The Council voted to welcome the new Labour government and to write to the Prime Minister to offer their congratulations. Councillors also voted to adopt a new Civility in Public Life action plan, and to approve the transfer of planning powers back to the Council from the LLDC.

Labour Group motion

The Council debated a motion by the Labour Group that welcomed the recently elected Labour government.

An amendment was proposed that sought to insert the phrase where they are in the best interests of residents, communities and businesses across into the motion's text, changing the following sentence:

This Council resolves to write to the Prime Minister to offer our congratulations and set out our support for his Government’s plans and how we can work together to deliver for residents of Waltham Forest.

This amendment, which was voted down, was opposed because it was felt to imply that the Council should not offer the government its full support. The amendment also proposed appending a list of requests to the letter to the Prime Minister, including the following:

 The Council calls on the Prime Minister to make serious violence a national priority.

This request directly echoes a pledge made in the Labour Party manifesto, in which they promised to make our streets safe by putting neighbourhood policing at the heart of their contract with the British people.¹ The amendment also sought to thank the previous Conservative government for what it described as their 'achievements' whilst in power, including:

 Whipps Cross Hospital rebuild started

This is a controversial claim given that the planned rebuild of Whipps Cross Hospital has been significantly delayed. The original plan would have seen work begin on the site in 2022. Following the government's decision to select the hospital for funding as part of its new hospitals programme in 2019, the scheme has been beset with problems. These delays were compounded when the recently elected Labour government omitted the scheme from its list of forty hospitals that would receive funding for construction to start by 2030. The government has since clarified that five hospitals that had been included in the previous government's plans but left off its own list, including Whipps Cross, would receive funding for a more limited programme of works.

Public Statements

Three members of the public made statements at the meeting.

Policing

BC Rhona Hunt, the new Borough Commander for Waltham Forest, used their statement to introduce themself and thank the officers involved in establishing the new Citizen's Assembly.

This assembly will see the Council work with local residents and the Met Police in order to make recommendations on how to improve neighbourhood policing.

Community

Gail Penfold, who described herself as a 'critical friend' to the council, used her statement to thank the officers who had supported her work within the borough's communities.

Penfold also used her time to introduce Charlie Blair, who will be working with her to support her work with older people.

Open Space

Abigail Woodman, speaking on behalf of the East London Waterworks Park Group, presented a petition asking the council to support their campaign to have the Thames Water Waterworks site on Lea Bridge Road turned into a park.

The East London Waterworks Park Group's vision for the site is that it would become a new 26 acre Park for East London in the Lea Valley.² This part of the meeting followed the publication of new figures by the Office for National Statistics that revealed a decline of 1.5% in the total area of parks and public gardens in England. The figures, which covered the period from 2020 to 2022, showed that almost 3,000 football pitches worth of parkland had been lost nationally.

Councillor Williams, responding to the petition, said that it would be submitted to the planning committee, who would take the petition into account when they came to make a decision.

This is in line with the Council's own policies, which require the Planning Committee to consider any petitions received that are related to planning applications that they are due to consider.

Secure Children's Homes

Louisa Mullan spoke about her personal experience of growing up in a secure children's home. Mullan raised particular concerns about the welfare of children who are autistic or vulnerable, and who are being placed in these homes in increasing numbers.

Councillor Williams replied that the Council had a duty to provide secure provision for children with mental health needs, and that this was particularly difficult at present because there was a lack of suitable places locally.

Civility in Public Life

The Council debated and then voted to adopt a new motion on Civility in Public Life.

In the debate, Councillor Williams highlighted the important role that councillors play in local democracy, and the need for them to be able to carry out their duties without fear of abuse or intimidation.

Debating and disagreeing with one another has always been, and will continue to be, a healthy part of democracy. However, the right engagement matters and abuse and intimidation crosses the line into dangerous territory and has no place in politics.

Councillor Saumarez, speaking in favour of the motion, said that she was concerned about the impact that abuse and intimidation was having on the mental health of councillors.

This is in line with the Council's previous commitments to improve the safety of Councillors. This includes a previous decision by the Council to incorporate definitions of antisemitism and Islamophobia into its constitution.

Delegation and transfer of planning power from the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC)

The council approved a plan to accept the transfer of planning powers for some areas of the borough from the LLDC. This will take place in two phases, with an interim scheme operating from September until November 2024, followed by a more permanent arrangement from December 2024.

The London Legacy Development Corporation was set up by the government in 2012 to manage the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.

The decision to give planning powers to the LLDC for some areas of the borough was controversial, as it took power away from the locally elected council. This move was opposed by some local residents, including those who felt that it would lead to less local control over development in the area.

These changes mean that the council will once again be the local planning authority for the whole of the borough.