The Corporate Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on 3 September 2025, to discuss Greater Essex local government reorganisation, the Corporate and Improvement Plan, and the devolution programme. The committee scrutinised the council's proposal for a four unitary authority model for local government reorganisation in Greater Essex, provided feedback on the draft Corporate and Improvement Plan for 2025-29, and reviewed progress on the devolution programme, including draft regulations for the Greater Essex Combined County Authority.

Greater Essex Local Government Reorganisation

The committee scrutinised Thurrock Council's proposal for a four unitary authority model as part of the Greater Essex Local Government Reorganisation (LGR). Councillor Lynn Worrall, Leader of the Council, had instructed officers to develop the four authority proposal because she felt that neither the three nor the five authority model represented Thurrock's best interests.

The four proposed unitary authorities would be:

• UA1: Thurrock, Brentwood, Epping Forest and Harlow (West)
• UA2: Uttlesford, Braintree and Chelmsford (North)
• UA3: Colchester, Tendring and Maldon (East)
• UA4: Southend, Basildon, Castle Point and Rochford (South)

The committee was asked to provide feedback on the approach, comment on the conclusions, and identify areas where arguments could be strengthened.

The committee was told that the four model proposal:

• bridges the benefits from the three and five models
• generates sustainable unitary authorities
• demonstrates the council's commitment to engaging with residents on what is important to them

The committee had previously raised questions at the 7 August meeting, and responses were provided in the report. These included:

• Impact of forecast birth and mortality rates: Population projections indicate that by 2044, three of the four unitaries would be over 500,000 residents.
• Number of residents who self-fund their adult social care: The council does not hold this data. Data relating to direct payments was presented.
• Travel mapping information: Information on travel to work commute patterns from the 2021 census was provided.
• Adult social care disaggregation challenges: It was noted that disaggregation could lead to reassignment of cases, new care teams, or delays in services.
• Sufficient land for new housing without using green belt: All four areas have large green belt areas.
• How the four model supports health footprints: The current three Integrated Care Boards¹ are being replaced by a single new organisation.
• Council tax equalisation: Illustrative analysis was done for the business case based on 2024/25 rates.
• Why two unitaries together is a red line: The four model avoids the complexity of aggregating current unitary structures in Thurrock and Southend.
• How the four model is closer to communities: The four model provides all councils with sufficient scale to be financially resilient, whilst remaining sufficiently grounded in the local areas to engage with communities and deliver effectively.

The committee resolved to:

1. Provide views and comments on the approach taken to develop the LGR proposal for a four unitary authority option.
2. Provide views and comments on the developing rationale in support of the preferred four unitary option configuration.
3. Provide views and comments to ensure the proposal reflects the views of Committee and members, ahead of a final draft returning to Committee on 3 September, prior to Cabinet decision on 17 September 2025.
4. Recommend an extraordinary Full Council meeting for all 49 Members to debate and have an indicative vote on the LGR proposals.

Devolution

The committee reviewed a report summarising progress with the devolution programme and seeking consent from Cabinet to allow the draft Greater Essex Combined County Authority regulations to complete their parliamentary passage and establish the Greater Essex Mayoral Combined County Authority².

The report summarised progress with the devolution programme including:

• publication of the Devolution White Paper and the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
• the devolution ambition in Greater Essex including acceptance onto the Devolution Priority Programme
• the statutory consultation on devolution and the ministerial decision that the statutory tests for establishment of the Mayoral Combined County Authority had been met

The report also explained the devolution proposal set out in the Devolution Bill and the draft regulations including the principle of devolution by default, the functions of the Mayoral Combined County Authority and that the devolution bill represents the 'floor, rather than the ceiling' of the Government devolution ambition.

The committee was asked to comment and provide advice to Cabinet in relation to the following recommendations:

• Consider and give consent to the laying and subsequent making of the Greater Essex Combined County Authority Regulations 2026 (subject to Parliamentary approval).
• Delegate authority to the Assistant Chief Executive in consultation with the Leader of the Council and the Chief Executive / Managing Director Commissioner to approve any required changes to the regulations and consent to the final version, prior to laying before Parliament.
• To note progress made on the devolution programme since the last report to Cabinet in March 2025.

Corporate and Improvement Plan 2025-29

The committee reviewed the report to Cabinet on the Corporate and Improvement Plan 2025-29, which is a refresh of the Corporate Plan 2024-2029. The council's constitution stipulates the Corporate Plan as being part of the council's policy framework, and as such final approval of the plan is a decision for the council.

The refresh of the Corporate Plan:

• reflects substantial progress made in the last year
• provides an opportunity to restate and add focus
• reflects devolution and local government reorganisation
• sets the scene for the Transformation Roadmap
• ensures priorities reflect those of the new administration

The refresh has also given the opportunity to be more outcome-focused and more explicit as to what the council is aiming to achieve. The Corporate and Improvement Plan has been renamed to emphasise the combining of the Improvement and Recovery Plan (IRP) with the Corporate Plan to enable streamlined reporting and governance arrangements.

The committee was asked to provide feedback and comment on the content of the Corporate and Improvement Plan and to make any recommendations to Cabinet that it feels is required ahead of their meeting on 17 September and Full Council in October.

Q4 Financial Outturn 2024/25

The committee reviewed the council's provisional financial performance for 2024/25. The report set out the General Fund revenue, delivery against the 2024/25 revenue savings target, transformation funding, General Fund reserves usage, Housing Revenue Account (HRA) revenue, capital programme for both the General Fund and HRA, Dedicated Schools Grant, and the asset disposal programme.

The council is reporting a provisional underspend of £21.805m against its general fund revenue budget. The 2024/25 budget included a savings target of £19.866m, with 93% delivered, 2% mitigated, and 5% remaining not achieved.

The committee was asked to note the provisional revenue and capital outturn for 2024/25, the underspend of £5.844m against directorate budgets, the underspend on the corporate cost budget of £6.403m, the transfer of Thurrock's share from the National Non-Domestic Rates Pool of £1.645m, the underspend of £7.913m against the treasury cost budget, the transfer of the underspend on the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) of £5.309m, and that the exceptional financial support requirement for 2024/25 will be subject to the completion of the external audit of the council's statement of accounts.

Work Programme, Action Log and Recommendations Tracker

The committee reviewed and noted the work programme, action log and recommendations tracker.