Agenda item

Report of the Director – Finance and Corporate Services

Two scrutiny requests had been submitted for consideration.

The first was a revised request submitted by Councillor Phillips on the topic of Asylum Dispersal and Contingency Accommodation including Houses of Multiple Occupancy (HMO’s) and their impact on the Borough and its residents.

The Assistant Director for Corporate Services explained Councillor Phillips had been given the opportunity to review the revised request made by officers which he accepted.

The Group had previously earmarked the request to go to Communities Scrutiny Group on 22 January 2026 which they confirmed. 

The second request had been made by the Deputy Chief Executive and Director of Planning and Economic Growth on the topic of Asset Management Strategy and Acquisitions and Disposal Policy.

The Group agreed for this request to come forward for scrutiny and for it to be programmed into the Growth and Development Scrutiny Group work programme on 28 January 2026.

With regards to the recent scrutiny review Councillor Way was surprised by the lack of feedback and engagement provided by Councillors and the frustration with the way scrutiny operates. The Group were advised that with regards to training materials and previously circulated resources will be included in Councillors’ Connections. In addition, training for current chairs and vice chairs will be organised and delivered in early 2026.

Councillor Gaunt asked a specific question regarding the make-up of the scrutiny groups and suggested a review of the Terms of Reference across the groups and asked for examples of what could be brought to the groups.

The Group discussed the constitution preventing updates on issues that have previously been scrutinised and the challenge of the 2 year rule for reconsidering scrutiny requests.

The Chair of Communities Scrutiny Group referred to the Metropolitan Trent Valley Housing (MTVH) report that had been scrutinised in June of this year and the Group’s request to bring this back, as some of the issues raised had not been resolved. The Assistant Director for Corporate Services suggested the Chair tries a different approach to get the answers on anything outstanding.

Councillor Gaunt raised concerns that MTVH’s actions can impact on resident’s lives and felt that they should be asked back more frequently to address Councillors concerns and to provide some accountability for their actions.

Councillor Simms suggested that the Corporate Overview Group oversee the scrutiny process and that it should be up to this Group to recommend whether an item is brought back.

It was RESOLVED that the Corporate Overview Group:

a)    Consider 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 (appendix one)

b)    e any 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)     review the current work programme for each of the scrutiny groups (Appendix Three)

d)    recirculate links to scrutiny training already delivered and resources already circulated through Councillors’ Connections in the next few weeks

e)    organise training in the New Year for current chairs and vice chairs of scrutiny and extend this invitation to any prospective chairs.

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 2025/26 – Communities Scrutiny Group

Actions 18 November 2025