Bexley Council's Finance & Corporate Services Overview and Scrutiny Committee has committed to a closer examination of the BexleyCo business plan and its governance structures. The decision was made during a meeting on Wednesday, July 8, 2026, where councillors proposed to scrutinise the company more thoroughly.
Councillor Stefano Borella, Leader of the Labour Group and Shadow Cabinet Member for Budget, Transformation & Corporate Policy, put forward the proposal. He stated that the entire business plan of BexleyCo should be torn up and started again,
highlighting concerns about the company's governance, suggesting it has been hidden away in the cabinet committee.
Councillor Borella is advocating for wider member involvement
in BexleyCo's governance, stating, there needs to be wider member involvement and I would hope that either that's for a subgroup or the work programme we make sure that's looked at as members because we do need to look at it closely.
Councillor Borella also expressed that BexleyCo is failing residents in areas such as affordable and council housing. The committee agreed to include BexleyCo in its work programme, with a specific focus on reviewing its business plan and governance. While a specific timeline for this examination is not yet defined, feedback from a workshop session on the assurance framework will be reported back to the committee in October.
Councillor Sean Brackstone, Leader of the Reform Group, sought assurance regarding member oversight within the governance model. He noted that on the three-tier governance model, I note there's not much member oversight involved. Now, I assume that's because that's a day-to-day governance model where it wouldn't be possible to do that. But I just want some assurance that there will be active member involvement continuing from here.
Councillor David Leaf, Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources and Transformation, assured members that a very important part of member assurance and engagement is the scrutiny process. And therefore, I know obviously the chairman of the committee has been quite clear that transformation is to be quite heavily embedded into the agenda and the work programme for members, as has been said. So there are ample opportunities, I think, for members to have the assurance.
Councillor Leaf also assured members that face-to-face services would be maintained.
The committee's discussions were held in relation to the agenda outlined in the Agenda frontsheet and the accompanying Public reports pack.
