The Scrutiny Streets & Environment Sub-Committee were scheduled to meet to discuss the council's stabilisation plan, climate action plan and financial performance. The committee was also expected to discuss and update their work programme for the coming year.

Stabilisation Plan

The sub-committee was scheduled to receive an update on the council's stabilisation plan as it relates to the Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery (SCRER) Directorate. The discussion was expected to focus on the plan to increase parking income by £1 million through:

• Increasing penalty charge notice income
• Improving debt collection

The report pack included a draft of the cabinet report on the stabilisation plan, and the Croydon Stabilisation Plan.

The stabilisation plan included a number of accelerated actions, including:

• Maximising the use of disabled facilities grants
• Accelerating the Adults Living Independently Programme
• Opening Angel Lodge Children's Home
• Creating Croydon Super Foster Carers
• Securing Warm Homes Local Delivery Grants
• Delivering bus priority schemes
• Applying for LEVI (Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure) funding
• Electrifying council depot
• Establishing a Green Business Network

The report pack also included a risk assessment for the stabilisation plan, which recognised the scale and complexity of delivering multiple accelerated actions in a challenging financial and operational external environment.

Climate Action Plan

The sub-committee was scheduled to receive the June cabinet report on the Climate Action Plan ahead of the cabinet meeting the following day.

The report pack included a draft of the cabinet paper on the Climate Action Plan, as well as the Croydon Climate Action Plan 2030, the Equality Impact Assessment Form, and a Table of Changes to existing Carbon Neutral Action Plan.

The Climate Action Plan sets out Croydon Council's actions towards carbon reduction, and reflects the council's commitment to reducing greenhouse gas emissions, enhancing environmental sustainability, and supporting the health and well-being of residents.

The plan includes actions such as:

• Establishing oversight and accountability
• Leading by example
• Embedding carbon reduction in strategies and activities of the council
• Retrofitting homes
• Improving energy and planning
• Greening neighbourhoods with blue and green infrastructure¹
• Improving transport and fleet infrastructure
• Strengthening the local and circular economy
• Getting people and businesses involved

The plan also sets out how the council will work towards net zero, which means that the overall carbon emissions for Croydon are reduced to nil.

Working towards net zero will mean that the overall carbon emissions for Croydon are reduced to nil. This doesn't necessarily require a complete elimination of emissions but does necessitate that any remaining emissions be offset by activities that remove an equivalent amount of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.

— Croydon Climate Action Plan 2030

Financial Performance Report

The sub-committee was scheduled to review the latest financial performance monitoring report, to consider whether it was reassured about the delivery of the 2024-25 Sustainable Communities, Regeneration & Economic Recovery Budget.

The report pack included the Financial Monitoring - Period 10 report, and Appendix A - Period 10 Financial Performance Report.

The General Fund revenue forecast outturn at financial year end shows a projected overall overspend at financial year end of £34.2m at Period 10 before non-recurrent mitigations. This reduces to £4.3m after the forecast utilisation of the £5.0m risk contingency budget, £13.0m corporate earmarked reserves, £3.9m business risk earmarked reserve and £51m capitalisation directions (£13m more than the budgeted £38m).

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) is forecasting a revenue overspend of £8.0m.

The General Fund capital programme has a forecast underspend of £10.6m (7.7%) against the revised budget of £137.4m.

The HRA capital programme has a forecast breakeven position against the revised budget of £68.3m.

Scrutiny Work Programme 2025-2026

The Streets & Environment Sub-Committee was asked to note the most recent version of its Work Programme, and consider whether there were any other items that should be provisionally added to the work programme as a result of the discussions held during the meeting.

The proposed work programme included the following items:

• Stabilisation Plan
• Cleaner Croydon/Blitz Clean Update
• Waste Contract Management & Mobilisation
• Budget Scrutiny Challenge
• Next Generation Highways Contract
• Implementation of the Streets & Environment Enforcement Policy

The report pack also listed a number of unallocated items for consideration, including:

• Environment Bill Responsibilities
• Implications of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Bill
• Protection of green spaces and parks
• Clean Water and Sewage (Thames Water)
• Public Transport, Active Transport, Road Safety & School Streets
• Climate Action Plan/Vision Zero
• Enforcement Policy & Planning Enforcement
• Bus Shelter Contract
• Electric Vehicle Charging Point Strategy
• Reconnected Croydon Programme
• Town Centre Regeneration
• Croydon Local Implementation Plan (LIP) - Public Transport, Active Transport, Road Safety & Neighbourhoods