The Overview and Scrutiny Select Committee are scheduled to discuss investment property performance, treasury management, financial sustainability, street trading, accessibility to council services and the provision of allotments in Runnymede. The meeting will receive updates on existing programmes and strategies, and consider background information on specific topics. The committee's discussions will inform their future workstreams and recommendations to the council.

Approach to Financial Sustainability

The committee will receive an update on the progress of measures outlined in the Approach to Financial Sustainability - Savings, income generation and efficiency process report, which was approved by the full council in October 2023. The report sets out a process for identifying and delivering savings, income generation, and efficiencies, alongside proposals to increase transfers to existing earmarked reserves and create new reserves to support the council's financial sustainability. The update will cover the service review programme, savings, efficiencies and income generation, and digital transformation.

The service review process is split into phases: define, discover, design or develop, deliver, and determine. The progress of reviews under the programme is as follows:

• Safer Runnymede: In progress.
• Access Channels: Complete.
• Community Buildings: Discovery phase in progress.
• Building Control: Closed.
• Chertsey Museum: Delivery phase ongoing.
• Self-Management: Discovery phase in progress.

The savings, efficiencies and income generation programme encompasses the following strands: establishment review, budget challenge exercise, savings, efficiencies and income generation ideas, staff ideas campaign, and digital transformation. As a result of an officer review of the programme in late 2024/ early 2025, a 6% Challenge exercise was subsequently introduced to the process to engage all services in a review of 'controllable spend'.

The committee will also hear about the staff ideas campaign, which came to a close in Q1 of 2025/26, and the digital transformation strategy, which aims to maximise the use of technology to ensure the council delivers the best possible services.

Q1 Investment Property Report

The committee will be presented with the Q1 Investment Property Report, which sets out the quarterly monitoring information for Q1 2025/26, as set out in both the Asset Management and the Capital and Investment Strategies. The report provides information on key performance indicators outlined in the Asset Management and Capital and Investment Strategies. The portfolio is benchmarked by MSCI, a data service that allows the council to compare its property investment portfolio with those of other investors. The report will cover the existing property investment portfolio, valuations, weighting of the portfolio in asset class, and key performance indicators.

The key performance indicators that are scheduled to be discussed are:

• Investment Property Income
• Arrears
• Vacancy Rates
• Tenant Retention
• Income Return
• Capital Values
• Capital Appreciation/Reduction
• Loan to Value Ratio
• Interest Cover Ratio
• Debt coverage ratio
• Average return on Investments

The report also includes market summaries for the South East Office Market, UK Residential Market, Industrial and Logistics Sector, and Retail Sector. It mentions Lambert Smith Hampton, One Station Hill, the PLANT, Basingstoke, Valor Real Estate Partners, QuadReal Property Group, and Dolphin Park, Purfleet, Essex.

Q1 Treasury Management Report

The committee will receive the Treasury Management Report for Q1 2025/26. The report reflects on the council's treasury management activity and performance for the quarter ended 30 June, focusing on financing, liquidity, cash and risk management. It also reflects on the review of the council's treasury and investment strategies, along with prudential indicators, and compliance with the limits set for 2025/26.

The report will cover the following topics:

• Prudential and Treasury Indicators and Compliance
• Risk management
• Economic update
• Borrowing Activity in Q1 2025/26
• Interest rates
• Investments in Q1 2025/26
• Non-treasury Investments

The report mentions CIPFA, the Public Works Loan Board, MUFG Corporate Markets, HM Treasury, the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023, the Non-Statutory Best Value Notice, IFRS 16, the Sterling Overnight Index Average, CCLA Investment Management Limited, Funding Circle, Standard Chartered Bank, and the Local Government Act 2003.

Street Trading

The committee will discuss street trading in the borough. A background paper will be provided to the committee to enable it to commence consideration of that work stream. The paper will cover the following topics:

• The benefits of street trading
• The legal framework for street trading
• The current position in the borough
• The advantages and disadvantages of introducing consent streets
• Examples of street trading policies adopted by other local authorities

The report mentions the Local Government (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1982, the Pedlars Act 1871, the Highways Act 1980, and the Police, Factories, Etc (Miscellaneous Provisions) Act 1916. It also provides links to street trading policies adopted by other local authorities, including Rushcliffe Borough Council, Redbridge Council, West Suffolk Council, and Bradford Council.

Accessibility to Council services for elderly and vulnerable residents

The committee will receive a report providing an overview of the various different access channels in place across the council that support vulnerable residents in accessing council services. The report will cover the following topics:

• The council's Customer First Strategy
• Improvements already delivered through the Customer First, Digital Transformation and Customer Access Reviews
• Customer Engagement Dashboards
• Translation services
• Housing services
• Community services
• Community safety
• Sport, leisure and other recreational activity
• Museum services
• Waste and recycling services
• Open spaces

The report mentions the WCAG 2.0 website accessibility guidelines.

The provision of Allotments in Runnymede

The committee will receive a status report on the provision of allotments in Runnymede. The report will cover the following topics:

• A brief history of allotments
• The legal framework for allotments
• The location and size of allotment sites in Runnymede
• The number of plots and waiting lists
• Renting a plot on a Runnymede allotment
• Tenancy agreements
• Method of payment
• Surrender or termination of allotment tenancy
• Site and plot inspections
• Policy framework implications
• Resource implications/Value for Money
• Legal implications
• Equality implications
• Environmental/Sustainability/Biodiversity implications
• Risk Implications

The report mentions the Allotments Acts 1908–50, the Allotments Act 1922, the Allotments Act 1925, and the Allotments Act 1950. It also includes a map of allotment sites in Runnymede and a table of allotment terms and conditions.