The Corporate Scrutiny Committee of North West Leicestershire Council is scheduled to meet on Thursday 18 June 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of the Council's performance in the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year, an update on the Corporate Business Continuity Policy, and the annual corporate complaints report for 2025/26. The committee will also consider the Corporate Compensation and Remedies Policy, the Customer Service Performance for 2025/26, and the Annual Scrutiny Report for 2025/26. Finally, the committee will discuss items for inclusion in its future work programme.

Council Delivery Plan - Performance Report - 2025/26 Quarter 4

The committee is scheduled to review the Council Delivery Plan's performance report for the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. This report, presented by Hannah Panter, Head of Human Resources and Organisation Development, will detail the Council's performance against its key priority areas: A well run Council, Clean and Green, Housing and Communities, and Planning and Regeneration. The report highlights progress in areas such as planning application determination times, regeneration frameworks, housing service improvements, and environmental performance, including recycling rates. It also identifies areas requiring improvement, such as customer complaints performance and the rebuilding of assurance for statements of accounts. The Council Delivery Plan itself, agreed on 14 November 2023, covers the period from 2023/24 until a year beyond the next election in May 2027.

Corporate Business Continuity Policy

A report from Hannah Panter, Head of Human Resources and Organisation Development, will outline the proposed Corporate Business Continuity Policy. This policy aims to establish a consistent, council-wide framework to support resilience, assurance, and continuous improvement in the event of disruptions such as loss of premises, ICT failure, or supplier disruption. While service-level Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) are already in place, the new policy will provide organisation-wide governance, consistency, and best-practice assurance. Training for senior leadership on business continuity is also being procured to strengthen strategic readiness and response. The policy is intended to complement, rather than replace, the Council's statutory duties under the Civil Contingencies Act 2004.

Annual Corporate Complaints 2025/26

The committee is set to review the Annual Corporate Complaints report for 2025/26, compiled by the Chief Executive. This report details complaints received across all directorates, as well as information on decisions issued by the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) and the Housing Ombudsman (HO). The report indicates a decrease in both stage 1 and stage 2 complaints compared to the previous year, with Housing Repairs and Waste Services receiving the highest number of complaints. It also highlights themes such as excessive time taken for service delivery and services provided incorrectly. The report notes that 79% of stage 1 complaints were responded to within the Council's target of ten working days, an improvement on the previous year. Financial remedies totalling £35,857.20 were paid out in 2025/26. The report also details the outcomes of cases referred to the LGSCO and the Housing Ombudsman, and includes findings from a Tenant Satisfaction Survey.

Corporate Compensation and Remedies Policy

A report from the Chief Executive will present an updated Corporate Compensation and Remedies Policy for the committee's consideration. This policy aims to replace the existing housing-specific policy with a corporate framework applicable across all service areas. It outlines the Council's approach to providing redress, including apologies, practical remedies, and financial compensation, when service standards are not met and detriment occurs. The policy aligns with guidance from both the LGSCO and the Housing Ombudsman, and includes an authorisation framework for financial awards. It also addresses accessibility and equality considerations, and will be reviewed every three years.

Customer Service Performance 2025/26

The committee will receive an annual report on Customer Service performance for 2025/26, presented by the Chief Executive. This report summarises key metrics and trends, highlighting successes and areas for improvement in customer satisfaction and responsiveness. It details call volumes, face-to-face interactions, and the increasing use of digital self-service channels. The report notes that while call volumes remained stable, average call handling times increased, contributing to a higher call abandonment rate. The Customer Services team achieved an 88% first point of contact resolution rate, exceeding its target. Mystery shopping surveys indicated an overall customer satisfaction score of 86%, with particular strengths in active listening and customer-focused soft skills. The report also addresses challenges such as increased abusive behaviour from customers and recruitment difficulties within the Customer Services team.

Annual Scrutiny Report 2025/26

The committee is scheduled to consider the draft Annual Scrutiny Report for 2025/26, prepared by Andy Barton, Strategic Director of Communities. This report summarises the work undertaken by both the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Community Scrutiny Committee over the preceding 12 months. It details the number of reports considered, recommendations made to Cabinet, and the outcomes of those recommendations. The report also outlines the work of the Scrutiny Work Programming Group and provides information on public involvement in the scrutiny process. The Corporate Scrutiny Committee's specific activities included examining the Council's budget-setting process, performance monitoring, commenting on local government reorganisation proposals, reviewing the Customer Experience Strategy, and considering the draft Legacy Grant Fund proposals and the Zero Carbon Update.

Items for Inclusion in the Future Work Programme

The committee will discuss potential items for inclusion in its future work programme. This will involve considering the plan of forthcoming Cabinet decisions and the current work programme, as outlined in the attached documents. The Scrutiny Work Programming Group, an informal group of councillors and officers, plays a key role in managing the committees' workloads and identifying future topics for investigation. The group considers requests for inclusion on the work programmes, evaluates potential scrutiny topics based on impact and available resources, and ensures alignment with the Council's priorities.