The Organisation and Communities Scrutiny Panel met to discuss the council's financial strategy, digital transformation, and asset management. Councillors heard updates on council tax collection rates, the implementation of a new financial system, and the progress of the council's digital strategy. The panel also reviewed a report on non-property council stock assets, focusing on digital assets.

Medium Term Financial Strategy and Financial Performance

Councillor Denise Highland, Cabinet Member Finance, Resources and Social Value, gave a verbal update on the council's financial resources, social value initiatives and digital strategy.

Council Tax and Business Rates: Councillor Denise Highland reported that the council's council tax collection rates have improved relative to the rest of London, exceeding the inner London average. Business rates collection also outperformed both inner and outer London averages.

Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS): The council is anticipating a challenging financial position, with the final government response to a consultation expected towards the end of October or the beginning of November. The team are working to identify options to address the budget gap and lobbying has taken place. The council faces the challenge of closing the largest single-year financial gap it has ever faced, within the context of an even greater challenge over the three-year financial settlement. The proposals will go to pre-decision scrutiny in 2026, before being considered by the Cabinet and full council.

New Financial System: The council has purchased a new financial system as part of its wider digital strategy to modernise outdated IT systems and strengthen financial resilience. The new system, called TechnologyOne, will be implemented in late 2026 and early 2027, running in parallel for a short time to avoid disruption. Councillor Denise Highland stated that the change will:

deliver greater autonomation, stronger reporting, and more consistent business processes, helping to cut costs, streamline operations by replacing legacy systems with a highly automated platform. And this will create a more transparent view of council finances, giving managers access to more easily available information, and therefore supporting overall financial strategies and decision-making.

Procurement Act 2023: The implementation of the Procurement Act 2023 has led to significant changes in the council's procurement processes, including rewriting contract standing orders and purchasing a new system. A new procurement strategy and social value framework are being finalised, along with guidance and training documentation.

Match My Project: The council has implemented a system called Match My Project, which links suppliers with voluntary organisations to provide support for free. Examples include Weights partnering with Greenwich Giving to provide portable toilets for good neighbours, and Amber Construction supporting Eltham Sheds by renovating a new workshop at Woodlands Farm.

Digital Strategy: The council's digital team is nearing the end of its investment period, which was agreed by full council in February 2021, leading to the publication of the council's first digital strategy. Highlights include the move to hybrid working, infrastructure migration to cloud hosting, and investments in cyber security. A review of the previous strategy will be published in due course. The council is also mindful of the digitally excluded and is taking steps to ensure inclusion.

Customer Services: Customer services continue to support residents in accessing services, handling a large volume of phone calls and welcoming residents at the Eltham Centre and the Woolwich Centre contact centres. New digital champions are helping residents use online services, and an out-of-hours service is available. The council is transforming its telecare team into a monitoring and response team for the new digital health and care service.

Staff Morale and Recruitment: Councillor Cathy Dowse raised concerns about the impact of constant change on staff morale and whether recruitment has become a bigger problem. Head of Human Resources, Steph, acknowledged that change impacts staff morale and that the council is aware of this corporately. A whole staff survey in 2024 generated an action plan, and the council is working with the Local Government Association (LGA) to identify quick wins and activities to maintain staff engagement.

Website Content: Councillor Jo van den Broek raised concerns about website content, citing the political composition of the council not being up to date. She asked whether each section of the website has people responsible for content and updating it. A member of the digital team confirmed that there is a team who maintain the website and that feedback is taken from residents via a feedback button on the website.

Artificial Intelligence (AI): Councillor Matt Hartley, Leader of the Opposition, noted that the council's first digital strategy was only in 2021 and asked how the council will ensure it doesn't fall behind on leveraging AI, particularly in customer services. A member of the digital team responded that the council is already doing plenty on AI, with at least four major initiatives across the council and a standing team for AI. They also stated that there is radical potential for automation in customer services, with web chat being an obvious area for implementation.

Shared Services: Councillor Matt Hartley asked whether the council is prepared to reconsider shared services, given the new MTFS and the large hole in the next three years. Councillor Denise Highland responded that the council will consider everything and anything, but that shared services do not always save money. She cited the example of anti-fraud services for Bromley, which works better as a service that is sold to them rather than a shared service.

Anti-Fraud: Councillor Joshua Ayodele, Chair of Organisation and Communities Scrutiny Panel, mentioned an article about the cabinet reclaiming around £480 million in relation to anti-fraud, using an AI tool called the fraud risk assessment accelerator. He asked if the council could look at this tool.

Review of Non-Property Council Stock Assets

The panel reviewed a report on non-property council stock assets, focusing on digital assets.

Kit, Senior Assistant Director of Resources - Digital, Operations and Access, introduced a report ¹ on the council's major tangible and intangible non-property assets in digital. Councillor Casework Software: Councillor Jo van den Broek stated that the software used for councillor casework is inaccessible and inefficient. She said that she is part of the casework review and that the new system does not allow her to share cases with anybody or see where they are. She suggested that there must be software out there that would cut out the need for so many people intervening and yet provide more information. Kit responded that the review hasn't concluded yet, but that he would follow up with Councillor Jo van den Broek to discuss her concerns.

Hybrid Working: Councillor Cathy Dowse asked whether the council is encouraging hybrid working and whether there is any movement towards getting people back into the workplace. Kit responded that the council has an HR policy in place which encourages office-based workers to attend the office twice a week.

Temporary Accommodation: Councillor Asli Mohammed asked for more information on how technology has been used to manage temporary accommodation. Kit responded that this was a data insight tool that used a Microsoft stack. He said that the combination of public and council-held data sets allowed the housing team to make better data-driven decisions.

Cameras and Surveillance: Councillor Asli Mohammed asked whether cameras would be considered a non-property asset and how the council has been using them to improve surveillance in certain populated areas, particularly when it comes to crime. Kit responded that cameras are not considered a digital asset and are held within the place and growth directorate.

Digital Twinning and Virtual Modelling: Councillor Asli Mohammed asked what data is helping councillors inform decisions on traffic flow and sustainability. Kit responded that geospatial mapping is very complex and that it is very important that the council looks at the market for that and makes sure it is leveraging it for the right purpose. He advised the council to consolidate data assets corporately as far as possible.

Data Insights and GDPR: Councillor Jo van den Broek asked whether there is access to the mapping data that has been put together. Kit responded that it is vital that the council is compliant with GDPR and other regulations and that it does not just spit out potentially identifiable insights about any of its residents. He said that the council can make wider use of the data insights, either to publicise them or build them to purpose.

HR and Legal Services

Councillor Denise Highland provided an overview of the HR and legal services within the council.

Workforce Strategy: The council agreed its workforce strategy earlier this year, which forms the foundation of the HR work plan over the next four years. A full report detailing progress against delivery will be brought to this committee in January 2026.

HR Service Reorganisation: A whole HR service reorganisation was delivered last April, with work continuing to embed the new structure and ways of working. These changes are designed to better align HR service delivery with the council's strategic priorities, including financial sustainability and equality and equity objectives.

HR Policies: A full review of the council's corporate HR policies continues to ensure that they are modern, consistent, and fit for purpose. The team are also preparing for the implications of the government's new employment rights bill.

Staff Survey: The service continues to support the delivery of the council's staff survey action plan, with activity centred on addressing three key areas identified for improvement. Planning for the next full staff survey is now underway, which will help measure progress and identify further priorities to improve staff engagement and well-being.

Applicant Tracking System: The council is working with colleagues in digital to implement a new applicant tracking system, which will streamline the recruitment process, improve user experience, and enhance workforce data capabilities, particularly in relation to equality, diversity, and inclusion reporting and intervention in this area.

Legal Services: The legal service continues to experience spikes in demand, particularly in regard to safeguarding both adults and children and housing disrepair. The service is responding to demand, but greater collaborative working with directorates within the framework of the operational partnership agreement is more proportionate and an appropriate use of legal services. Greater automation and streamlining of processes is leading to greater efficiencies.

Tribunals: Councillor Joshua Ayodele asked about the council's exposure financially when it goes through tribunals and whether work is being done to improve how the council can go about that process and safeguard its interests. Steph responded that the council is trying to make processes practical and user-friendly at ground level so that they provide the basis and the bedrock for supporting managers to move through what can otherwise be quite difficult and challenging scenarios. Azuka added that the council is rolling out a program of training for managers to ensure that they are upskilled in relation to employment law.

Future Scrutiny Meeting

The panel confirmed the scope for the next scrutiny meeting on 20 November, which will focus on customer service performance and casework management.