The Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee was scheduled to consider the first annual report on the Council Plan, review the principles of effective scrutiny, and discuss the Council's forward programme. The meeting was also scheduled to review the work programmes for various Overview and Scrutiny Committees.

Council Plan Annual Report - Year 1

The Committee was scheduled to consider the first annual report on the delivery of the Council Plan for the period August 2025 to June 2026. This report was scheduled to provide an update on progress made against the Council's mission: We work with and for our communities to make sure everyone has the opportunity to thrive; being able to start well, live well, and age well in Wokingham Borough. The plan is structured around four ambitions: Fair, Green, Safe, and Connected. The report was scheduled to detail achievements and progress made in implementing key strategies, including the Equality, Diversity, and Inclusion (EDI) Policy. Despite facing challenges such as increased demand for services, inflation, and national funding changes, the report was scheduled to highlight the Council's continued delivery of high-quality support and day-to-day services, noting that the Council was ranked second out of 149 councils in England by the ImPower Productivity Index for its efficient use of budgets. The report was scheduled to recommend that Committee members note the progress made and achievements during the first year of the Council Plan and EDI Policy into Action plan.

Principles of Effective Scrutiny

A briefing was scheduled to be provided on the principles of effective Overview and Scrutiny, drawing on the Government's 2024 statutory guidance and case studies. The report was scheduled to consider how Wokingham Borough Council's arrangements could be enhanced to support stronger governance, accountability, and improved outcomes for residents. Key areas for discussion were scheduled to include prioritising outcome-focused work programmes, developing SMART recommendations, tracking delivery and impact, supporting Member development, and improving collaboration between Scrutiny and Audit functions. The Committee was scheduled to be asked to endorse these principles and consider any further changes to enhance the Council's Overview and Scrutiny function.

Consideration of the Current Executive Forward Programme

The Committee was scheduled to review the current published version of the Executive Forward Programme. This programme outlines decisions scheduled to be taken by the Council's Executive and individual Executive Members in the coming months. Items scheduled for discussion included the Health & Safety Annual Report 2025-26, Revenue and Capital Budget Monitoring for Quarter Two 2026/27, the Employment and Skills Strategy, and the Tackling Hardship and Building Resilience policy. Other items on the programme were scheduled to cover the Borough-wide Electric Vehicle Charging Strategic Infrastructure Partnership Procurement, the Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy, and the future use of Mulberry Business Park.

O&S Committee Work Programmes

The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of the work programme for the Overview and Scrutiny Management Committee itself, as well as the work programmes for other Overview and Scrutiny Committees, including the Children's Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Climate Emergency Overview and Scrutiny Committee, the Community and Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee. These discussions were scheduled to outline the topics and reviews planned for the upcoming municipal year.

Action Tracker

The Committee was scheduled to consider the regular Action Tracker report, which monitors the progress of actions agreed at previous meetings. This report provides an update on the implementation of recommendations and decisions made by the Committee and other scrutiny bodies.