Overview and Scrutiny Committee minutes

Decided · A decision has been taken.

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee resolved unanimously to establish a twinning and international friendship links sub-committee, to be chaired by Councillor Ross, following a motion agreed by Full Council on 15 July. p6

The Committee also approved its 2026/27 work programme, focused on three review themes: the Four Courts redevelopment and social housing impact, youth opportunity and post-4pm provision, and anti-poverty strategy and regeneration outcomes. p5p6

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• p510. Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme Coral Harding, Monitoring Officer, introduced the proposed Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2026/27 for approval. During work programme planning, Members had identified a wide range of possible scrutiny topics. Members’ experience had shown that the Committee should focus on a smaller number of areas where scrutiny could have the greatest impact and add the most value. The proposed programme focused on three main review themes: I) the Four Courts redevelopment and social housing impact, including resident experience, rehousing arrangements, housing supply, Southern Housing plans, sustainability and climate resilience. II) Youth opportunity, play and post-4pm provision, including youth services, activities outside school hours, skills and employment opportunities, community facilities and green spaces; and III) Anti-poverty strategy and regeneration outcomes, including employment and skills opportunities, partnership working, regeneration investment and support for disadvantaged communities. In addition to the review themes, the work programme included housing and homelessness updates at each formal meeting, local government reorganisation briefings, Budget scrutiny and an annual climate emergency progress update. Cllr Drew sought clarification regarding the reference to rehousing arrangements within the Four Courts review. Members agreed that the wording should clearly reflect the movement of residents from existing properties and the support provided throughout that process. It was acknowledged that resident experiences varied, with some welcoming the opportunity to move and others finding the process more challenging. Members welcomed the structured programme and considered it a more realistic workload than previous years.
• p6Consideration was given to the need for flexibility should emerging issues arise, and it was noted that additional meetings, briefing notes and informal evidence gathering sessions could be used where necessary. Further discussion focused on the practical operation of scrutiny reviews, including the use of evidence sessions, background information, stakeholder engagement and the preparation of questions. Members were advised that scoping sessions would determine the focus of each review, identify witnesses and shape the evidence-gathering process. It was also confirmed that reviews could request further information or invite organisations to return if additional matters required examination. Attention was drawn to the motion agreed by Full Council on 15 July regarding a review of twinning and international friendship links, which the Committee were invited to consider for inclusion within the work programme. Councillor Smith cautioned that the review should align with the Motion in full and not narrow its focus to one friendship link. The Committee agreed that the matter should be incorporated into the work programme as a sub-committee review to be chaired by Councillor Ross. The following Members expressed their interest in forming the sub-committee: Cllr Ross (Chair) Cllr Drew Cllr Lauchlan Cllr Rumfitt Cllr Simnett Cllr Smith The sub-committee would report back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee in December to satisfy the deadline set out in the Motion for a report to be received by Full Council in January 2027. RESOLVED unanimously to : 1. Establish a twinning and international friendship links sub-committee to be chaired by Councillor Ross. 2. Agree that the terms of reference for the sub-committee be the referred Motion from Full Council on 15 July; and that the sub-committee would conclude its work and report back to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 2 December 2026. 3. Approve the 2026/27 Work Programme attached at Appendix A. 4.