The Scrutiny Commission of Hinckley and Bosworth Council met on Thursday 7 May 2026, endorsing several key policies and recommendations. The meeting saw the approval of policies relating to domestic abuse, council housing estates, and the Right to Buy scheme, alongside a significant recommendation to establish a new Hinckley Town Council.

Voluntary and Community Sector Commissioning Update

The commission received an update on the achievements of the borough's voluntary and community sector (VCS) partnership arrangements and the outcomes of the VCS commissioning programme for April 2024 to March 2025. A representative from the Hinckley Area Foodbank shared how grant funding had enabled their organisation to support vulnerable clients, particularly those experiencing digital poverty, by providing essential smartphones and data. The commission endorsed the positive impact and contributions of the VCS and its volunteers.

Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) Policy and Procedure

The commission was presented with a new Domestic Abuse and Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) policy and procedure, which applies to all residents, not just council tenants. Members commended the policy's person-centred approach to supporting victims and survivors. It was noted that preventative work in schools regarding healthy relationships and consent reached approximately 5,999 young people in the previous year. The commission endorsed the policy and procedure.

Council Housing Service HRA Estates Services Policy

The HRA Estates Services policy was considered, aiming to provide a clear, consistent, and transparent framework for managing estate-based services across the council's housing stock. Members welcomed the policy's comprehensiveness and clarity on responsibilities for both the council and tenants. The commission endorsed the adoption of this policy.

Right to Buy Policy

The commission reviewed the Right to Buy policy, which outlines the council's statutory duties in administering the scheme. Concerns were raised about the loss of housing stock through Right to Buy, with members noting that the receipts generated were not sufficient to directly replace the number of properties lost. The policy was endorsed by the commission.

Community Governance Review, Hinckley - Final Recommendations

A significant discussion took place regarding the final recommendations of the Community Governance Review for Hinckley. The commission was advised of the outcome of the second stage of consultation, which generally demonstrated support for creating a Hinckley Town Council. The recommendations included establishing the town council, naming it Hinckley Town Council, dividing it into four wards (Castle, Clarendon, De Montfort, and Trinity), and setting the council size at 20 councillors. The first elections are proposed for May 2027. Members debated the number of councillors and the proposed ward names, with some questioning the efficiency of having 20 councillors and the accuracy of ward names. The commission endorsed the recommendations to be presented to the full council.

Overview & Scrutiny Statutory Guidance - Action Plan

The commission considered a draft action plan arising from a self-assessment against the overview and scrutiny statutory guidance. It was noted that the chair and vice-chairs would add further detail to the plan before it was brought back for review at a future meeting.

Minutes of Finance & Performance Scrutiny

The minutes of the Finance & Performance Scrutiny Committee meeting held on 16 March were noted. Discussions during that meeting included a review of Environmental Health services, performance and risk management reports for quarters 2 and 3 of 2025/26, business rates and pooling updates, sundry debts, and treasury management.