The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board met to review the council's financial performance for the 2025/26 period, discuss the refresh of the Council Plan for 2027-2031, and receive updates on various petitions. The meeting also covered the revenue and capital outturn for the Chief Executive's Office and the Resources department.

Council Plan 2027-2031 Refresh

The Board was scheduled to discuss the approach for refreshing the Council Plan for 2027-2031. This refresh is described as a proportionate and targeted review, focusing on testing the relevance and deliverability of the existing five core ambitions: Reforming the Council, Supercharging our Economy, Building Better Communities, Caring for our People, and Practical Environmental Stewardship. The process involves service engagement, a review of the evidence base, and public consultation to ensure the plan remains relevant, evidence-led, and aligned with the council's strategic and financial context. The refresh is intended to account for changes in the operating environment, update key activities, and ensure the plan reflects current needs. A high-level timetable indicated that the process would culminate in Full Council adoption in February 2027.

2025/26 Financial Outturn Report

The meeting agenda included a review of the 2025/26 Final Outturn for the Revenue Budget, Capital Budgets, Collection Fund, and Treasury Management. The report presented to the Cabinet on 1 July 2026 detailed the final revenue outturn for the General Fund, Dedicated Schools Grants, School Budgets, capital outturn, and treasury management. It also covered the outturn for the Council Tax and Business Rates collection fund, the use of reserves, and an overview of the achievement of Medium-Term Financial Plan (MTFP) savings targets. The report indicated an overall General Fund Revenue Budget underspend of £19.532 million for 2025/26. Discussions were also scheduled regarding the Dedicated Schools Grant cumulative deficit balance and proposed amendments to the MTFP Capital Programme.

Chief Executive's Office Revenue and Capital Outturn 2025/26

The Board was scheduled to receive details of the final revenue and capital outturn budget position for the Chief Executive's Office (CEO) service grouping. The report indicated an underspend of £0.188 million against a revised revenue budget of £22.082 million for 2025/26. The capital budget for the CEO was £0.492 million, with £0.262 million expended by 31 March 2026. The report highlighted variances and contributions to and from earmarked reserves.

Resources Revenue and Capital Outturn 2025/26

The meeting was also set to review the final revenue and capital outturn budget position for the Resources service grouping. The report indicated an underspend of £4.432 million against a revised revenue budget of £70.020 million for 2025/26. The capital budget for Resources was £19.040 million, with £13.727 million expended by 31 March 2026. The report detailed variances across various heads of service within Resources, including Corporate Finance and Commercial Services, Corporate Property and Land, and Digital Services, as well as outlining the capital programme and its financing.

Update in Relation to Petitions

The Board was scheduled to receive a quarterly update on the status of various petitions received by the Authority. This included information on new e-petitions and paper petitions, their current status, and any responses from relevant services. The report detailed the process for handling petitions, noting that the scheme operates at the authority's discretion following changes in legislation. Several specific petitions were listed, including those concerning traffic calming measures on View Lane in Stanley, objections to proposed Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs) in Hunwick, the preservation of a historical mosaic at County Hall, and requests for investment in Shotton Pond.

Notice of Key Decisions

The Board was to be presented with the list of key decisions scheduled for consideration by the Executive. This notice, published in accordance with statutory requirements, provides details of decisions expected up to October 2026 and outlines the involvement of Overview and Scrutiny. New items added to the plan since the last update included the Local Council Tax Reduction Scheme 2027/28, an MTFP update, and a progress update on the Horden Together Partnership.

Work Programme

The Board was scheduled to review its draft updated work programme for 2026/2027. This programme is designed to be flexible to accommodate emerging issues and priorities. Members were invited to consider whether the current programme remained balanced, focused on key priorities, achievable within available capacity, and to propose any amendments. The work programme included items such as the Council Plan refresh, financial outturn reports, and updates on petitions.

Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2025/26

The Board was to consider the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26 for comment and approval before its submission to the County Council. This report reflects on the scrutiny activity undertaken by the Board and thematic Scrutiny Committees throughout the year.

The meeting also included agenda items for Apologies for Absence, Substitute Members, Minutes of the previous meeting, and Declarations of Interest.