The Cotswold District Council's Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 1 September 2025, to discuss the financial and service performance for the first quarter of 2025-26, receive an update on the Corporate Plan, and consider updates from Gloucestershire County Council scrutiny committees. The committee scrutinised reports and agreed to submit recommendations to the Cabinet regarding the financial performance, service delivery and the updated Corporate Plan.

Here's a detailed look at the key discussion points:

Financial Performance Report 2025-26 Quarter 1

The committee reviewed the Financial Performance Report - Q1 2025-26, which outlined the budget monitoring position for the first quarter of the financial year. The report projected a positive variation of £97,000, which could enhance financial sustainability over the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) period. Key areas discussed included:

• Income Variations: Shortfalls were noted in cemetery fees, while licensing income exceeded budget.
• Car Park Income: Car park fee income performed positively, exceeding budget by £55,000.
• Development Management Fees: Planning fee income was significantly above budget, by £249,000, attributed to a rise in major housing and other developments.
• Commercial Property: A £61,000 adverse variance was reported due to a vacant property in Tipton.
• Street Services: A risk provision of £150,000 was included against a £300,000 savings target for street cleaning.
• Treasury Management: Positive performance was noted due to higher interest rates and surplus balances.
• Ubico Contract: An adverse variation of £49,000 was reported due to higher vehicle hire and repair costs.
• Capital Programme: The capital programme was forecast to underspend by £320,000, with variations in private sector housing renewal and Bromford Joint Venture projects.

The committee discussed the need for budget holders to address underperformance and align financial outcomes with service performance. The importance of addressing financial challenges related to the Fair Funding Review 2.0 and Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) was also emphasised.

Service Performance Report 2025-26 Quarter 1

The committee scrutinised the Service Performance Report, which provided an update on the council's priorities and service performance. Key points from the discussion included:

• Overall Performance: The council's performance was mixed, with highlights in Publica phase 2 transitions, Cotswold Home Solar installations, and Strengthening Communities events.
• Areas Above Target: Customer satisfaction, planning application determination times, high-risk food premises inspections, gym membership, and leisure centre visits were performing above target.
• Areas Below Target: Affordable homes delivery and missed bin collections were below target.
• Street Signs: Councillor Gina Blomefield, Chair of Overview and Scrutiny Committee requested a written response regarding Ubico street sign replacement updates.
• Cultural Strategy: The delivery of the District Council's cultural strategy was off target due to timing issues.
• Planning Enforcement: The Director of Communities and Place would consider using temporary staff to address the backlog of 561 planning enforcement cases, subject to budget and suitability.
• Waste Collection: The waste collection service relied on a single narrow access vehicle, highlighting the need for a backup to prevent future service disruptions.
• Leisure Centres: A member requested a site breakdown of Freedom Leisure satisfaction per site, and a better understanding of leisure centre satisfaction.
• Freedom of Information Requests: Performance on Freedom of Information requests was below target, and statutory requirements had been missed.
• Retrofit Workshops: A question was raised about why retrofit workshops were limited in time scale and not ongoing.

Corporate Plan 2025-2028 Update

The committee reviewed the Corporate Plan 2025-2028 Cover Report and Draft Corporate Plan, which had been refreshed to reflect significant changes nationally and locally. The updated plan included a new priority: 'Preparing for the Future', encompassing the council's transformation programme and preparations for Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). The council is working towards a timeline of a successor unitary authority being vested on 1 April 2028, with Cotswold District Council delivery ceasing on 31 March 2028.

The refreshed priorities are:

• Preparing for the Future
• Delivering Good Services
• Responding to the Climate Emergency
• Delivering Housing
• Supporting Communities
• Supporting the Economy

The committee agreed to submit the Corporate Plan to Cabinet for approval, with any recommendations.

Updates from Gloucestershire County Council Scrutiny Committees

Councillor Angus Jenkinson provided an update on the Gloucestershire Economic Growth Scrutiny Committee, and Councillor David Fowles provided an update on the Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Work Plan and Forward Plan

The committee reviewed its work plan and forward plan, and considered potential items for pre-decision scrutiny at future meetings.

The Executive Forward Plan was reviewed, and the committee discussed potential items for future scrutiny, including:

• The current state of the hospitality and retail sectors in the Cotswolds, particularly considering recent tax changes that may impact early-career individuals.
• A review of the leisure contract with Freedom Leisure, including progress and provision at Chipping Campden School.
• An overview of the current parking situation and progress on the emerging parking strategy.
• A follow-up discussion regarding Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) after November, with the item included on a regular basis.

It was suggested that a dedicated Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting may be necessary to specifically scrutinise the Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) processes. Councillor Mike Evemy, Leader of the Council and Jane Portman, Interim CEO will discuss the scrutiny of the LGR process at a meeting on 18 September with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee. A briefing note from the Interim Chief Executive was suggested to ensure consistency on LGR.