The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board of Durham County Council met on Monday 22 June 2026 to review the council's performance and operational activities. The meeting's agenda included a report on the council's use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, an update on the annual poverty progress report, and a comprehensive performance management report for the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. Other items for discussion included a request for call-in regarding land at Sniperley Park, the proposed work programme for 2026/27, the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26, an update on petitions, and a notice of key decisions.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA)

The board was scheduled to receive a report detailing the council's use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) for the fourth quarter of the 2025/2026 financial year, covering January to March 2026. The report, prepared by Helen Bradley, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, aimed to inform members about the council's activities in exercising powers related to Directed Surveillance (DS) and Covert Human Intelligence Surveillance (CHIS). The report indicated that the council's Senior Responsible Officer was satisfied that the use of these powers during this period was consistent with the council's policy. The report recommended that members receive the quarterly update and resolve that the powers were being used consistently with policy and that the policy remained fit for purpose.

During the fourth quarter, there was one directed surveillance application and one CHIS application presented to the Court, both relating to an operation concerning the suspected sale of illicit tobacco products at premises previously subject to a closure order. While the CHIS was deployed to identify individuals or activities linked to the premises, test purchases were negative. Directed surveillance identified a vehicle and address associated with the premises, but no further evidential opportunities arose. Ultimately, neither directed surveillance nor CHIS obtained evidence to support the alleged sale of illicit tobacco, and the applications were cancelled in May 2026. Despite the lack of evidence of offending, the Authorising Officer reported that the use of these powers was valuable in progressing the investigation, informing decision-making, and demonstrating proportionate steps had been taken.

Annual Poverty Progress Report 2025/26

The board was scheduled to consider the Annual Poverty Progress Report for 2025/26, presented by Paul Darby, Corporate Director of Resources. This report provided a consolidated overview of the council's activities and progress in addressing poverty and financial insecurity between April 2025 and March 2026. It highlighted the scale and impact of interventions, lessons learned from sustained demand, and implications for future prioritisation as the council transitions from the Household Support Fund to the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

The report indicated that poverty and financial insecurity remain significant challenges in County Durham, with households continuing to face cost-of-living pressures. The council and its partners delivered a coordinated response combining crisis support with income maximisation, homelessness prevention, employability, digital inclusion, and targeted support for families and vulnerable groups. Demand for support remained structurally high, with delivery strengthening in preventative areas such as benefit take-up and digital inclusion. The £8.2 million Household Support Fund (HSF7) provided essential assistance, and learning from its delivery informed the design of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, which launched in April 2026 with a greater emphasis on early intervention and prevention. The report also noted that 2025/26 was a transition year, with an evaluation of the Poverty Action Strategy 2022–2026 undertaken alongside public engagement to shape a proposed Financially Resilient Communities Strategy for 2026–2030.

Quarter Four, 2025/26 Performance Management Report

A key item on the agenda was the Quarter Four, 2025/26 Performance Management Report, presented by John Hewitt, Chief Executive. This report provided an update on the council's progress towards achieving the strategic ambitions and objectives set out in the Council Plan 2025-2030. The report used easy to read dashboards to focus on trends, direction of travel, benchmarking, and performance against targets, framed within the wider national context.

Key performance messages highlighted included:

• Reforming the Council: While almost 60% of employees recorded no sickness absence, the overall sickness rate had increased. Apprenticeship enrollment and retention remained positive, and most mandatory training courses exceeded their targets, although some areas required further attention. The re-advertisement rate for job roles had fallen to its lowest recorded level, indicating improved candidate attraction. However, the proportion of Freedom of Information and Subject Access Requests responded to on time remained below target due to increased volume and complexity.
• Supercharging Our Economy: The council supported 1,429 businesses, secured 14 inward investments, and obtained £4.9 million in investment for companies, creating or safeguarding 1,673 jobs. Business floorspace occupancy was above target. Planning application completion times had improved and exceeded targets. Employability programmes surpassed registration and progression targets, and investment in festivals and events generated a significant economic impact.
• Building Better Communities: Town centre footfall saw a slight increase, with efforts underway to explore alternative uses for retail spaces. Reports of fly-tipping remained low, environmental cleanliness was high, and anti-social behaviour was at a two-year low. Highway defect repair targets were met for most categories. Gigabit-capable broadband access was nearing 90% of properties, and the Let's Talk County Durham platform saw significant registrations and interactions.
• Caring For Our People: Children's social care continued to face high demand and complexity, leading to increased costs, particularly for placements. Efforts were underway to strengthen early help, recruit and retain staff, and improve oversight. Homelessness assessments had increased, leading to higher costs for emergency housing, with measures in place to reduce time spent in temporary accommodation. Processing times for housing benefit and council tax reduction claims had increased due to the implementation of a new Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme, but performance remained within target.
• A Practical Environmental Stewardship: The council diverted 97.5% of municipal waste from landfill, exceeding its target. However, recycling rates and contamination rates had slightly deteriorated, with expectations of improvement following upcoming government reforms.

Request for Call-in: Sniperley Park Options Assessment, Surplus Declaration, Disposal and Deed of Release

The board was scheduled to consider a report from Helen Bradley, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, regarding a call-in request concerning a Cabinet decision made on 22 April 2026, relating to the disposal of land at Sniperley Park. The call-in request raised concerns about the valuation methodology, compliance with the Council's duty under Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972 to obtain the best consideration reasonably obtainable, the historical and community value of the former Caterhouse Pit site, and the potential impact of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) on land value. The report detailed the Chair's conclusion that the call-in request did not establish sufficient grounds to be considered reasonable under the Council's Constitution.

Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Work Programme 2026/27

Helen Bradley, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, presented a draft updated work programme for the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (COSMB) for 2026/2027. The work programme is designed to reflect the objectives and outcomes of the Council Plan 2025-2029 and the County Durham Vision 2035, focusing on the ambitions of 'more and better jobs', 'long and independent lives', and 'connected communities'. The programme is intended to be flexible to accommodate emerging issues. The report outlined the current work programme for 2025/26, which included reviews of the Budget, Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP), the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) scheme, and the Poverty Strategy.

Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2025/26

The board was asked to consider and comment on the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26, prepared by Michael Turnbull, Democratic Services Manager. This report summarised the work of the council's overview and scrutiny function during the previous municipal year, demonstrating its impact and identifying areas for future work programmes. The report highlighted the council's commitment to openness, transparency, and community engagement, supported by co-opted members. It detailed the work undertaken by COSMB and the five thematic Overview and Scrutiny Committees, including in-depth reviews, performance monitoring, and budgetary reporting. The report also referenced the council's statutory scrutiny roles in health and crime and disorder, as well as its involvement in regional scrutiny activity.

Update in relation to Petitions

Michael Turnbull, Democratic Services Manager, provided a quarterly update on petitions received by the Authority. Since the last update, four new e-petitions had been submitted, with two closed, one awaiting a response, and two rejected. No new paper petitions had been submitted. The report included a table detailing the nature, appropriate service, summary of information, and status of all active petitions.

Notice of Key Decisions

Michael Turnbull, Democratic Services Manager, presented the current notice of key decisions scheduled for consideration by the Executive. This report confirmed that the notice complied with statutory requirements, providing details of decisions expected up to October 2026, along with information on Overview and Scrutiny involvement. Members were invited to review the listed items and consider any issues arising ahead of Executive decision-making. The notice included items related to the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme, the MTFP update, and various decisions within Children and Young People's Services, Adult and Health Services, Regeneration, Economy and Growth, and Neighbourhoods and Environment directorates.