The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board is scheduled to meet on Monday 22 June 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of the council's use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000, an update on the annual poverty progress report, and a performance management report for the fourth quarter of the 2025/26 financial year. Other items include a request for call-in regarding land at Sniperley Park, a review of the work programme for 2026/27, the overview and scrutiny annual report for 2025/26, an update on petitions, and a notice of key decisions.

Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) Q4 2025/26

The board is scheduled to receive a report detailing the council's use of powers under the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA) for the period of 1 January 2026 to 31 March 2026. This report, prepared by Helen Bradley, Director of Legal and Democratic Services, aims to ensure that the council's use of these powers is in accordance with its policy. The report indicates that during the fourth quarter of 2025/2026, there was one directed surveillance application and one Covert Human Intelligence Surveillance (CHIS) application presented to the court. Both applications related to an operation investigating the alleged sale of illicit tobacco products at premises previously subject to a closure order. While the CHIS deployment did not yield evidence of illicit tobacco sales, the authorising officer considered the use of directed surveillance and CHIS valuable in progressing the investigation and informing decision-making. The board will be asked to receive this quarterly report and resolve that the powers are being used consistently with the council's policy and that the policy remains fit for purpose.

Annual Poverty Progress Report 2025/26

A report from the Corporate Director of Resources, Paul Darby, is scheduled for discussion, providing a consolidated annual overview of the council's response to poverty and financial insecurity during 2025/26. The report highlights the scale and impact of activities undertaken, learning from sustained demand, and strategic considerations for transitioning from crisis-led funding to a more preventative and resilient approach from 2026/27. It notes that poverty and financial insecurity remain significant challenges in County Durham, with households continuing to face cost-of-living pressures. The report details the delivery of £8.2 million through the Household Support Fund (HSF7) and outlines the design of the new Crisis and Resilience Fund, launching in April 2026 with an emphasis on early intervention and prevention. The report also covers key achievements in income maximisation, advice and debt services, council tax reduction, discretionary housing payments, children and families support, food and fuel insecurity, housing and homelessness, employability and skills, and digital inclusion.

Quarter Four, 2025/26 Performance Management Report

The Chief Executive, John Hewitt, will present a report providing an update on the council's progress towards achieving its strategic ambitions and objectives as outlined in the Council Plan 2025-2030. The report uses Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) presented through dashboards to show trends, direction of travel, benchmarking, and performance against targets. Key messages are aligned with the council's five strategic ambitions: Reforming the Council, Supercharging Our Economy, Building Better Communities, Caring For Our People, and A Practical Environmental Stewardship. The report highlights areas that are going well and those that are issues we are addressing. For instance, under Reforming the Council, it notes that almost 60% of employees recorded no sickness absence, but also that more days have been lost to sickness compared to the previous year. Under Supercharging Our Economy, it reports supporting 1,429 businesses and creating/safeguarding 1,673 jobs. For Caring For Our People, the report indicates sustained demand and complexity in children's social care, leading to increased costs.

Request for Call-in: Sniperley Park Options Assessment, Surplus Declaration, Disposal and Deed of Release

A report from the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Helen Bradley, will address a request for the call-in of a Cabinet decision made on 22 April 2026 concerning land at Sniperley Park. The call-in request raised concerns regarding valuation methodology, compliance with Section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972, the historical and community value of the former Caterhouse Pit site, and the potential impact of Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SuDS) on land value. The Chair of the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board, Councillor John Cook, in consultation with the Vice-Chair and relevant officers, considered the request and concluded that it did not establish sufficient grounds for call-in. The report details the reasons for this decision, including assurances that statutory requirements were met, the role of the Caterhouse Pit land in the overall development was considered within the valuation, and that removing the land would pose risks to the development's delivery.

Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board Work Programme 2026/27

The Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Helen Bradley, will present a draft updated work programme for the Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Management Board (COSMB) for 2026/2027. The work programme is designed to be flexible and will be framed around the County Durham Vision 2035, focusing on the ambitions of 'more and better jobs', 'long and independent lives', and 'connected communities', as well as the 'Our Council' theme from the Council Plan 2025-2029. The report outlines the current work programme for 2025/26, which included reviews of the budget, Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP), the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act (RIPA) scheme, and the Poverty Strategy. The draft work programme for 2026/27 will be presented for comment and agreement, with a commitment to flexibility to accommodate emerging issues.

Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2025/26

This report, also from the Director of Legal and Democratic Services, Helen Bradley, presents the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025/26. In accordance with the Council's Constitution, COSMB is required to report annually to the County Council on its work. The annual report details the activities of the overview and scrutiny function throughout the past municipal year, highlights its impact, and identifies areas to inform future work programmes. The report covers the work of COSMB and the five thematic Overview and Scrutiny Committees, including reviews, performance management, and budgetary reporting. It also references the council's statutory scrutiny roles in health and crime and disorder, as well as regional scrutiny arrangements. The board will be asked to consider and comment on the report before its submission to the County Council in July 2026.

Update in relation to Petitions

Michael Turnbull, Democratic Services Manager, will provide a quarterly update on the status of various petitions received by the Authority. Since the last update, four new e-petitions have been submitted, with two now closed and awaiting responses, and two rejected. No new paper petitions have been submitted. A list of active petitions, including their current status, is attached to the report.

Notice of Key Decisions

Michael Turnbull, Democratic Services Manager, will present the latest notice of key decisions scheduled for consideration by the Executive. This report confirms that the current notice complies with statutory requirements, providing at least 28 days' notice of key decisions expected up to October 2026. The notice includes details on the matters to be decided, the decision-makers, and the relevant documentation. An additional column in the notice indicates the involvement of Overview and Scrutiny in respect of forthcoming key decisions. Members are invited to review these items and consider any issues arising.