The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the council's delivery plan, parking, and future work programme. The committee reviewed the council delivery plan for the first quarter of 2025-26, noting concerns about digital transformation, leisure centre decarbonisation, and key performance indicators. Members also received updates on the pay on exit parking project and the local government reorganisation in Hertfordshire.

Council Delivery Plan 2025-26 (Quarter 1 Update)

The committee reviewed the Council Delivery Plan 2025-26 Quarter 1 Update, which presents progress on key council projects, risks, and performance indicators.

Of the projects identified by the Cabinet, two were given an amber status:

• Digital Transformation, due to delays to the grants database and burials applications.
• Leisure Centre Decarbonisation, due to the need for Building Safety Act sign off at the end of the works.

Four projects were given a red risk status:

• Leisure Centre Decarbonisation
• Decarbonisation Phase 2
• Churchgate
• Local Plan Review

Three key performance indicators (KPIs) were rated red:

• Careline installations
• Customer Service Centre (CSC) calls answered within 45 seconds

The report also set out intentions to develop KPIs that align better with the objectives within the council plan.

The committee was asked to determine any project they wanted to receive more detail on as part of the next monitoring report.

Update on Pay on Exit Parking in Council Operated Car Parks

The committee received an Update on Pay on Exit Parking in Council Operated Car Parks, which provided an update on the status of the Pay on Exit Parking Project and a comparison between 2025/26 Quarter 1 and 2024/25 Quarter 1 parking transaction figures and the number of Penalty Charge Notices issued per car park.

The report noted several issues with the new machines, including:

• Searching for network connections
• Delays in payments being registered on the Civil Enforcement Officers handheld device
• Difficulty in reading the screens in bright sunlight
• Confusion between pre-pay and post payment (Check In/Check Out) options
• Confusion between blue badge and season ticket holders having to register for a parking session

The report also included data on ticket sales and penalty charge notices (PCNs). Ticket sales had increased overall by 6%, but PCNs issued had increased by 61%. The report attributed this increase to people not entering their Vehicle Registration Mark (VRM) number correctly.

The report stated that the number of PCNs being issued for the contravention code 'parked without payment of a parking charge' was reducing, and that it was assumed that this trend would continue as people became more familiar with the machines.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme

The committee reviewed the Overview and Scrutiny Committee Work Programme Report 2025 and prioritised topics for inclusion in the work programme, attached as Appendix A. They also considered the Forward Plan, attached as Appendix B, and suggested items to be considered at future meetings.

Local Government Reorganisation

The committee received a presentation on the proposals for Local Government Reorganisation in Hertfordshire.