The Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee of Waltham Forest Council is scheduled to meet on Wednesday 17 June 2026. The meeting's agenda includes an overview of council services relevant to the committee's remit and a discussion on the committee's future work programme.

Introduction to Services

The committee is set to receive an overview of services relevant to its remit, as outlined in the Introduction to Services report. This report details service priorities, challenges, risks, and recent or forthcoming national policy changes. It also signposts to major policies and documents currently in operation. The Neighbourhoods and Environment Directorate is responsible for these services, which include Regulatory Services (Private Sector Housing & Licensing, Food & Safety, Premises Licensing, Trading Standards, Street Trading and Markets), Public Protection, CCTV operations, Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB) services, Emergency Planning & Business Continuity, and Community Safety.

Key priority areas for these services include implementing the Renters Rights Act, developing a borough-wide enforcement policy, and responding to significant regulatory changes in public protection. The CCTV service will review its delivery model and operational arrangements, while the ASB service will focus on reducing the prevalence and impact of anti-social behaviour. Emergency planning will focus on implementing new crisis response and business continuity arrangements, and community safety priorities include strengthening prevention, improving community voice, and building safer, cohesive communities.

The report also highlights challenges and risks across these services, such as rising demand, complexity of cases, workforce capacity, data and intelligence issues, and the need for organisational awareness and engagement. Policy contexts include the Crime and Policing Act 2026, the Lord Anderson Review of Prevent, and the Renters' Rights Act, among others.

The Scrutiny Report and Forward Planning

The committee will also consider The Scrutiny Report, which focuses on the committee's future work programme for the 2026/27 municipal year. This includes reviewing suggested items for the forward plan, discussing the action tracker from the previous meeting, and reviewing the recommendations tracker and their responses. The committee will have the opportunity to suggest new items for scrutiny, which will be considered by the Chair based on factors such as public interest, ability to influence, performance, extent of impact, resource availability, and statutory responsibility.

The draft work programme for the Communities and Public Protection Scrutiny Committee for 2026/27 includes items such as the Community Safety Partnership Annual Report, a review of how the Council is tackling ASB, an overview of the work undertaken by Waltham Forest's Trading Standards Service (WFTS), and a discussion on knife crime.

Martyn's Law (Protect Duty)

A report on Martyn's Law (Terrorism Act 2025) is scheduled for discussion. This law, which received Royal Assent in April 2025, mandates preparedness for terrorist attacks in premises. The borough is in the first year of a two-year implementation period, with full compliance expected by April 2027. Workstreams include CCTV upgrades, establishing a Contest Board, training frontline staff, and updating local contingency plans. The committee has previously recommended making Act Awareness training mandatory for all staff and contractors, and the Portfolio Lead Member is expected to write to the Home Office requesting clarity and guidance on Martyn's Law.

Citizens' Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing update with spotlight on Inclusive Mentoring

The committee will receive an update on the Citizens' Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing, with a particular focus on the Inclusive Mentoring pilot. This initiative, which emerged from the Assembly, involves young people mentoring police officers to rebuild trust. The report from the previous meeting indicated that trust and confidence in the Met in Waltham Forest had risen significantly, and the inclusive mentoring pilot was viewed as a key innovation. The evaluation of this pilot was expected in June 2026.