The LCR Overview and Scrutiny Committee's meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, 1 July 2026. The agenda includes the appointment of scrutiny members to the Audit & Governance Committee for the upcoming year, a review of the Combined Authority's Corporate Plan performance for the fourth quarter of 2025-26, and the development of the committee's work programme for 2026-27.

Appointments to the Audit & Governance Committee 2026/27

The committee is expected to consider nominations for five members to serve on the Audit & Governance Committee for the 2026/27 municipal year. This committee plays a crucial role in overseeing the Combined Authority's financial standards, governance, and risk management. The report outlines the required political balance for these appointments, specifying the need for two Labour councillors, one Liberal Democrat councillor, one Green councillor, and one Reform UK councillor, along with substitute members. The Audit & Governance Committee's terms of reference, which detail its extensive functions including reviewing financial reporting, internal audit, and promoting high standards of conduct, are provided for reference.

Q4 2025-26 Performance Reporting on the Combined Authority Corporate Plan

A significant portion of the meeting will be dedicated to reviewing the performance of the Combined Authority's Corporate Plan for the fourth quarter of 2025-26. The report details progress against the plan's priorities across key areas: Economy, People, Place, Transport, and Digital Infrastructure. It highlights that a substantial 86% of the Corporate Plan commitments with activity during the quarter were on track for successful delivery or had been completed. Specific achievements mentioned include securing funding for lab capacity at Ultraviolet 2 in Daresbury, the Careers Hub exceeding its targets, the launch of the final Local Nature Recovery Strategy, the awarding of the first bus franchising contracts, and the successful rollout of smart ticketing across the Merseyrail network. The report also identifies areas requiring further attention to ensure progress remains on track.

Work Programme 2026-27

The committee will also discuss and provide views on the draft Work Programme for 2026-27. This programme is designed to guide the committee's scrutiny activities throughout the year, ensuring it prioritises areas of importance and contributes effectively to the work of the Combined Authority and the Liverpool City Region. The proposed programme outlines four types of scrutiny activity: reports for consideration at committee meetings, Task and Finish Groups or 'Scrutiny in a day' for in-depth analysis, Knowledge Briefings to enhance understanding of the Combined Authority's work, and site visits. The committee will also have the opportunity to review items from the Forward Plan of Key Decisions, which lists significant decisions expected to be taken by the Combined Authority in the coming months.

The meeting will also address the finalisation of the Local Transport Plan, reviewing feedback from the public consultation. Additionally, the committee is scheduled to consider the Q4 2025-26 performance report on the Combined Authority Corporate Plan, which details progress across various strategic objectives.