Duncan Gauld

Overview & Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Budget Scrutiny - Evidence Gathering Session, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday, 3 February 2026 9.00 am

The Overview & Scrutiny Committee of Hertfordshire Council held evidence-gathering sessions on Tuesday 03 February 2026 to scrutinise the council's budget proposals for 2026/27 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy. Discussions covered Children's Social Care, Education, SEND & Inclusion, Highways, and Environment, Transport and Growth portfolios. Key areas of focus included the recruitment and retention of foster carers and social workers, support for care leavers, investment in SEND services, home-to-school transport, the high needs block deficit, and the maintenance of highways infrastructure. The committee also discussed the active travel fund, waste management services, and sustainable transport initiatives. Recommendations were to be compiled and presented to the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on 9 February 2026.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 17 December 2025 10.00 am

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet to discuss mobile phone policies in schools and review the scrutiny work programme for 2025-26. The committee will also confirm the minutes from its meeting held on 15 October 2025, and consider any public petitions.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee Committee Member

Special Meeting, Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Monday, 8 December 2025 10.00 am

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Hertfordshire County Council met on Monday, 8 December 2025, to review the proceedings of an Extraordinary Council meeting held on 19 November 2025. The committee discussed the controversial voting process used during the extraordinary meeting concerning the proposed submission of local government reorganisation (LGR) options to the Secretary of State. As a result of the discussions, two key recommendations were made: that the Standards Committee initiate a review of the council's constitution by a politically proportionate working group, with membership agreed by group leaders, and that group leaders' meetings be held in advance of all full council meetings.

Overview & Scrutiny Committee Public

Overview & Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday, 15 October 2025 10.00 am

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss and approve the proposed budget scrutiny programme for 2026-27 and to review and update the scrutiny work programme for 2025-26, adding topics for future review. The committee agreed to a two-day format for evidence gathering, supported new member training, and prioritised topics such as mobile phone bans in schools, Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) staffing, and a scrutiny review of infrastructure and sustainable transport.