The Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Warwickshire Council met on Wednesday 25 February 2026 to discuss a range of important issues affecting the county. Key topics included the economic development update, the integrated performance report for Quarter 3, and the results of the National Highways and Transport survey. The committee also reviewed updates on local transport funding, local transport plan area strategies, and the communities overview and scrutiny committee's work programme.

Economic Development Update

Isobel Woods, Head of Economy and Skills, presented an update on Warwickshire's economy, employment, and skills, highlighting a rise in the unemployment rate from 4.2% to 4.4% between June and September 2025, indicating a slowing labour market. While Warwickshire remains below the West Midlands average, it is now marginally higher than the national rate. This trend is expected to continue due to national economic pressures, with young people likely to be most affected. Employers are facing cautious recruitment due to inflation, rising costs, and market uncertainty. The UK Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) is on track to meet its targets, with 92% of community project targets met, 72% for business support, and 94% for employment and skills. However, uncertainty surrounds future funding beyond April 2026. Business support services have seen strong performance, with 1,255 businesses supported so far in 2025/26 and £4.55 million in loans and grants issued. Inward investment inquiries are up 10% year-on-year, with particular interest from India and China in automotive sectors. Strategic sectors like automotive are seeing continued engagement, though there have been closures of Polestar R&D offices and Ox Delivers entering administration, with redundancy support offered to affected employees. The council has submitted a competitive bid for the Local Innovation Partnership Fund focusing on creative and design technologies. A new website has been launched to support the film and TV industry, and an Agri-Tech event was held with the NFU, receiving positive feedback. Employment programmes, including the Warwickshire Supported Employment Service, Connect to Work, and Workwell, are showing positive outcomes, with 90.24% of individuals supported by WSES sustaining their roles for over six months. The Warwickshire Skills Show is scheduled for 3 March 2026, aiming to connect employers with students.

Quarter 3 Integrated Performance Report 2025/26

Steve Smith, Director of Infrastructure, Planning and Environment, presented the Quarter 3 Integrated Performance Report. Of the 21 Council Delivery Plan (CDP) deliverables within the committee's remit, 62% are on track, 19% are facing challenges, and 19% have no report. For the Performance Management Framework (PMF), 41 Key Business Measures (KBMs) fall within the committee's remit, with 29 reported this quarter. Performance is strong in areas like visitor numbers to country parks, but home-to-school transport costs remain a challenge. The services reporting to the committee are forecasting a cumulative net service overspend of £3.168 million, and saving targets are forecast to be underachieved by £0.449 million. Three strategic risks are currently rated as 'red', including the lack of funding and resources to mobilise plans for Sustainable Futures.

Councillor Matecki raised concerns about three delayed or underachieving climate change measures: fleet decarbonisation, council building decarbonisation, and tree planting. Specific timelines for the fleet strategy and tree and woodland strategy were requested, with assurances that proposals would be brought forward to address delays. Councillor Grocott questioned the £3.168 million overspend and the underachievement of saving targets, asking if portfolio holders were concerned and what the administration was doing to address this trend. Councillor Waine noted that almost 25% of the Performance Management Framework's areas of focus were flagged as 'challenging' or 'underachieving' and sought reasons and improvement plans. He also queried whether the projected shortfall in cycle lane delivery would result in budget savings and carry-over.

The National Highways and Transport 2025 Survey Results (County Highways)

Benjamin Hill, Contract and Policy Team Manager, presented the results of the National Highways and Transport (NHT) survey. Warwickshire continues to perform strongly compared to other County Councils, with satisfaction levels improved or stable across most indicators. Key achievements include ranking second nationally for overall highway maintenance (KBI 24) with 46% satisfaction, and fourth for the condition of highways (KBI 23) with 29% satisfaction. Significant improvements were noted in drainage, pothole repairs, flood response, and enforcement. Warwickshire ranked second for dealing with potholes and damaged roads (HMBI 13) with 30% satisfaction, up 4% from 2024. The council also ranked second for dealing with flooding on roads and pavements (HMBI 22) with 41% satisfaction, up 7% from 2024. However, areas for focus include street lighting and roadside condition and cleanliness, which saw ranking declines. District-level analysis revealed variations in satisfaction, with North Warwickshire consistently reporting the lowest satisfaction and Warwick district the highest. Councillor Waine commented that only six out of 25 indicators had a public satisfaction rating of 50% or more, emphasizing there is no room for complacency. He also highlighted the significant disparity between North Warwickshire and Warwick district in satisfaction levels and questioned the reasons behind this.

Consolidated Local Transport Funding Update

Neil Lissimore, Head of Transport Strategy & Road Safety, provided an update on the consolidated local transport funding. The Department for Transport (DfT) has introduced a new consolidated approach for non-mayoral Local Transport Authorities, effective from April 2026, with a draft Local Transport Delivery Plan (LTDP) due by 20 March 2026 and a final plan by 18 September 2026. This new system consolidates several legacy grants into the Integrated Transport Fund (ITF) and Bus Services Fund (BSF), offering greater local flexibility. Warwickshire's indicative allocation is £214.5 million capital and £19.9 million revenue over the period. The proposed focus areas for the LTDP are Network Resilience, Public Transport, Road Safety, and Centres & Corridors, aligning with LTP4 priorities. Councillor Matecki questioned the tight timescales for the LTDP submission and the reason for the urgent Leader's decision.

Local Transport Plan Area Strategies Update

Sebastian Burch, Service Manager - Transport Strategy, presented an update on the Local Transport Plan (LTP4) Area Strategies. LTP4, adopted in July 2023, sets the county's transport strategy and policy framework. The Area Strategies, such as the draft North Warwickshire strategy, translate LTP4's aims into place-based priorities. The North Warwickshire strategy, presented as a template, covers three chapters: context, case for change, and the area strategy itself, applying six subject strategies (Active Travel, Public Transport, Motor Vehicles, Safer Travel, Managing Space, and Freight) locally. Councillor Grocott commented on the mention of park and ride facilities, noting that only one is currently operational in the county. Councillor Chilvers requested more detail on how the strategies would be applied in specific circumstances, suggesting the inclusion of prioritized schemes from the Local Cycling and Walking Infrastructure Plan (LCWIP). Councillor Cooper raised concerns about the potential for active travel expectations to be less feasible in rural areas like North Warwickshire compared to more urban areas, and the need to consider the transition period for electric vehicles.

Communities OSC Work Programme

The committee reviewed its work programme, noting it was up to date. A request was made for the Home to School Transport consultation report to be brought to the next meeting in February 2026.

Any Other Business

No other business or urgent items were raised.

Decisions Made:

• On-Street Parking Charges Call-In: Following a call-in regarding the annual on-street pay and display charge review, the committee made three recommendations to the Portfolio Holder for Transport and Planning:
  1. Reduce the 15-minute charge to 35p from the proposed 45p, with potential increases to higher time periods if revenue targets necessitate.
  2. Consider introducing a new 10-minute free parking period.
  3. Engage with local businesses affected by the proposed 15-minute charge increase on any future increases, acknowledging that other price bands are determined by district and borough car parking rates. These recommendations were carried and will be referred back to the Portfolio Holder for determination.