Agenda item

To consider the report which also responds to the Transformation Notice of Motion referred ot the Committee from Full Council in February 2026.

Councillor S Corcoran addressed the committee as a visiting Member and spoke in relation to the financial controls and transparency surrounding the Council’s Transformation Programme, particularly in relation to Phase 2 funding and expenditure with Inner Circle Consulting. Councillor Corcoran queried if the budget envelope for Inner Circle Consulting had exceeded the £3m budget agreed by Full Council in July 2024, and if so, how this had been authorised and why Members had not been sighted on business cases. Councillor Corcoran suggested that this matter should be reviewed by the Audit and Governance Committee. In response, it was confirmed that the council expected to spend £4.9m on the Transformation Programme supported by Inner Circle over a two year period and that part of the Internal Audit work within the Audit Plan for 2025/26 included the financial management arrangements around this and that the Audit and Governance Committee would receive the outcome.

The committee received an update on the Corporate Improvement and Transformation Delivery Plan 2025–27, outlining progress to the end of January 2026. The report confirmed that most improvement priorities were on track, with financial sustainability rated Amber due to ongoing budget pressures. Key updates included the introduction of draft new corporate Key Performance Indicators, progress on major transformation programmes such as within Adult social care, and preparations for transitioning to the Leader and Cabinet governance model in May 2026.

The committee noted that savings associated with transformation activity have been reprofiled within the Medium-Term Financial Strategy, with £12.347m anticipated in 2026/27 and £32m across the four?year planning period. The Committee also noted forecast use of £3.051m from the corporate transformation contingency and £1.065m from the Children’s Services improvement contingency to provide the necessary capacity and expertise to deliver planned changes. It was clarified that, to date, the council had delivered approx. £11m savings in 2025/26.

The committee noted the progress made against the four improvement priorities: financial sustainability, governance and decision?making, leadership and culture change, and improvements to children’s services. Members were informed of strengthened financial management arrangements, the continued development of organisational culture through the People Strategy and staff engagement activity, and positive external feedback on improvements within Children’s Services.

The committee debated the report and its recommendations, including the recommendation to approve in principle the proposed KPIs. It was acknowledged that this needed further work and would be considered by the appropriate Overview and Scrutiny Committee post May 2026. A friendly amendment was accepted by the committee to change recommendation 3 from ‘approve’ to ‘note’.

During the debate an amendment was proposed, seconded and subsequently lost as set out below.

Proposer: Councillor O’Leary

Seconder: Councillor Dean

Proposed amendment to recommendation 7:

That the Corporate Policy Committee note the Notice of Motion on the Transformation Programme (Appendix 8) and agree to the establishment of a Task and Finish Group of 7 Members, to be politically proportionate, with the task of making recommendations to the July meeting of Full Council on options for the future delivery of the Transformation Programme, addressing issues of governance, budget and project planning, and performance management, to include the options and implications of ceasing any further activity under the current Transformation Programme.

RESOLVED (unanimously):

That the Corporate Policy Committee

1. Note the updated Corporate Improvement and Transformation Delivery Plan 2025-27 (Appendix 1), which has been finalised in consultation with Group Leaders.

2. Note and comment on the progress towards the Plan (Appendices 2, 3 and 4) and agree to quarterly reporting to Cabinet.

3. Note the corporate Key Performance Indicators in principle with further feedback invited from Members ahead of finalising them for reporting in early 2026/27 (Appendix 5).

4. Note and comment on the transformation programmes, projects, spend and savings aligned to the MTFS (Appendices 6 and 7).

5. Note the forecast use of the transformation contingency fund of £3.051m and £1.065m of the Children’s improvement contingency fund to support capacity to deliver the required change corporately and in services as set out at Appendix 7.

6. Note that a decision to use contingency, against actual spend incurred, will be a Cabinet decision following a recommendation from the Section 151 Officer.

7. Note the Notice of Motion on the Transformation Programme (Appendix 8) and agree to the establishment of Member task and finish groups to support the development and delivery of specific transformation programmes e.g. Enabling Communities, with an update to be provided to Cabinet early in the new municipal year.