This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Inner North East London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday heard reports about the impact of long term health conditions, progress on the NHS's 10 Year Health Plan, and an update about the use of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare provision.
• The Planning Committee met on Tuesday to discuss a planning application for the change of use of railway arches at Courtenay Place, Walthamstow.
• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met on Wednesday to discuss an application for a new premises licence for Ochi Restaurant, Arch 152 Tilbury Road, Leyton.

Inner North East London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 05 March 2025

This meeting of the Inner North East London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee received a number of reports on the performance of local health services.

Long Term Conditions

The Committee heard a presentation about the challenges presented by long term conditions (LTCs). The presentation, by Charlotte Stone, System Programme Director for Long-Term Conditions (LTCs) at NHS North East London, explained that LTCs represent a significant and growing challenge for health services.

Long term conditions account for half of GP appointments, 64% of all outpatients and over 70% of all inpatient bed days.

The presentation described the four main themes of the NHS's plan for improving the prevention and treatment of long term conditions:

1. Primary long term conditions prevention & early identification
2. Secondary prevention and optimisation
3. Co-ordinated care and equability of service
4. Enabling people to live well with a long term condition and tertiary prevention

NHS North East London Update

The committee also heard a presentation about the work being done by NHS North East London in response to the government's 10 Year Health Plan.

The presentation, by Zina Etheridge, Chief Executive of NHS North East London, included an update on the use of Artificial Intelligence in healthcare provision, such as an AI-driven system that will be used to triage chest x-rays.

By rolling out AI-driven triage to local hospitals, NELCA aims to cut the waiting time for X-ray results from three weeks to just three days for scans with significant findings.

Provider Updates - March 2025

The Committee received a series of updates from healthcare providers across North East London, including Barking, Havering and Redbridge University Hospitals NHS Trust, Barts Health NHS Trust and the North East London Foundation Trust (NELFT). These updates covered a range of topics, including performance against NHS England targets, the opening of new facilities and progress on waiting lists.

Finance Overview

The committee received a report on the financial position of NHS North East London. The report, by Henry Black, the Chief Finance Officer of NHS North East London, described the NHS's Medium Term Financial Strategy, and said that NHS North East London was committed to delivering a balanced budget. However, it acknowledged that the NHS was facing significant financial challenges.

the current approach is insufficient to return the system to balance.

The report said that more fundamental changes to the way healthcare is provided will be required in the future.

Planning Committee - Tuesday 04 March 2025

This meeting was scheduled to consider an application for planning permission for the change of use of railway arches at Courtenay Place, Walthamstow.

Railway Arches (Nos. 5-20), Courtenay Place, Walthamstow

The application, by Waltham Forest Council, sought permission for the change of use of the arches to a flexible use comprising Class E (Commercial, Business and Services) and Sui Generis (drinking establishments and drinking establishments with expanded food provision), along with external alterations.

The report from the planning officers stated that:

The built form in terms of structures will remain largely the same as existing given the proposal seeks to open currently vacant railway arches. As such, outlook from any nearby properties is not adversely impacted.

The report concluded that the proposal was in accordance with the Waltham Forest Local Plan LP1 (2024), and recommended that planning permission be granted.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Wednesday 05 March 2025

This meeting was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for Ochi Restaurant, Arch 152 Tilbury Road, Leyton. The application was for the supply of alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises.

A representation was received from the Metropolitan Police and from the Licensing Authority, but the latter was withdrawn after the applicant agreed to a number of conditions.

The sub-committee was due to decide whether to grant the licence, grant a licence with modified conditions or to refuse the application.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Executive Decision on Wednesday decided to cut the budget of Citizens Advice Waltham Forest by 10%, despite a forecasted £20 million overspend by the Council.
• The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny on Wednesday discussed preparations for the upcoming Care Quality Commission inspection of the borough's Adult Social Care services, the mental health of residents, and the Committee's own work programme.
• The Council met on Thursday to discuss and vote on the budget for 2025-26, which contains a proposed 4.99% increase in Council Tax.
• The Public Transport Consultative Group met on Tuesday but no transcript or video is available.

Executive Decision - Wednesday 26 February 2025

The Executive Decision meeting this week considered whether to renew the funding for Citizens Advice Waltham Forest, which provides information, advice and guidance to residents. The meeting decided to award Citizens Advice Waltham Forest a new contract, but to cut their budget by 10%, from £437,750 to £393,975. This is despite the council forecasting a £20 million overspend for this financial year.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny - Wednesday 26 February 2025

This meeting of the Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee included a presentation about the Council’s mental health promotion activities, an update on preparations for the upcoming Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection of Adult Social Care services and consideration of the Scrutiny work programme.

Mental Health Promotion

This was a presentation of the work being done to deliver the Waltham Forest Mental Health Promotion Strategy 2023-26. The strategy is delivered in partnership with the local NHS. The meeting was an opportunity for the Committee to review and scrutinise the work and make recommendations for change or improvement where needed.

The strategy aims to improve mental wellbeing and prevent mental health problems in all Waltham Forest residents. It seeks to reduce inequalities by targeting services to those at greatest risk of mental health problems. The strategy is structured around four themes: tackling stigma, social determinants of mental health, self-help and early intervention.

Adult Social Care CQC Inspection Preparation Update

This report provided an update on preparations for the upcoming CQC inspection of adult social care services.

You may recall that the Care Quality Commission (CQC) is an independent regulator of health and social care in England. They register, monitor and inspect services, to ensure that they meet fundamental standards of quality and safety.

The Scrutiny Report

This report was a summary of progress against the Committee’s work programme.

The report included a review of actions and recommendations from the previous meeting, as well as a draft Forward Plan for the remainder of the municipal year.

Council - Thursday 27 February 2025

This meeting covered a wide range of financial matters, including the Council's budget for 2025-26, the rates at which it will charge fees for its services, its plans to invest in new buildings and infrastructure and the pay of its employees. The meeting also included the appointment of Paul Calaminus to the Health and Wellbeing Board.

Budget and Council Tax

The most significant item discussed was the Council's budget for the 2025-26 financial year¹, which begins on 1 April 2025.

The council voted to approve the proposed budget for 2025-26, including a 4.99% increase in Council Tax.

The council is legally required to set a balanced budget each year. This means that its spending must not exceed its income. In order to balance the budget, the council is proposing to make £9.134 million of cuts to services.

The budget report notes that the council is facing significant financial challenges, including the rising cost of living, inflation and increasing demand for services. You may recall that in previous emails, The Open Council Network Agent reported that the council was forecasting an overspend of £20.522 million for the current financial year. The budget report warns that, without reform to local government funding, the council will need to apply for exceptional financial support from central government within 24 months.

Public Transport Consultative Group - Tuesday 25 February 2025

This meeting took place, however we have been unable to find a video recording.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Budget Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday to discuss the council's current financial position, which includes a forecast overspend of £20.522 million, and to review the proposed budget for 2025-26, which includes a proposed 4.99% increase in Council Tax.
• The Cabinet was scheduled to meet on Thursday to make decisions about the budget for 2025/26, approve the Capital Investment Strategy for 2024/25 to 2034/35, and to decide on rents and service charges for tenants.

Budget Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 18 February 2025

The Budget Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the council’s current financial position and to review the proposed budget for 2025-26. The meeting received reports on the latest forecast outturn position for revenue expenditure for 2024-25, as well as the Housing Revenue Account, Dedicated Schools Grant and the Capital Programme. The Committee also received a report on the Council’s proposed budget for 2025-26.

Council’s Current Financial Position

The Committee received a report on the Council’s current financial position, which as at Month 9 (31 December 2024) is forecasting a net overspend of £20.522 million against budget. This echoes the £20.522 million overspend that you may recall was forecast at Month 9 in the last financial year. The report pack contains a summary of the in-year forecast position by Directorate.

The report describes the main pressures on the budget as being increased demand and higher costs for Adults and Children’s Social Care, SEND, and Temporary Accommodation.

You may recall that, in a previous email, The Open Council Network Agent reported that the average unit cost of temporary accommodation (TA) to the Council after subsidy was £246 per week in November 2024. The report presented to this meeting notes that the number of households in temporary accommodation has increased by 56%, from 990 to 1,549, between November 2023 and November 2024. This has been caused by an increase in admissions to temporary accommodation alongside “a decrease in households leaving TA”.

Council’s 2025-26 Budget

The Committee received a report pack about the budget-setting process for the 2025-26 financial year.

The report pack contains a proposed increase of 4.99% in Council Tax, to £1,787.27. The proposed increase includes 2% for the adult social care precept¹ and 2.99% for core Council services. This is justified because “the increases in Council Tax are considered necessary to mitigate against increased demand for services”. The 2025-26 budget included for discussion is a balanced budget, but the report pack notes that “the remaining two years of the MTFS [Medium-Term Financial Strategy], 2026/27 and 2027/28, are currently predicting a funding gap of approximately £10.646 million”.

The report pack also contains the following breakdowns:

• Earmarked service pressures of £3.029 million.
• Budget Reductions totalling £9.134 million.
• A general fund reserve of £14.905 million for 2025-26.
• A capital Programme to provide investment in Waltham Forest over the period 2024-25 to 2034-35 totalling £712.035 million.

Cabinet - Thursday 20 February 2025

It is important to note that this is only a summary of what was scheduled to be discussed in the meeting. It does not tell us what was actually discussed, or what decisions, if any, were made.

Budget and Council Tax Setting 2025/26

The report presented the proposed budget for 2025/26 to the Cabinet.

The report proposed a budget of £522.631 million for 2025/26 and an increase in Council Tax of 4.99%, including a 2% precept for Adult Social Care and a 2.99% general increase.

The report noted a £20.522 million overspend in 2024/25 as a result of a slight increase in admissions but predominantly due to a decrease in households leaving TA, with the greatest overspend on Temporary Accommodation.

Capital Investment Strategy 2024/25 – 2034/35

The report presented the council's Capital Investment Strategy for 2024/25–2034/35 (Appendix 1).

The Capital Investment Strategy included £712.04 million for investment in the borough across the period, with £410.8 million (58%) of the total investment relating to the Housing Revenue Account (HRA), specifically to maintain council-owned homes and estates.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) Budget, including Tenants Rents and Service Charges 2025/26

The report presented the proposed HRA budget for 2025/26 (Appendix 1), as well as rents and service charges.

Financial Monitoring – 2024/25 Month 9

This report presented the current financial position of the council, as of Month 9 in the financial year.

The report predicted a net overspend of £20.522 million, up by £4.265 million from Month 6, predominantly in relation to Adults Social Care (£7.585 million), Housing General Fund (Temporary Accommodation) (£6.570 million), SEND (£4.655 million) and Children’s Social Care (£1.887 million).

Minutes of the previous meeting

The minutes of the meeting held on 14 January 2025 (Minutes of Previous Meeting) were scheduled to be discussed. The minutes included decisions on the council's response to damp and mould, the adoption of a Sufficiency Strategy, school admission numbers for Chapel End Infants and Edinburgh Schools, and the draft Local Funding Formula for Schools 2025/26.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Executive Decision on Wednesday approved the start of the procurement process for suppliers of electric vehicle charging points.
• The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday to discuss several reports, including an update on the Housing Transformation Programme.

Executive Decision - Wednesday 12 February 2025

The Executive Decision meeting this week considered a report on the procurement of suppliers for electric vehicle charging points in the borough.

The report requested approval for the procurement of suppliers to provide rapid and fast electric vehicle charging points in the borough. The report explained that the funding would come from the government's Local Electric Vehicle Infrastructure (LEVI) Capital Fund Programme. It stated that Waltham Forest Council had partnered with London Borough of Newham and London Borough of Redbridge to bid for the funding. The report explained that the council was hoping to use the money to install 250 standard 7kW charging sockets and 30 rapid 50kW charging sockets. It explained that the council intended to enter into a private commercial partnership, or concession, with the charging point operators who won the contracts.

The Partnership proposes to utilise a private commercial partnership (concession) when awarding the contract(s). This is an approach that the Partnership members have successfully used on previous Electric Vehicle Infrastructure projects.

It stated that the Invitation to Tender was scheduled to be published in March 2025, and that the council was hoping to enter into 15 year contracts with the winning bidders in July 2025. The report noted that the council had previously set out its overall approach to electric vehicle infrastructure in the Electric Vehicle Charging Point Strategy, which was published in 2020. The report's Equality Impact Assessment stated that the council did not believe the proposals would have a negative impact on any protected characteristic. It said that the council would ensure that all charging points installed using the funding would meet the requirements of PAS 1899:2022, which provides specifications for building inclusive electric vehicle charging infrastructure, including guidance for making charging points accessible to disabled people.

Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 13 February 2025

This meeting considered a number of reports about the council’s performance in delivering its commitments on housing, adult learning and the local economy. You might recall that this committee last met on 11 December 2024.

The meeting received updates on the Housing Transformation Programme and the delivery of the Housing Strategy 2024-2029. It also received reports on the council’s performance on a number of key housing performance indicators, progress on the Local Plan Part 2, and an update on the progress of the Adult Learning Service during the 2023-2024 academic year.

Housing Transformation Programme update

The report on the Housing Transformation Programme update provided information about how the programme is being delivered, what has been achieved so far and what is scheduled to be delivered next.

The report pack says that the Housing Transformation Programme, which was initiated in January 2023, seeks to “respond to several drivers, including external demand pressures, a new social housing regulatory regime, and a desire to improve services and resident satisfaction.” The report pack says that the programme now “comprises six inter-connected workstreams”, and includes an appendix setting out details of the six workstreams. However, this appendix is not included in the documents that have been made public about the meeting.

Housing strategy 2024-2029 Delivery: Year one update

This report provided an update on the delivery of the Housing Strategy 2024-2029. The report pack says that the strategy, which was adopted in April 2024, was developed with input from almost 100 residents. The report pack summarises progress and challenges in delivering the strategy so far, as well as plans for the next six months across each of the strategy’s four strategic outcomes.

The strategy has an overarching vision of “Improved and fairer access to high-quality and genuinely affordable homes which provide a foundation for every resident to live a happy and healthy life.” This vision is supported by four long-term strategic outcomes:

• “Homelessness and rough sleeping are prevented so that they become rare, brief and non-recurrent”
• “Residents can access homes that meet their needs as their circumstances change”
• “Every home in the borough is healthy, safe and affordable to heat”
• “Development enhances neighbourhoods and supports stronger, fairer and safer communities”.

The report pack also includes the Housing Strategy Delivery Plan. This plan contains details of the council’s delivery priorities under each of the four long-term strategic outcomes, and the specific actions it plans to take in order to deliver the delivery priorities.

The delivery plan includes for discussion an action to “[t]est London Affordable Rent in our financial appraisal options”. In doing so, the plan refers to a specific development: “Lea Bridge Station sites: continued negotiation with the GLA regarding grant to resolve viability challenges”. This is the same development that you might recall was discussed by the Planning Committee on Tuesday 04 February 2025, when it granted permission to vary conditions on a previously approved planning application. The council is, according to the report pack, seeking to secure funding from the Greater London Authority to support the development at Lea Bridge Station.

Housing performance

The report pack included for discussion an update on the performance of a number of the council's housing services, including homelessness, temporary accommodation, repairs, voids, rent collection and building safety. The report pack provides a summary of the service's performance on key metrics in these areas.

The report pack describes the London Walthamstow Complex as offering “over 200 units of accommodation.” It also describes the appointment of Morgan Sindall Property Services as the council’s contractor for repairs and maintenance.

The Scrutiny Report

This report provided for discussion the committee’s Forward Plan and Action Tracker.

The report pack notes that “there is one meeting left for this municipal year.” It invites members to discuss “any suggestions for items for the 2025-26 cycle”.

The Local Plan development scheme and housing delivery pipeline

This report included for discussion the impact of changes to national planning policy on the delivery of homes in Waltham Forest. It described the proposed contents of a new Local Development Scheme (LDS) and an update on the progress of the Local Plan Part 2.

The report pack explains that a revised National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) was published by the government in December 2024, requiring all councils to produce an updated LDS. It also describes the recent submission of Local Plan Part 2 to the Planning Inspectorate for examination. The report pack explains that the government's intention to introduce National Development Management Policies in 2025 has led to a decision to review Local Plan Part 1 in 2026.

The report pack contains a quote about the updated NPPF.

Paragraph 34 of the NPPF (2024) requires policies in local plans to be reviewed to assess whether they need updating at least once every five years. Following review, they should be updated as necessary.

Adult Learning Service: Progress in the 2023/24 academic year

This report provided for discussion an update on the progress of the Adult Learning Service (ALS) over the last academic year.

The report pack sets out proposals for a new target operating model for the ALS, which would include greater collaboration with the Department for Work and Pensions, Waltham Forest College and the Voluntary and Community Sector.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Planning Committee met on Tuesday to discuss proposed amendments to the Lea Bridge Station Sites development and to review the Planning Service's recent performance.
• The Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Commmittee meeting on Wednesday appears to have been cancelled, as there is no video available for it on the council's website.
• The council made an Executive Decision on Tuesday about whether to implement proposed changes to Pay to Park restrictions.

Planning Committee - Tuesday 04 February 2025

The Planning Committee met to consider two reports, one on a planning application seeking to vary conditions on a previously approved scheme at the Lea Bridge Station Sites, and one on the Planning Service’s recent performance.

Lea Bridge Station Sites

The meeting began with a discussion of a planning application seeking permission to vary two conditions attached to a previously approved planning application for the Lea Bridge Station Sites. The application, which you might recall was discussed by The Open Council Network Agent in a previous email, sought permission to increase the height of two towers, increase the total number of homes, change the mix of units, increase the number of wheelchair accessible homes, make changes to the appearance of the building, make changes to the internal layout of the homes and make a number of other smaller changes to the scheme.

The application attracted a number of objections from local residents, who were concerned that the changes represented an overdevelopment of the site and would place a strain on local services.

The committee voted to approve the application, subject to conditions.

Planning Performance

The committee then received a report on the Planning Service’s recent performance. The report noted that Waltham Forest Council receives around 3,200 planning applications each year and provided data on the timeliness of planning decisions, the outcome of appeals against planning decisions and the measures the council was taking to improve planning performance.

The report said that the performance of local planning authorities in determining planning applications is assessed on a quarterly basis by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC). The government assesses councils against two key metrics: the speed with which they determine applications, and the quality of their decisions (as measured by the proportion of decisions that are overturned at appeal).

The report noted that the government’s target for speed of determining major applications was for 60% of applications to be determined within 13 weeks, or within an agreed time extension. Waltham Forest’s performance for this target in the 24 month period from October 2022 to September 2024 was 95.5% (21 decisions within 13 weeks or an agreed extension of time, out of 22 total decisions).

The government’s target for the speed of determining minor applications is for 70% of applications to be determined within 8 weeks or an agreed time extension. Waltham Forest’s performance for this target was 88.2% (2,255 decisions within 8 weeks or an agreed extension of time, out of 2,556 total decisions).

The report noted that the government’s target for quality of decision making for major applications is that no more than 10% of decisions are overturned at appeal. Waltham Forest’s performance for this target in the 24 months to September 2023 was 3.8% (one appeal allowed out of 26 applications determined).

The government’s target for quality of decision making for minor applications is also that no more than 10% of decisions are overturned at appeal. Waltham Forest’s performance for this target was 0.7% (20 appeals allowed out of 2,672 applications determined).

The report concluded that:

The Planning Service is performing well against current national performance criteria. The success rate at appeal is in line with the national average.

Executive Decision - Tuesday 04 February 2025

This Executive Decision meeting was about potential changes to Pay to Park (P2P) restrictions in Waltham Forest, including the removal of free parking periods and the standardisation of enforcement hours. The report pack included consultation responses and petitions against the proposals. It also included the Climate Scrutiny Committee's recommendations for supporting residents with alternative travel options.

The report recommended that the proposed Pay to Park changes be implemented using an Experimental Traffic Order, which will allow for further review and adjustment based on their real-world impacts.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Audit and Governance Committee met on Wednesday to consider reports on the council's finances and to discuss the council's anti-fraud work.
• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met on Thursday to discuss an application for a new premises licence at 44 St James's Street, Walthamstow.

Audit and Governance Committee - Wednesday 29 January 2025

This meeting considered a number of reports on the council’s finances, including the audited accounts for 2021/22 and 2022/23, and the draft accounts for 2023/24. The committee also received reports on the council’s Treasury Management Strategy, its anti-fraud work, and the progress of its Internal Audit plan.

Audited Accounts

The committee considered a report on the audited accounts for 2021/22 and 2022/23. The report explained that the accounts for both years had received a Disclaimer of Opinion from the external auditor, because the backstop date for open accounts was 13 December 2024 and insufficient audit resources were available to complete the work. A Disclaimer of Opinion means that the auditor was unable to obtain sufficient audit evidence to form an opinion on the truth and fairness of the financial statements.

The committee also noted that the external auditor had carried out Value for Money work, and would also issue a Disclaimer of Opinion for the 2023/24 accounts, because the disclaimed opinions issued for the previous two years meant they did not have enough time to gain sufficient assurance over the opening balances. The committee requested that the Strategic Director Resources and Chair of the Audit and Governance Committee be delegated the authority to approve and sign the 2023/24 accounts, once the auditor’s work was complete.

Treasury Management

The committee received a report on the council’s Treasury Management Strategy for 2025/26. The report explained that the council is currently in an under-borrowed position, meaning that it is using cash from its reserves to fund capital expenditure. The report also explained that the council is monitoring interest rates and will adopt a pragmatic approach to changing circumstances.

Corporate Anti-Fraud Team

The committee received an update on the work of the Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT). The report explained that CAFT has three main workstreams: Proactive, Reactive and Redress.

The report highlighted some of CAFT’s recent successes, including:

• Recovering 43 council properties that were being occupied fraudulently.
• Preventing 4 Right To Buy applications with a total discount value of £545,600.
• Opening 422 new cases.
• Closing 375 cases.
• Currently investigating 320 cases.

The report also highlighted CAFT's collaborative working with other organisations, including joint investigations with the Department for Work and Pensions and data sharing with the National Fraud Initiative and London Fraud Hub.

Internal Audit Progress

The committee received an update on the work of the internal audit service. Internal audit is an independent, objective assurance and consulting activity designed to add value and improve an organisation’s operations. It helps an organisation accomplish its objectives by bringing a systematic, disciplined approach to evaluate and improve the effectiveness of risk management, control, and governance processes.

The committee noted that the Public Sector Internal Audit Standards will be replaced by the Global Internal Audit Standards (GIA) in January 2025. The GIA will apply to all internal audit functions, regardless of sector or location.

RIPA

The committee received a verbal update on the Regulation of Investigatory Powers Act 2000 (RIPA). RIPA is a piece of legislation that regulates the circumstances in which public bodies can carry out covert surveillance. The report stated that there had been no RIPA or non-RIPA authorisation applications submitted during 2024.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Thursday 30 January 2025

This meeting considered an application for a new premises licence for the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises at St James’s Food Store, 44 St James’s Street, Walthamstow. Representations were received from the Trading Standards and Licensing teams, both objecting to the application on the grounds that the applicant may be connected to the previous licence holder, Mr Bilgin Redzheb. Mr Redzheb's licence was revoked in July 2024 after Trading Standards officers witnessed the sale of illicit tobacco products, the sale of alcohol to a minor, and the sale of a disposable e-cigarette to a minor.

The applicant had offered a number of additional conditions to the police, in an attempt to address their concerns. However, the Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee has a range of options available to it when determining applications where representations have been made. It is not known what decision the Sub-Committee reached, as the minutes for the meeting are not yet available.

We will provide an update in our next email.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Children and Families Scrutiny Committee met to receive an update on the council's services for children and young people, including its youth justice plan and the provision of childcare in the borough.
• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met to consider an application to vary the Premises Licence for The Log Cabin café on Whipps Cross Road.
• The Climate Scrutiny Committee met but we have been unable to find a video recording of this meeting.
• The Health and Wellbeing Board met to discuss their priorities for 2025/26, to review the progress on the recommendations made in the Marmot review, and to discuss how to better incorporate the voices of residents in their work.
• The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee met to receive an update on the council’s performance and to plan the work of the council’s scrutiny committees for the coming year.
• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee meeting scheduled for Thursday 23 January 2025 was postponed and will be rescheduled.

Children and Families Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 22 January 2025

This meeting considered a range of updates on the council’s services for children and young people. It also considered the annual report on complaints made against the Children’s Social Care department, the council’s three year plan for youth justice and the provision of childcare in the Borough.

Complaints about Children's Social Care

The committee was scheduled to receive the annual report on complaints made about the Children’s Social Care service in 2023/24.

The report shows that there were 40 complaints made to the department in 2023/24, down from 61 in 2022/23. The report identifies six categories of complaints. In order of the number of complaints received these are: Poor quality of service (36%), not providing a service (26%), staff attitude (14%), disagreement with policy and decisions (12%), communication (10%) and delay in providing a service (2%).

The committee also heard that 62% of complaints were made about services for children in need, compared to 51% in 2022/23. The remaining 38% of complaints were made about services for looked after children, care leavers, children on child protection plans or children with an Education, Health and Care Plan.

The Youth Justice Plan

The committee was scheduled to receive the Waltham Forest Youth Justice Plan 2024-2027. The report pack contains a summary of the plan, the full plan, and an update on the progress made towards the priorities identified in the previous version of the plan.

Councillor Kizzy Gardiner, the Portfolio Lead Member for Children and Young People, and Anne-Marie Koroma, the Assistant Director for Youth and Family Resilience Services presented the plan. The plan identifies four strategic priorities for the youth justice service in 2024-2027:

1. Reducing the rate at which young people enter the criminal justice system for the first time.
2. Reducing serious youth violence.
3. Tackling racism and racial disparities in the youth justice system.
4. Improving outcomes for all children in the youth justice system through consistently good practice.

The meeting heard that in 2023/24, 61 children entered the youth justice system for the first time. This equates to a rate of 233 first time entrants per 100,000 children. This is higher than the London and national average for first time entrants to the youth justice system, but is lower than the number of children who entered the youth justice system for the first time in 2022/23.

The report pack also contains a summary of the findings of a recent inspection of the service by HM Inspectorate of Probation. In its report, HMIP said that the Waltham Forest Youth Justice Service ‘requires improvement’.

Early Years Childcare Places

The committee heard a presentation from Councillor Gardiner and Eve McLoughlin, the Assistant Director of Early Years and Childcare, on the provision of childcare places in the borough. The presentation covered:

• the expansion of the free childcare offer for 2 year olds from working families, that was introduced in April 2024;
• the introduction of the free childcare offer for children from 9 months old from working families, that commenced in September 2024;
• the gap between the hourly rate that the government pays for funded childcare places in Waltham Forest and other London Boroughs; and
• the work that the council has done to ensure that there are enough childcare places available for children in the borough.

The report pack includes a number of appendices that set out the council’s statutory duties in relation to childcare, the council’s priorities for improving early years provision, and some data on the take up of childcare places and the quality of childcare in the Borough.

The report pack explains that:

From September 2025, up to 30 hours of free childcare will be available for eligible working parents with a child from nine months old up to school age.

The report pack also explains that:

Waltham Forest receives the 3rd lowest funding rates when compared to other London LA’s. Our statistical neighbours of Brent, Hounslow, Enfield and Haringey are funded at an average of 50 pence more per hour for 3&4 yr olds, 78 pence more per hour for 2 yr olds and £1.14 per hour more for under 2’s.

The committee also heard about the council’s efforts to identify new sites for nurseries, and to work with developers to include nurseries in new developments. This includes making early years provision a greater priority when negotiating the provision of facilities as part of Section 106 agreements¹.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Thursday 23 January 2025

The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met to discuss an application for a variation to the Premises Licence for The Log Cabin, on Whipps Cross Road in Leytonstone. The Log Cabin is a cafe located within the boundary of Epping Forest. Representations were received from other persons expressing concerns about the prevention of public nuisance and crime and disorder.

Variation of a premises licence: The Log Cabin, Whipps Cross Road, Leytonstone, E11 1NR

The report pack contains an application from Mr Yasin Siddiqi to vary the existing Premises Licence, which currently only authorises the sale of late night refreshment between 23:00 and 05:00. The application requests the addition of the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises between 07:00 and 23:00, and an extension of the opening hours to between 06:00 and 05:00 the next day.

Alcohol consumed on the premises (the outside dining area) will be served ancillary to a table meal.

Three representations were received from other persons during the consultation.

Councillor Clyde Loakes MBE submitted a representation objecting to the granting of any alcohol licence for the cafe. He argued that the granting of a licence would fundamentally change the very nature of this business and would create serious ASB, not least in the car park behind it, and environmental challenges in terms of litter etc endangering the wildlife and creating extra fire risks. He went on to say that This location is in close proximity to a site of special scientific interest and is right on the edge of Epping Forest.

Councillor Marie Pye also submitted a representation objecting to the application on the grounds of antisocial behaviour. She argued that These premises already open into the evening selling food and non-alcoholic drinks but yet the area is one with significant ASB particularly young people in cars with Nitrous oxide canisters. Adding alcohol into this situation would just make it very much worse.

Tristan Vetta, Epping Forest Land Agent & Planning Officer, submitted a representation on behalf of the City of London Corporation, objecting to the application on the grounds that The Log Cabin is currently operating under a street vending licence and therefore cannot claim to have an outside seating area.

The report pack also contains the following statement from the applicant, Mr Yasin Siddiqi:

WE HAVE 24/7 CCTV ON THE PREMISES. MAKE SURE NOT TO SELL ALCOHOL TO THOSE ALREADY INTOXICATED. CHECKING ID TO ENSURE ALL INDIVDUALS THAT LOOK UNDER 25 HAVE PROOF OF AGE. REFUSING SALE IF IN DOUBT. BEING AWARE OF FAKE ID AND ONLY ACCEPTING FOLLOWING: Validate UK, Connexions, Portman, Citizen Card

The report pack recommends that the Sub-Committee consider the application and decide to either grant the application in full, grant the application in part, or refuse the application.

Climate Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 23 January 2025

This meeting took place, however we have been unable to find a video recording.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Monday 20 January 2025

This Integrated Meeting of Waltham Forest Health & Wellbeing and Health & Care Partnership Boards considered four joint items, one item solely for the Health and Wellbeing Board, and one item for the Health and Care Partnership Board.

Business planning for Integrated Health Boards

This item included a discussion on the functions and statutory duties of the boards, the history of priority setting in the partnership, and existing priorities and workstreams, with a view to defining the boards' partnership priorities, and distinguishing these from business as usual. The report noted previous priority setting included a 2023-25 set of priorities set during a cross-cutting partnership event and a set of priorities agreed by the Health and Care Partnership Board in 2024/25.

The report then describes the work of a workshop that was held by The King’s Fund Charity in May 2024, that sought to determine priorities for health equity partnership working:

Decisions were made based on data around inequality and need (as per Joint Strategic Needs Assessment {JSNA}; stakeholder feedback; and the potential to create system change.

The report pack also includes the three priorities that the workshop settled on:

• The mental health and wellbeing of Black boys and young men
• Childhood obesity and the path to diabetes¹, especially among children from the global majority²
• Long-term conditions and the early onset of complexity and frailty

The report pack included the following recommendations for the boards to consider:

• Noting the activity undertaken by the Boards so far, to identify partnership priority areas
• Endorsing the recommendation to adopt the priorities determined in the workshop supported by The King’s Fund.
• Agreeing an indicative forward plan for the coming year.

Promoting Wellbeing workstream - update

This report pack item summarises the progress of the Promoting Wellbeing workstream, focussing on updates to the five priority areas within the workstream:

• Strengthening the partnership with the voluntary and community sector and faith groups, to promote health
• Mental health promotion
• Locality Hub³ and Primary Care Spaces
• Maximising employment support
• Housing and health

The report describes some of the key achievements and challenges in the workstream:

• The voluntary sector ambitions are difficult to quantify using metrics as they relate more to the system at large than the specific services provided.
• There is a lack of dedicated programme management resource, with the workstream instead being supported by Strategic Partnerships.

• There were significant gaps identified in adherence to Safe Surgeries principles:

  The Mystery Shopper report undertaken for the Borough of Sanctuary workstream identified significant gaps in adherence to Safe Surgery principles, which have prompted targeted improvements. However, risks such as capacity constraints, limited awareness of Safe Surgery principles, and access barriers for migrants and refugees remain, and may hinder the effective implementation of the action plan.

• Risks remain around the Locality Hub programme:

  Although a new Locality Hubs Executive Board has been created, input is required from a number of stakeholders and progress is taking more time than initially expected.

The report pack includes recommendations for the boards to review the updates, progress, and risks, assess the transition to the delivery phase, and to indicate any areas for future deep dives. The report pack also asks that the boards endorse the following proposed allocations for the Health Inequalities Fund for 2025/26:

Implementing the Marmot recommendations

This item provided a summary of progress on six commitments set out by Professor Sir Michael Marmot in his review, “A Fairer and Healthier Waltham Forest: Equity and the Social Determinants of Health”, and Waltham Forest Council’s response to it, “Building a Fairer and Healthier Waltham Forest: Our response to the Marmot recommendations”:

• Good work, better health
  • Good work for residents with disabilities and long-term health conditions
  • Good work for South Asian women
• Healthier homes
  • Healthier homes for private renters
  • Healthier homes for older residents
• Greener and healthier places
  • Greener and healthier places for communities in the south of the borough
  • Greener and healthier places for residents most at risk of food poverty

The report pack included a summary of progress against the six commitments, a discussion of some key opportunities and challenges, and a proposed plan for the future. It noted the links between the Marmot Review and the Council’s Mission Waltham Forest Strategy, and the Council’s Stronger Communities programme.

Response to Marmot recommendations - workshop

This report pack item describes a workshop held with the objective of reviewing the Council’s response to the Marmot Review. It lists the following questions and topics scheduled for discussion:

• What are the biggest successes?
• Where have the biggest challenges been encountered?
• What are the biggest missed opportunities?
• What are the biggest priorities for future work?
• What should the focus be for the 1-year report in March 2025?
• What should our approach be for beyond the 1-year point?
• What areas are missing, and how can they be integrated?
• How can we work differently to achieve a greater impact?
• How can we strengthen our engagement with residents?
• How can we better measure impact?
• What is the King’s Fund’s role in the future of the work?

Better Care Fund - quarterly report

This report pack item contains the Better Care Fund Quarter 2 report, seeking approval for it. The report highlighted the following points:

• A Deed of Variation to the existing Section 75 agreement was being sought.
• The report pack included actual performance data on four metrics:
  • Avoidable admissions: On track to meet target.
  • Discharge to normal place of residence: On track to meet target.
  • Falls: On track to meet target.
  • Residential admissions: On track to meet target.

• There has been a decrease in new clients for the short-term domiciliary care pathway:

  This shift is generally positive for our clients, as it better aligns with their needs and the approach to ensuring increased reabling support as a preventative measure.

• There has been an increase in demand for the social support and urgent community response teams:

  The system has monthly meetings that monitor demand in a proactive way.

The report pack included the recommendation for the Health and Wellbeing Board to approve the Better Care Fund Quarter 2 report and delegate to the Integrated WF Finance Oversight Group the authority to take the Deed of Variation through governance.

Resident engagement

This item focussed on the role of residents in shaping the work of the Health and Care Partnership Board. It identified a distinction between resident insight, resident stories, and resident voice, with a view to developing a plan for incorporating all three into the Board’s work.

The report pack contains recommendations for discussion around the following questions:

• How do we effectively bring a range of resident insight into board meetings?
• How do we develop a schedule of resident stories to be heard at meetings?
• How can we formally incorporate resident voice into meetings?

Scrutiny Coordinating Committee - Tuesday 21 January 2025

The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee meeting on 21 January 2025 was scheduled to involve a review of the council's Corporate Impact Framework and consideration of its Scrutiny Report. It also included proposed plans for establishing a task-and-finish review focusing on adult social care transformation.

Corporate Impact Framework

The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Corporate Impact Framework, a system for monitoring the council's performance against a set of key performance indicators.

The Committee was scheduled to review performance data and refer any identified issues or queries to the relevant scrutiny committee for further review.

For example, the Corporate Impact Framework report for the meeting noted:

Between October and November, there has been a drop of 2.3% in customer satisfaction, and it currently stands at 70.5%.

It was also scheduled to consider how the Corporate Impact Framework could be used by scrutiny committees and individual councillors to support their work, and to review plans for rolling it out to all councillors.

Scrutiny Report

The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee was scheduled to consider its Scrutiny Report. This report provided an update on the Committee's work, including its action tracker and forward plan.

The Committee was also scheduled to consider the forward plans of each of the other scrutiny committees.

The meeting was also scheduled to involve a discussion of the Cabinet Forward Plan, which is a list of key decisions that the Cabinet expects to take in the coming months. For example, the Cabinet forward plan included an item on Pay to Park Proposed Changes to be decided by the Strategic Director, in consultation with the Deputy Leader (Climate and Air Quality).

Adult Social Care Transformation

The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee was scheduled to consider a proposal for a task and finish review to take a deep dive into adult social care transformation. The review was proposed in the context of increasing demand exceeding available resources.

The meeting was scheduled to consider a proposal that:

A single-session hackathon is proposed as a methodology that would better suit the issue in light of the time available and concerns from members about additional time commitments.

The Committee was asked to agree that the membership of the task and finish group would be made up of members of the Budget Scrutiny and Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committees.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group met on Monday to discuss the Safeguarding Stop and Search Pilot, which is being trialled by the Metropolitan Police, and to review footage from officers' body worn cameras.
• The Shareholder Committee was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to review the performance of the council's two trading companies.
• The Cabinet met on Tuesday to approve a new Damp and Mould Policy, the Children Looked After and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2027, new admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools, and a new Local Funding Formula for Schools 2025-26.
• The Planning Committee meeting on Tuesday appears to have been cancelled, as there is no video available and it is not listed on the council's website.
• An Executive Decision was made on Tuesday about whether to procure a new contract for the supply of frozen and ambient foods for schools in the borough.

Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group - Monday 13 January 2025

This meeting was held to review the use of stop and search powers in the borough. The Group discussed how they could continue to hold the police to account in their use of these powers. The meeting reviewed actions taken in response to previous discussions, considered statistics showing how stop and search powers were being used and reviewed body-worn video footage of a number of stop and search encounters.

The most significant item on the agenda was a presentation on the Metropolitan Police's Safeguarding Stop and Search Pilot by DS Johnny Baker, of the missing person and child exploitation team for the North East Basic Command Unit (BCU).

This pilot, which was already underway in Haringey, uses data collected during searches of under-18s to identify and address potential safeguarding issues, with a particular focus on looked after children. The Chair, Aimee Farquhar, expressed concerns about the potential for this scheme to increase the disproportionate use of stop and search powers against certain age groups and ethnicities.

The Group also reviewed body-worn footage of stop and searches, including one case where no footage was available because the officers involved mistakenly believed they were not required to record the interaction as they were working undercover. Concern was expressed about the poor engagement demonstrated in one of the videos reviewed, which showed a stop in an area where stop and search was being used more heavily.

Shareholder Committee - Tuesday 14 January 2025

The Shareholder Committee was scheduled to meet to consider the performance of the council’s two wholly-owned trading companies, but the meeting appears to have been cancelled, as there is no video available and the meeting is not listed on the council's website.

We will endeavour to provide an update in a future email.

Cabinet - Tuesday 14 January 2025

This meeting of the Cabinet saw the approval of a number of significant policies and strategies that will have an impact on residents of Waltham Forest.

These included a new Damp and Mould Policy, the Children Looked After and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2027, new admission arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools, and a new Local Funding Formula for Schools 2025-26.

The meeting also saw the appointment of Councillor Vicky Ashworth to the Shareholder Committee.

Damp and Mould Policy

A new Damp and Mould Policy was approved, which sets out how the Council will meet its obligations to its tenants under the new legislation often referred to as Awaab's Law.

Children Looked After and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2027

The new Children Looked After and Care Leavers Sufficiency Strategy 2024-2027 was approved. This strategy will replace the existing version and will set out the Council’s policies for meeting its statutory obligations to children looked after (CLA) and care experienced young people in the borough.

The strategy sets out three priorities:

1. Ensuring children and young people are thriving in their homes or in alternative care settings.
2. Ensuring all children and young people have access to safe, stable and supportive accommodation.
3. Supporting young people by building their independence.

School Determined Arrangements 2025/26

The Cabinet noted the outcome of the consultations on admissions arrangements for community and voluntary controlled schools in 2026/27, and approved the proposed admission arrangements for those schools.

Draft Local Funding Formula for Schools 2025/26

The report sought, and received, approval for the draft Local Funding Formula for Schools 2025/26. This formula sets out how the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG) is allocated to schools in the borough.

Executive Decision - Tuesday 14 January 2025

An Executive Decision was made this week about whether to procure a new contract for the supply of frozen and ambient foods for schools in the borough.

It is not known whether Councillor Gardiner, the Portfolio Lead Member for Children and Young People, decided to approve the procurement.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Executive Decision met on Wednesday to approve the additional borrowing needed for the construction of the new crematorium at Chingford Mount Cemetery.

Executive Decision - Wednesday 08 January 2025

The council's Executive Decision met on Wednesday to consider a single report, on the construction of a new crematorium at Chingford Mount Cemetery. As we reported last week, the council is facing a projected overspend of £17 million for 2024/25, and difficult decisions will be required to balance the budget in the years to come. The cost of this project has risen since it was initially approved in 2023.

The report explained that the cost of the project has risen from the £8.4 million that was approved in 2023 to £10.94 million, and asked the Executive Decision to approve the additional borrowing needed to cover the difference. The report explains that the increase is due to a number of factors, including increases in construction inflation over the last 18 months. The report also stated that there had been “scope changes as the Crematorium’s operating model and design have been developed”.

The report recommends that the Executive Decision approve the increase, arguing that not proceeding with the project, or proceeding with it at the original budget level, would pose a significant risk of operational failure for the council.

The report explained that the borough does not currently have its own crematorium. It argued that the construction of a crematorium at Chingford Mount cemetery will help achieve several of the council’s corporate objectives, including objectives contained in Mission Waltham Forest¹.

The report proposed that the crematorium should be located on Old Church Road at the cemetery. The facility will include a chapel and two electric cremators. The crematorium will be built to the BREEAM ‘Very Good’ standard². The report proposed parking provision for 80 cars, and described a number of specific design features that have been included, such as a developed utilities layout, a review of the hearse route, access and infrastructure upgrades, and additional storage space.

The report noted that a preferred contractor for the project has been identified and will be appointed following a Pre-Construction Services Agreement, expected to be completed by April 2025. A preferred contractor has also been identified for the supply of electric cremators.

The report explained that the council considered the options of doing nothing, or proceeding with the project at the original budget level, but rejected them. It argued that these options have been dismissed because they would pose a significant risk of operational failure for the council, such as failing to meet its Mission Waltham Forest priorities and missing out on the opportunity to transition to a green burial solution that could potentially generate power for the site and surrounding community.

Finally, the report provided details of the financial, legal, equalities, sustainability, and infrastructure implications of the project. It noted that the project will require additional borrowing of £2.54 million, but that the crematorium is expected to generate £23.23 million in revenue over 25 years.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Executive Decision meeting on Wednesday considered a report that has not been publicly released.
• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met on Tuesday to consider an application for a new premises licence for a Thai restaurant at 79 Station Road, Chingford, which was opposed by some local residents.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Tuesday 17 December 2024

This meeting of the Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee was to discuss an application for the grant of a new premises licence for Dawn to Dusk, a new Thai restaurant at 79 Station Road, Chingford. The meeting was also to consider representations made by local residents about the application.

The sub-committee was asked to consider the application, taking into account the representations made by residents, and decide whether to grant the licence in full, grant a modified licence, or refuse the application.

UK local authorities are responsible for issuing premises licences under the Licensing Act 2003. Premises licences are required for any premises where 'licensable activities' are to be carried out. Licensable activities include the sale of alcohol, the provision of late night refreshment and the provision of regulated entertainment¹.

Applications for new premises licences must be made to the licensing authority in the area where the premises is located, in this case, Waltham Forest Council.

The licensing authority must consider any representations made by 'interested parties'. Interested parties include:

• People living in the vicinity of the premises.
• Businesses operating in the vicinity of the premises.
• Ward Councillors representing the area where the premises is located.

The licensing authority must also consider the licensing objectives, which are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder.
• Public safety.
• The prevention of public nuisance.
• The protection of children from harm.

Where the licensing authority receives representations about an application, they must hold a hearing to consider the application and the representations. The applicant and anyone who has made a representation about the application can attend the hearing and make their case to the committee. The sub-committee will then decide whether to grant the licence in full, grant the licence with conditions, or refuse the application.

Executive Decision - Wednesday 18 December 2024

The agenda for this meeting is not yet publicly available.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee met to discuss the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2025/26, the council’s Damp and Mould Policy and the proposed acquisition of 53 new homes at Fellowship Square.
• The Council met to discuss motions raised by both the Labour and Conservative groups, to consider the Council's financial position, and to set fees and charges for services provided by the Council in 2025/26.
• The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny were scheduled to receive a report on how easy it is to access GP services in Waltham Forest.

Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 11 December 2024

This meeting of the Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee considered a number of reports on the council's Housing service.

Waltham Forest Housing Compact

The Committee received an update on the Waltham Forest Housing Compact 2024-29, a partnership agreement between the council and housing associations operating in Waltham Forest. This continues a theme we have seen in previous weeks, with the council working with partners to deliver services. For example, in last week's email we reported on the Inner North East London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee's discussion of the benefits of partnership working in the NHS.

Housing Revenue Account (HRA) budget 2025/26

The Committee were asked to note a report on the proposed Housing Revenue Account budget for 2025/26. The report explained that the Housing Revenue Account, or HRA, is a ring-fenced account. This means that money in the account can only be spent on certain things, in this case, providing and managing the council's housing stock.

The report explains that the council is facing a number of challenges in managing the HRA, including the impact of inflation, the cost of living crisis, and the government’s decision to cap social rent increases at 7%.

This echoes similar reports that we have seen in previous weeks, such as the report on the council's overall financial position that was presented to the Cabinet on 5 November 2024. That report warned that difficult decisions will be required to balance the budget in the years to come, and this is a theme that is likely to continue.

The report to this week's committee explained that in order to address these challenges, the council is proposing to increase dwelling rents by 2.7% from 1 April 2025, to increase other fees and charges, and to reduce expenditure on the repairs and maintenance budget.

Damp and Mould Policy

The committee were asked to approve a new draft Damp and Mould Policy. This follows the death of Awaab Ishak in Rochdale in December 2020. Awaab was two years old when he died from a respiratory condition caused by prolonged exposure to mould in his home. His death sparked national outrage, and prompted the government to announce plans to introduce a new law, known as Awaab's Law, to improve the quality of social housing.

The proposed policy sets out a number of measures that the council will take to prevent and tackle damp and mould in its properties. These include:

• Carrying out regular inspections of properties
• Providing residents with advice and support on how to prevent damp and mould
• Responding promptly to reports of damp and mould
• Taking action to remedy any underlying causes of damp and mould.

The report to the committee explained that the proposed policy has been informed by a number of sources, including the government’s consultation on Awaab’s Law.

Acquisition of new build affordable homes for rent

The Committee considered a report on the proposed acquisition of 53 new build homes at Fellowship Square. The report explained that the council has the opportunity to purchase these homes at a discounted rate using Right to Buy receipts, and that this will allow the council to increase its stock of affordable housing in the borough.

This is a positive development, as it will help the council to address the high demand for affordable housing in the borough. In last week’s email we reported on the Cabinet’s decision to approve the use of £6.57m to acquire 28 new homes for use as temporary accommodation and to house refugees. This demonstrates the council's commitment to increasing the supply of affordable housing in the borough, and this week's report suggests that they are making progress.

The Scrutiny Report

Finally, the committee received an update from the Scrutiny Officer, including a draft Forward Plan. Forward plans are an important part of the scrutiny process, as they allow committees to plan their work programme and ensure that they are scrutinising the council's activities in a timely and effective manner.

The Forward Plan for the remainder of the 2024/25 municipal year includes a number of interesting items, including discussions on the council's Housing Transformation Programme, the Housing Strategy, the Housing Assets Strategy, and the Homelessness and Rough Sleepers Strategy 2024-29. It is likely that we will be reporting on these items in more detail in future emails.

Council - Thursday 12 December 2024

The full Council met to consider a number of reports, including on the financial position of the council, and to set fees and charges for services provided by the council.

Council Tax Support Scheme 2025/26

The council considered a report on the proposed Council Tax Support scheme for 2025/26. The report recommended that the council adopt an ‘income banded scheme’.

The report noted that as of 29 October 2024, 8,790 households in the borough were in receipt of Council Tax Support, which helps low-income working-age households to pay their council tax. It is a legal requirement for local authorities to have a local scheme for Council Tax Support in place.

Under the proposed scheme, working-age residents would be entitled to a maximum of 85% of their Council Tax liability, depending on a number of factors. The report identifies two groups who would be eligible for the higher level of support: those households with a limited capability to work and households with children aged 5 and under.

Fees and Charges 2025/26

The council considered a report by Linda Murray, a Strategic Finance Advisor, on the fees and charges for services provided by the Council.

The report highlighted the financial challenges facing the council, with a projected overspend of £17 million for 2024/25, noting that each and every pound that the council spends is coming under intense scrutiny to ensure that it provides value for money for all residents and is affordable within the restricted funding envelope. It also noted that the Medium Term Financial Strategy predicts a difference of between £18 million and £24 million between the council’s estimated income and planned expenditure over the next three years.

This echoes the financial challenges discussed by the Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee, and reflects the ongoing national picture of local government finances, with many councils across England and Wales facing similar difficulties. The report suggests that where possible, fees and charges should be increased to recover the costs of providing these services and, where appropriate, to set fees at market rates.

The report recommended an average increase to fees and charges of 2.7%, which it noted was in line with the rate of CPI at September 2024. A number of specific recommendations were made for increases to the fees and charges for services across all of the Council’s directorates.

Motions

Both the Labour and Conservative groups proposed motions for debate at the meeting. The Labour group proposed a motion thanking council staff and partners for their work during 2024. This is a routine motion that is typically debated at a meeting of the full Council at the end of each calendar year. The Conservative group proposed a motion relating to revisions to on-street parking controls. This is most likely a reference to the planned introduction of new parking charges and/or restrictions, as outlined in the Leader's Autumn Statement at the previous meeting of the council on 17 October 2024.

Other Business

The council also considered a number of other routine reports, including:

• An annual report on the work of the Corporate Parenting Board, which is responsible for promoting and safeguarding the welfare of children in care and care leavers;
• A revised Gambling Act 2005 Statement of Principles for 2025-2028, setting out how the council will promote the licensing objectives of the Gambling Act 2005;
• An update to the Council’s Constitution in relation to its Contract Procedure Rules, to reflect the introduction of the Procurement Act 2023 in February 2025.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny - Tuesday 10 December 2024

This meeting appears to have been cancelled. There is no video available for it, and the Council's website does not list it as having taken place.

We will endeavour to provide an update on when this meeting will be rescheduled in a future email.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday was postponed.
• The Executive Decision meeting on Monday considered a report on plans to procure a contractor to fit out the new St James Health Hub on St James Street in Walthamstow.
• The Cabinet were asked to approve the use of £6.57m to acquire 28 new homes for use as temporary accommodation and to house refugees, and also discussed a range of other issues including the future of the Markhouse Centre in Walthamstow and the adoption of a new Cultural Action Plan for the borough.
• The Budget Scrutiny Committee was due to discuss the Council’s proposed Fees and Charges for 2025/26.

Executive Decision - Monday 02 December 2024

The Executive Decision meeting on Monday considered a report on a proposal that the Council commences procurement of a contractor to fit out the new St James Health Hub at the Jazz Yard development in St James Street, Walthamstow.

The report set out the proposed procurement process for a contractor to fit out the new Health Hub, which will replace the existing St James Street Medical Practice on Brunner Road. This continues a theme that we have seen in previous weeks, with the council facing an increasingly difficult financial position.

The report explained that the practice's lease has expired, with no possibility of extension, and that the council will forward fund the fit-out works with the capital expenditure recovered via rental payments from the NHS Integrated Care Board (ICB) over a 30-year period.

It is not known whether the Executive Decision Maker agreed to commence procurement.

Cabinet - Tuesday 03 December 2024

The Cabinet met on Tuesday to discuss a range of issues including proposals for the 2025/26 Budget, the provision of sexual health services in the borough, a review of day opportunities for adults with learning disabilities, and the adoption of a new Cultural Action Plan for the borough.

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024/25 - 2027/28

The meeting 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 documents explained that the council is facing significant financial challenges, and that difficult decisions will be required to balance the budget in the years to come.

The Cabinet also received a report on the council’s financial position as at month six of the financial year. The report explains that the council is currently forecasting a net revenue overspend of £16.257 million. This continues a theme that has been present throughout 2024, with the council facing an increasingly difficult financial position.

The report describes a “new financial strategy” that has been put in place to identify £10 million in in-year savings to reduce this overspend. The report identifies several areas of pressure on the budget, including adult social care, children’s social care, SEND services, the cost of temporary accommodation, and the Dedicated Schools Grant (DSG).

The report also sought approval to approve several new budgets, including £0.075 million from contingency to cover further commercial and legal advice associated with the development in Low Hall at the former Bywaters site; £0.427 million to be incorporated within the 2025/26 MTFS for a period of two years (2025/26 and 2026/27) for Digital, Data & Technology; £0.956 million to be incorporated within the 2025/26 MTFS for the Housing Prevention and Assessment Team; and £0.150 million from the budget strategy reserve to fund a “Commissioning Health Check”.

Integrated Sexual Health Recommissioning

This report considered the recommissioning of integrated sexual health services, which are currently provided under the ‘All East’ service, a joint commissioning arrangement between Waltham Forest, Newham, Tower Hamlets and Redbridge Councils. The current ‘All East’ contract is scheduled to end on 30 November 2025, and the report contained the Council's intentions for commissioning services beyond that date.

The report stated that there is a statutory responsibility on local authorities to commission sexual health services and that these services are essential to improve health and reduce inequities for our local population. The report noted the success of the Council's ongoing efforts at transformation, optimisation and service development that had successfully maintained access to high quality services while containing costs and resulted in a reduction in the Council's annual spend on SRH from approximately £5.4m to £3.6m since 2014. The report then explained that despite this success across London, the context is of rising SRH need caused by a range of factors including the increasing rates of STIs and the increasing complexity of patient needs.

Learning Disabilities Day Opportunities Review

This report presented the outcomes of a public consultation on the proposed closure of the Markhouse Centre, a Council-owned building-based day opportunities service in Walthamstow that supports adults with learning disabilities and autism. It sought Cabinet agreement to proceed with the proposed closure.

The report set out a number of reasons for the proposed closure, including the need to ensure residents have access to modern, community-based provision, the poor condition of the building and the need for the Council to maximise value for money from the use of its estate.

The report explained that 51 residents currently attend the Centre. It described the “desktop exercise” that officers had undertaken to understand if there was sufficient “capacity” within the “external market” to meet the needs of residents if the Centre was closed. The report stated that the outcome of this exercise was positive, and described the discussions held with providers during planned provider forums about their ability to meet the equality, diversity and inclusion needs of service users.

Developing Stronger Communities through Culture and Creativity: A Cultural Action Plan for Waltham Forest: 2024-2030

This report considered the adoption of a new Cultural Action Plan for the Borough, replacing the existing ‘Useful and Beautiful: Great Arts and Culture in Waltham Forest’ strategy from 2015 and ‘Taking Our Place in London – Waltham Forest’s Cultural Strategy 2010 – 2030’.

The report stated that a published cultural strategy or action plan is necessary to facilitate strategic partnerships and unlock funding, including investment from Arts Council England and set out the following reasons for why the Council was adopting a new plan at this time: It is almost 10 years since Waltham Forest published its last culture strategy; the old strategy no longer meets the needs of Waltham Forest and does not deliver on [Mission Waltham Forest](https://www.walthamforest.gov.uk/media/7911); and The absence of an up-to-date culture strategy decreases significantly the opportunities to attract external funding for our cultural programmes.

The report summarised the evidence that culture and creativity have a central role to play in building stronger communities and that engagement in arts and culture is a driver of community resilience, social impact and inclusive growth and stated that in 2024, 88% of Waltham Forest residents surveyed agreed that culture and creativity should be a priority for the Council.

Other business

The Cabinet also discussed a range of other issues relating to housing, planning and the procurement of services. In particular, the Cabinet discussed a report on the Housing Ombudsman's findings following a complaint from a resident. The Ombudsman found severe maladministration in the Council's handling of the resident's complaint. The Cabinet also approved two key documents relating to infrastructure planning: the Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP) and the Infrastructure Funding Statement (IFS). The IDP sets out what infrastructure is required to support growth, when it is needed, how much it is likely to cost and how it will be funded. The IFS details what CIL and S106 monies have been received in the previous financial year and how such monies have been spent.

The Cabinet also considered a report on the expansion of Burnside Secondary PRU into a new satellite site, and approved the procurement of new cleaning and mechanical and electrical contracts for the Council’s corporate estate.

Budget Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 04 December 2024

The Budget Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss the Council’s proposed Fees and Charges for 2025-26.

It is not known whether the meeting went ahead.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Climate Scrutiny Committee discussed the adoption of a new joint waste strategy for North London, and reviewed a report on the potential of a mission-led approach for climate action.
• The Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Commmittee discussed a range of issues relating to community safety, and heard a presentation from the Youth Independent Advisory Group.
• The Pension Committee met to discuss the performance of the Waltham Forest Pension Fund, including an update on the ongoing project to divest from companies involved in arms manufacturing.
• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee decided to reduce the hours that Leyton Orient Football Club can sell alcohol, after hearing evidence that noise from events at the club was keeping local residents awake.

Climate Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 26 November 2024

This week's meeting of the Climate Scrutiny Committee was due to discuss a number of items relating to the climate emergency, including the adoption of a new joint waste strategy for North London and a report on the potential of using a 'mission-led' approach to encourage greater participation in climate action.

Draft North London Joint Waste Strategy 2025-2040

The Committee were scheduled to review a new draft Joint Waste Strategy covering the period 2025-2040. The Strategy has been developed in partnership with the six other north London boroughs of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Hackney, Haringey, and Islington, as well as the North London Waste Authority (NLWA). It sets out the eight authorities' aspirations for all levels of waste management, including collection, transfer, treatment and disposal.

A key aim of the Strategy is to reduce waste in north London and address the Climate Emergency. The seven local authorities are responsible for collecting waste and recycling in the boroughs, while the NLWA is responsible for managing the recyclables collected, waste transportation and treatment and disposal on behalf of the north London boroughs.

The strategy has a strong emphasis on promoting and supporting the reuse of materials, and working with partners, the aim is to make north London a place where all materials are valued as reusable resources and that nothing goes to waste.

To manage north Londoners' waste according to the waste hierarchy, prioritising waste reduction then maximising reuse, repair, recycling (and the most climate-friendly means of disposal possible) where reduction is not feasible. This includes providing environmentally-friendly, best-value, resident-focused services and policies that meet the challenges of the Climate Emergency.

The report pack for the meeting includes the full draft Strategy as well as a summary guide.

A Mission-led Approach for Climate Action

The Committee were also due to discuss a report that explores applying a mission-led approach to climate action. The report suggests that Waltham Forest Council could apply principles of Mission Waltham Forest – in particular innovation and participation – to enable greater collective climate action, and address the problem of inequity in climate action.

The Council can take steps to improve equality, both to lessen climate impacts and widen accessibility for people to take action, the report says.

The responsibility of climate action sits with us all, but the opportunity to take action is not equally accessible, the report says. The raw inequality here is that the people worst affected tend to hold the least power to influence change.

The document explores the use of the climate engagement guide in enabling greater levels of climate action, as well as developing a climate-focused mission timeline for the borough.

Champion engagement with motivated stakeholders, to achieve shared goals.

The report also considers how the Council could increase collaboration with academic partners in order to tackle the problem of fuel poverty and to reduce emissions.

The Scrutiny Report

The Committee were also scheduled to review a report that summarises their own work programme and includes a forward plan for the remainder of the current municipal year. The committee were asked to approve the forward plan and nominate any additional items that they would like to be included.

The committee were also scheduled to review a log of actions from the previous meeting. Actions are specific tasks requested by the committee for officers to complete. Typically, they are requests for officers to provide information not included in reports but of use to the committee’s work.

There are two meetings left for this municipal year. The next meeting is scheduled to be held on the 21st January 2025, and the final meeting of the cycle is scheduled for the 27th March 2025.

Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Commmittee - Thursday 28 November 2024

The Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee meeting this week was due to discuss a range of issues relating to community safety, including the council's response to the recommendations of the Citizen’s Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing, and the work of the Trading Standards team.

Citizens’ Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing: Driving the recommendations forward

This meeting included a discussion of a report entitled Citizens' Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing: Driving the recommendations forward. This report described the aims, process and outputs of the Citizen’s Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing, which was held over three weekends in February and March 2024.

The report explained that the Assembly was commissioned in response both to the Casey Review of the Metropolitan Police, which was published in 2023, and to specific local challenges around fear of crime and trust in the police.

The Assembly involved 1,300 residents, and culminated in a set of ten recommendations made by a group of 45 residents. The report pack included the full report of the Assembly, which described each of its recommendations in detail.

The report then summarised the early actions that the Council and the police had taken since the assembly, as well as their plans for implementing the recommendations in full. These early actions include increasing opportunities for young people, improving communication between young people, the police and the council and trialling more effective ward panels. The council's Space4All youth programme has been expanded, and the council has secured funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy to deliver outreach work with young people.

The report described how the council plans to pilot an inclusive mentoring scheme, in which young people will mentor policing and council staff. It also described plans to improve the effectiveness of ward panels - the formal forums through which residents engage with the police. This will include targeted recruitment approaches to increase representation. The report pack also included a copy of the assembly's final report, which set out the Assembly's vision and the details of its recommendations.

The report explained that the council will next present its full response to the recommendations to the Scrutiny committee in February 2025.

Trading Standards Community Safety Related Initiatives

A report pack included in this meeting provided a summary of the work of the Trading Standards team at Waltham Forest Council.

The report described how Waltham Forest's Trading Standards Service had been involved in a number of London-wide initiatives, including projects that aim to restrict the sale of knives and vapes to children, to protect private renters from rogue landlords and to disrupt the distribution of illegal tobacco products. It also described the council's participation in the London Cost of Living Project.

The report included details about a number of ongoing initiatives to improve compliance rates amongst traders of age restricted products. It explained that since November 2022 there have been 4 failed test purchases of a knife from retailers, and that between April 2023 and September 2024, Waltham Forest Trading Standards had seized 8,222 illegal vapes.

The report explained that Waltham Forest Trading Standards had conducted 11 sniffer dog enforcement days since August 2022 resulting in the seizure of 46,620 illegal cigarettes and 227 packets of hand rolling tobacco.

The Scrutiny Report

The report pack included an action tracker, which listed all of the actions that were requested during the committee's last meeting, and who was responsible for them.

The report pack included a recommendation tracker, which listed all of the recommendations that were made during the committee's last meeting, and who was responsible for them.

The report pack also included the responses provided to two of the recommendations of the previous meeting.

The first recommendation was:

Officers to consider ways to expand the current Violence Against Women and Girls work focusing on working with the VCSE sector and using the available data to measure outcomes against Key Performance Indicators.

The second recommendation was:

Officers to review usage of CCTV cameras in the borough.

The report pack included a draft of the committee's Forward Plan for the rest of the 2024/25 municipal year. The plan lists the topics that were scheduled for discussion at future meetings. The plan included items on the Home Streets scheme, a data-led approach to community safety, the evaluation of the Safe Streets project, the council's Serious Violence strategy, Civil Contingencies, the work of the voluntary and community sector in combating violence against women and girls, the implementation of the borough's Drugs Strategy, Neighbourhood Policing and the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy, as well as a report on CCTV. The plan also mentioned a presentation from Saira Mir of PL84U AL SUFFA, a charity that works with women and girls.

Pension Committee - Wednesday 27 November 2024

This week the Pension Committee met to discuss a range of issues relating to the Waltham Forest Pension Fund.

Divestment from Arms Manufacturing

The Pension Committee has previously discussed how the Waltham Forest Pension Fund should divest from companies involved in the arms trade.¹

A report, Divestment Update - ESG (Supplement Divestment Update and Pension Fund Annual Report 27th-Nov-2024 19.00 Pension Committee), was included for discussion. This report described the responses from legal advisors, who have been asked to advise the council on how they can define the arms trade in a way that can be practically applied to investment decisions.

The report also described the outcome of an analysis of how the value of the fund's investments would be affected by divestment. This analysis was based on three possible definitions of the arms trade, and modelled their effect on the fund.

Performance of the Pension Fund's Investments

Councillors were scheduled to receive a verbal report on the investment performance of two of the Fund's investments from UBS, an investment bank, and the London CIV, a fund manager owned by a group of London councils.

A report, Investment Performance November 24 (Investment Performance November 24), was also included for discussion, which reviewed the performance of each of the funds investments in the second quarter of the 2024-25 financial year.

The report described the performance of the Darwin LPF, an investment in holiday parks run by Darwin Alternative Investment Management, in detail. According to the report the fund experienced significant falls in value, driven by a combination of high inflation and interest rates.

The report recommended that the committee write a letter to any underperforming funds to inform them that their performance is being monitored.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Tuesday 26 November 2024

The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee decided to add conditions to the premises licence for Leyton Orient Football Club and reduce the hours the club could sell alcohol and put on regulated entertainment² until midnight. They made the decision after hearing evidence that noise from parties at the club was keeping local residents awake. They also received a report from an Environmental Health Officer from the Air Quality & Environmental Protection Service who said they had witnessed statutory nuisance at the club on three occasions.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Children and Families Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to discuss a range of matters relating to Children's Services, including a scrutiny report on the activities of the committee itself, in-borough home to school transport for children with special educational needs, a report on the sufficiency of accommodation for looked after children in the borough, and the Corporate Parenting Board annual report.
• The Public Transport Consultative Group met on Wednesday but no video was provided.

Children and Families Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 19 November 2024

The Children and Families Scrutiny Committee meeting this week was due to discuss a number of important topics relating to children's services. Unfortunately, no transcript or recording of the meeting was available at the time of writing. This means that we cannot know for certain what was actually discussed, or what decisions were taken.

The meeting agenda suggests that the committee was due to discuss a report on the in-borough home to school transport provision for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND). This is a topic that has been discussed at previous meetings of the committee, for example in June 2024 when the committee considered a report on the council’s Home to School Travel Assistance Policy. The agenda for this week’s meeting suggests that the committee was due to receive an update on the implementation of this policy, and to discuss the challenges faced by the council in providing transport for children with SEND.

Another important item on the agenda was a report on the council's Children’s Sufficiency Strategy. The agenda suggests that the committee were scheduled to discuss the strategy's proposals for ensuring that there are enough suitable places for looked after children in the borough, and to scrutinse the strategy's aims and objectives.

Finally, the committee was also due to consider the Corporate Parenting Board Annual Report. The Corporate Parenting Board is responsible for ensuring that the council fulfils its responsibilities as a corporate parent to looked after children.

Public Transport Consultative Group - Wednesday 20 November 2024

A meeting of the Public Transport Consultative Group appears to have taken place on Wednesday 20 November 2024. However, no information about what was discussed at this meeting, or who attended, was publicly available at the time of writing.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met to consider an application for a new premises licence for a supermarket on Fulbourne Road in Walthamstow, which was opposed by local residents.
• Another Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee meeting considered an application for a new licence to sell alcohol from Premier in Chingford.
• The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee considered an action plan in response to the Local Government Association's Corporate Peer Challenge, and received an update on performance for the second quarter of the financial year.
• The Budget Scrutiny Committee meeting was due to discuss the Council’s proposed budget for 2025-2026, its Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2025-2026, and its action plan in response to the Local Government Association’s Corporate Peer Challenge.
• The Executive Decision meeting considered a report on plans to procure a contractor to fit out the new St James Health Hub on St James Street in Walthamstow.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Tuesday 12 November 2024

The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met to consider an application for a new premises licence for a shop to be called K A Corner Supermarket at 96 Fulbourne Road in Walthamstow. The applicant, Mr Tayfun Sar, applied for permission to sell alcohol off the premises from 8am to 11pm, 7 days a week.

The meeting report pack included 20 representations from members of the public objecting to the application, mostly on the grounds that the shop would increase anti-social behaviour in the area. One objector, Mr Kenneth Bonsu, Co-founder of the A-Star Foundation charity, expressed concern about the shop being near to a school.

The area surrounding 96 Fulbourne Road is home to several schools and young families. Frederick Bremer School and Chapel End Primary School are both located nearby, meaning many young children regularly pass through this area. The presence of an alcohol-serving premises increases the risk of public safety issues, such as accidents or altercations, particularly near these schools.

Mr Sar's proposed operating schedule was included in the meeting report pack. This included a number of measures designed to address the concerns of residents, including the installation of CCTV, operating a 'Challenge 25' policy, staff training, and keeping an incident log.

It is not known whether the Sub-Committee granted the licence, or if they attached any conditions to it. This information will be available in the decision notice on the Council's website in due course. You can view the Sub-Committee's decision notice on the Council's website.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Tuesday 12 November 2024

The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee was due to meet to consider an application for a new premises licence to sell alcohol from Premier, at 23 Station Road, Chingford. The application was made by Naz Supermarkets Ltd.

The meeting was cancelled after the applicant agreed to amend their application to address concerns raised by local residents and the three Chingford Green ward councillors.

Scrutiny Coordinating Committee - Tuesday 12 November 2024

The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee received an update on the Council's performance for the period April-September 2024, as well as a report on progress made on the Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge action plan.

The Corporate Peer Challenge action plan was created following a visit from the LGA's peer review team in June 2024. These peer challenges are offered to all councils, and involve a team of councillors and officers from other local authorities spending time reviewing the performance of a council and making recommendations for improvement. The Waltham Forest peer challenge report was published in September 2024, and identified a number of areas where the council could improve. The action plan sets out how the council intends to implement the recommendations in the report. This is the first time that the Scrutiny Coordinating Committee has reviewed the action plan, and they are likely to return to it at future meetings.

The performance report provided the Committee with an opportunity to review the council's performance against a range of key measures, including performance indicators relating to adult social care, children's services, housing, and the environment. The report highlighted areas where the council was performing well, as well as areas where improvement was needed. For example, the report noted that the number of permanent exclusions from the borough's schools is a cause for concern, and that this issue will be discussed by the Schools Forum in November 2024. The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee is likely to return to this issue in future, either by asking to see the minutes and papers of the Schools Forum meeting, or by inviting officers from the Education department to attend a future meeting to discuss the issue in more detail.

Budget Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 14 November 2024

The Budget Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss the Council's Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) for 2025/26 to 2027/28, and the Council's proposed Local Council Tax Support Scheme for 2025/26.

It is not known whether the meeting went ahead.

Executive Decision - Thursday 14 November 2024

The Executive Decision meeting was due to consider a report on a proposal that the Council commences procurement of a contractor to fit out the new St James Health Hub at the Jazz Yard development in St James Street, Walthamstow.

The report recommended that the Council procures a contractor through the London Construction Programme (LCP) Framework. LCP is a framework agreement managed by Transport for London that allows local authorities and other public sector bodies to procure construction work from pre-approved contractors. Framework agreements like LCP can offer a number of advantages to local authorities, such as reducing the time and cost associated with procuring works, and increasing value for money.

It is not known whether the Executive Decision Maker agreed to commence procurement.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Inner North East London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee was due to receive updates on plans for maternity and neonatal services, and on specialised healthcare services.
• The Pension Board were due to discuss the Government Actuary's Department report on the 2022 valuations of the Local Government Pension Scheme.
• The Cabinet were asked to approve the use of £6.57m to acquire 28 new homes for use as temporary accommodation and to house refugees.
• The Planning Committee met on Tuesday but no video was provided.
• The Executive Decision meeting considered the dates for school terms and holidays for the borough's schools for the academic years beginning in 2025 and 2026.

Inner North East London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 06 November 2024

This meeting of the Inner North East London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee considered a variety of reports on the performance of the NHS in North East London, and on planned changes to the way healthcare will be provided in the future.

Maternity and Neonatal Services

The Committee received an update on the Best Start in Life programme. This echoes similar reports that we have seen in previous weeks, such as the report on maternity services that was presented to the Health and Wellbeing Board on 21 October 2024, which highlighted the increasing birth rate in the borough, and the associated pressures on services and staffing.

The Best Start in Life programme is looking at how maternity and neonatal services could be delivered in the future, and the Committee heard about the public engagement that has taken place so far to understand the needs of service users and their families.

Specialised Services

The Committee also discussed the provision of specialised healthcare services in North East London, which are services for people with rare or complex conditions.

These are an important part of the NHS, but they are also expensive to provide. The Committee heard about the challenges of meeting the growing demand for these services, and how the NHS is working to improve the way they are delivered.

The report to the Committee highlighted that the cost of providing these services is rising, and that demand is growing faster than the rate of population growth. It noted that the budget for specialised services in North East London represents around 20% of the total NHS commissioning budget.

The Committee also heard about the benefits and opportunities of Integrated Care Boards (ICBs) taking on the responsibility for commissioning specialised services. The report highlights that ICBs will be able to pool specialised budgets and non-specialised budgets to meet the needs of their local population and tackle inequalities in their area. It also notes that ICB-led commissioning should lead to better-joined-up care, as ICBs and providers will be able to work together more closely to improve communication and the sharing of information.

Other business

In other business the Committee heard a general update on the work of the NHS North East London Integrated Care Board and its plans for the winter. The Committee also received reports from the Chief Executives of Barts Health NHS Trust, Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, and East London NHS Foundation Trust.

Pension Board - Thursday 07 November 2024

The Pension Board considered the Government Actuary’s Department (GAD) Section 13 Report, which reviewed the 2022 valuations of the Local Government Pension Schemes (LGPS) across England and Wales, highlighting several issues with the Waltham Forest Pension Fund.

The GAD Section 13 Report

The GAD report rated the funds against four key criteria: compliance, consistency, solvency and long-term efficiency. The report did not find any issues with the Waltham Forest Pension Fund’s compliance with regulations, but did note an overall lack of consistency between funds across England and Wales, making it difficult to draw useful comparisons.

On solvency, no red or amber flags were raised by the report, though it noted an ongoing risk to the LGPS because:

the nature of open but maturing funds. If a shock were to occur, that shock would be more significant now and in the future, as funds have grown relative to the size of the local authority.

The report added a white “for information” flag against five funds, including the Waltham Forest Pension Fund, in relation to this risk.

On long-term efficiency, Waltham Forest Pension Fund received an amber flag.

Other Business

The meeting also included a discussion of the Pension Administration Service, which included a report on the service’s performance and a draft risk register. The meeting concluded with a Training Summary Report, providing an update on the training needs of the Pension Board members.

Cabinet - Tuesday 05 November 2024

The Cabinet met to discuss a range of issues, including proposals for the 2025/26 Budget, a new strategy for the Private Rented Sector, the Home to School Transport contract, and an action plan to address issues identified in a recent review of the council's performance.

Medium Term Financial Strategy 2024/25 - 2027/28

The meeting 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 documents explained that the council is facing significant financial challenges, and that difficult decisions will be required to balance the budget in the years to come.

This continues a theme that has been present throughout 2024, with the council facing an increasingly difficult financial position. We saw in September 2024 that the Cabinet agreed to use £4.5 million from the council’s homelessness reserve to cover the increasing cost of temporary accommodation, and we can expect this theme of financial pressure to continue to dominate council business for the foreseeable future.

Other business

The Cabinet also approved a new Private Rented Sector (PRS) strategy, received a report from the Housing Scrutiny Committee about the council’s Housing Options and Support service, agreed a new contract for home-to-school transport for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities, and considered an action plan to address the recommendations of a recent Corporate Peer Challenge.

Executive Decision - Tuesday 05 November 2024

This Executive Decision meeting of Waltham Forest Council considered the dates for school terms and holidays for the borough’s schools for the academic years beginning in 2025 and 2026.

School Term Dates 2025-26 and 2026-27

The meeting considered a report entitled “School Term Dates 2025-26 and 2026-27” (School Term Dates 2024 - ED report) by Pauline Smith, Head of Admissions Commissioning.

This report set out the school term and holiday dates for community, voluntary controlled, community special schools and maintained nurseries in Waltham Forest for 2025-26 and proposed dates for 2026-27. These dates are decided by the council in accordance with Section 32 of the Education Act 2002¹.

The report included draft term dates for 2025/26 (Appendix A - Term Dates 2025-26) and 2026/27 (Appendix B - Term Dates 2026-27), and a report on the consultation that was undertaken to inform the decision.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to discuss a range of topics including the Promoting Wellbeing workstream, housing, homelessness, and maternity services.
• The Staffing Committee were scheduled to interview a single candidate for the role of Corporate Director of Early Help & Prevention.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Monday 21 October 2024

This meeting of the Health and Wellbeing Board was due to discuss a range of topics relating to the health and wellbeing of residents. These included updates on the Promoting Wellbeing workstream and maternity services, and reports on the impact of housing on health, the health needs of homeless people, and the Better Care Fund. Unfortunately, no transcript or recording of the meeting was available at the time of writing. This means that we cannot know for certain what was actually discussed, or what decisions were taken.

The Promoting Wellbeing workstream is a partnership between the council and local organisations which aims to improve the health and wellbeing of residents. It is overseen by the Promoting Wellbeing Steering Group, whose Terms of Reference were scheduled to be discussed at the meeting. The agenda suggests that the board was due to receive an update on the workstream's progress, including its finances and future plans. The report prepared for the meeting states that the workstream has been successful in a number of areas, including increasing levels of physical activity, reducing the number of people who smoke, and improving residents' mental health and wellbeing. The board was also due to discuss a report on the impact of housing on health and wellbeing, a topic that we have seen discussed in other contexts at previous meetings, for example the Growth Scrutiny Committee's themed review of the Inclusive Growth and Economy Framework, which reported to Cabinet earlier this month.

The board was also due to receive a report on homelessness in the borough, a recurring theme in recent years, particularly since the start of the pandemic and the recent cost of living crisis. Homelessness has also been discussed at previous meetings, for example in July 2024 when the Cabinet agreed to explore the use of corporate assets to provide temporary accommodation. The report prepared for the meeting highlights the council's legal duty to provide accommodation to homeless people, but notes that a significant number of families are being placed outside of the borough. It also outlines some of the challenges faced by homeless people, who are more likely to experience mental health problems, substance misuse, and physical health problems.

Maternity services were also on the agenda for discussion at the meeting. The agenda suggests that the meeting was due to discuss the implementation of the maternity and neonatal case for change, and to receive an update on the current state of maternity services in Waltham Forest. The report prepared for the meeting highlights the increasing birth rate in the borough, and the associated pressures on services and staffing.

The board was also due to receive the Better Care Fund Quarter 1 performance report. The Better Care Fund is a pot of money that is intended to help local authorities and NHS clinical commissioning groups (CCGs) to work together to provide more joined-up health and social care services. The report highlights the financial pressures on the fund, as well as the ongoing challenge of recruiting and retaining sufficient staff.

Staffing Committee - Tuesday 22 October 2024

The Staffing Committee met on Tuesday 22 October 2024 to interview a single candidate for the role of Corporate Director of Early Help & Prevention. This role involves leading the council's efforts to provide support to residents at an early stage, before problems escalate. Unfortunately, no transcript of the meeting was available at the time of writing, so we cannot be sure whether the Committee decided to appoint the candidate they interviewed. The successful candidate will oversee a range of services, including Family Hubs, children's and adults early help, and youth services.

This is the second time in as many months that the Staffing Committee has met to appoint a new Corporate Director. On 3 October 2024 they met to consider applications for the post of Corporate Director of Education. As with that meeting, no transcript was made available, so we do not know whether an appointment was made.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee considered the council's plans to comply with new rules about how councils provide housing.
• The Council met on Thursday but no video was provided.
• The Climate Scrutiny Committee discussed the council's work on flood mitigation.
• The committee that met on Thursday 17 October 2024 appears to have discussed confidential matters in private.

Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 16 October 2024

This week's meeting of the Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee included a wide-ranging set of discussions about the council's work on housing, culture and infrastructure. The committee considered the council's plans to improve the quality of its housing, to develop a new Cultural Action Plan, and to manage flood risk.

Private Rented Sector Strategy

The meeting included a presentation and discussion about the council's new Private Rented Sector Strategy. This strategy sets out how the council will work to improve the quality of private rented accommodation in the borough. This echoes similar strategies adopted by other councils in London, such as the Tower Hamlets Private Rented Sector Strategy 2020-2025, which was adopted in December 2019.

The report highlighted the rapid growth of the Private Rented Sector in recent years, noting that the sector grew by 3,500 households between 2013 and 2023. This has been accompanied by increases in the cost of renting, with the report observing that [r]ents in London have increased much faster than earnings.

The strategy included a draft delivery plan setting out the actions that the council will take to improve the quality of private rented accommodation in the borough. These include actions to:

• Work with landlords to improve the quality of their properties.
• Provide advice and support to tenants.
• Tackle rogue landlords.

Cultural Action Plan

The meeting also included a discussion of the council’s proposed new Cultural Action Plan. This plan sets out the council’s vision for culture in the borough and how it will achieve this vision.

The action plan was presented to the meeting as replacing the previous 'Arts for All' cultural strategy, published in 2015.

The draft plan was presented to the meeting as being closely aligned with the council's current priorities, namely the 'Mission Waltham Forest' corporate strategy, which was agreed by the Cabinet in July 2024. The vision of the plan is to create:

A vibrant corner of London where culture, creativity and community converge. Whether for a day or a lifetime, we welcome everyone to Waltham Forest.

Social Housing Regulation Act 2023

The committee received a report on the council's progress in implementing the Social Housing Regulation Act 2023. This Act introduces new regulations for social housing landlords, including councils, aimed at improving the quality of social housing and the way in which complaints are handled.

The Act received Royal Assent in July 2023, and some of its provisions came into force immediately. However, other provisions, including those relating to the regulation of social housing, will come into force over the next few years.

Infrastructure Delivery Plan

The committee also discussed the council’s Infrastructure Delivery Plan (IDP), which sets out how the council will fund and deliver the infrastructure needed to support the borough’s growth.

The IDP was adopted in January 2020 and covers the period to 2031. The meeting heard that work has already begun on a full review of the plan, with the intention of updating and republishing it in 2025.

Housing Ombudsman's Severe Maladministration Determination

Finally, the committee received a report about an investigation by the Housing Ombudsman into a complaint against the council. The Ombudsman investigates complaints about the services provided by local authorities in England.

The Ombudsman upheld the resident's complaint and found that the council had committed severe maladministration. The Ombudsman ordered the council to pay £2,075 in compensation to the resident and to take steps to improve its services.

Climate Scrutiny Committee - Tuesday 15 October 2024

The Climate Scrutiny Committee meeting this week focused on the council's work on flooding, and its plans for future meetings.

Lead Local Flood Authority Update

The Committee received an update on the council’s role as a Lead Local Flood Authority (LLFA). LLFAs are responsible for managing flood risk in their area. They were created by the Flood and Water Management Act 2010.

The Committee discussed the council’s progress in implementing its Surface Water Flood Management Plan, which sets out how the council will manage the risk of flooding from surface water, which is water that collects on the ground surface, such as from rainfall or melting snow, as opposed to overflowing rivers and seas.

The Committee were particularly interested in the impact of climate change on flood risk in the borough and how the council is preparing for this.

Climate Scrutiny Committee Forward Plan

The Committee reviewed their Forward Plan, which sets out their work programme for the coming year. The report explained that the Forward Plan would be presented to the next meeting of the Scrutiny Coordinating Committee for final approval. The Forward Plan included meetings on a range of topics including sustainable transport, energy efficiency and biodiversity.

Climate Scrutiny Action Tracker

The agenda suggests that the Committee were also due to review their Action Tracker. This document lists all of the recommendations that the Climate Scrutiny Committee has made to the Cabinet, and whether or not these recommendations have been implemented.

Unknown committee - Thursday 17 October 2024

A committee meeting appears to have taken place on Thursday 17 October 2024. However, no information about what was discussed at this meeting, or who attended, was publicly available at the time of writing. The meeting may have involved the discussion of confidential matters, such as an individual's personal circumstances, or commercially sensitive information that could harm the council's financial interests if it was to be released.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group were scheduled to discuss the over-representation of Black people in MTIP stop and search figures.
• The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee were scheduled to discuss the potential closure of the Markhouse Centre, and proposals to recommission integrated sexual health services.
• The Planning Committee met on Tuesday but no video was provided.

Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group - Monday 07 October 2024

The Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group met this week. Unfortunately, no transcript was available at the time of writing. The agenda suggests they were due to consider the latest stop and search figures, the treatment of young people by the police, and the use of body-worn cameras.

Stop and Search in Waltham Forest

The Stop and Search Group is a forum for discussing issues relating to the use of stop and search powers in the borough. It is made up of councillors, members of the public, and representatives from the police and other organisations. Stop and search powers allow police officers to stop a person and search them if they have ‘reasonable grounds’ to suspect that they are carrying certain items. This can include:

• offensive weapons, such as knives, guns, and acid
• stolen goods
• articles for use in certain offences, such as criminal damage, such as spray paint cans
• prohibited drugs

The police must have ‘reasonable grounds’ to stop and search you. This means that they must have more than just a ‘hunch’ that you are carrying one of these items. They should be able to explain why they stopped you and what they were looking for. You can find out more about your rights when stopped and searched on the GOV.UK website.

The Group’s work is particularly important given concerns about the disproportionate use of stop and search powers against Black and Minority Ethnic people. The agenda for the meeting included a report on the latest stop and search figures for the borough.

This is a topic that the Group has discussed at previous meetings. The minutes of the Group’s meeting on 22 July 2024 show that the Group were concerned about the over-representation of Black people in stop and search figures. The minutes also show that the Group were concerned about the effectiveness of arrangements to review footage from officers' body-worn cameras, and that they sought reassurance that footage is appropriately reviewed, and that feedback from those reviews is used to improve the use of stop and search powers. It was noted in the July minutes that the Metropolitan Police’s Op Coniston programme for reviewing body-worn video footage has been suspended for 12-18 months, and that plans for a replacement were not yet finalised. The agenda for this meeting suggests that the Group were scheduled to receive an update on these plans at this meeting, and to discuss arrangements for future body-worn camera viewing sessions.

Treatment of Young People

The agenda for the meeting also suggests that the Group was due to discuss the treatment of young people by the police. This is a particularly important issue given the significant impact that stop and search can have on young people, particularly young Black men. Research has shown that being stopped and searched can have a negative impact on young people’s mental health and wellbeing, and can damage their trust in the police.

The agenda included an item on the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime’s (MOPAC) ‘Safeguarding Children Affected by Violence through Stop and Search’ pilot, which is taking place in Haringey. The pilot is testing a new approach to safeguarding children who are stopped and searched. This includes providing them with information about their rights, and referring them to support services if needed. The Group were scheduled to receive an update on the pilot, and to discuss whether it could be rolled out in Waltham Forest.

Stop and Search Charter

Finally, the agenda suggests that the Group were scheduled to receive an update on the Metropolitan Police’s consultation on the Stop and Search Charter, which sets out the rules for police use of stop and search powers. The Charter was introduced in 2014 in response to concerns about the overuse and misuse of stop and search powers. The Metropolitan Police is currently consulting on a number of proposed changes to the Charter. The Group were scheduled to discuss the proposed changes, and to agree a response to the consultation. They were also scheduled to discuss how to better integrate the recommendations of the Waltham Forest Citizens’ Assembly on policing in the borough into stop and search practice.

The Group was also scheduled to confirm dates for future meetings and to discuss other business.

Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 09 October 2024

The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee is responsible for scrutinising the council’s health and adult social care services. This week the committee was scheduled to receive an update on the progress made in a range of areas since the last meeting of the Committee, including on reducing waiting lists for Adult Social Care services, on smoking cessation, and on improving access to primary care for refugees. The committee was also scheduled to receive a report on the proposed closure of the Markhouse Centre and to consider proposals for Integrated Sexual Health Recommissioning.

Markhouse Centre consultation

The Markhouse Centre is a day centre that provides a range of services for adults with learning disabilities. The council’s website explains that this includes:

building-based day opportunities for eligible social care clients, people with learning disabilities and people with learning disabilities and autism

The council is proposing to close the centre. This proposal has been met with opposition from service users and their families. A public consultation on the proposal closed on Sunday 25 August 2024.

The agenda for this week’s meeting included a report on the outcome of the consultation. It is understood that the report included an analysis of the responses received during the consultation, as well as an outline of the next steps in the decision-making process. This is a significant issue that has generated a lot of interest from the public.

Integrated Sexual Health Recommissioning

The committee was also scheduled to discuss proposals for the Integrated Sexual Health Recommissioning. The current contract for sexual health services in Waltham Forest is due to expire in November 2025. The council is therefore in the process of planning for the recommissioning of these services. It is likely that the report discussed the outcome of the engagement work with stakeholders that had been undertaken to inform the recommissioning process and set out the proposed next steps.

Last week in Waltham Forest:

• The Cabinet was asked to approve the use of £6.57m to acquire 28 new homes, and bring 22 void properties back into use to provide temporary accommodation and homes for refugees.
• The Shareholder Committee received an update on the progress of the More Homes Waltham Forest Joint Venture.
• The Audit and Governance Committee met on Wednesday but no video was provided.
• The Staffing Committee met to discuss the appointment of a new Corporate Director of Education.
• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met to consider an application for a new premises licence for a cocktail bar on Tilbury Road.

Cabinet - Tuesday 01 October 2024

The Cabinet met to discuss a number of issues.

Increasing Temporary and Settled Accommodation Supply

The Cabinet voted to approve a proposal to use £6.57m of grant funding from the Ministry of Housing, Communities & Local Government's Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF) to acquire a minimum of 28 homes, 23 for use as temporary accommodation, and five for refugee resettlement. The funding would also be used to bring approximately 22 long-term void council properties back into use. This echoes similar decisions taken in previous years as the council grapples with an increasing need for temporary accommodation and a nationwide shortage of affordable housing. The report to the Cabinet noted that:

The MHCLG funding programme therefore provides an important opportunity for the council, through a combination of acquisitions and major void works, to address homelessness in the borough. This will play a part in relieving the increasing pressures of providing temporary accommodation in bed & breakfasts and commercial hotels, which is expensive to the council and does not fully meet the housing needs of residents.

The report suggested that, based on the figures from the previous round of the Local Authority Housing Fund, the council could afford to borrow up to 50% of the costs of purchasing and refurbishing the 28 properties, leaving £1.6m of grant funding to be allocated to major void works. This decision follows the pattern of similar decisions taken in previous years, such as the decision in September 2024 to use £4.5 million from the council’s homelessness reserve to cover the increasing cost of temporary accommodation, or the decision in July 2024 to explore the use of corporate assets for temporary accommodation.

Growth Scrutiny Committee Themed Review 2023-24: Inclusive Growth and Economy Framework

The Cabinet received a report from the Growth Scrutiny Committee on its themed review of the Council's approach to the Inclusive Growth and Economy Framework. The report explained that:

Waltham Forest has seen a decade of rapid change with significant business, housing and population growth. Despite this growth there is increased inequality for residents, which [has] been exacerbated by [the] pandemic and the cost-of-living crisis. A new innovative approach is required to deliver a framework to ensure the next 10 years of planned growth can generate opportunities for all residents.

The report described the aims of the framework as:

intrinsically linked to the new corporate framework, Mission Waltham Forest. The framework outlines six borough missions, those of note to this thematic review include: ensuring every family and every child are given every opportunity and building an economy that works for everyone.

The report recommended that the Cabinet approve 17 recommendations that it made to help improve the framework. These recommendations covered three main themes:

• Partnership and education:
  • The Committee advised the Cabinet to increase the Council's partnership work with the voluntary sector, ensuring a joined-up approach particularly in relation to supporting young people, people with mental health problems, and people experiencing homelessness.
  • It recommended that the Council use its planning powers to support childcare settings to provide the 15 hours of free childcare for 2-year-olds.
  • The Committee also recommended that the Council focus on educating people around financial literacy, providing specific support for women recently arrived in the UK, and maintaining a strong focus on wellbeing for people accessing Council services.
• Monitoring: The Committee recommended that the Cabinet establish baseline metrics, disaggregated by protected characteristics and geographic area to track the impact of the framework, with a strong focus on outcomes. It also recommended that a full Equality Impact Assessment (EIA) be undertaken. An EIA is an assessment of the likely impact of a policy, programme or service on people with different protected characteristics.
• Employment: The Committee made several recommendations on employment, particularly on encouraging businesses in the borough to pay the London Living Wage.¹
  • It recommended that the Council encourage all employers that use apprenticeships, and all businesses that lease the Council's buildings, to pay the London Living Wage.
  • It also recommended that the Council work to increase the quality of jobs available in the borough, and encourage and support young people to enter job sectors that are experiencing shortages.

The report pack included a proposed response from officers to each of the Committee's recommendations.

Sixty Bricks Dormancy

The Cabinet received an update on activity undertaken to place the Council's housing development company, Sixty Bricks, into dormancy. Sixty Bricks was established in 2017 and has delivered 299 homes across five schemes in the borough, with 78% of these being affordable. Sixty Bricks ceased trading in August 2024. The report described the purpose of Sixty Bricks as to:

add value to the council’s existing housing delivery models.

and highlighted that:

The company successfully completed its Phase 1 development programme at the end of 2022, comprising 299 new homes, of which 78% were affordable, including 188 social rent homes. All homes have been sold or are occupied where available on a social rent basis.

The report included the company's audited annual accounts for April 2023-June 2024, and recommended that the remaining residual cash balance of £1m be returned to the Council as a dividend to be used to offset any future liabilities incurred by the Council from Sixty Bricks's pipeline schemes. It also recommended that the Corporate Director of Capital Strategy and Portfolio Management and Corporate Director of Financial Services be appointed as Company Director and Company Secretary, respectively, for the period the company remains dormant.

Shareholder Committee - Tuesday 01 October 2024

The Shareholder Committee met to receive an update on the council's More Homes Waltham Forest Joint Venture.

More Homes Waltham Forest Joint Venture

The committee received an update on the More Homes Waltham Forest Joint Venture. This is a partnership with Mears Group, a housing and social care provider, to provide 330 homes for rent to people who the council has a legal duty to house. The scheme is funded through a bond issued to the BAE Systems Pension Fund.

The committee was asked to note a number of items, including:

• The governance forward plan for the joint venture.
• The joint venture's annual report and financial statements.
• The financial model and business plan for 2024/25.
• The key performance indicators for the first quarter of 2024/25.

The report explained that the aim of the scheme is to reduce the amount the council spends on temporary accommodation by providing more permanent accommodation. It was originally planned that the scheme would provide 365 homes, but this target was reduced to 330 homes because of market conditions.

The report described how the scheme is funded by a bond issued to the BAE Systems Pension Fund, which matures in 2058. The properties in the scheme are managed by Plexus, a subsidiary of Mears Group, on a 40-year lease. Because the rents on the properties are set at the same rate as the Local Housing Allowance (LHA) that the council pays to people living in temporary accommodation, the council has provided a guarantee to the joint venture to make up any shortfall in the rent. The report explains that:

The Council also guarantees to pay any shortfall in interest earned when compared to the base case financial model.

According to the report, the scheme has so far delivered a cumulative saving to the council of £3.5 million, based on the difference between the cost of keeping people in temporary accommodation and the net cost of the scheme to the council.

The report explained that the purchase of all 330 homes was completed in 2022/23.

It explained that:

Reflecting this, governance was scaled down to focus on housing management and financial performance by the JV Board and Members, and the council’s governance arrangements for council JVs.

The report also noted that:

In July 2024, Cabinet approved a revised scheme for a second JV with Mears after the previous proposal, agreed in 2022, proved to no longer be financially viable due to increases in interest rates and debt costs. The scheme will look to acquire 400 homes from the market, which will allow the council to discharge its housing duty and mitigate against future cost pressure to the temporary accommodation budget.

The report also contained the More Homes Waltham Forest LLP Annual Report and Financial Statements 2023/24, as approved by the JV Board.

Staffing Committee - Thursday 03 October 2024

This meeting was about the appointment of a new Corporate Director of Education. A total of four candidates were shortlisted and scheduled to attend stakeholder engagement panels.

Appointment panel: Corporate Director of Education

The Staffing Committee considered applications for the Chief Officer post of Corporate Director of Education. The four shortlisted candidates had attended stakeholder engagement panels on 2 October. A further shortlist will be decided after these panels, before the final Member Appointment Panel. The meeting report pack included a copy of the Corporate Director of Education Job Description. The post has been identified as politically restricted under the Local Government and Housing Act 1989. The report explained that the appointment process was in accordance with the Council’s Recruitment & Selection Procedure.

The meeting also received a report titled Executive Director Appointment: Corporate Director of Education which was prepared by Nicola Crouch, Strategic Director of Children Services and Lee Witham, Corporate Director of Culture & Workforce Development. The report explained that interim arrangements had been in place up until this point, and that the questions drafted for the Members to pose had been crafted around the role profile and the ambitions that the council has for the post holder to fulfil. The report noted that financial provision for the post exists within the Council budget.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Wednesday 02 October 2024

The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee met to consider an application for a new premises licence for Leyton Calling at Arch 145, Tilbury Road, Leyton, London E10 6RE.

Leyton Calling

The applicant, Samoan Joes London Ltd, requested permission for:

• The supply of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises
• Late night refreshments
• Recorded music

The application proposed the following hours:

• Supply of Alcohol, Late Night Refreshments & Recorded Music
  • Sunday to Thursday 12:00-23:00
  • Friday & Saturday 12:00-01:00
• Hours Premises Open to the Public
  • Monday to Thursday 12:00-00:00
  • Friday & Saturday 12:00-02:00
  • Sunday 10:00-00:00

The application was the subject of nine representations:

• Seven representations were received from members of the public, of which two objected to the application, and five were in support of it.
• Two representations were received from responsible authorities:
  • The Metropolitan Police initially objected to the application on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.
  • The Licensing Authority also initially objected to the application on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

The Metropolitan Police withdrew their objection after the applicant agreed to a number of conditions, including the employment of Security Industry Authority (SIA)-licenced door staff from 9pm on Fridays and Saturdays, and the implementation of a dispersal policy.

The Licensing Authority also withdrew their objection after the applicant agreed to a number of conditions. The Licensing Authority's suggested conditions included, but were not limited to, the following:

• CCTV: Installation of a comprehensive CCTV system covering all entry and exit points, with recordings to be retained for at least 31 days.
• Incident Logbook: Maintenance of a detailed incident logbook, recording various incidents such as thefts, disorder, ejections, and complaints.
• Staff Training: Mandatory training for all staff involved in alcohol sales, covering age verification, refusal of service to intoxicated individuals, and prevention of proxy sales.
• Noise Control: Hourly noise level observations to be conducted at nearby residential properties during regulated entertainment. The music volume must be reduced if any noise breakout is detected.
• Challenge 25: Implementation of a Challenge 25 policy for age verification, with prominent signage and staff training on the scheme.
• Dispersal Policy: Implementation of a written dispersal policy to manage the safe and orderly departure of patrons, minimizing disturbance to residents.
• Refuse Management: Measures to ensure the proper disposal of rubbish and litter and to minimize noise from bin collections after 23:00 hours.

The sub-committee considered the application and representations and decided whether to grant the licence with the agreed conditions, modify the application, or refuse the application.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Executive Decision meeting was postponed.
• The Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Commmittee was scheduled to discuss a 'Home Streets' themed review of crime and community safety, as well as the council's approach to civil protection and contingency planning.

Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Commmittee - Thursday 26 September 2024

The Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday 26 September 2024. The documents available do not record what was actually discussed at the meeting. The agenda suggests that the meeting was due to involve scrutiny of the council's draft plans for future meetings, its approach to civil protection and contingency planning, and a proposed 'Home Streets' themed review of crime and community safety.

Scrutiny Report

The report pack prepared for the meeting included the council's draft forward plan of future meetings (Report pack p.58-64). This is a list of topics that the committee is scheduled to discuss in future meetings. Because the forward plan is a draft, the Councillors may choose to make changes to it.

The report pack also included a draft scoping document (Report pack p.65-70) for the 'Home Streets' themed review. This document proposed that the themed review should aim to:

gain an understanding of the complex crime patterns in the borough through looking at a variety of data and other information sources, identifying where extra resources are required. (Report pack p.66)

The draft scoping document also included a proposed schedule of meetings, and who would be invited to speak at them.

Civil Protection

The documents also included a report that was prepared to provide the committee with:

an overview of Civil Contingency arrangements within the Council across Gold, Silver and Bronze response levels, with a summary of the response to the recent far right and counter protest in Walthamstow on 7th August 2024. (Report pack p.71)

It described the statutory duties of the council under The Civil Contingencies Act 2004¹, which requires local councils to show that they are prepared for emergencies.

In particular it listed flooding, property fires and adverse weather as examples of emergencies the council should prepare for. (Report pack p.71)

The report went on to describe the council's response to the far-right protest that was expected to take place in Walthamstow on 7 August 2024. The report summarises the multi-agency response that was coordinated in the run up to the protest, in conjunction with the Metropolitan Police and community groups. The report notes that the protest itself mostly consisted of anti-fascist counter-protesters, and that the far right presence was minimal.

The report concludes by noting that the council would review the response to the protest to identify whether any lessons had been learned, and by observing that the council will:

also refer to the Grenfell Inquiry² report to consider its own arrangements as a multifunctional Council, considering its duties as a housing provider, developer, regulator and Category 1 responder to the potential risks and incidents that can take place within the Borough and across the London region. (Report pack p.78)

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Budget Scrutiny Committee meeting had no published agenda or transcript.
• The Pension Committee meeting had no published agenda or transcript.
• The Whipps Cross Joint Health Overview Scrutiny Committee meeting was postponed.
• The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee met to discuss the draft annual report, performance data for June and July 2024, and the scrutiny committee forward plans.
• The Executive Decision meeting was scheduled to include a decision to be made without public access on whether to award a contract to fit out a new council building.

Scrutiny Coordinating Committee - Thursday 19 September 2024

The meeting was the first for the Scrutiny Coordinating Committee since changes were made to the structure and operation of scrutiny at Waltham Forest Council following a review conducted by the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny. The meeting included discussion of the draft Annual Report for the 2023/24 municipal year, an update on the corporate performance framework including a look at performance data for June and July 2024, and a review of draft scrutiny committee forward plans.

Draft Annual Report

The draft Annual Report for 2023/24 covered the work of each of the eight scrutiny committees that operated during the year: Adult Social Care, Budget and Performance, Children and Families, Climate, Communities, Growth, Health, and Housing. The report also covers the three joint health overview and scrutiny committees (JHOSC) that Waltham Forest participates in, alongside neighbouring boroughs and NHS partners. These are the Whipps Cross JHOSC, the Inner North East London JHOSC, and the Outer North East London JHOSC.

The report summarises the activity of each scrutiny committee, including a summary of recommendations made and their impact. Each committee section of the report also looks forward to the priorities for 2024/25. The report also covers the work completed under the scrutiny training programme, a development programme delivered in response to a recommendation from the Scrutiny Improvement Review.

Corporate Performance Framework

This was the first update to the Scrutiny Coordinating Committee on the new system of corporate performance reporting since its implementation in June 2024.

The new Corporate Performance Framework contains 82 Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) structured around the Council's new corporate framework, Mission Waltham Forest. 5 of the 82 KPIs are still under development with service areas, and around 50 will be updated monthly with the rest updated less frequently. The report requested that the Scrutiny Coordinating Committee review the performance data and make recommendations as required. The report also requested that the committee consider the KPIs in the Corporate Performance Framework and identify any areas that should be added in future.

Two areas of performance were highlighted in the report:

Adult Social Care service users whose support has been reviewed in the last 12 months (CPR 25)

The report noted that whilst performance in this area is improving, there are disparities with performance by NELFT¹ causing concern. The report recommended accelerating improvement in this area as the Care Quality Commission (CQC)² will be focusing on management, oversight and governance in their next assessment.

Households in Temporary Accommodation (Rate per 1,000 households) (CPR 03)

The report highlighted a continuing upward trend in the rate of households in temporary accommodation since March 2023. The report described the work that the Council has been doing to mitigate the impact of this trend. This work included:

• Providing new self-contained temporary accommodation units to reduce the need for procuring nightly accommodation from third parties
• Exploring the use of corporate assets for temporary accommodation as part of the Assets review transformation programme.

The report also highlighted the importance of addressing the root causes of people needing temporary accommodation. This echoes similar statements made in previous meetings, such as at the Cabinet meeting on 10 September 2024, where it was noted that the council had to use a specific homelessness reserve of £4.5 million to meet the increased cost of providing temporary accommodation to homeless families.

Scrutiny Committee Forward Plans

The Committee received draft forward plans from each of the six scrutiny committees operating in 2024/25. These committees are: Adult Social Care and Health; Budget; Children and Families; Climate; Communities and Public Protection; and Housing and Inclusive Economy. The report also included the Cabinet forward plan. The Coordinating Committee reviewed these forward plans, with the objective of ensuring that there is alignment between committee work programmes and the Cabinet forward plan.

Executive Decision - Tuesday 17 September 2024

The meeting was scheduled to include a decision to be made without public access on whether to award a contract to fit out a new council building.

Families and Homes Hub Fit Out Contract Award

The meeting was scheduled to include consideration of a report entitled Families and Homes (aka Sunflower House) Hub Fit Out Contract Award that recommended that the council awards the contract for fitting out Sunflower House to the contractor ISG.³

The report, by Stacey Clark, Senior Project Manager, explained that: The works include the full fit out the building and will result in the delivery of a bespoke facility that will meet the needs of a range of services, and more importantly, residents.

The report explained that ISG was selected without a competitive tender process: The agreed procurement strategy, as approved by SCB in February 2024, was to call off the Pagabo framework and engage with fit out contractor ISG Ltd on the basis of a Direct Award. The report explained that using this process would save time: A mini-competition is not being recommended as the direct award approach demonstrates value for money for the Council, provides a reduced programme and enables the opening of the Sunflower in January 2025, and guarantees that the contract is made with a high quality and trusted supplier.

The report noted that: The design of the fit out works has been developed with sustainability in mind. The design and delivery will achieve BREEAM Very Good.⁴

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Cabinet noted a projected overspend of £14.038 million in revenue expenditure for 2024-2025.
• The Staffing Committee met to discuss the appointment of a new Director of Return on Investment.
• The Staffing Committee met to appoint a new Corporate Director of Communications & Campaigns.
• The Children and Families Scrutiny Committee discussed a range of issues affecting children and young people in the borough, including the outcome of the recent Ofsted inspection of Children's Services.

Cabinet - Tuesday 10 September 2024

The Cabinet met this week to discuss a range of issues, including the Council’s finances, the provision of substance and alcohol treatment services, the Serious Violence Strategy, the Social Value Annual Statement, proposed changes to the “pay to park” parking restrictions scheme, and the leasing of two properties for use as temporary accommodation.

The Cabinet noted a projected overspend of £14.038 million in revenue expenditure for 2024-2025. They also noted that the council had to use a specific homelessness reserve of £4.5 million to meet the increased cost of providing temporary accommodation to homeless families. This is a recurring theme - in July the Cabinet noted that the council was facing significant financial challenges, including a projected overspend of £10 million for 2024-2025. They decided to defer any decision on how to address this projected overspend until September. The council's financial challenges are partly due to the increasing cost of providing social care services, which is a national issue.

To help improve the council's financial position, the Cabinet agreed to allocate £5.937 million from the Budget Strategy Reserve (BSR) to fund a number of initiatives, including the Inclusion Action Plan, three new business intelligence posts and initiatives to help deliver the council’s serious violence reduction strategy. The Cabinet noted that the remaining balance of £9.611 million in the BSR did not include any provision to meet the predicted revenue overspend or to reduce future budget gaps.

Staffing Committee - Wednesday 11 September 2024

Chief Officer Appointment: Director of Return on Investment (ROI)

This meeting was scheduled to interview candidates for the role of Director of Return on Investment, a role which involves providing leadership and management for a service within the council.

This is the latest in a series of recent appointments to the council's senior management team. In July, the Staffing Committee met to appoint a new Executive Director of Resources.

Staffing Committee - Thursday 12 September 2024

This meeting was scheduled to interview candidates for the role of Corporate Director of Communications & Campaigns. The report to the committee noted that Financial provision for this post exist[ed] within the Council’s budget.

Given the projected £14.038 million overspend noted by the Cabinet just two days earlier, the decision to proceed with the appointment of a new Corporate Director, a role which often comes with a six-figure salary, may raise some eyebrows.

Children and Families Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 11 September 2024

This meeting was scheduled to receive an update on the council’s plans following the recent Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services, which judged the service to be ‘Good’ overall. The Committee was also due to receive a range of information relating to the educational experiences of children and young people in the borough, including school attendance, permanent exclusions and the educational achievements of children in care.

Ofsted inspections are a key part of the accountability framework for local authority children's services in England. They are carried out by Ofsted, the Office for Standards in Education, Children's Services and Skills, which is an independent inspectorate that reports to Parliament. Ofsted inspects a range of services, including schools, colleges, early years settings and children's social care services.

Waltham Forest’s Children’s Services were last inspected in 2019 when they were also judged to be ‘Good’. The latest inspection, which took place in July, found that services for children in care had improved to ‘Outstanding’.

The report of the inspection, which was published on 8 July, found that Children in Waltham Forest continue to receive good-quality services delivered by knowledgeable and committed social workers. This is a testament to the hard work and dedication of the council's social workers, who play a vital role in protecting vulnerable children.

Ofsted inspections are an important way of holding local authorities to account for the quality of their children's services. They can help to drive up standards and improve outcomes for children and families.

The report to this meeting also included an update on attendance, exclusions and elective home education in the borough’s schools. The report highlighted that the attendance rate for children receiving Free School Meals was significantly lower than the borough average, reflecting the impact that poverty and deprivation can have on educational outcomes.

This is an issue that the council has been working to address for a number of years. In 2019, the council launched its Child Poverty Strategy, which sets out a range of actions that the council is taking to reduce child poverty in the borough.

The report also highlighted the overrepresentation of Black Caribbean children in the borough’s permanent exclusion figures. This is a complex issue with a number of contributing factors, including institutional racism and unconscious bias.

The council has been working to address this issue for a number of years. In 2020, the council launched its Race Equality Strategy, which sets out a range of actions that the council is taking to address racial inequality in the borough.

The meeting was also scheduled to receive a briefing from the Virtual School, which provides support to children in care. The briefing was due to include an update on the educational achievements of children in care in Waltham Forest.

Children in care are a vulnerable group who often face significant challenges in their lives. They may have experienced neglect, abuse or trauma. As a result, they are more likely to have special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) and are less likely to achieve good educational outcomes than their peers.

The Virtual School plays a vital role in supporting children in care to achieve their potential. They work closely with schools, social workers and other professionals to ensure that children in care receive the support they need to succeed.

This week in Waltham Forest:

• The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee revoked the premises licence of Global Food & Drink.

Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee - Tuesday 30 July 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee revoked the premises licence of Global Food & Drink, 44 St. James Street, Walthamstow after hearing evidence that it had repeatedly broken licensing laws. This means that the shop can no longer sell alcohol. The Sub-Committee heard evidence that alcohol and tobacco had been sold illegally to children at the shop, and that illicit tobacco had been found for sale there.

Review of Global Food & Drink

Waltham Forest Trading Standards requested that the Licensing Sub-Committee review the premises licence of Global Food & Drink. They argued that the shop had repeatedly broken licensing laws relating to the sale of alcohol and tobacco.

Trading Standards officers told the Sub-Committee that:

On the 27 November 2021 the sale of illicit tobacco took place at the premises. On the 29 November 2021 a detection dog detected 54 packs of illicit duty evaded cigarettes. The Court proceedings in respect of these two offences are ongoing and not yet concluded. On the 15 September 2023 there was a purchase of illicit duty evaded cigarettes. On the 19 October 2023, a minor of 15 years of age purchased a bottle of Smirnoff Ice and on 18th April 2024, two minors aged fourteen and fifteen years purchased a Gold Bar Strawberry Peach disposable vape.

The Sub-Committee heard that this was not the first time that the shop had broken licensing laws.

The Sub-Committee noted there was a review of the premises in 2017 and the licence was suspended for 3 months. A condition was also imposed in respect of the current PLH [Premises Licence Holder], Mr [Bilgin] Redzheb. The condition outlined on page 32 of the agenda pack stipulates: “Mr Redzheb shall be excluded from the premises and not be allowed to have any dealings or involvement with the premises”.

Despite this, Mr Redzheb had recently become the designated premises supervisor, the person responsible for the day-to-day running of the shop and making sure that it complies with licensing laws. The Licensing Officer told the Sub-Committee that the Council had made a mistake in allowing Mr Redzheb to become the designated premises supervisor.

Mr Redzheb's lawyer told the Sub-Committee that his client was not the licence holder when the most recent offences took place.

The lawyer explained that his client hasn’t been involved in any form of criminal activity in the last 7 years and it would be unfair to take action against him.

The Sub-Committee decided to revoke the shop's licence, preventing it from selling alcohol. In their decision the Sub-Committee said:

The Sub-Committee are of the view it’s a family run business and do not have faith that Mr Redzheb will run the business responsibly. [...] The Sub-Committee were concerned about the serious nature of the offences committed at this premises and the history of criminal activity at this family run business which have undermined the Licensing Act 2003 objectives.

The Licensing Act 2003 is the law that governs the sale of alcohol in England and Wales. It sets out the responsibilities of licensees and the powers of licensing authorities. It also establishes a system of licensing objectives, which are:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• Public safety
• The prevention of public nuisance
• The protection of children from harm

Licensing authorities, in this case Waltham Forest Council, are responsible for granting, renewing, and revoking premises licences. They must also ensure that licensees comply with the conditions of their licences.

Global Food & Drink can appeal the Sub-Committee's decision to Thames Magistrates' Court within 21 days.

The Pension Committee met on Monday to discuss the management of climate change risks to the Council's pension fund. The Licensing Act 2003 Sub-Committee was scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence for The Drink Factory on Forest Road. The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee received reports on the council's performance and reviewed the forward plans and work programmes for the council's Scrutiny Committees. An Executive Decision was made on Wednesday on whether to start the process of appointing the main contractor for the Vestry House Museum Revitalisation Project. The Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group met on Monday to discuss the use of stop and search powers in the borough. An Executive Decision meeting was held on Monday but the agenda was not publicly available. An Executive Decision was made on Monday regarding the possible introduction of a PSPO to combat nuisance from car meets. The Whipps Cross Joint Health Overview Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet on Wednesday but the agenda was not publicly available.

Pension Committee - Monday 22 July 2024

The Pension Committee meeting included a report on climate change, a verbal report on the submission of a petition and an update on the status of the committee's work programme.

Climate Change

A report was included on how the Climate Change Act 2009¹ applies to the council's pension fund. The meeting considered the act's requirements in relation to the management of climate change risks.

The Council has a legal and fiduciary duty to ensure that the risks from climate change and the opportunities presented by the transition to a lower carbon economy are appropriately managed across its full range of functions. This includes managing climate-related risks to the Pension Fund’s assets, as required by the Pension Regulator.

The report also presented an update on the work of the London Collective Investment Vehicle (LCIV)² on climate change.

The LCIV has developed a responsible investment framework to manage extra-financial risks, including ESG and climate change factors, when investing the Fund’s assets.

Petition submitted to the Pension Committee

The committee received a verbal report on the submission of a petition. No further information was available.

Work Programme

A report presented the work programme of the Pension Committee, highlighting completed and outstanding tasks.

Executive Decision - Monday 22 July 2024

This Executive Decision was made by Cllr Khevyn Limbajee, Portfolio Lead Member for Community Safety, on whether to introduce a boroughwide Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to tackle nuisance from car meets.

Public Space Protection Order to Tackle Nuisance from Car Meets

The report pack explains that the decision-maker is able to designate a PSPO on behalf of the Council.

A PSPO can place restrictions and requirements on an area where activities have, or are likely to have, a detrimental effect on the quality of life of local people. The activities are persistent or continuing in nature, are unreasonable and justify the restrictions imposed by the PSPO. These can be blanket restrictions or requirements.

The report goes on to describe how car meets are a significant problem in the borough.

The London Borough of Waltham Forest has seen a gradual but significant increase in nuisance and anti-social behaviour (ASB) related to motor vehicles participating in organised car meets (groups of car and motorcycle owners meeting up at a specific and designated location). High numbers of noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour reports are being received by local ward members along with significant online reports received by Council services and Police colleagues as a result.

The pack identifies some locations where car meets have caused particular issues. These include Argyll Avenue in Leyton, Leyton Mills Retail Park, and Tesco Extra at Signal Walk in Highams Park.

Changes to the road structure and layout such as speed humps and vehicle access restrictions were also investigated however significant costs and the impact on the retail park have delayed any planned changes. A high friction surface was applied on the 6th of October 2023 to prevent wheel spinning and a consultation for additional parking restrictions is currently taking place.

The report pack contains a heatmap showing the locations of car meets across the borough. The data for the heatmap was taken from reports made to the Council and the police. Unsurprisingly, it shows a high density of reports in the south of the borough close to the border with Redbridge, an area in which car meets were the subject of a petition in 2022. This is reminiscent of the issues encountered with car meets close to the border with Enfield in 2020, which was eventually resolved with the introduction of a borough-wide PSPO.

A significant number of reports related to car meets are also linked with racing, revving engines, problematic congregation, and drug related reports. The use of NO2 laughing gas and cannabis is also linked with car meet reports.

Details of the Proposed PSPO

Any person is prohibited from congregating for the purpose of being a participant or spectator, as a passenger or driver of a vehicle, in a car meet that is likely to cause a nuisance to persons in the locality of the restricted area by: ▪ Driving a motor vehicle at excessive speed ▪ Revving of engines ▪ Sudden or rapid acceleration / deceleration ▪ Driving in convoy ▪ Idling ▪ Performing stunts ▪ Sounding horns ▪ Playing amplified music ▪ Displaying ▪ Causing obstruction

The report pack includes the results of a public consultation on the proposals. The results of this consultation show a high level of support (88.2%) for a boroughwide PSPO.

Regarding the specific terms within the PSPO, support from the public is high, with an average of 81.7% supporting each of the proposed restrictions.

The report pack includes an Equalities Impact Assessment (EqIA) that concludes that there is no negative impact on any protected groups.

This analysis has concluded that the policy will have a positive impact on protected characteristics by preventing the negative impact of the nuisance caused by car meets.

Waltham Forest Stop and Search Group - Monday 22 July 2024

This meeting was scheduled to include updates from the police and the Young Independent Advisory Group (YIAG)³ on a number of topics related to the policing of Waltham Forest.

Stop and Search Statistics

The meeting was scheduled to include a presentation of the latest stop and search statistics for the borough. The report pack included data for the whole of 2023, showing that there were 4,492 stops and searches carried out by the police in that period. This represented a 27.2% reduction in the number of stop and searches compared to 2022. Of those stops, 63% were for drugs and 17% were for weapons. 14% of all those stopped were arrested and 70% were given no further action. The report pack also included more detailed breakdowns of the stop and search figures for 2023 by ethnicity and age.

Scrutiny of searches not recorded

The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of how the police scrutinise stop and searches that are not recorded on body-worn cameras. This echoes concerns raised in this committee in 2021 and 2022.

Scrutiny of MTIP processes

The meeting was scheduled to include a discussion of the processes involved in conducting MTIP¹ searches.

How Met uses WF Stop and Search Group feedback to improve

This item was on the agenda to allow the Metropolitan Police Force to explain how they have used the feedback from previous Stop and Search Group meetings to improve.

Escalation Routes

The meeting was set to include a discussion about how concerns about stop and search could be escalated.

New Borough Commander

The meeting was due to include the introduction of the Metropolitan Police's new Borough Commander for Waltham Forest.

S&S Charter update

The meeting was also scheduled to include an update on the development of the Metropolitan Police's Stop and Search Charter.

Future meetings

The meeting was also scheduled to include a discussion of the dates and agendas for future meetings of the group.

Waltham Forest Council met 6 times in the last 7 days.

The Audit and Governance Committee considered the Council's accounts and risk register, as well as several reports on fraud.

The Health and Wellbeing Board reviewed updates to the Good Care Conversation project which aims to discover residents' priorities for health and care service design, the Promoting Wellbeing workstream, and received several reports on the performance of local health services.

The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee discussed the work of the Waltham Forest Health and Care Partnership (WFHCP), reviewed proposals for the procurement of the substance and alcohol use service, and agreed its work programme for the rest of the year.

The Housing and Inclusive Economy Scrutiny Committee discussed the Housing Resident Involvement Strategy and the work of the Stronger Communities directorate.

The Planning Committee reviewed a proposal to increase the number of homes to be built at the former gas works on Perth Road in Leyton from 573 to 652, as well as proposals to redevelop the Regal Cinema in Chingford and make alterations to the Grade II* listed Chestnuts House on Hoe Street and the Grade II listed Vestry House Museum on Vestry Road.

Waltham Forest Council met to discuss a range of issues including the transfer of planning powers from the LLDC, the Council's finances, and to make some appointments to Council Committees.

Lea Bridge Gas Works Redevelopment

The Planning Committee considered a proposal by St William Homes LLP to increase the number of homes on their development at the former gas works on Perth Road in Leyton. This site already has planning permission for a mixed-use scheme, but the developer was seeking to increase the permitted number of homes from 573 to 652. 158 of these homes would be affordable¹.

The report pack prepared for councillors included analysis of the likely environmental impacts of the scheme, including its impact on the nearby Clementina Estate. The pack also included comments from the Environment Agency who objected to the application.

This is the second time this year that the committee has considered plans to increase the number of homes on this site. In March the committee approved plans to increase the number of homes from 550 to 573. The committee's decision to approve those plans was met with opposition from some local residents, who argued that the development would lead to increased traffic and pressure on local services.

This is not the first time that Waltham Forest Council has faced opposition to its plans to increase the density of housing in the borough. The council has a target of building 27,000 new homes in the borough by 2041. This target was set by the Mayor of London.

The council's plans to build new homes in the borough are part of a wider London-wide strategy to address the housing crisis. The housing crisis is a complex issue with a number of causes, including a shortage of affordable housing, population growth, and rising house prices.

The Mayor of London has set a target of building 66,000 new homes in London each year. The Mayor has also introduced a number of policies to try to increase the supply of affordable housing, such as requiring developers to build a certain proportion of affordable homes in new developments.

However, these policies have been criticised by some who argue that they do not go far enough. They argue that the Mayor needs to do more to control house prices and to increase the supply of social housing.

Transfer of Planning Powers from the LLDC

Waltham Forest Council discussed plans to bring responsibility for planning decisions in the borough back under the control of the local authority.

The London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC) was established by the London Legacy Development Corporation Act 2012 to manage the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park following the London 2012 Olympic Games. One of the LLDC's responsibilities is to act as the local planning authority for an area covering Stratford, Hackney Wick, Fish Island, and parts of Leyton, including the Lea Bridge Gas Works site.

The 2012 Act makes provision for the transfer of planning powers from the LLDC to the relevant local authority, either by delegation or by Statutory Instrument, as the LLDC’s remit changes over time.

The report prepared for the meeting describes the process for transferring planning powers back to the Council and outlines three possible schemes for achieving this: two interim schemes involving the delegation of powers from the LLDC to the Council, and one permanent scheme transferring powers to the Council by way of a Statutory Instrument. The report notes that the third option, a full transfer of powers by Statutory Instrument on 1 December 2024 is the preferred option for both the LLDC and the Council.

This is not the first time that the Council has sought to regain control over planning decisions in this area. In 2018 the Council submitted a request to the then Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, Sajid Javid, to transfer planning powers back to the Council. However, this request was rejected.

Substance and Alcohol Use Service

The Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee reviewed plans for the Council's substance and alcohol use treatment and recovery service. The Council is legally obliged to provide these services under the Substance Misuse Act 1971 and the Health and Social Care Act 2012.

The Committee were asked to review the Council's proposals for the procurement of a new service contract. The current contract, which is due to expire in March 2025, is worth approximately £2,000,000 per year.

The report prepared for the committee praised the performance of the existing service, and noted in particular the success of its outreach and rapid prescribing elements:

The outreach element is delivered by a worker who acts as the link person between drug users and the services.

The Committee endorsed the Council's proposed service model, but sought further information on how the service would be advertised to those experiencing homelessness.

Waltham Forest Council made a number of significant decisions at its meetings last week. The council has decided to extend its agreement with Microsoft for software licences without putting it out to tender, decided to move ahead with plans to set up a company to build homes on council-owned land, and decided to consult on an updated version of its Local Plan.

Executive Decision - Tuesday 09 July 2024

This meeting of the Executive Decision committee saw the council agree to extend its Enterprise Agreement with Microsoft for software licences for a further three years.

The decision was made without a competitive tender process. The report given to councillors at the meeting noted that the council is locked into using Microsoft software and that if they went out to tender:

The Council does not have the capacity or capability to undertake a full re-tender of these services.

Later in the report, the council explains its reasoning in more detail, noting both the costs of change and the risks of failing to comply with licensing regulations:

Based on previous experience and the current market position of both ICT Software and ICT Infrastructure, should the Council choose not to proceed with the Direct Award to extend the current EA, this would leave the Council in a position of non-compliance with Microsoft licensing.

The report concludes that:

It is recognised that there is currently no realistic alternative to the incumbent supplier due to the dependence the Council has on their software

This is not the first time that Waltham Forest Council has decided not to put a contract out to tender. In 2021 the council decided to award a contract for the provision of waste management services to its own in-house company, Gouveia, without going to tender. This decision was made in part because the council believed that it would be more cost-effective to keep the service in-house.

The decision to extend the Microsoft Enterprise Agreement was made by the Executive Decision committee. The Executive Decision committee is a committee of the council that is responsible for making decisions on behalf of the council. The committee is made up of 10 councillors, all of whom are members of the Labour Party, which has a majority on the council.

Cabinet - Tuesday 09 July 2024

The most significant decision taken at this meeting of the Cabinet was the decision to consult on the next version of the Waltham Forest Local Plan.

The Local Plan is a document that sets out how land in the borough will be used over the next 15-20 years. It includes policies on a wide range of issues, including housing, employment, transport, and the environment. The current Local Plan was adopted in 2013.

At the meeting, the Cabinet discussed the need for a new Local Plan. They noted that the current Local Plan is now out of date and does not reflect the latest national planning policy or the council's own priorities.

The government requires local authorities to review their Local Plans every five years. The process for reviewing and updating a Local Plan is set out in the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.

In particular, the Cabinet noted that:

The Government has recently announced significant changes to the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF), some of which are not yet reflected in extant planning guidance. These changes have the potential to significantly impact housing targets at a local level. It is therefore essential that the Council understands these implications at the earliest opportunity

The Cabinet also discussed the council's plans to build new homes on council-owned land. The council has identified a number of sites that it believes are suitable for housing development. These sites are located across the borough.

The council has previously tried to develop these sites in partnership with private developers but has struggled to find partners who are willing to build the type of homes that the council wants to see built.

In response to the changing economic climate, the council is now proposing to set up its own company to build the homes. This company will be wholly owned by the council.

In response to the changing economic climate the Council took the decision to pause procuring a Joint Venture partner in Autumn 2022 and explore alternative options to accelerate delivery of its housing objectives.

This is a significant change in policy for the council. The council's previous approach was to work with private developers to deliver new homes. However, the council has become increasingly concerned about the ability of private developers to deliver the type of homes that the borough needs.

The council's housing objectives are set out in the council's Housing Strategy 2019-2029.

The Cabinet also discussed the proposed expansion of the council's borough-wide landlord licensing scheme. The scheme was introduced in 2015 and requires landlords to obtain a licence from the council before they can rent out their properties. The council is now proposing to expand the scheme to include all privately rented properties in the borough, regardless of their size or the number of tenants living in them.

Landlord licensing schemes are designed to improve the quality of private rented accommodation. They are also intended to help to tackle rogue landlords. Landlords who are granted a licence must meet certain standards, such as ensuring that their properties are safe and in a good state of repair. They must also comply with certain obligations, such as providing tenants with gas safety certificates and tenancy agreements.

The council believes that the expansion of the scheme is necessary to improve the quality of private rented accommodation in the borough. The council is also concerned about the number of rogue landlords operating in the borough.

The decision to expand the scheme has been met with mixed reactions. Some residents' groups have welcomed the decision, arguing that it is necessary to improve the quality of private rented accommodation. However, some landlords have criticised the decision, arguing that it is unnecessary and will lead to higher rents.

The council is also proposing to change the fees that landlords must pay to obtain a licence. The new fees will be based on the number of bedrooms in a property. The council says that the new fees are necessary to cover the cost of running the scheme.

Executive Decision - Wednesday 10 July 2024

This meeting of the Executive Decision Committee saw the council approve the first stage of the Forest Road Improvement Scheme. This scheme seeks to make improvements to Forest Road in Walthamstow.

The scheme intends to address several issues identified in the Waltham Forest Movement Strategy which was adopted by the council in March 2022. The strategy sets out the council's vision for transport in the borough over the next 10 years.

the severance caused by the A503, with few safe crossing points for people walking and cycling

The strategy identifies a number of key challenges facing the borough, including:

• High levels of car ownership and use
• Poor air quality
• A lack of safe and convenient cycling infrastructure
• Congestion on key roads

The strategy sets out a number of objectives, including:

• Reducing car use
• Improving air quality
• Making it easier and safer to cycle and walk
• Improving public transport

The strategy includes a number of policies and proposals for achieving these objectives. These include:

• Introducing a workplace parking levy
• Expanding the borough's network of cycle lanes
• Improving bus services
• Encouraging the use of electric vehicles

The council has already begun to implement some of the policies and proposals in the strategy. For example, the council has introduced a number of new cycle lanes and has expanded the borough's network of electric vehicle charging points.

However, the council has also faced opposition to some of its proposals. For example, the proposal to introduce a workplace parking levy has been met with opposition from some businesses.

The Forest Road Improvement Scheme will now move to the detailed design stage. The council will then consult on the detailed designs before submitting a planning application.

Shareholder Committee - Tuesday 09 July 2024

At this meeting The Shareholder Committee reviewed the performance of its trading company, Evolve Norse, in the 2023/24 financial year.

Evolve Norse is a joint venture company that was set up by Waltham Forest Council and Norse Commercial Services in 2014. The company provides a range of services to the council, including waste and recycling collection, street cleaning, and grounds maintenance.

We're pleased to see that Evolve Norse has continued to perform well in a challenging economic climate. The company is providing good value for money for the council and residents, and we are committed to working with them to ensure that they continue to deliver high-quality services.

The committee's role is to oversee the performance of the company and to ensure that it is providing good value for money for the council. The committee is made up of four councillors, all of whom are members of the Labour Party.