Agenda item

The Chair confirmed that five scrutiny requests had been submitted for consideration (with one topic being submitted by both Councillors and Officers).

The first was submitted by Councillor’s C Thomas, L Way, J Billin, A Brown and R Walker relating to Shared Ownership and Other Affordable Housing. An amended version of the request was submitted by the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Neighbourhoods suggesting a briefing note be provided to expedite Councillors understanding of the topic and potentially resolve some identified issues in advance of scrutiny being timetabled.

Councillor Thomas addressed the Group and explained briefly the complexity of developers providing affordable housing and the different government initiatives and schemes that have been rolled out across the Borough. Councillor Thomas expressed the need for the Council to take the opportunity to ask questions of the process for delivering affordable housing. Following debate of both versions of the request, the Group agreed for the Councillors version of the request to come forward for scrutiny and for it to be programmed into the Growth and Development Scrutiny Group for 25 March 2026.

The second request was submitted by Councillor Phillips relating to Asylum Dispersal and Contingency Accommodation. Councillor Phillips addressed the Group and highlighted his concerns around the unsuitability of properties in Rushcliffe being converted to houses of multiple occupancy (HMO’s) to house Asylum seekers and the issues raised by local residents around antisocial behaviour, noise and illegal working. There was agreement within the Group that the topic was in need of scrutiny however, concerns were raised about the scope of the request and identified Key Lines of Enquiry. Therefore, the request was agreed in principle and scheduled for Communities Scrutiny Group for 22 January 2026 but a revised scrutiny request would be developed in conjunction with members of the Group for final agreement at the next meeting.

The third and fourth requests were submitted by Councillor J Chaplain and related to Debt Collection Agents used by Rushcliffe in line with the outcome of the Government consultation on Council Tax and Enforcement and West Bridgford Customer Contact Point.

The Group agreed for both these requests to come forward for scrutiny and for them to be programmed into the Communities Scrutiny Group work programme for 2 April 2026 (WBCP) and October 2026 (Debt Collection Agents).

The Head of Corporate Services highlighted that there was nothing on the Growth and Development Group programme for October 2025 and proposed to cancel the meeting. This was agreed by the Group.

It was RESOLVED that the Corporate Overview Group:

a)         Considered any additional items for scrutiny from the current Cabinet Forward Plan, Corporate Strategy, Medium Term Financial Strategy, Capital and Investment Strategy and Transformation and Efficiency Programme/Productivity Plan (appendix one)

b)         Determined and additional topics to be included in a scrutiny group work programme for 2025/26 for each of the scrutiny groups as presented on newly submitted scrutiny requests (Appendix two)

c)          Reviewed the current work programme for each of the scrutiny groups (Appendix Three)

Work Programme 2025/26 – Corporate Overview Group

Work Programme 2025/26 – Governance Scrutiny Group

Work Programme 2025/26 – Growth and Development Scrutiny Group

Work Programme 2005/26 – Communities Scrutiny Group

ACTIONS: