The Cabinet of Waltham Forest Council met on Tuesday 2 June 2026 to discuss and approve several key strategies and documents. Decisions made included the recommissioning of vital children's health programmes, the adoption of new planning guidance for residential alterations and retrofits, and the approval of a new procurement strategy for housing repairs services. The Cabinet also agreed to the regionalisation of fostering recruitment, assessment, and support services.

Recommissioning of the Healthy Child Programme (0-19), Best Start Service (0-5) and Universal and Targeted Services for Children (0-5) and their Parents

The Cabinet approved the proposed commissioning approach for a suite of services aimed at supporting children and young people from birth to 19 years old. This includes the Healthy Child Programme, the Best Start Service, and Universal and Targeted Services for Children aged 0-5 and their parents. The decision was to commence a competitive procurement process under the Provider Selection Regime (PSR) and delegate authority to the Strategic Directors for Adult Services and Children Services, in consultation with relevant Portfolio Holders and the Section 151 Officer, to finalise procurement documentation and award the contract.

Funding for these services has seen a real-terms reduction, leading to a delivery model focused on core statutory requirements. While the current investment in Universal and Targeted Services for 0-5 year olds (Lot 1) will be maintained to ensure system stability, a saving of £60,000 per annum will be delivered by reducing investment in the discretionary Healthy Living offer (Lot 2). The Family Nurse Partnership (Lot 3), which provides intensive support to vulnerable first-time young parents, will continue, reflecting its established effectiveness and the risks associated with its discontinuation. The recommended approach aims to balance financial constraints with risk management, protecting high-impact preventative services while sustaining statutory delivery.

Regionalisation of Fostering Recruitment, Assessment and Support

Cabinet approved Waltham Forest's continued involvement in the Local Community Fostering initiative as one of four participating local authorities. The council will continue to act as the lead local authority for this regional service. Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director for Children's Services, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources, to progress and decide on the expansion of the service's scope and remit, including the development of an end-to-end regional fostering recruitment and assessment model, in line with the Government's fostering reform agenda.

This regional approach has already seen success, with the Local Community Fostering region approving 54 households against a Department for Education target of 49. The region has been recognised as one of the top three performing fostering hub regions nationally. Continuing this partnership allows the authorities to shape a model that reflects local needs while meeting national requirements, ensuring influence over programme design. The report highlighted that changing the lead authority at this stage would introduce significant transitional risk, and exiting the programme would inhibit access to future funding conditional on a regional model.

Adoption of the Residential Alterations and Retrofit Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)

The Cabinet adopted the Residential Alterations and Retrofit Supplementary Planning Document (SPD). This document provides detailed design guidance for residents undertaking home extensions and alterations, with a particular focus on sustainability and retrofit measures to improve energy efficiency. It supersedes the previous Residential Extensions and Alterations SPD from 2010. The SPD aligns with the Local Plan's policy on character-led intensification and exemplar design, and incorporates measures to address the climate emergency. The Corporate Director of Regeneration, Planning & Strategic Property was authorised to make minor amendments prior to publication, and the previous SPD was revoked upon the adoption of the new document. The alternative to not adopting the SPD would have meant planning applications would continue to be determined against older guidance, lacking detail on crucial areas like low carbon retrofit measures and biodiversity.

Housing Repairs Service Procurement Strategy

Cabinet agreed to a recommended procurement strategy for the council's housing repairs service. This involves re-tendering two main contracts: a Mechanical and Electrical (M&E) Repairs Partnering Contract for a maximum of 15 years, and a General Repairs Partnering Contract for 16 years. Additionally, specialist contractors will be procured for high-risk service areas such as roofing, damp and mould, legal disrepair, gas, asbestos, voids, and fire safety. Authority was delegated to the Strategic Director of Place, in consultation with the Strategic Director of Resources and the Housing Portfolio Lead Member, to finalise contract terms. The contract values are within the approved HRA budgets. The strategy moves away from the current inefficient Price Per Property model for general repairs and aims to provide greater council control, enhance supply chain capacity, improve operational resilience, and deliver value for money through reduced contractor overheads and increased competition. The evaluation criteria will be weighted 60% on quality and 40% on price, with 10% of the quality score allocated to Social Value. Resident engagement has been a key part of developing this strategy, with common issues raised including delays, poor communication, and quality of workmanship.