The Communities Scrutiny Committee of Waltham Forest Council met on Thursday 16 May 2024 to discuss the Prevent strategy and the Noise Enforcement Policy. The committee resolved to note the reports on both topics.

Prevent

The committee received an update on the Prevent strategy, which is part of the Government's counter-terrorism CONTEST strategy. The Prevent Coordinator, Tom Llewellyn-Jones, explained that the service aims to reduce the risk of individuals being drawn into terrorism by offering voluntary and confidential support, challenging extremist ideologies, and providing training to professionals and the community. Waltham Forest is a priority area for Prevent and has received funding from the Home Office, though this funding is set to be withdrawn in April 2025.

Concerns were raised about the potential impact of reduced funding on the Prevent team in Waltham Forest, with the possibility of posts reducing from four to two. The committee also discussed the negative perception of Prevent within the Muslim community, with the Prevent Coordinator acknowledging that the highest percentage of referrals in the last year had been for associations with far-right extremism, not violent Islamist extremism. It was proposed that there would be an opportunity to rebrand Prevent in Waltham Forest in 2025 to address these perceptions and emphasise the supportive nature of the service.

The committee also discussed the Prevent team's work in reducing permissive environments, where extremist ideologies are espoused without challenge. This includes training for schools and guidance on venue hire. The Independent Review of Prevent (IRP) was also discussed, with the committee noting that many of its recommendations were for central government or already being implemented locally.

Actions agreed included officers exploring the use of social media to raise awareness of the Prevent strategy, reassessing implications for looked-after children, providing clarity on the impact of regional funding, investigating threats and tactics used by extremist groups, and providing a training session for committee members. A recommendation was made for officers to work with stakeholders and community partners when rebranding Prevent in 2025.

Noise Enforcement Policy Update

The committee also reviewed an update on the Noise Enforcement Policy. David Beach, Corporate Director of Regulatory and Contingency Planning Services, explained that Waltham Forest receives around 500 new noise-related service requests annually, which the Environmental Health team investigates. The council has a duty to investigate complaints that may constitute a statutory nuisance.

Concerns were raised about the customer service provided by the noise team, and the difficulty in retaining staff in these roles due to a national shortage of environmental officers. The committee discussed the process for escalating noise complaints, which typically requires six separate incidents to be recorded over a 40-day period. It was noted that while most noise complaints are resolved informally, formal enforcement actions, such as abatement notices, can be issued.

The committee discussed traffic noise as a common issue and enquired about the possibility of installing noise camera technology, which the Corporate Director agreed to explore. The report indicated a decrease in abatement notices issued, which was speculated to be due to most complaints being resolved informally.

An action was agreed for officers to share information on how noise complaints are made and to assess the risk of underreporting. A recommendation was made for officers to consider installing noise cameras in hot spots around the borough.