Bexley Council's Future Bexley Assurance Framework, designed to safeguard frontline services and ensure financial resilience, has been met with concerns over its complexity and language. Councillors raised questions about the framework's terminology, with Councillor Stefano Borella citing examples such as 'mandatory ask escalations, stage gate, dependency heat map', suggesting it could be 'daunting' for staff. Aisha Hakim-Rahman, Deputy Director of Transformation, acknowledged these concerns and stated that the language would be reviewed as the framework is rolled out to make it more accessible across the council.
The council has confirmed £3.63 million in savings for 2026/27, with an additional £7 million projected for phase two, aiming for a total net benefit of £18.5 million. Councillor Borella expressed keen interest in the specific details of these projected savings, particularly regarding fees, charges, and trading services. While the total confirmed savings for 2026/27 are £3.63 million, a detailed breakdown of these specific areas was not provided in the meeting information, but it was indicated that more detail would be available later in the year.
Concerns were also raised about the validation of savings, with Councillor David Li asking for evidence to classify the £3.63 million as validated and whether these savings were recurring or one-off. Ms Hakim-Rahman explained that these savings were based on confirmed outline business cases.
The proposed governance model for the Future Bexley Assurance Framework is a three-tier system: a Strategic Tier led by the Chief Executive and CLT, a Tactical Tier led by SROs (Deputy Directors) at Programme Boards, and an Operational Tier led by Programme Managers in fortnightly 'Engine Rooms'. Councillor Sean Brackstone sought assurance regarding member oversight within this model. It was stated that while the day-to-day governance may not involve direct member oversight, ample opportunities for member assurance and engagement will be provided through reporting to public cabinet and the scrutiny process. The committee's work programme will also embed transformation work, allowing for continuous scrutiny.
Councillor Brackstone also emphasised the importance of maintaining face-to-face services for residents in crisis, particularly those facing homelessness. Councillor David Leaf, Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transformation, assured members that face-to-face services are a priority and will be maintained. He suggested that the community hub model, as it is rolled out, may offer opportunities for people to seek help and guidance. The council is also working with charities in the sector that provide support for those experiencing homelessness.
Concerns were also raised about the potential for increased digital services to reduce support for elderly or less digitally included residents. Councillor Leaf stressed a 'nuanced approach' to ensure appropriate and sufficient channels of communication for all residents. While encouraging digital and self-service options, the council is 'very keen' to ensure that people are not left behind. Specific communication channels will be maintained, and the council is assessing the impact on services carefully, engaging with partners and stakeholders to ensure all needs are met. Examples of technological innovations that could break down barriers, such as AI translation tools for language barriers and digital sign language boards, were also mentioned.
Councillor Leaf also addressed concerns about misinformation regarding BexleyCo, stating that detailed financial data is publicly available.
The committee reviewed the proposed framework and identified potential gaps and risks. Feedback gathered during a subsequent workshop session will be reported back to the committee in October. The workshop is intended to allow members to 'challenge the assumption behind our savings targets and check that our level of oversight matches the level of risk.'
Further details on the meeting can be found in the Agenda frontsheet and the Public reports pack.
