The Corporate Finance and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to meet to discuss the council's performance, asset management strategy, and work programme for the coming year. The committee was also expected to receive updates from various cabinet members and consider questions from the public.

Committee Work Programme 2025-26

The committee was scheduled to consider and approve its work programme for 2025-26. The Committee Work Programme 2025-26 - Report stated that the work programmes for the Overview and Scrutiny Committees are a vital tool in identifying, prioritising, conducting and reviewing their work and ensuring effective use of resources. The draft work programme included several key items for the committee's consideration:

• Council Performance Reports: The committee was expected to review quarterly performance reports to assess the council's progress against its objectives.
• Asset Management Strategy Overview: A review of the council's asset management strategy, aiming to clarify priorities, address public concern and explore opportunities for improved asset use and financial returns.
• Review of Governance Arrangements and Protocol for Council Owned Entities: A review of the governance arrangements and protocol for council owned entities[^1], also known as Council Owned Companies. [^1]: Council Owned Companies are companies that are owned and controlled by the council. They are often used to deliver services or manage assets on behalf of the council. Examples of Council Owned Companies in Cornwall include Corserv, Treveth, and Celtic Sea Power.
• Digital Inclusion Strategy Refresh: The Cornwall and Isles of Scilly Digital Inclusion Strategy is over four years old and requires a refresh.
• Customer Philosophy Refresh: The current four year Customer Philosophy requires a refresh. A Task and Finish Group of the Committee reviewed it during 2024/25 and provided a number of observations and recommendations.
• Council Owned Entities Business Plans: An opportunity for the Committee to carry out pre-decision scrutiny of the Executive as Shareholder on the Corserv, Treveth, Celtic Sea Power, Cornwall Housing and Langarth business plans, prior to being recommended to Cabinet for approval in February 2026 as part of the Council's Business Planning process.
• Digital Strategy Refresh: The Council's current Digital Strategy is three years old and requires a refresh to set out the Council's updated digital ambitions.
• Stewardship of Resources: Head of Paid Service to report upon their stewardship of the Council.

The report also noted that the committee would be provided with a further opportunity to review its work programme at the mid-year point.

Council Performance Report 2024/25 (Q4)

The committee was scheduled to review the Council Performance Report 2024/25 (Q4), which provided an overview of the council's performance during the fourth quarter of the financial year. The report highlighted the following key points:

• The council's overall performance continues to compare favourably with other local authorities of similar size and complexity.
• The council's financial position at the end of 2024/25 showed an overspend of £3.24m, a reduction of approximately £5m since Quarter 3 of 2024/25. The main areas of overspend are within children's social care, homelessness services (emergency and temporary accommodation), management services in respect of the Capital Programme which could not be capitalised, and a shortfall from Council Owned Entities (both Treveth and Corserv).
• The report also provided updates on the performance of various council directorates, including Together for Families, Sustainable Growth and Development, Neighbourhoods, Care and Wellbeing, Customer and Support Services, and Corporate Items.
• The report included a summary of Quarter 3 2024/25 performance for Council Owned Entities, including Cormac, Corserv Care, Cornwall Airport, Corserv Facilities, Cornwall Housing, Celtic Sea Power, and Treveth.

The report recommended that the committee determine whether any further actions are required in respect of any particular performance concerns.

Asset Management Strategy Overview

The committee was scheduled to receive an overview of the council's asset management strategy. The Asset Management Strategy Overview - Report provided a chronology of the development and implementation of the corporate landlord model and strategic asset management that has been put in place by the council to date. The report highlighted some of the key outcomes of doing so and informed the committee of the actions taken in the previous 6 months or so, in anticipation of taking the council forward with the further development and embedding of the next phases of corporate landlord and strategic asset management.

The report noted that there is currently no single document that can be badged as being a Corporate Asset Management Strategy (CAMS), rather the council has relied on service based or single portfolio based, asset review strategies or plans. The report also outlined the five Corporate Landlord cultures/principles:

• CL1 All assets are managed with assurance of an appropriate compliance regime in place.
• CL2 All general fund assets are recorded on a single corporate database and mapping system.
• CL3 All asset transactions are managed from beginning to end by property professionals based in one Team/Directorate.
• CL4 All asset decisions are made in the context of corporate business plan requirements.
• CL5 All assets and property budgets are held in one Service area.

The report recommended that the committee give consideration to and provide feedback on:

1. The council's current status and position regarding the extent of implementation of the corporate landlord model and the strategic management of its assets relating to those directly linked to the council's general fund and some of the outcomes relating thereto.
2. The measures put in place to take these forward further to build on the current status and position.
3. Whether there are any additional factors that need to be taken into account or that need to be addressed in the development of an overarching Corporate Asset Management Strategy (CAMS).

Questions from Members to Cabinet Members on their Reports

The committee was scheduled to receive updates from various cabinet members and ask questions relating to their portfolios. The cabinet members providing updates were:

• The Leader of the Council, Councillor Leigh Frost
• The Deputy Leader and Portfolio Holder for Resources, Councillor Adam Paynter
• The Portfolio Holder for Economic Regeneration and Investment, Councillor Tim Dwelly
• The Portfolio Holder for Community Safety and Public Health, Councillor Thalia Marrington

The updates covered a range of topics, including government policy and funding reforms, local electric vehicle infrastructure, the Spending Review, the Joint SEND Commissioning Strategy, recommissioning of Empowering Independence Contracts, Newquay Airport, publication of tenders for care homes and extra care, local growth funding, Article 12 Celebration Day, the LGA Annual Conference, Britain's Leading Edge AGM, and the opening of next-generation security facilities at Cornwall Airport, Newquay.

Councillor Tim Dwelly was looking forward to the farms estate being reviewed by scrutiny, hoping to work closely with any inquiry. He hoped to hear from other farm estates on how to maximise revenue, explore what size of farm is most viable, and explore ways the estate could be rationalised to simultaneously boost farm viability and explore mixing land uses in some locations to provide more local/affordable housing.

Councillor Thalia Marrington stated that she continued to work with officers to ensure that Cornwall Council is compliant following the result of the Supreme Court Judgement ruling that in the Equality Act 2010, 'sex' means biological sex.

Public Questions

The agenda allowed for a 15-minute period for members of the public to ask questions to the committee.