The Overview and Scrutiny Management Board reviewed the Information Management and Technology Performance Report, discussing advancements in IT services, cyber security, and the council's digital transformation efforts. The Board also reviewed and agreed its work programme for the coming year, incorporating new scrutiny activities and confirming existing plans.

Information Management and Technology Performance Report

Tom Baker, the Chief Information Officer, presented a comprehensive report on the performance of the council's Information Technology (IT) services. He highlighted that critical digital services have maintained high levels of availability and performance, with customer satisfaction remaining above target. The IT service has also successfully delivered its planned financial savings while continuing to invest in modernisation and resilience.

Key achievements discussed included the progress of the new wide area network (WAN) deployment, which is on track to deliver significant savings and improve connectivity. The managed wind-up of the East Midlands Public Services Teckle Company (emPSN) was also noted as a significant risk mitigation exercise, with the operational element ceasing on 31 October 2026. This transition will allow schools to move to alternative broadband providers and the council to adopt a modern, higher-capacity network.

Mr. Baker detailed advancements in cyber security, including a structured improvement programme aligned with industry standards and continuous 24x7 security monitoring. He also touched upon the council's controlled adoption of Artificial Intelligence (AI), with pilots in areas such as transcription services for Adult Social Care showing promising results in reducing administrative burden.

During the discussion, Councillor Jimmy William Brookes (VICE-CHAIRMAN OF THE COUNCIL) raised concerns about the potential for cyber-attacks, referencing a recent incident in Australia. Mr. Baker assured members that the council has a robust portfolio of controls in place, including weekly vulnerability scanning and monitoring of public-facing applications and infrastructure. He also acknowledged the need for ongoing training in AI tools like co-pilot and the evolving landscape of AI, moving towards more agentic setups.

Councillor Richard Graham Davies raised questions regarding the council's financial savings targets related to IT, expressing concern that the reported savings were lower than initially projected in the business case. Mr. Baker explained that savings are realised through various avenues, including contract efficiencies, IT establishment restructuring, and capital funding optimisation. He committed to providing a more detailed synopsis of the financial papers offline.

The report also covered the deployment of the Dynamics 365 system into the Customer Service Centre, which has replaced the legacy Serco technology and is expected to provide a more stable platform for citizens. The migration of finance colleagues onto the new SharePoint environment was also highlighted, resulting in the removal of over 50% of redundant or obsolete information.

Councillor Martin John Hill OBE questioned the resilience of the council's systems in the event of a cyber-attack or AI infiltration, asking if data was stored retrievably elsewhere and if contingency plans were in place. Mr. Baker detailed multiple safeguards, including layered defences, immutable backups, operation across multiple data centres, and close collaboration with the County Emergency Centre. He acknowledged that this is a significant challenge for all organisations and that continuous revision of processes is necessary.

Councillor Philip Maurice Dilks inquired about card payment systems, and Mr. Baker confirmed a new EPOS system had been rolled out, with a single issue identified with a PIN pad that was being addressed.

The Board reviewed and was assured on the performance information presented in the report, agreeing that the IT service is delivering measurable operational, customer, and financial benefits.

Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Work Programme

Hannah Hunter, Scrutiny Officer, presented the proposed work programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Management Board. She noted that following the recent county council meeting, functions relating to procurement and contract management, and property, have moved to the Board's remit. This has led to the addition of several items to the work programme, including the proposed strategy for the county farms estate, the water and waste contract transition, and the capital repairs and maintenance programme.

Councillor Mrs Jane Smith inquired about the timeline for the windmill strategy, expressing a desire for it to be considered sooner rather than later due to public interest. Andrew Crookham, Chief Executive, confirmed that the strategy was planned for inclusion in the work programme and would be brought forward.

Councillor Martin John Hill OBE commented on the increasing workload of the Board, suggesting that property matters might be better suited to the Growth Scrutiny Committee. He also highlighted the need to include property disposals, such as the Deepings Leisure Centre, and other property-related issues that have a public-facing impact. Mr. Crookham agreed to consider an overview of property matters to inform future scrutiny.

Councillor Sam French expressed willingness to discuss moving items to the Growth Committee if it would be logistically or scrutinistically beneficial. Councillor Brenda Hazel Collier noted a correction to the name of a scrutiny committee, from Children and Culture to Children and Families Scrutiny Committee.

The Board approved the planned work programme, subject to the consideration of items highlighted during the discussions.

Scrutiny Committee Work Programmes

The Board noted the work programmes of the other scrutiny committees for information only.

Councillor Community Grant Fund - Update Report

The Board noted the update report on the Councillor Community Grant Fund, which provides an overview of the fund's financial position, application activity, and progress to date. A discussion report on the fund is scheduled for the meeting on 17 December 2026.

Consideration of Exempt Information

The Board agreed to exclude the press and public from the meeting for the consideration of agenda item 12, Judicial Review of the Local Government Reorganisation Decision in relation to Lincolnshire, on the grounds that it involved the likely disclosure of exempt information.