The Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) of Northumberland Council is scheduled to meet on Monday 27 July 2026. The meeting's agenda is expected to include discussions on the proposed redesign of library and customer services, an update on the 'Fix My Street' public realm reporting system, and the committee's work programme for the upcoming year.

Service Redesign - Libraries and Customer Services

Discussions are anticipated regarding the proposed operating model for Northumberland's libraries and customer services. A report presented to the committee is intended to provide context for a presentation, inviting members to offer feedback on the draft model. This feedback is expected to inform a Cabinet report scheduled for 8 September 2026, which will recommend the new operating model.

The report highlights that the proposed changes are intended to achieve efficiencies outlined in the council's Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) for 2025-2029, aiming for savings of £344,000 between 2025 and 2027. The redesign seeks to create an integrated and sustainable service, described as a universal front door to improve equity in access to council services. This approach aligns with the council's Corporate Plan priorities of tackling inequalities, driving economic development, and ensuring value for money.

The report details that extensive public and staff consultations have taken place. The public consultation received 5,801 responses, and a 30-day staff consultation ran from 8 June to 7 July 2026. The proposed implementation date for the new service is January 2027. The report also mentions that Northumberland Library Service was awarded £491,000 from the Arts Council England's Library Improvement Fund (LIF4) to upgrade buildings and technology, with project delivery scheduled from April 2026 to March 2029. This funding aims to future-proof the library service, strengthen its role in communities, increase diversity of users, and enhance collaboration with local partners.

The proposed model includes changes to opening hours across various library locations, with a focus on a hyper-local front door approach to deliver support services at every site. This aims to assist residents who are not digitally proficient and to facilitate Make Every Contact Count conversations as part of the Communities First approach. The report also addresses feedback regarding the mobile library service, proposing a move to a four-weekly schedule and strengthening the Home Library Service. Discussions are also underway regarding the potential for Community Led Libraries (CLLs) in several locations.

Update on Fix My Street Public Realm Reporting Arrangements

The committee is scheduled to receive an update on the performance of the 'Fix My Street Pro' public realm reporting system. This system was launched in May 2023 to streamline the reporting of public realm issues such as fly-tipping, graffiti, highway defects, and abandoned vehicles. The report aims to detail the system's performance since its introduction, including the reasons for its implementation, the key outcomes sought, usage levels, main areas of reporting activity, challenges faced by services, and areas identified for further improvement.

The 'Fix My Street Pro' system was introduced to meet resident expectations for a modern, map-based tool and to provide timely feedback on actions taken. It integrates with existing customer case management and back-office systems to increase internal efficiencies and improve the user experience. The report notes that the system has seen increasing demand, with report volumes rising by approximately 22% year-on-year in 2025/26, reaching 54,888 reports. Despite this increased demand, over 83% of reports in 2025/26 were completed, with an overall completion rate of 89.7% across the three years since its launch.

The most frequently reported categories include road potholes and surface conditions, fly-tipping, parks maintenance, footway/footpath issues, street lighting, and trees. The report highlights that road maintenance is the biggest concern for residents, followed by environmental issues such as fly-tipping. The presentation will also cover system user improvements, updates and engagement since launch, and ongoing improvements planned for categories like abandoned vehicles and street lighting.

Communities and Place Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme and Monitoring Report

The committee will consider its work programme for the 2026/27 council year. This includes reviewing the terms of reference for the committee, which cover areas such as public safety, culture, leisure and tourism, roads and highways, environment, rural and farming, and housing and planning. The report will outline issues to be timetabled for scrutiny, including presentations on the Local Plan Scoping, Destination Management Plan, and the Public Toilet Improvement Plan. It will also detail items for future meetings, such as the Fire and Rescue Service Annual Performance, Gambling Licensing Policy, and the S106 Infrastructure Funding Statement. The report will also provide a monitoring report of the committee's activities and decisions from the previous year.