The Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel of Worcestershire Council is scheduled to meet on Friday, 16 January 2026. The meeting's agenda includes a review of the draft budget for 2026/27, with a particular focus on environmental services, and a discussion regarding the panel's future work programme.

Budget Scrutiny 2026/27

The panel is set to examine the draft budget for the upcoming financial year, 2026/27, specifically concerning services related to the environment. This discussion will involve Cabinet Members responsible for Environment and Communities, and Highways and Transport, alongside the Acting Strategic Director for Economy and Infrastructure and the Deputy Chief Financial Officer.

The report pack indicates that the panel members have been involved in quarterly performance and financial monitoring throughout the year, providing oversight of service provision and identifying budget pressures. Councillors have also had the opportunity to attend a budget briefing on 9 December 2025, and have been presented with reports on the draft Medium Term Financial Plan (MTFP) and the Provisional Local Government Settlement. The panel's discussions on the draft budget and MTFP, including proposals for savings, will be forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration on 5 February 2026, with final budget approval by the Council scheduled for 26 February 2026.

The panel is expected to focus on the impact of Exceptional Financial Support and Council Tax proposal, as well as any further savings opportunities which the panels would wish the Cabinet to consider for 2026/27 or future years, and any further issues which the panels would wish the Cabinet to consider in relation to the 2026/27 budget or Medium-Term Financial Plan. ¹

The financial context presented highlights significant pressures, including a growing service overspend, particularly across Adult and Children's services. The council is facing a substantial budget gap, with projections indicating a need for significant funding through Exceptional Financial Support (EFS) and potential increases in Council Tax. The Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) also presents a considerable challenge, with a cumulative deficit projected to rise significantly. The report notes that the council is working to address these budget pressures and reduce reliance on EFS and reserves.

Specific to the Environment and Economy (E&I) directorate, the draft budget for 2026/27 shows changes in government grants, including a reduction in the Local Authority Bus Grant and an increase in the Extended Producer Responsibility Grant. The budget also accounts for pay awards, contract inflation, and investments in areas such as waste management and demand growth. Savings identified within E&I include reductions in monitoring and evaluation, highways re-organisation, and a decrease in the use of consultants.

Work Programme

The panel will also consider its work programme for the upcoming year. The Environment Overview and Scrutiny Panel is responsible for scrutinising areas including the environment, Net Zero targets, highways, flooding, and waste management. The current work programme, which was discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Performance Board on 16 October 2025 and agreed by the Council on 6 November 2025, is attached for review. The panel is asked to consider this programme and agree any amendments.

Future meetings are scheduled for 11 March 2026, 15 May 2026, 9 July 2026, 2 October 2026, and 25 November 2026. The work programme indicates that topics such as waste management and speed limit policies are scheduled for discussion in March 2026.