Report of the Chair of the Corporate Scrutiny Committee – September 2025

1. With support from Democratic Services, the Scrutiny Review Working Group has continued to make good progress. The draft Shared Vision for Scrutiny and Executive / Scrutiny Protocol were shared for review with the Leader and Deputy Leader on behalf of the Executive, and the final versions were agreed recently at Audit & Governance (Protocol) and Corporate Scrutiny (Shared Vision).

2. The three Scrutiny Committees now have in place work plans for this municipal year, with a focus on informing policy development and undertaking pre-decision scrutiny. Task and Finish Groups are underway and the first all-member briefing session will take place in early October. Officers are investigating training opportunities for scrutiny members.

3. The new ways of working in Scrutiny will be subject to review, and there is still work to do to document the new arrangements so that councillors, officers and residents are clear about how this all should work. but I’m pleased with the start that has been made and would like to thank all members for playing their part. Crucially, we now have a dedicated Scrutiny Officer in place to guide and support the committees’ work. I’d like to welcome James Parker to his new role and look forward to continuing to work with him.

Corporate Scrutiny Committee

4. At its 7 July meeting the committee considered an update on the progress of the Outline Business Case to create a Green Energy Park on the former landfill site at Harewood Whin, and agreed proposals to establish Task and Finish Groups to provide scrutiny of the budget setting process and the Medium-Term Financial Strategy, and to examine the Boundary Commission Electoral Review into Council Size.

5. At its 8 September meeting the committee considered a report providing the 2024/25 Finance and Performance Outturn. The committee also considered and provided feedback on the draft 10-year anti-poverty strategy, and the York Prospectus for securing investment in the city. Members also noted that the Shared Vision for Scrutiny would sit in the charge of the committee.

People Scrutiny Committee

6. At its 9 July meeting the committee considered and provided comment on a draft of the York Inclusion and Belonging Special Educational Needs and Alternative Provision Strategy 2025-2030. Members also agreed that the Task and Finish group on proposed changes to long-term sickness and disability benefits would report to the committee, and that the work of the Food Insecurity Task and Finish group set up under the previous Children, Culture and Communities Scrutiny Committee would be reported to the committee once completed.

Place Scrutiny Committee

7. The committee has not met since the last report to Full Council.