Croydon Council's Scrutiny Children & Young People Sub-Committee met on Tuesday, June 30, 2026, to discuss critical issues surrounding air pollution and climate adaptation, alongside potential topics for the upcoming scrutiny work programme. The meeting's agenda, detailed in the Public reports pack, highlighted a strong focus on environmental concerns.

Key among the agenda items was the inclusion of air pollution and climate adaptation and mitigation as potential topics for the 2026-27 scrutiny work programme. Councillors expressed a desire for clarity on the council's approach to climate adaptation, particularly in light of the ongoing heatwave. One councillor noted, So, obviously, we're in the middle of a heat wave. You've got a Cabinet meeting tomorrow when the heat temperature is due to be between 35 and 40 degrees. This observation prompted the question about climate adaptation and mitigation, indicating that the current extreme temperatures were a catalyst for seeking clarity on the council's strategies. The committee sought to understand if these pressing climate issues were being discussed at the Cabinet level.

Looking ahead, the committee discussed potential additions to its 2026-27 work programme. Alongside air pollution and climate adaptation, other proposed topics included tree mapping, enforcement strategies for fly-tipping and abandoned vehicles, flood risk management, contract management for services like FM Conway and Veolia, the EV charging strategy, local plan progress, sustainable and active transport, and the Blitz Cleans programme.

Regarding the Blitz Cleans programme, the committee noted that its impact and future were under discussion, with a review of previous years underway. This review aims to inform the council's actions over the next four years, identifying what has worked well and areas for improvement. While specific findings or recommendations from the Blitz Cleans review were not yet available, it is expected to be presented to the Cabinet in due course and could form a future agenda item for the committee.

Croydon Family Hubs locality map
Map of Croydon showing the localities of Family Hubs, Libraries, and Children's Centres.

Layers of support for children and young people
A diagram illustrating the 'Layers of support' for children and young people, categorizing them into Targeted, Targeted Plus, and Specialist support.