The Corporate Scrutiny Committee is scheduled to meet on Thursday 18 June 2026 to review the Council's performance and policies. Key discussions are expected to include the Council Delivery Plan performance report for the 2025/26 financial year, the annual corporate complaints report, and the proposed Corporate Business Continuity Policy. The committee will also receive an update on Cabinet's response to previous scrutiny recommendations and consider items for the future work programme.

Council Delivery Plan - Performance Report 2025/26

The committee is scheduled to review the Council Delivery Plan – Performance Report for Quarter 4 of the 2025/26 financial year. This report, presented by Councillor Keith Merrie, Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder, will detail the Council's performance against its key priority areas: A well-run Council, Clean and Green, Housing and Communities, and Planning and Regeneration. The report highlights strong performance in planning application determination, regeneration activity, housing services, and environmental performance, with North West Leicestershire achieving the highest recycling rate in Leicestershire. Areas identified for improvement include customer complaints response times and rebuilding assurance for the Statements of Accounts. The report also summarises activity on the Zero Carbon Roadmap for 2025/26.

Annual Corporate Complaints 2025/26

A report from the Chief Executive will be presented, detailing the Council's annual complaints data for the period 1 April 2025 to 31 March 2026. This report includes information on complaints across all directorates, as well as decisions from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) and the Housing Ombudsman (HO). The report indicates a decrease in stage 1 and stage 2 complaints compared to the previous year, with Housing Repairs and Waste Services receiving the highest number of complaints. The report also analyses complaint themes, with Excessive time taken, Service provided incorrectly, and Service not provided being the most prevalent. Performance on responding to complaints within the Council's target timeframe of ten working days is noted as an area for improvement. The report also details financial remedies awarded and outcomes from external Ombudsman investigations, alongside findings from a Tenant Satisfaction Survey.

Corporate Business Continuity Policy

The committee will consider the proposed Corporate Business Continuity Policy, presented by Councillor Keith Merrie, Finance and Corporate Portfolio Holder. This policy aims to establish a consistent, council-wide framework for business continuity management, strengthening resilience and ensuring the continuous delivery of critical services during disruptions. While service-level Business Continuity Plans (BCPs) are already in place, the new policy will provide organisational governance, consistency, and best-practice assurance. Training for senior leadership on business continuity is also being procured to enhance strategic readiness.

Customer Service Performance 2025/26

A report on Customer Service Performance for 2025/26 will be presented, offering an overview of the Council's efforts to enhance customer satisfaction and responsiveness. The report highlights the Council's Customer Experience Strategy 2026-2028, which focuses on modernising services through digital innovation, empowering staff, improving accessibility, and ensuring value for money. Performance data indicates stable call volumes, with an increase in first-point-of-contact resolution rates. However, the call abandonment rate has increased, attributed to longer average handling times for more complex enquiries and recruitment challenges. The report also details the performance of various service areas with significant customer interaction, including Housing Repairs, Waste Services, and Planning. Customer satisfaction scores from independent mystery shopping surveys are noted as strong, particularly in active listening and customer-focused soft skills. The report also addresses challenges such as increased abusive behaviour from customers and the impact on staff wellbeing, alongside achievements like retaining customer service accreditation and introducing mandatory customer care training.

Corporate Compensation and Remedies Policy

The committee will review the proposed Corporate Compensation and Remedies Policy, presented by Councillor Andrew Woodman, Housing, Property and Customer Services Portfolio Holder. This policy aims to replace the existing Housing Compensation Policy with a single, corporate framework to ensure consistent application across all service areas. It outlines the Council's approach to providing redress for service failures, including apologies, practical remedies, and financial compensation. The policy aligns with guidance from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and the Housing Ombudsman, and includes an authorisation framework for financial awards.

Annual Scrutiny Report 2025/26

The committee will consider the draft Annual Scrutiny Report for 2025/26, presented by Andy Barton, Strategic Director of Communities. This report summarises the work undertaken by both the Corporate Scrutiny Committee and the Community Scrutiny Committee over the past year. It details the number of reports considered, recommendations made to Cabinet, and the outcomes of those recommendations. The report also outlines the work of the Scrutiny Work Programming Group and provides information on public involvement in the scrutiny process. The committee's comments will be incorporated into the final report before it is submitted to the full Council.

Items for Inclusion in the Future Work Programme

The committee will consider potential items for inclusion in its future work programme. This will involve reviewing the plan of forthcoming Cabinet decisions and the current work programme to identify key issues and topics for future investigation or inquiry. The Scrutiny Work Programming Group's considerations and any work requests will be discussed.