The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee met to discuss the council's financial challenges, the development of family hubs, and the Barkham Solar Farm project. Key decisions included noting the ongoing financial pressures and the progress on the Barkham Solar Farm, with a non-firm connection date secured.

Financial Challenges and Strategic Priorities

The committee received an update on the council's financial situation, highlighting a significant reduction in revenue support from central government (£43.6 million over three years) and increasing demand for services due to population growth and an ageing demographic. Councillor Stephen Conway, Leader of the Council, emphasised the need for increased productivity, cost prevention, and a commitment to commercialisation to maintain financial stability. He also noted the stark attainment gap between young people from deprived backgrounds and their peers in Wokingham, despite the borough's perception of wealth, referencing research from the UCL Institute of Health Equity and the Marmot Principles. Partnership working, particularly with town and parish councils, was identified as crucial.

Susan Parsonage, Chief Executive, added that the increasing complexity and demand for services were national trends, exacerbated by social media's impact on young people and the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. She highlighted that deprivation in Wokingham is experienced more acutely due to its juxtaposition with affluence, leading to a pronounced sense of stigma. Parsonage also mentioned a strategic partnership with the University of Reading's Henley Business School to focus on jobs and skills for young people.

The committee also discussed the council's ranking as the second most productive council in the country according to the Empire Index. Councillor Pauline Jorgensen raised concerns about the realism of achieving further significant savings through productivity gains, questioning the availability of the Empire Index report and its methodology. The Chief Executive acknowledged the difficulty of making substantial improvements when already performing well but stated the council would continue to strive for efficiency, exploring new technologies like AI.

Family Hubs

Susan Parsonage presented an update on the development of Family Hubs, which aim to integrate the planning and delivery of local services for children and young people aged 0-18, and up to 25 for those with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Wokingham is part of the final cohort receiving government funding for this initiative, which is part of a wider transformation of children's services, including Best Start in Life, Families First, and SEND reforms.

The hubs are designed to provide face-to-face and digital support at a local level, complementing existing reforms. The presentation outlined the three neighbourhood Best Start Family Hubs, each with a main site and satellite locations. The next six months will focus on governance, team integration, rebranding children's centres, launching an integrated front door, and developing an outreach strategy targeting underserved families, including Gypsy and Roma Traveller families. The importance of prevention and early intervention was stressed as a means to improve outcomes for families and reduce future costs.

Councillor Shahid Younis questioned how the effectiveness of these interventions would be measured, particularly for preventative work where success means issues do not arise. Martin Alder drew parallels with the Sure Start scheme, citing its positive long-term outcomes, and suggested that while measuring preventative success is challenging, evidence supports the system's effectiveness. Susan Parsonage indicated that interim measures would include tracking school absences, edge-of-care interventions, and family reunification rates.

Barkham Solar Farm

Sarah Morgan, Service Director for Commercial Property, provided an update on the Barkham Solar Farm project. The project had been paused in January 2026 due to changes in National Grid's connection reforms, which indicated a significant delay in the firm connection date. The council had been negotiating with SSEN, National Grid, and NISO to secure a more favourable connection arrangement.

An agreement in principle had been reached for a non-firm connection date of September 2027, allowing the solar farm to be energised with low levels of curtailment in the early years. Discussions were ongoing for a potentially earlier firm connection date, possibly from 2029, subject to wider network upgrades, but no formal contractual commitment had yet been secured.

The committee engaged in a detailed discussion about the risks associated with proceeding with the construction contract, which required a response by August, before a firm connection date was guaranteed. Councillors, including Peter Harper, expressed concerns about the lack of financial transparency, the business case assumptions, and the potential for significant cost increases if the contract was delayed. They questioned the break-even time, maintenance cost assumptions, panel lifespan, and the projected curtailment levels.

Sarah Morgan assured the committee that the business case, including financial modelling, had been scrutinised by the Climate Emergency Overview and Scrutiny Committee in November 2025 and remained robust, demonstrating an average net income exceeding £1 million per annum. The primary consideration was the risk appetite regarding connection certainty versus the financial and programme consequences of not awarding the construction contract.

Councillor Peter Harper voiced strong reservations about committing to a multi-million-pound contract without a firm connection date and contractual certainty on curtailment levels. He highlighted the potential for significant financial exposure to the council. The committee discussed the potential impact of inflation on construction costs and the possibility of retendering if prices increased significantly.

The committee was asked to make recommendations to the Executive regarding the progress of the project. A proposal was made to formally note the committee's comments and questions, which would be attached to the report going to the Executive, ensuring that the council's concerns about the financial risks and lack of complete information were formally recorded.

Governance of Officer Decision Making

Andrew Moulton, Monitoring Officer, presented a report on the governance of officer decision-making, requested by the committee in January 2026. The report outlined the legal and constitutional framework for officer decisions, distinguishing between executive and non-executive functions and the processes for delegation, recording, and publication.

Moulton explained that while routine operational decisions do not require publication, certain delegated decisions must be recorded and published to ensure transparency and accountability. He noted that work was ongoing to strengthen guidance, improve training for officers, and refine processes to ensure consistent compliance.

Councillors discussed the limitations of their own decision-making powers within the leader and cabinet model, with Councillor Shahid Younis expressing concern that elected councillors might have limited influence. Andrew Gray, however, pointed out that full council retains significant powers, such as budget setting and constitutional changes, and that councillors have considerable influence through scrutiny and by raising issues. Councillor Caroline Smith highlighted the ability to request scrutiny of specific matters. Dave Edmonds suggested that consultation with ward members should be a requirement rather than a recommendation for sensitive local matters.

Forward Programmes and Action Tracker

The committee reviewed the Executive and Individual Executive Member Decision (IEMD) Forward Programmes, noting the upcoming items for consideration. They also discussed the draft work programmes for the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee and its sub-committees, including future scrutiny of the Barkham Solar Farm. The Action Tracker report indicated that all previous actions had been completed.