The Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on 23 September 2026 discussed improvements to the delegated budget scheme, the economic development of Warwickshire, and the council's performance and feedback reports. Key decisions included noting the positive overall performance of council delivery plan activities and a majority of key business measures, alongside a commitment to further investigate the impact of job losses at Jaguar Land Rover.

Delegated Budget Scheme Improvements

Councillors discussed the ongoing improvements to the delegated budget scheme, with general agreement that significant progress had been made since 2021. Councillor Stan Carvel highlighted the benefit of weekly updates for members and the improved reporting of scheme progress. However, Councillor Carvel also raised concerns about IT proficiency and potential data breaches, recalling an instance where an internal email chain inadvertently included a developer. Councillor Carvel also sought clarification on the School Lane junction scheme, noting a perceived contradiction between verbal assurances and the documentation. Richard Fenwick, Director of Highways, explained that the School Lane junction item was a closed matter and suggested a written query for further details. Councillor Lorraine Grocott and Councillor Jonathan Chilvers echoed the positive sentiment regarding improvements, particularly the visual representation of schemes on a map and the ability to assign job numbers. However, Councillor Chilvers noted that items on a wish list were not always progressing, leading to a feeling of work being undertaken without official commencement. Richard Fenwick explained that the wish list situation had been discussed extensively, with the current approach ensuring logged items are recorded and pinned, though not always included in outstanding figures if they related to former members. A report on the delegated budget is scheduled for the November meeting.

Economic Development and Skills

Isabel Woods, Head of Economy and Skills, presented a positive overview of Warwickshire's economic development, highlighting a resilient labour market with an unemployment rate of 4.8%, below the UK average. Job vacancies were up 4% compared to the previous year, and employment among working-age residents remained strong. The Warwickshire Business Growth Service, launched in April, had engaged with nearly 440 businesses, with an active communications campaign planned for the autumn. The Local Enterprise and Communities Fund had provided nearly £9 million in loans to 127 businesses, safeguarding 560 jobs and creating 190 new ones. Capital grants had awarded £420,000 to 18 businesses, attracting nearly £900,000 in private sector investment. Business centre occupancy had increased to 86%.

In terms of employment and skills programmes, the Supportive Employment Service achieved 74 paid job outcomes, and the WorkWell programme received 550 referrals. Skills funding had allocated £154,000, supporting 175 businesses and 323 employees. The Careers Hub worked with 53 schools and colleges.

A significant announcement was the loss of 4,000 non-production jobs at Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). While this was a cause for concern, particularly for young graduates and the supply chain, it was noted that other automotive companies such as Aston Martin Lagonda, McLaren, and Triumph Motors had reached out to affected staff. The council was working collaboratively with Coventry and the West Midlands to understand the impact on local residents and businesses. Councillor Sarah Boad, a Chartered Engineer, expressed significant concern about the potential job losses, particularly for young engineers, and requested a briefing note from the portfolio holder on interactions with JLR. Councillor Grocott and Councillor Boad also raised concerns about the impact on the wider supply chain and the potential for reduced housing development if developers faced uncertainty.

The Teenage Markets programme was highlighted as a success, with 70 unique traders, over 100 opportunities, and more than £11,000 in sales. A local SME procurement event was planned for October, and the Interactive Futures event for the video game sector would take place in November. The BBC was filming a new drama in Leamington Spa, and the Visit Warwickshire website had seen a significant increase in monthly visits.

Performance and Feedback Reports

Steve Smith, Director of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, presented the Quarter 1 Integrated Performance Report 2026-27. Overall, 100% of Council Delivery Plan activities were on track, and 78% of Key Business Measures (KBMs) were achieved or on course. Strengths included country park usage, digital connectivity, and support for the local economy and skills sector. Challenges included a pause in the Apprenticeship Levy Transfer Programme and pressure on waste performance. Financially, services were forecasting a small underspend, but there were significant pressures within Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, largely related to waste management.

Ruth Rollings presented the Communities Annual Feedback Report 2025/26. Overall feedback cases increased by 17% across the council, with a 19% rise in complaints. However, within the Communities Directorate, feedback cases increased by 41%, but formal complaints decreased by 23%. This was attributed to improved early resolution of issues and a greater proportion of contact being recorded as comments or service requests. The report highlighted that email was now the most common method for raising complaints within the directorate. Stage 2 complaint escalations had increased across all services, with Communities recording 36 cases. The top complaint categories within the Communities Directorate were physical environment issues (31%), communication (29%), and council service standards (24%). Home to School Transport received the highest number of complaints (26%). The proportion of complaints resolved within timescales increased from 66% to 75%.

Councillor Jonathan Chilvers questioned the measurement of the KPI for responding to major planning applications, noting that while initial responses were timely, subsequent iterations could cause significant delays. It was confirmed that the KPI measured the average time to final decision. Councillor Boad raised concerns about the decrease in recycling rates and the increase in waste going to landfill, suggesting this might be linked to the booking system at recycling centres. It was noted that while the booking system might have had an impact, it was a small part of the overall waste volume.

Director Updates and Work Programme

Richard Fenwick, Director of Highways, provided an update on delegated budgets, noting that 540 schemes had been completed since July 2023, with 789 outstanding. The average completion time was 244 days, though this masked significant variations. Improvements to the process were being implemented, focusing on communication between teams, streamlining simpler schemes, and revisiting the feasibility process. Councillor Stan Carvell praised the improvements but also highlighted the long waiting times for some schemes.

Councillor Cameron raised concerns about on-street parking around the CBS Arena, suggesting a report on general on-street parking. Councillor Grocott also highlighted issues with parking in Rugby, where residents paying for permits were struggling to find spaces. It was noted that a draft parking strategy was coming forward.

In Any Other Business, Councillor Cameron raised a question on behalf of Councillor Luke Cooper regarding the rollout of advisory 20mph speed limits outside primary schools, specifically asking when Mappleborough Green and Coton primary schools would receive their signs. It was agreed that this would be taken up directly with officers as a specific case.

The Communities OSC Work Programme was reviewed, with a request to add a report on highway management. Councillor Carvel also clarified that the School Lane junction report had been pulled from full council as capital funding was no longer required. Future items for discussion included public rights of way, home to school transport, and a draft parking strategy.

The committee also noted a discrepancy in the performance report regarding the percentage of KBMs achieved, with a graphic showing 76% while the text stated 78%. It was agreed that this would be rectified in future reports.

A request was made for a briefing note from the portfolio holder regarding the impact of the JLR job losses.

The meeting concluded with thanks to the officers and attendees.