The Healthy and Safe Communities Scrutiny Panel was scheduled to consider a range of reports concerning public health, community safety, and adult social care in Enfield. Key topics included an update on community cohesion work, the annual report of the Safeguarding Adults Board, and a self-assessment of adult social care services. The panel was also scheduled to receive updates on the public health report for children and young people and lessons learned from a recent measles outbreak.

Community Cohesion in Enfield

The panel was scheduled to receive an update on the community cohesion work in Enfield, presented by Suj Ponnampalam, Prevent Programme Manager, and Jonathon Toy, Head of Community Safety. The report highlighted that the Community Safety Plan has a strong commitment to strengthening community cohesion, with it being one of the four core strategic ambitions for the next four years. The report noted that international events, such as the situation in Gaza, Israel, and Iran, have the potential to polarise neighbourhoods and challenge the resilience of local communities. It also indicated that while overall hate crime numbers are in line with the London picture, Enfield has seen higher increases in Islamophobic, Antisemitic, and faith crimes. The report detailed ongoing work with community partners, educational establishments, and faith groups, including the re-establishment of the Enfield Multi Faith Forum and the creation of the Safer Enfield Resilience Network.

Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2025/26

Bharat Ayer, Head of Safeguarding & Quality Assurance, and Elspeth Fuller, Safeguarding Adults Practice Lead, were scheduled to present the Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report for 2025/26. The report was to outline the Board's work in preventing abuse, protecting adults at risk, and learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews. Key areas of activity to be highlighted included safeguarding data trends, the functioning of the High Risk Advisory Panel for complex cases, and the Board's training programme. The report was also to detail learning from Safeguarding Adults Reviews, including the Ms C review, and ongoing practice improvement initiatives. The Board's priorities for the coming year were scheduled to include workforce support, risk identification and escalation, and domestic abuse.

Adults Social Care Self-Assessment 2026-2027

Jon Newton, Director of Operations, was scheduled to present the Adult Social Care Self-Assessment for 2026-2027. This report was to provide an update following the Care Quality Commission's (CQC) Local Authority Assessment Report published in May 2025, which rated Enfield's adult social care services as Good. The report was to detail improvements made since a previous assurance visit, focusing on areas such as managing demand and waiting lists, mental health and housing-related issues, improving access to services, and record-keeping. It was also to highlight achievements in areas such as direct payments and reablement services, and outline the council's vision for adult social care.

Annual Public Health Report: Start Well, Stay Well

Dudu Sher-Arami, Director of Public Health, Gayan Perera, Head of Data & Intelligence, and Roseanna Kennedy-Smith, Senior Public Health Intelligence Specialist, were scheduled to present the Annual Public Health Report, focusing on children and young people's health and wellbeing in Enfield. The report was to examine health from preconception through to early adulthood, using a life course approach and highlighting inequalities. Key messages were to include the impact of poverty on health outcomes, the growing demand for SEND and mental health services, and the positive impact of Family Hubs. Strategic recommendations were to focus on reducing inequalities, strengthening prevention and early intervention, and developing integrated pathways for children and young people's mental health.

Measles Update - Lessons Learned from the Winter Outbreak

Rachel Nyam, Public Health Registrar, was scheduled to provide an update on the measles outbreak and the lessons learned from the multi-agency response. The report was to highlight that sustained elimination of measles requires 95% coverage of two MMR vaccine doses, a target not currently met in London or Enfield. It was to detail the outbreak, which saw 111 confirmed cases in Enfield between January and April 2026, and the actions undertaken by various agencies, including primary care, public health teams, and community engagement efforts. The report was to present findings from a stakeholder learning workshop, focusing on themes such as the influence of access barriers and vaccine hesitancy on uptake, the importance of trusted community relationships, and the need for coordinated communications and formalised outbreak preparedness.

Work Programme 2026/27

The panel was scheduled to note the Healthy and Safe Communities Scrutiny Panel Work Programme for 2026/27. This document was to outline the topics scheduled for discussion at future meetings, including updates on the Clear Hold Build initiative, mental health services, adult social care, violence against women and girls, and tackling anti-social behaviour.