The Children and Families Scrutiny Committee of Waltham Forest Council met on Wednesday, 9 September 2026, to review the Waltham Forest Youth Justice Annual Plan, discuss the Creating Stronger Schools programme, and consider the committee's forward plan and action tracker.

Waltham Forest Youth Justice Annual Plan

The committee was scheduled to review the Waltham Forest Youth Justice Annual Plan for 2024-2027. This plan outlines the service's activity and performance against its four strategic priorities: reducing serious youth violence, reducing first-time entrant rates into the youth justice system, tackling racism and racial disparities, and improving outcomes for all children through consistently good practice. The report detailed progress made in the 2025/26 period, including collaborative approaches to serious incidents, the delivery of intervention programmes, and efforts to address racial disproportionalities within the youth justice service. It also identified key actions for the forthcoming 12 months, such as recruiting a Youth Engagement Lead and finalising a Youth Justice Prevention Strategy. The plan highlighted that while there had been a decrease in serious youth violence offences, offences against victims under 18 remained a concern. The report also noted that Waltham Forest continued to see children enter the youth justice system at a higher rate than the London and national average, despite a significant reduction in first-time entrants. A key concern raised was the overrepresentation of Black boys at all stages of the justice service.

Creating Stronger Schools

A significant portion of the meeting was dedicated to discussing the Creating Stronger Schools programme. This programme aims to address the dual pressures of falling demand for mainstream school places and a rising demand for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) provision. The report indicated that Waltham Forest has a substantial surplus of mainstream school places, leading to significant funding losses. Simultaneously, there is a projected growth in the number of children requiring SEND support, necessitating an increase in specialist provision. Phase 2 of the programme focuses on reshaping the school estate in areas with the most surplus places to redirect capacity towards meeting SEND needs. The report outlined plans to ask Cabinet to delegate decision-making powers to the Leader of the Council and the Lead Member for Children and Families to proceed with consultations on proposals to close or consolidate schools. The approach to engagement and support for affected pupils, families, and staff was also detailed.

The Scrutiny Report

The committee was also scheduled to review the Scrutiny Report, which included the Forward Plan for the municipal year, an Action Tracker, and a Recommendation Tracker. The Forward Plan outlines the committee's work programme, and members were invited to suggest items for the upcoming 2026-27 cycle. The Action Tracker details tasks assigned to officers from previous meetings, with updates on their progress. The Recommendation Tracker captures the committee's conclusions and suggestions for service improvements. The report also listed key decisions falling under the committee's remit that were scheduled to be presented to Cabinet, including matters related to 16+ semi-independent accommodation, home-to-school transport, and the Creating Stronger Schools programme.