The Bromley Council Executive is scheduled to convene on Wednesday 24 June 2026. The agenda includes discussions on the provisional financial outturn for the 2025/2026 year, the outcome of a Corporate Peer Challenge, and considerations regarding the procurement of essential services such as insurance, passenger transport, and fostering agencies. The meeting will also address the extension of a mental health partnership agreement and the publication of the Care Quality Commission's report on Adult Services.

Corporate Peer Challenge Outcome

The Executive is set to consider the findings of a Corporate Peer Challenge undertaken in March 2026, as detailed in the Public reports pack Wednesday 24-Jun-2026 19.00 Executive.pdf. This review, conducted by the Local Government Association (LGA), assessed Bromley Council's performance across key themes including leadership, governance, financial management, and capacity for improvement. The report highlights the council as a high-performing council delivering strong outcomes and operating with a track record of value for money, benefiting from stable political and managerial leadership. However, it also identifies significant challenges, particularly concerning financial sustainability and the growing demand on key services. The report makes ten key recommendations, including the immediate need to address the reliance on reserves to balance the budget and to evolve the council's transformation ambitions.

Financial Performance and Capital Outturn

The meeting will review the PROVISIONAL FINAL ACCOUNTS 2025/26 (Agenda Item 6), providing an overview of the provisional revenue outturn for the 2025/26 financial year. The report indicates a significant overspend during 2025/26, primarily due to additional growth and cost pressures, but notes that this has been offset by increased interest on balances, the release of central contingency funds, and a balance sheet review. The Executive will also consider the CAPITAL OUTTURN REPORT 2025/2026 (Agenda Item 7), which details the final capital expenditure and receipts for the year. The report indicates that capital expenditure was £93.5m against a final revised budget of £96.3m, resulting in a net variation of Cr £7.8m, largely due to slippage in several portfolio budgets. An additional supplementary capital estimate of £363k is requested for the Keston Ponds Project.

Procurement and Service Contracts

Several items on the agenda concern the procurement of new contracts and the extension of existing agreements. The Executive will consider PROCEED TO PROCUREMENT - INSURANCE POLICIES (Agenda Item 8), seeking approval to re-tender the Council's insurance policies for a five-year period with an option to extend for a further three years, with an estimated whole life value of £10.7m.

In relation to children's and adults' services, the Executive will review GATEWAY 1 - PERMISSION TO TENDER FOR A CHILDREN AND ADULTS PASSENGER TRANSPORT FRAMEWORK (Agenda Item 9). This seeks approval to procure an open framework for passenger transport services for an eight-year call-off contract, commencing September 2027, with an estimated annual value of £20m. Additionally, GATEWAY 1 - PERMISSION TO TENDER FOR AN INDEPENDENT FOSTERING AGENCY FRAMEWORK (Agenda Item 10) proposes a four-year framework for Independent Fostering Agencies, with an estimated annual value of £7.16m. The Executive will also consider GATEWAY 1: PERMISSION TO PROCEED TO PROCUREMENT FOR SUPPORTED LIVING (Agenda Item 11), which concerns the retendering of supported living services for adults with a learning disability at four properties, with an estimated annual value of £1.2m.

Partnership and Service Reviews

The Executive will discuss the MENTAL HEALTH COMMUNITY SERVICES PARTNERSHIP AGREEMENT EXTENSION (Agenda Item 12), recommending a two-year extension to the current partnership with Oxleas NHS Foundation Trust for adult mental health social work services, at an estimated cost of £3.8m. The PUBLICATION OF THE ADULT SERVICES CARE QUALITY COMMISSION REPORT (Agenda Item 14) will provide an update on the outcome of the CQC's first assurance assessment of Bromley Council's Adult Social Care services, which resulted in an overall rating of 'Requires Improvement'.

Project and Service Development

The KESTON PONDS PROJECT (Agenda Item 15) will be discussed, seeking approval for an increase in the Capital Programme budget by £363k, funded by the Green Roots Fund, to deliver an initial package of works. The Executive will also consider the GATEWAY REPORT 0-19 CHILDREN'S PUBLIC HEALTH SERVICE (Agenda Item 13), which seeks permission to re-procure the 0-19 Public Health nursing services for a five-year contract commencing October 2027, with an estimated annual value of £5.08m.

The meeting will also address any other issues referred from the Executive, Resources and Contracts Policy Development and Scrutiny Committee (Agenda Item 16) and will conclude with a review of any other business under the Local Government Act 1972 (Agenda Item 17). The Executive will then move to exclude the press and public for the consideration of exempt minutes from the meeting held on 18 March 2026 (Agenda Item 18).