The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Newham Council met on Wednesday 02 September 2026 to review the Council's Community Neighbourhoods Model, the Quarter 1 budget monitoring report for 2026/27, and the Annual Complaints Report. The Committee also considered its work programme and the Forward Plan of Key Decisions.

Community Neighbourhoods Model

The Committee was scheduled to consider the proposed Community Neighbourhoods Model, which aims to establish eight Community Neighbourhoods as the Council's borough-wide framework for neighbourhood working. This model is intended to bring together local leadership, resident participation, and partnership working around local area priorities. Each neighbourhood would have a Community Neighbourhood Profile and a Community Neighbourhood Plan to provide a shared evidence base and identify local priorities. The model is designed to operate within existing constitutional, financial, and governance arrangements, without establishing new committees or altering executive decision-making powers. The report highlighted that implementation would be phased, utilising existing resources and networks, and that any proposals with significant financial, legal, or policy implications would be subject to established decision-making processes. Special Responsibility Allowances (SRAs) were proposed for Community Neighbourhood Lead Members, funded from the Members' Allowances budget.

2026/27 Quarter 1 Budget Monitoring Report

The Committee was scheduled to review the Quarter 1 Budget Monitoring Report for 2026/27. The report indicated a forecast overspend of £6.168m on the General Fund Revenue Budget, an increase of £0.243m from the Month 2 forecast. Significant forecast overspends were noted in Adults & Health (£4.118m) due to demand and cost pressures in care packages and placements, and in Children & Young People (£5.116m) due to increased costs for Home-to-School Transport, Disabled Children's Services, and Children in Care placements. An overspend was also forecast in Resources (£1.192m) due to a loss of Housing Benefit subsidy. These overspends were partially offset by a forecast underspend in Inclusive Economy & Housing (£4.456m), primarily due to reduced nightly accommodation rates for Temporary Accommodation. The report detailed mitigation plans for each directorate to address these pressures. The Committee was also to review the progress on Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) savings, with 22% delivered, 53% on track, and 25% not yet in delivery or at risk of slippage. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) and Housing Revenue Account (HRA) were forecast to be balanced, and the Capital Programme was forecasting an underspend.

Annual Complaints Report

The Committee was scheduled to review the Annual Complaints Report for 2025/26. This report presented findings, trends, learning outcomes, and improvement priorities arising from complaints, member enquiries, and Local Government Ombudsman investigations. The report indicated a 6% reduction in overall complaints received compared to the previous year, totalling 6,992, although performance in responding within target timescales declined to 69%. The report detailed complaint volumes and themes across various directorates, including Housing Repairs, Waste, Council Tax, and Parking. It highlighted that Dissatisfaction with a service received was the most frequent reason for upheld complaints. The report also covered Ombudsman cases, noting a decrease in Newham's upheld rate to 85%, which was below the London and national averages. Compliments received had increased by 25% compared to the previous year. The report outlined planned improvement activities for 2026/27, focusing on restoring timeliness, reducing failure demand, strengthening learning and quality assurance, improving Ombudsman outcomes, and enhancing member experience. Specific appendices provided detailed reports for Housing Services, Children's Social Care, and Adult Social Care.

Work Programme

The Committee was scheduled to consider the Draft Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme for 2026-2027. This programme outlines the planned scrutiny committee agenda items for the municipal year, aiming to ensure the scrutiny function focuses on delivering work of genuine value and relevance to the Council's work. The draft programme indicated that topics such as the Parking Review, the Community Neighbourhoods Model, the 2026/27 Q1 Budget Monitoring Report, and the Annual Complaints Report were scheduled for consideration. The report emphasised that the Work Plan is a dynamic document, adaptable to emergent issues and evolving priorities.

Forward Plan of Key Decisions

The Committee was also scheduled to review the Forward Plan of Key Decisions. This plan provides an overview of forthcoming decisions that are key to the Council's work and are therefore suitable for pre-decision scrutiny. Members were requested to review the document and raise any issues requiring clarification with the lead officer, to help identify any matters requiring consideration for inclusion in the Overview and Scrutiny Committee's indicative work programme. The Forward Plan can be accessed online via a provided web link.

The meeting also included standard agenda items such as welcome and introductions, confirmation of membership, and declarations of interest. The Committee would also consider the extent to which the public and press might be excluded from the meeting for specific items. The date of the next meeting was scheduled for 1 October 2026.