The Overview & Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet to review the financial forecast for the first quarter of 2025/26, receive reports from the chairmen of scrutiny committees, and discuss the committee's work programme and upcoming cabinet business. The committee will also consider any public questions or requests to address the committee.

Quarter 1 Financial Forecast

The committee is scheduled to review the Quarter 1 Financial Forecast 2025/26, which provides an update on the council's financial performance against its budget for the first three months of the financial year, and projects the anticipated outturn for the year.

The report includes financial forecasts as of 30 June 2025 for:

• The General Fund Revenue and Capital Accounts
• The Housing Revenue Account (HRA)

The report notes that budget monitoring and continuous review of financial performance is an integral part of the council's financial sustainability programme.

The General Fund net expenditure forecast position for 2025/26 is presented in Appendix A of the report. A service overspend of £0.88m is forecast. Notable variances include:

• A £0.85m overspend in Housing and Property, including a £0.66m overspend on homelessness due to increased demand for temporary accommodation.
• A £0.48m overspend from waste management, due to reduced income from dry recyclables.
• A £0.42m overspend in the planning budget, due to increased legal costs and reduced income.
• A £0.38m overspend in the Chief Executive and Finance departments, due to staffing issues and a shortfall in income from shared services arrangements.
• An underspend of £0.33m on ICT, relating to slippage on projects and less than budgeted spend on Microsoft licenses.
• A forecast underspend on financing costs of £0.75m, reflecting a reduction in interest payable, an increase in interest receivable and a reduced charge against the Minimum Revenue Provision budget.

The report also provides an update on the General Fund Reserves, which are forecast to have a balance of £4.00m.

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue forecast for 2025/26 forecasts a £0.64m underspend.

The General Fund Capital Programme for 2025/26 has an updated budget totalling £61.95m. Spending in the first 3 months was £13.69m, with a forecast outturn of £60.29m, which would lead to an underspend of £1.66m.

The Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Capital Programme for 2025/26 has an updated budget totalling £46.16m. Spending in the first 3 months was £2.33 m and is forecast to be £31.76m. This would result in a forecast underspend of £ £14.39m for the financial year.

The report also includes a section on wider risk and performance matters, including accounts payable performance.

Finally, the report provides an updated position on the Prudential Indicators included in the Capital Strategy (2024/25 to 2026/27) adopted by the Council in April 2025.

Chairmen to report on their scrutiny committee business

The chairmen of the scrutiny committees are scheduled to report on progress against achievement of their current work programmes, and any recommendations for consideration by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The Communities Scrutiny Committee Draft Amended Work Programme 2025/26 includes updates on:

• Progress on the Epping Forest Health and Well Being Strategy
• The Annual Housing Performance Report & Tenant Satisfaction Measures report
• Housing Policies, including the Pet and other animals policy, Housing Domestic CCTV Policy, and Decant Policy
• Council Housing Development - Chequers B, Loughton
• Service Charges Policy
• Housing Rent Setting and Income Recovery Policy
• HRA Tenant Recharge Policy
• Garage Lettings Policy
• Council Housing Development Programme - Annual Update
• Community Safety Partnership
• Qualis: property management services, performance update
• Waltham Abbey Museum Trust
• Parking Policy for HRA
• Damp & Mould and other Emergency Hazards Policy: 2025 – 2030

The Place Scrutiny Committee Draft Work Programme 2025/26 includes updates on:

• Rural Regeneration Reports
• Qualis: Ground maintenance Performance update
• Food and Garden Waste proposal
• TVS operational Performance
• Update on the review of changes to EFDC planning
• Progress on Blue Bin Roll Out
• Liaison and Scrutiny of TfL services in the district
• Fly tipping – update across the district

Cabinet Business

The committee is scheduled to review the Executive's current programme of Key Decisions, attached, to enable the identification of appropriate matters for the overview and scrutiny work programme and the overview of specific decisions proposed to be taken over the period of the plan.

Items listed on the Forward Plan for the period 1 September 2025 to 31 December 2025 include:

• Local Government Reform – Business Case Endorsement and Submission
• Award of Civic Building Concierge Contract
• TVS Ltd Business Plan
• Corporate Risk report
• Quarter 1 Budget Monitoring Report
• MTFP 2026-27 to 2028-29 Update
• Community Impact Fund
• Partnership and Governance Agreement for the delivery of the Strategic Access Management and Monitoring (SAMM) Strategy for Hatfield Forest Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) and National Nature Reserve (NNR)
• Waltham Abbey North SMF
• North Weald Airfield Market
• St John's Road Development Site
• Brooker Road Construction Contract Award
• Disposal of HRA Assets Policy
• Damp & Mould and other Emergency Hazards Policy: 2025 – 2030
• Housing Domestic CCTV Policy
• Parking Policy for HRA
• Pet and other animals policy
• Temporary Accommodation Placements Policy
• Decant Policy (Temporary and Permanent)
• Housing Rent Setting and Income Recovery Policy
• Housing Service Charges Policy 2025 - 2030
• HRA Tenant Recharge Policy
• Council Housing Development - Accessible Homes
• Council Housing Development Programme - Annual Update
• Council Housing Development - Prisoners Building Homes
• Council Housing Development - Chequers B, Loughton
• Statement of Licensing Policy