The Performance and Finance Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to meet on 19 September 2025 to discuss the performance and resources of West Sussex County Council. The agenda included the quarterly performance and resources report, updates on the Oracle Fusion Programme, and the council plan and medium-term financial strategy. The committee was also expected to plan its work programme and consider future scrutiny items.

Performance and Resources Report

The committee was expected to review the Performance and Resources Report (PRR) for Quarter 1 of 2025/26, which covers corporate performance, finance, workforce, risk, and the capital programme as of the end of June 2025. The report indicated a net £17.6 million overspend, which is 2.1% of the overall budget, driven by demand for adult and children's social care. The report also noted that there was a significant risk that reserves would need to be used for a third year to cover the overspend.

The committee was asked to focus on KPIs that were identified as red or amber, as well as any budget variations. Key areas of enquiry included:

• Actions being taken to address areas of under-performance.
• The effectiveness of measures to manage the revenue and capital budget position.
• Whether previous concerns raised by the committee had been addressed, specifically in relation to recruitment and retention, cyber security, the Capital Programme, climate change and Oracle Fusion.
• Whether the service being delivered met the objectives in the Council Plan and provided value for money.
• Key corporate risks and plans to mitigate these, particularly in relation to Corporate Risk 22, financial sustainability.
• Any issues for further in-depth scrutiny for inclusion in the committee's future work programme.
• Specific areas for action or response by the relevant Cabinet Member or for further scrutiny by one of the other scrutiny committees.

The report highlighted several performance successes, including Orchard House Children's Home being rated as 'Outstanding' by Ofsted, and the opening of the Lyminster Bypass. However, it also noted financial risks such as the growing demand for social care, contractor cost pressures, and delays in achieving savings.

The report also included updates on the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) deficit, which was expected to reach £193.2 million by the end of the 2025/26 financial year, and the Doubtful Debt Provision, which was expected to increase by £4.5 million.

Council Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy

The committee was scheduled to scrutinise a report on the Council Plan and Medium-Term Financial Strategy (MTFS). The report set out the planning process for updating the Council Plan and MTFS to support business and financial planning over the next five years.

The report proposed extending the current Council Plan until the abolition of the County Council in 2028, due to the planned establishment of new unitary councils. It also proposed adding a fifth priority to the plan:

'maximise the benefits of devolution and local government reorganisation for our residents and communities'.

The report noted that there remained much uncertainty in terms of the financial position, particularly with regards to the Funding Reforms.

Implementing Oracle Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress of the Oracle Fusion Programme, which aims to replace the council's existing business management system (SAP). The update included information on the budget position, benefit identification, and social value initiatives. The committee was asked to review the progress report and seek assurance that the implementation activity was proceeding as planned and being monitored.

The report noted that the programme had delivered the design and configuration phases for the finance and procurement modules, and that the user acceptance testing phase had begun. However, it also noted that the programme was experiencing a delay to the completion of the HR and payroll design of approximately 6 weeks.

Other Business

The committee was also scheduled to:

• Note responses to recommendations made at recent meetings.
• Consider requests for call-in.
• Plan its work programme and consider possible items for future scrutiny.

Appendix C of the Agenda frontsheet included an extract of the Forward Plan of Key Decisions, which included the following items of interest:

• Local Government Reorganisation in West Sussex
• Approval of Order for Establishing a Strategic Authority for Sussex
• Get Sussex Working Plan
• Performance and Resources Report - Quarter 1 2025/26
• Property and Assets (Rolling Entry)
• Durban House, Bognor - Reinstatement Works
• Award of Promotion Agreement - Brick Kiln Farmland, Chichester
• Award of contract for a Managed Service Provider to support the introduction of Oracle Fusion