The Corporate Scrutiny Committee of North Northamptonshire Council met on Tuesday 18 August 2026 to review the council's financial performance for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year and to discuss the indicative budget timeline and scrutiny process for 2027/28. The committee approved the minutes of the previous meeting and noted the Corporate Scrutiny Work Programme for 2026/27.

Finance and Performance 2026/27 – Q1

The committee reviewed the council's financial performance for the first quarter of the 2026/27 financial year, noting a forecast General Fund overspend of £14.96 million. Significant pressures were identified in children's services, adult social care, SEND, and home-to-school transport. The committee resolved to note the performance indicators, identify items for further scrutiny, and requested that the Chief Executive write to the Ministry of Justice regarding the financial and practical impact of young people being remanded into local authority care.

Councillor Graham Cheatley, Executive Member for Finance, Efficiency and Change, presented the report, highlighting that the council's financial challenges mirrored those faced nationally. Councillor Helen Harrison raised concerns about the accuracy of demand forecasting in adult and children's social care, noting that the Northamptonshire Children's Trust had overspent by approximately £97 million over the previous four years. Colin Foster, Chief Executive of the Northamptonshire Children's Trust, acknowledged the forecasting challenges, attributing them to the unpredictable nature of children entering care and the complexity of their needs. He also highlighted improvements in workforce stability within the Trust.

The report detailed pressures within children's services, largely driven by the Northamptonshire Children's Trust contract, with placement costs being a significant factor. Adult social care faced pressures from external care placements, staffing, and transport costs. Place and economy pressures were mainly due to home-to-school transport and waste services.

Regarding savings delivery, £12.77 million of the £18.6 million identified savings had been delivered by the end of Q1. The Dedicated Schools Grant deficit was forecast to increase to £29.5 million, primarily within the high-needs block. The Housing Revenue Account remained in a positive position with a forecast underspend. The General Fund capital programme was on budget, while the Housing capital programme had an underspend due to re-phasing.

Performance against corporate KPIs showed that 62.5% were on or above target, with areas requiring focus including adult social care, children's development indicators, planning performance, and complaints handling. Organisational health indicators showed 41% on target and 59% below target, with key areas for improvement in Freedom of Information response times and complaints performance.

The committee resolved to note the performance, identify items for further scrutiny, and requested the Chief Executive to write to the Ministry of Justice regarding the financial impact of remanded young people.

Indicative Budget Timeline and Scrutiny Process 2027/28

The committee noted the proposed timeline for the 2027/28 budget setting process, which included a risk-based approach focusing on high-risk areas such as adult social care, the Northamptonshire Children's Trust contract, and home-to-school transport. The scrutiny process would involve dedicated sessions with executive directors and subject matter experts to review in-year performance and draft budget proposals.

Councillor Cheatley and Claire Edwards, Executive Director of Finance, presented the report, outlining the indicative timeline and proposed scrutiny arrangements. The committee was asked to note the timeline, comment on the Scrutiny Task and Finish Panel Scoping Document, and the proposed budget setting and scrutiny arrangements for the Children's Trust.

Key dates included a scene-setting session in October 2026, dedicated scrutiny sessions in November 2026, and the Executive's consideration of draft budget proposals in December 2026. The formal budget consultation would run until January 2027, with the final budget to be set by Council in February 2027.

The committee resolved to note the proposed timeline and scrutiny arrangements, and to recommend the draft timeline and areas for the 2027/28 scrutiny process to the Executive.

Corporate Scrutiny Work Programme 2026/27

The committee noted the Corporate Scrutiny Work Programme for 2026/27.