The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to review progress on the council's digital transformation in housing services, examine the borough's five-year housing land supply, and discuss the committee's ongoing scrutiny work. The meeting also included updates on specific housing initiatives and a review of the council's planning performance.

Housing Digital Programme Progress Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the council's Housing Digital Programme (HDP). This programme, part of a wider Housing Transformation Programme (HTP) initiated in January 2023, aims to improve services and resident satisfaction. The HDP specifically focuses on enhancing the digital offer to tenants and leaseholders, including the introduction of online repair reporting, and streamlining paper-based processes. Key achievements highlighted in the report included the implementation of an electronic document management system, the decommissioning of a standalone system to integrate asset management information into the NEC Housing system, and the introduction of digital systems for tenancy sign-ups. The programme has also seen the implementation of NEC Transform to capture resident contact details, and the procurement and phased rollout of a digital resident portal for repairs and rent payments. Future plans include extending the resident portal to leaseholders and those in temporary accommodation, and developing new compliance management systems.

Five Year Housing Supply

A report was scheduled to provide an update on Waltham Forest's five-year housing land supply, identifying deliverable sites to meet the borough's housing needs. The council's Local Plan, adopted in parts, sets out strategic policies and site allocations. The Updated Housing Trajectory, supporting the Local Plan, forecasts a total supply of 30,739 new homes between 2020 and 2035. The Local Plan Part 1, adopted in February 2024, outlines a stepped housing requirement, increasing over the plan period. Part 2 of the Local Plan, nearing adoption, is supported by a five-year housing land supply statement, last updated in July 2025. This statement, covering the period from the anticipated adoption of the plan in 2025/26 to 2029/30, demonstrates a supply of specific deliverable sites sufficient to provide at least 5.21 years' worth of housing, accounting for shortfalls and applying the necessary buffer. Appendix 1 of the report was expected to detail the current status of these sites, highlighting the significant role of council-owned sites in maintaining this supply, with schemes like Fellowship Square and Coronation Square nearing completion. The report also noted a review of expired planning permissions, with only one scheme over 10 homes having lapsed in the past 12 months.

The Scrutiny Report

This item was scheduled to allow the committee to review the Forward Plan for the remainder of the municipal year and make recommendations. The Forward Plan outlines the committee's work programme, including statutory reports, major decisions, and policy areas of interest. Members were invited to propose items for the upcoming 2026-27 municipal year. The committee was also due to review the Action Tracker, which details actions required of officers from previous meetings and their progress, and the Recommendations Tracker, which captures conclusions on service improvements and their acceptance status. The report also listed key decisions falling under the committee's remit that were scheduled to be taken by the Cabinet, including those related to the Housing Revenue Account budget and Capital Investment Strategy.

The committee was scheduled to discuss the following specific items:

Housing Digital Programme Progress Update

The committee was set to review the progress of the Housing Digital Programme (HDP), a key component of the council's Housing Transformation Programme (HTP). The HDP aims to address the lack of a comprehensive digital offering for tenants and leaseholders, including online repair reporting, and to improve inefficient paper-based processes. The report detailed achievements such as the implementation of an electronic document management system, the integration of asset management data into the NEC Housing system, and the development of digital tenancy sign-up processes. The rollout of a digital resident portal for repairs and rent payments was also highlighted, alongside the procurement of a compliance management system for gas servicing. Future plans include expanding the resident portal and enhancing compliance management.

Five Year Housing Supply

This agenda item was to present an update on Waltham Forest's five-year housing land supply. The report detailed the council's Local Plan, which establishes strategic policies and allocates specific sites for development. The Updated Housing Trajectory indicates a total supply of 30,739 new homes for the period 2020-2035. The report confirmed that the borough can demonstrate a supply of deliverable sites sufficient for at least 5.21 years of housing, with Appendix 1 listing these sites and their current status. The importance of council-owned sites in meeting this supply was noted, with schemes like Fellowship Square and Coronation Square nearing completion. The report also reviewed planning permissions that have expired or are due to expire, indicating a low number of larger schemes lapsing.

The Scrutiny Report

The committee was scheduled to review the Forward Plan for the current municipal year, with one meeting remaining. Members were invited to suggest items for the 2026-27 work programme. The report also included the Action Tracker, detailing actions requested from officers and their progress, and the Recommendations Tracker, outlining conclusions on service improvements and their acceptance. Key decisions relevant to the committee's remit, as published in the Cabinet Forward Plan, were also listed. The committee was to review and comment on the Action Tracker and the Recommendations Tracker.