The Scrutiny Management Board of North Northamptonshire Council met on Tuesday 16 June 2026, approving the establishment of a Task and Finish Panel to support the development of the Local Transport Plan and endorsing the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2026/27. The minutes from the previous meeting held on 16 March 2026 were also approved.

Establishment of Task and Finish Panel - Local Transport Plan

The Board approved the establishment of a Task and Finish Panel to scrutinise the development of the Local Transport Plan (LTP). This statutory document, required under the Transport Act 2000, will set out the council's transport vision, policies, priorities, and investment framework for future years, influencing decisions on highways, public transport, active travel, and more.

The panel will comprise members from the Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee and other scrutiny members to ensure cross-party representation and broad engagement. The Scrutiny Officer, in consultation with the Chair of the Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee, will finalise the panel's membership and meeting dates. The panel's findings and recommendations will be reported to the Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee, the Executive, and other relevant bodies. The report highlighted that this proactive approach would prevent delays in the LTP timetable, which includes key member engagement stages commencing in July 2026. The panel is expected to provide constructive challenge and support evidence-based decision-making throughout the policy development process.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2026/27

The Board approved the first iteration of the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2026/27. This programme outlines the planned scrutiny activities for the upcoming year, developed in line with the council's Constitution, which mandates the Scrutiny Management Board to oversee the direction and management of scrutiny. The programme is informed by various inputs, including community concerns, members' suggestions, the council's Corporate Plan, and the Executive Forward Plan.

The Board also considered items from the Executive Forward Plan for pre-scrutiny. It was noted that there were no additional items generated by Scrutiny that were not already included in the Work Programme. The Board referred a proposed Carbon Management Plan Task and Finish Panel back to the Place and Environment Scrutiny Committee for further consideration, following that committee's review of the Carbon Management Plan update report in September 2026. The work programme includes a range of topics for scrutiny across different committees, such as the Budget Forecast Update, Key Performance Indicators, Transformation Updates, and specific reports from various directorates.

Minutes of the meeting held on 16 March 2026

The minutes of the previous Scrutiny Management Board meeting, held on 16 March 2026, were approved as a true and accurate record. At that meeting, discussions had included the development of a Scrutiny Assessment and Prioritisation Tool to manage the flow of items for the Scrutiny Work Programme and the approval of the Scrutiny Work Programme for 2025-26.