The Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee (OSC) of Northumberland Council met on Wednesday 15 July 2026. The meeting's agenda included a review of the council's financial performance for the 2025-26 financial year, an update on the BEST programme, and a report on debt recovery. The committee also reviewed its work programme for the upcoming year.

Financial Performance 2025-26 - Provisional Outturn

The committee was scheduled to be informed of the provisional financial outturn for the council against its budget for the 2025-26 financial year. This report, presented to Cabinet on 9 June 2026, detailed the projected revenue outturn for each service area, including the General Fund, Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG), Public Health, and the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). It also outlined key movements in the financial position and provided a summary of capital programme expenditure. Recommendations included the creation of new earmarked reserves for the Northumberland Children and Adults Safeguarding Partnership (NCASP) and for demolition costs within the HRA. The report also detailed the drawdown from reserves to meet voluntary redundancy costs and the projected overspend on the Dedicated Schools Grant.

OSC BEST Report July 2026

An update was scheduled to be provided on the delivery of the BEST programme against its updated Strategic Business Case. This programme, presented to Cabinet in January 2025, aims for accelerated delivery over three years. The report highlighted the programme's focus on improving resident and customer outcomes, enhancing staff experience, and enabling efficiencies. It detailed progress across six key projects: Ways of Working, Customer Experience Transformation, Property Transformation, Category Management Transformation, Data-Led Performance and Data Architecture, and PACT (Culture, Vision, and Values). The report also provided an update on the Programme Management Office (PMO) and risk management, along with budget and benefits realisation figures.

Debt Recovery Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the level of outstanding debt owed to the Council as at 31 March 2026. This report aimed to assure the committee of the efficiency and effectiveness of the council's collection and recovery policies and systems. It provided a summary of sundry debt, Council Tax arrears, Non-Domestic Rates arrears, Housing Benefit overpayments, and housing rent and other debt. The report also detailed the amounts written off in 2025-26 and compared them to the previous year, offering service-specific summaries and benchmarking performance against other North East councils.

Corporate Services and Economic Growth Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme and Monitoring Report 2026-27

The committee was asked to review and note the work programme and monitoring report for the 2026-27 council year. This document outlines the committee's terms of reference, which include maintaining an overview of the council's budget, Advance Northumberland, and policies related to the Leader of Council, Finance and Value for Money, and the Deputy Leader. The work programme detailed topics scheduled for future meetings, such as the final outturn of the 2025-26 budget, regeneration updates, and the Advance Northumberland update. The monitoring report also summarised decisions made at previous meetings, including those concerning the Northumberland Strategic Investment Site and the Blyth Relief Road.