The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Islington Council met on Thursday 18 June 2026 to discuss the committee's work programme for the upcoming year and to review the council's performance. Discussions included potential scrutiny topics such as the evening economy, sense of place, and procurement, and the committee considered starting meetings at 7:00 PM from the next session.

Scrutiny Topics and Work Programme for 2026-27

The committee engaged in a broad discussion to identify potential main scrutiny topics for the 2026-27 municipal year. Councillor Nick Wayne, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, proposed three initial areas: the evening economy, which spans planning, licensing, economic growth, and community safety; sense of place, focusing on residents' feelings about safety, high streets, markets, and the borough as a whole; and skills and lifelong learning, to ensure residents are equipped for the evolving labour market.

Several other potential topics were raised by committee members. Councillor McKee suggested a focus on civic life and civic pride, examining community spaces, neighbourhood care, resident participation, and local events. Councillor McKee also proposed scrutinising the council's front door for residents, looking at how they contact the council, how issues are triaged, and how problems are resolved, considering phone, digital, face-to-face, complaints, and member enquiries. Councillor Nurullah Turan raised concerns about procurement, citing an example of a £192,000 quote for a small toilet in Paradise Park and questioning the council's contracting procedures and potential for savings. Councillor Sheridan Kates inquired about the coordination between different scrutiny committees to avoid duplication and ensure a holistic view of the council's work.

Councillor Hannah McHugh, Chair of the Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee, highlighted that issues of housing disrepair and the council's performance as a corporate landlord were significant concerns, particularly in light of findings from the housing regulator. She noted that while housing disrepair would primarily be scrutinised by the Homes and Neighbourhoods Committee, the Overview and Scrutiny Committee would maintain an overview. Councillor Shreya Nanda, Chair of the Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee, proposed a focus on working with communities to transform public spaces to improve access to nature, climate adaptation, and wellbeing, which she felt aligned with the sense of place theme.

The committee agreed that the Chair and Theo McLean, Senior Democratic Services Officer, would develop two to three main scrutiny topic ideas based on the discussion for presentation at the next meeting. They also agreed to consider a deep dive into procurement. The committee also discussed the importance of hearing from frontline staff and residents during scrutiny activities.

Work Programme and Committee Operations

The committee discussed the draft work programme for 2026-27. A consensus was reached to consider starting meetings at 7:00 PM from the next session, a change from the usual 7:30 PM start, to make meetings more family-friendly and reduce the burden on officers. The committee also noted the importance of reviewing previous scrutiny findings and performance data, with members asked to provide feedback on the intelligibility and relevance of performance dashboards.

Discussions also touched upon the structure of scrutiny within Islington Council, with Councillor Wayne explaining that the Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) acts as the overarching committee, coordinating with the five other scrutiny committees. The chairs of these committees are members of the OSC to facilitate this coordination.

The committee also discussed the format and management of email communications between members, agreeing to keep them concise to ensure efficient discussion and avoid lengthy email chains.

External Scrutiny

The committee confirmed plans for standalone scrutiny sessions with external bodies. An annual session with Thames Water will continue, addressing ongoing issues residents have experienced. A new session with the Metropolitan Police was also confirmed, where the Borough Commander will be questioned on various policing matters in Islington, including live facial recognition and stop and search. The committee noted that other organisations might be brought in for similar standalone scrutiny in the future, depending on capacity.

Formal Matters

The committee agreed to the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 April 2026. They also noted the Forward Plan of Key Decisions, acknowledging an error in the version provided. The committee also noted the Scrutiny Review Tracker and the Work Plan and Action Sheet.

The meeting concluded with verbal updates from the chairs of other scrutiny committees, including the Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee, which has chosen to focus on working with communities to transform our public spaces. The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee will examine how partners support healthy ageing, and the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee will decide its topics.