The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss the results of the 2026 Employment Engagement Survey, a new draft Property Maintenance Strategy, and an update on Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and devolution. The committee also planned to review its work plan for future meetings.

Employment Engagement Survey 2026

The committee was scheduled to consider the results of the 2026 Employment Engagement Survey. The survey, which ran from January to February 2026, aimed to gauge employee satisfaction and engagement across the council. The report pack indicated that the overall completion rate was 62%, with directorate completion rates varying between 29% and 79%. The survey included questions on employee advocacy, likelihood to stay, and willingness to go the extra mile, forming the basis of an employee engagement index. The results highlighted areas of strength, such as staff enjoying their work and feeling motivated, alongside areas requiring attention, including communication effectiveness and workload manageability. A new question on racism was also introduced this year, in line with the council's anti-racism commitment.

Property Maintenance Strategy 2026-2029

A draft Property Maintenance Strategy for 2026-2029 was presented for consideration and feedback. This strategy aims to provide a clear approach to maintaining the council's property portfolio in a cost-effective, compliant, and sustainable manner, aligning with the Corporate Asset Management Plan. Key objectives include ensuring the property portfolio supports the council's vision, delivers value for money, supports net-zero objectives, is fit for purpose, and promotes community empowerment. The strategy outlines principles for maintenance, categorising activities into statutory (compliance), planned preventative maintenance (PPM), and reactive/responsive maintenance. It also details the council's approach to assessing the condition of its assets, using a grading system from A (Good) to D (Bad), and prioritising work from Priority 1 (Urgent) to Priority 4 (Long term). The report highlighted significant backlog maintenance requirements across both the corporate and education estates, with estimated costs of £7.3 million for the corporate estate and £11.4 million for the education estate for items graded C and D. The recommended option for addressing this backlog is to invest in all identified maintenance needs.

LGR/Devolution Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on developments regarding Local Government Reorganisation (LGR) and devolution. Key national developments included the Royal Assent of the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Act in April 2026. Gloucestershire had submitted an expression of interest for 'Foundation Strategic Authorities' (FSAs) and was awaiting a response from the government, with a ministerial decision on LGR in Gloucestershire expected before Parliament's summer recess on 17 July 2026. The update also covered the joint LGR portfolio, including a visit from Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG) officials, the development of Programme Initiation Documents (PIDs), and the creation of decision-agnostic implementation plans. The formation of a Joint Scrutiny Panel was also noted, with a majority view favouring a public panel.

Work Plan

The committee was scheduled to review its work plan for future meetings. Items confirmed for the July 2026 meeting included strategic performance updates, the annual benchmarking report, and a further LGR/Devolution update. Suggestions for future items included a review of the Rural Strategic Estate and an examination of agency staff supply. For September 2026, the agenda was set to include performance and finance updates, an action plan for the Employment Engagement Survey, the Information Management Service Annual Report, and another LGR/Devolution update. Potential future items for consideration included the council's AI Strategy, data and intelligence strategy, cyber security, emergency planning, and a deep dive into social value.