The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Barking and Dagenham Council is scheduled to convene on Wednesday, 4 November 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of the BD Group's performance, a detailed examination of proposed fees and charges for 2027, and an update on the committee's work programme.

BD Group Performance Review

The committee is set to consider a report on the activities of the BD Group, which comprises several subsidiary companies. These include BD Management Services Ltd and BD Service Delivery Ltd, responsible for specialist repairs and maintenance; BD Together Ltd and BD Corporate Cleaning Ltd, providing catering, cleaning, and corporate cleaning services; and Londoneast-UK Ltd, which offers accommodation and related services. The report is expected to outline the group's performance, recent activities, and its business plan for 2026-2031, which aims for financial stabilisation, operational improvement, and sustainable growth. The financial trajectory targets a loss of approximately £2 million in the first year, breaking even in the second year, and moving towards profitability from the third year onwards. The report also details efforts to stabilise financial reporting and control, improve service delivery economics, and sustain improvements through evidence and assurance. Commercial strategies, legal and compliance measures, and risk management frameworks are also scheduled for discussion.

Scrutiny of Fees and Charges for 2027

A significant portion of the meeting is dedicated to the scrutiny of proposed fees and charges for 2027, which will be considered by Cabinet in December 2026. The report details the council's approach to setting fees and charges across various directorates, aiming to recover service delivery costs and remain competitive. The proposed changes are based on the council's Charging Policy, which prioritises income generation where powers exist, aims for full cost recovery, and justifies any deviations based on council priorities. The report indicates that most charges will be uplifted in line with inflation, using the August CPI figure of 3.1%. Specific services reviewed include Care and Support Services, Childcare Services, Education, Youth and Childcare, Temporary Accommodation, General Housing, Leasehold Management and Shared Ownership Fees, Enforcement (Regulatory Services), Parking, CCTV, Street Trading and Barking Market, HMO Licensing and Private Sector Enforcement Fees, Planning Enforcement, Highways, Street Works and Flood and Drainage Services, Other Public Realm (Park sports, Pest control, cemeteries and street cleansing), Culture and Heritage, Parks Events and Ranger Services, Women's Museum, Law and Governance, Support and Collections, and Registrars and Customer Services. The report includes detailed appendices outlining the proposed fees and charges, as well as those to be deleted.

Work Programme Update

The committee will also review its work programme for the upcoming period. The agenda indicates that the 'Heritage Place Designation' item has been moved to the meeting scheduled for 14 April 2027, and 'Climate Change – decarbonisation of the built environment' has been rescheduled to the meeting on 10 March 2027. The committee is asked to note the updated work programme.

The meeting is scheduled to take place in the Council Chamber at the Town Hall, Barking, at 7:00 pm. Members of the public can attend in person or watch the proceedings via the council's website webcast.