The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Monday 15 June 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a question and answer session with South East Water, a review of the un-parished area of Royal Tunbridge Wells, and the committee's annual report for 2025-26. The committee will also consider its future work programme.

South East Water - Question and Answer Session

The committee is scheduled to hold a question and answer session with representatives from South East Water. This follows previous discussions regarding water supply issues, including those related to new developments, water quality, and leakage. Members are expected to seek updates on measures being implemented by South East Water to reduce water demand, such as the promotion of water meters and the use of rainwater harvesting systems, with the aim of reducing individual consumption. The session will also likely cover the company's approach to reporting and addressing pollution incidents and its communication strategies with local authorities and residents.

Community Governance Review - Review of the un-parished area of Royal Tunbridge Wells

A significant portion of the meeting is dedicated to the Community Governance Review concerning the un-parished area of Royal Tunbridge Wells. The committee is scheduled to consider and decide on recommendations presented in a detailed report. This review, which has involved multiple consultation phases, aims to determine the future governance arrangements for the un-parished area, including the potential establishment of a new town council.

The report outlines several key recommendations for consideration:

• Establishment of a Parish of Royal Tunbridge Wells: The report details proposals for the creation of a new parish, to be named Royal Tunbridge Wells.
• Parish Boundaries: Recommendations are made regarding the specific boundaries of this new parish, which would encompass existing borough wards.
• Parish Council Style: It is proposed that the parish be styled as a town council, with a town council in place to manage its affairs.
• Ward Structure: The report includes proposals for dividing the parish into six distinct parish wards, with specific names suggested for each: Culverden, Pantiles, Park, Sherwood, St James', and St John's.
• Councillor Numbers: Recommendations are made regarding the total number of councillors for the town council, with a proposed figure of 17, and the allocation of these councillors across the proposed wards. For example, Culverden, Pantiles, Park, Sherwood, and St James' wards would each have three councillors, while St John's ward would have two.

The report also summarises the results of two consultation phases, noting that while promotional activity was extensive, response rates were low. The first phase indicated that 60% of respondents favoured the establishment of a town council, with key perceived benefits including improved local decision-making, better community representation, and local management of services. Concerns raised included the cost to residents through a council tax precept, increased bureaucracy, and a lack of clarity on the council's functions. The second phase sought views on more detailed aspects, such as council size and warding arrangements, with significant support for the proposed names and warding structures. The report also addresses considerations around the use of the Royal prefix, which has received confirmation from the Royal Names Team at the Cabinet Office.

The committee's role is to consider these recommendations and provide comments for the subsequent consideration of Full Council.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Annual Report 2025-26

The committee will also consider its Draft Annual Report for the 2025-26 period. This report summarises the committee's work over the past year, highlighting areas where its scrutiny and recommendations have aimed to positively impact borough-wide issues. The report covers the period from May 2025 up to the March 2026 meeting and will be updated to include the March meeting and the remainder of the municipal year before its final submission to Full Council. The committee will be asked to approve the draft report.

Work Programme

The committee will review and discuss its future work programme for the upcoming year. This will involve considering potential topics for future scrutiny and agreeing on the committee's priorities. The report indicates that new items for the following municipal year will be discussed. A specific mention is made of a short-focused inquiry stemming from a motion at Full Council, with a Task and Finish Group already being formed for this purpose. The draft report from this inquiry is expected to be presented to the committee at this meeting.

Urgent Business

The agenda includes a procedural item to consider any other urgent business that the Chairman deems necessary to bring before the committee, in accordance with Section 100B(4) of the Local Government Act 1972.

Date of the Next Meeting

Finally, the committee will note the date of its next scheduled meeting, which is set for Monday 27 July 2026.