The Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to review the council's financial performance for the previous year, examine the executive's response to a report on water supply resilience, and receive an update on the council's progress over the past twelve months. The committee will also consider its future work programme.

Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report Outturn 2025-26

The committee is scheduled to consider the Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring Report for the financial year 2025-26. This report details the council's financial outturn position, including revenue overspends and underspends across various directorates. It highlights significant pressures within Adult Social Care and Health, which reported a £42.9 million overspend, and a £33.0 million overspend in Schools' Delegated Budgets. The report also outlines the capital programme's performance, noting a large underspend of £105.8 million, primarily due to project rephasing. The document details the savings and additional income achieved against targets, the council's reserves position, and treasury management monitoring. The committee is asked to note the report or make recommendations to the relevant Cabinet Member.

SFI Executive Response

The committee will review the executive's response to the Water Supply Short Focused Inquiry (SFI) report, which was published in May 2026. This inquiry examined the handling and impacts of major water supply failures in Kent during late 2025 and early 2026, affecting areas such as Tunbridge Wells, Maidstone, Canterbury, and Swale. The executive has accepted all eight recommendations made by the inquiry, which cover areas including communication, identification of vulnerable residents, emergency water distribution, support for businesses and rural communities, community engagement, sector resilience, infrastructure planning, and accountability. The report details the specific responses and the lead agencies responsible for implementing each recommendation, noting that some actions fall outside of Kent County Council's direct control and will be pursued through partnerships like the Kent and Medway Resilience Forum (KMRF) or directly with water companies.

Leader's Report: One Year On

Councillor Linden Kemkaran, Leader of the Council, will present a report summarising the council's progress over the past twelve months. The report highlights achievements in five key areas: the council's financial position, adult social care services, special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision, water resilience and infrastructure, and highways maintenance. It notes a revenue overspend of £21.6 million for 2025-26, which was an improvement on earlier forecasts, and the delivery of £98.6 million in savings and additional income. The report details progress in transforming adult social care commissioning, strengthening the provider market, and improving care quality and outcomes. For SEND, it acknowledges ongoing challenges with increasing demand but points to progress in expanding specialist provision and working with the Department for Education on national reforms. The report also outlines the council's proactive role in water resilience, including developing a 25-year Water Resources Strategy and proposing a Kent Water Resilience Partnership. Finally, it details significant investment in highway maintenance through the Reforming Kent's Roads programme, reporting record pothole repairs and substantial resurfacing work.

Work Programme

The committee will consider its proposed work programme for future meetings. This includes items such as Family Hubs, Rape/Grooming Gangs, SEND Reform, the Kent Flood Risk Management Committee Annual Report, and the initial draft budget and Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP). The work programme also lists suggested future topics for discussion, including VAT and Business Rates on private school fees, the cost of the Kent Test selection process, and speed management and road safety. The committee is asked to consider and note this report.