councillors on the new functionality is being produced, and the MyWilts roadmap will be presented quarterly to the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee. The executive also accepted the recommendation for an easily understandable performance dashboard and for ICT to work with Communications on promoting significant enhancements. The executive accepted the recommendation to thank the IT service for taking on board feedback regarding email templates and to share revised templates. The executive accepted the recommendation for ICT to provide early access to the MyWilts Councillor Portal for late-stage testing and feedback. The executive accepted the recommendation for ICT to provide estimated timescales and costs for future MyWilts work packages where possible. The executive accepted the recommendation for ICT and Highways to work together to extract case status mapping between HIAMS and MyWilts. The executive partially accepted the recommendation for push notifications, noting a delay until the end of summer 2026 due to IT works for the waste contract. The executive partially accepted the recommendation to extend access to the Councillor Portal to town and parish councils, with investigation planned for 2027. The executive did not accept the recommendation to assess demand for API integration or web-based access to MyWilts for town and parish councils, suggesting that the expanded Councillor Portal would address this. The executive accepted the recommendation to consider discussing demand at the parish forum organised by the Engagement Team and/or the Wiltshire Association of Local Councils (WALC). The executive accepted the recommendation for the administration to consider commissioning a business case for offering MyWilts as a traded service. The executive accepted the recommendation for common performance metrics to be produced and utilised across interested boards and committees. The executive did not accept the recommendation for specific service area issues reported through MyWilts to be reported to relevant select committees, stating that existing escalation processes are in place. The executive accepted the recommendation for ICT to produce a common set of metrics for the consumption of required boards and committees. The executive partially accepted the recommendation for case reports about drains to be shared with town and parish councils through a variant of the Councillor Portal, with investigation planned for 2027. The executive partially accepted the recommendation for responses to MyWilts to be monitored through app stores and social media, with plans for resident newsletters and a you said, we did update. The executive accepted the recommendation for ICT to investigate the feasibility of allowing and tracking the entry of what3words. The executive accepted the recommendation for ICT to work with Communications to provide public updates on MyWilts via the resident newsletter. The executive accepted the recommendation for ICT to maintain close communication with case fulfilment colleagues and services to streamline case submission where possible.

Management Committee Task Groups

An update was provided on the work of task groups and rapid scrutiny exercises commissioned by the OS Management Committee. The Stone Circle Standing Task Group met to review comments on its interim report and agreed to invite former Directors, Cabinet members, and senior officers to a meeting for further evidence. The MyWilts App Task Group's final report was presented, with the Executive response to be presented at this meeting. The Area Boards Grant Funding Task Group had met twice to review the feasibility of combining funding streams and the grant funding criteria. The committee noted the updates on task group activity and the amended membership of the Stone Circle Standing Task Group.

Cabinet Member Update

No updates were received from attending Cabinet Members.

Forward Work Programme

The committee considered the forward work programmes for each select committee and received updates from their Chairmen or Vice-Chairmen. The Children's Select Committee noted that children's services would be subject to significant government changes and that a rapid scrutiny exercise on the Post-16 SEND Travel Survey had led to changes. The Environment Select Committee discussed revisions to the Trusted Bill posters scheme, outcomes of a waste recycling trial, and requested a report from the Waste Transformation Task Group on Household Recycling Centres, the booking system, and MBT incineration contracts. The Finance and Procurement Select Committee's forward work programme was noted. The Health Select Committee had undertaken a rapid scrutiny exercise into Urgent Care, leading to an annual report on performance. The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee Chairman noted that a revised Service Devolution and Asset Transfer Policy would be considered by Cabinet, and proposed a rapid scrutiny exercise to review it. A rapid scrutiny exercise was also proposed for the draft implementation plan of a new Community Resilience Fund. The committee agreed to note the updates on select committee activity and approve the Overview and Scrutiny Forward Work Programme, and to establish a rapid scrutiny exercise for the Revised Service Devolution and Asset Transfer Policy.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 28 May 2026.

Urgent Items

The committee considered a call-in request relating to a decision by the Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding regarding a Proposed No Waiting at Any Time Traffic Regulation Order at Quarry Hill and Hazelbury Hill, in Box. Following statements from residents and councillors, and a response from the Cabinet Member, the committee moved to Option B, referring the decision back to the Cabinet Member for reconsideration due to concerns that the decision was not taken fully in accordance with the principles of decision making. Following the meeting, the Cabinet Member decided to reconsult with emergency services and Box Parish Council on the proposed scheme and any other suggested amendments.

Overview and Scrutiny (OS) Member Remuneration Fund: Reviewing the Method of Allocation

The committee considered proposals for a system for allocating the £15,000 Overview and Scrutiny (OS) fund. The current system, which remunerates chairs of task groups and other leading scrutiny positions, was presented alongside three alternative options. The committee proposed to adopt Option A, retaining the current system, from the 2025-26 municipal year onwards. They also agreed to receive a further report at the next meeting noting the application of the chosen scheme to OS activities during the 2025-26 municipal year.

Management Committee Task Groups

Updates were provided on the Stone Circle Standing Task Group, the MyWilts App Task Group, and the Area Board Grant Funding Task Group. The committee noted the updates and the amended membership of the Stone Circle Standing Task Group.

Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2025-26

The committee was asked to note the Annual Report, which would be reported to Full Council.

Cabinet Member Update

No updates were received from attending Cabinet Members.

Date of Next Meeting

The date of the next meeting was confirmed as 28 May 2026.

Urgent Items

The committee considered a call-in request relating to a decision by the Cabinet Member for Highways, Streetscene and Flooding regarding a Proposed No Waiting at Any Time Traffic Regulation Order at Quarry Hill and Hazelbury Hill, in Box. Following statements from residents and councillors, and a response from the Cabinet Member, the committee moved to Option B, referring the decision back to the Cabinet Member for reconsideration due to concerns that the decision was not taken fully in accordance with the principles of decision making. Following the meeting, the Cabinet Member decided to reconsult with emergency services and Box Parish Council on the proposed scheme and any other suggested amendments.