This meeting had a wide-ranging agenda, with items on Housing, Finance, School Transport, and the council's own performance.

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024/25 - 2027/28

The report pack included a discussion of the process for setting the 2025/26 Budget, and of the council's Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2027/28.

The document explained that although the 2023/24 budget was balanced, it included unplanned spending of £18.363 million, mainly on social care. Similarly the Housing Revenue Account, the council's budget for council housing, had unplanned spending of £0.484 million. It said that by month 3 of 2024/25 there was a projected overspend of £14.038 million, again mainly because of social care, and that services are attempting to make savings of £10 million during the year to offset this.

The report pack included an estimate that the council has a funding gap of between £18.058 and £23.860 million over the next 3 years, even assuming that all of the service pressures that had emerged so far could be resolved. The larger estimate assumed that the council would only increase council tax by 1.99%, while the smaller assumed a 4.99% increase. The document also explained that there was uncertainty because of factors like business rates and government funding.

It said that the budget for 2025/26 will be presented to Cabinet and Council in February 2025, and that, because of the difficult financial position, difficult decisions will be required.

Private Rented Sector Strategy

The report pack included a proposal for a new Private Rented Sector (PRS) strategy.

The strategy aims to improve the experience of Waltham Forest's estimated 28,500 privately renting households, while also helping the council to meet its aims around homelessness and fuel poverty. The document highlighted that rents are rising very quickly in the borough, and said that this is having a negative impact on residents' health and well-being.

The document explained that the strategy was a response to the recommendations of the Affordable Housing Commission that reported in 2023, to feedback from council staff, and to the work of Sir Michael Marmot, who in 2022 produced a report about health inequality in Waltham Forest.

The document also explained that it has been decided not to proceed with a proposal to establish a team of Tenants’ Rights Officers because their work would duplicate work already being done by the Housing Sustainment Team and Cambridge House.¹

The document included a strategy that aims to deliver 7 Intermediate Outcomes, most of which related to improving conditions for renters. In particular it set out actions designed to reduce homelessness, increase the supply of different types of rented homes, improve the quality of private rented homes, and make renting in Waltham Forest more secure.

The strategy also includes a number of proposals to reduce fuel poverty, including expanding the HEET programme, working with landlords to improve the energy efficiency of their properties, and strengthening the enforcement of Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES).²

The Minimum Energy Efficiency Standards (MEES) are a set of regulations that require landlords to ensure that their properties meet a minimum energy efficiency rating. This rating is determined by an Energy Performance Certificate (EPC).

The strategy also proposes to continue the work of the Damp and Mould Taskforce, and to support the borough's Safer Streets programme, which works to prevent crime in private rented homes. It also included a commitment to work with the police and other partners to implement the recommendations of the Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing.

Housing Scrutiny Committee Themed Review - Housing Options and Support

The report pack included a report by the Housing Scrutiny Committee about the council's Housing Options and Support service.

The document explained that the review was conducted during 2023/24, and that it was prompted by the increasing number of people in Waltham Forest who are becoming homeless.

It said that demand on the service is very high because of rapidly rising rents, caps on benefits and a cost-of-living crisis, and that the service was seeing a 50% increase in demand. The document also explained that there is a shortage of affordable housing, and that this is making it harder for the council to fulfil its duty to house people who become homeless.

The report pack included 22 recommendations to improve the service, covering issues including:

• Providing clear advice and information to people who are homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
• Improving communication with people in temporary accommodation
• Reducing the number of times that people are moved between temporary accommodations
• Ensuring that temporary accommodation is of good quality
• Making sure that families in temporary accommodation have access to essential items like cots, tables and desks
• Lobbying the government and Mayor of London to ensure that people who are homeless are not excluded from private rented housing
• Providing incentives for landlords to offer their properties as temporary accommodation
• Supporting people who are rough sleeping to move into settled accommodation

In-borough Home to School Transport Provision for Children and Young People with Special Educational Needs & Disabilities (SEND)

The report pack included a proposal for a new contract to provide home-to-school transport for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities.

The report pack explained that the council has a legal duty to provide transport for children who cannot reasonably be expected to get to school by themselves. It said that the current contract is due to expire in August 2025 and that it will be replaced by a new contract for 3 years, with the option to extend it for 2 more years.

The report pack explained that the council currently spends more on home to school transport than its budget allows, and that it is working on a number of longer-term solutions, including:

• Expanding the number of specialist schools and education facilities in the borough
• Developing a plan for post-16 education for young people with SEND
• Reviewing its transport policy
• Promoting independent travel training, walking bus schemes, mobility bikes, and car sharing
• Providing personal travel budgets for parents and carers
• Considering introducing a charge for home to school transport for pupils aged 16 to 18

The document explained that the service is currently provided by HATS Group Limited, but that the new contract will be awarded through an Open Procedure tender exercise. The document also explained that it has been decided not to bring the service in-house, or to procure it collaboratively with other councils.

Corporate Peer Challenge Action plan

The report pack included an action plan that the council will use to address the recommendations of a Corporate Peer Challenge that was conducted in June 2024.

The document explained that a team from the Local Government Association (LGA) visited the council for 4 days, and spoke to staff, councillors, and partners to evaluate how the council is performing. The action plan explained that the LGA team had made a number of recommendations, and that the action plan would ensure that these are acted on.

The report pack included the LGA's report, which said that the council is well led, has clear priorities, and is delivering a good standard of core services. However, the report also made a number of recommendations for improvement.

In particular it recommended that:

• The council should develop a clearer narrative about its work, that focuses on how it will deliver success for residents, businesses, young people and staff.
• It should strengthen the way that strategic leadership is delivered in the borough, and in particular that it should reset relationships with schools.
• It should develop a clearer plan for delivering its priorities, and take account of the capacity of middle managers to deliver them.
• It should work with staff and trade unions to develop a plan for addressing inequalities in its workforce.
• It should develop business cases for investing in social infrastructure, in particular to support the voluntary sector and business community.
• It should continue to embed a proactive focus on governance, covering areas like audit, risk management, and statutory duties
• It should develop a way of measuring the impact of its work, and report this formally to Cabinet.
• It should review the support provided to councillors.
• It should develop a stronger approach to managing its day-to-day budget, using CIPFA's five-star model.³

The CIPFA five-star model is a framework developed by the Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA) to assess and improve financial management in the public sector.

The report pack explained that the actions in the plan will be implemented between now and May 2026, and that progress will be reported regularly to the council's Senior Leadership Team and Cabinet.