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Cabinet - Tuesday, 6th May, 2025 2.00 pm

May 6, 2025 View on council website
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Summary

The Cabinet of Waltham Forest Council scheduled a meeting to discuss a range of topics, including neighbourhood policing, sexual health services, changes to the Fairer Contributions Policy, school catering, housing repairs and maintenance, and inclusive growth.

Citizens' Assembly on Neighbourhood Policing

The Cabinet were to consider a report on the council and police's joint response to recommendations made by the Citizens' Assembly on the Future of Neighbourhood Policing. The assembly, which took place over three weekends in February and March 2024, aimed to address low levels of trust in policing and wider community safety challenges.

The report highlighted early actions taken since the assembly, including:

  • Enhancing youth service provision, such as the launch of a two-year 'Safer Routes' pilot with funding from the Mayor’s Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC).
  • Securing funding to support young people with experience of the criminal justice system to access local gyms and sports facilities.
  • Co-designing an inclusive mentoring scheme with young people to mentor policing staff.
  • Undertaking a review of local ward panels to improve their quality, consistency and inclusivity.

The Appendix 1 - Action Plan outlines actions structured around ten recommendations:

i. Changing police recruitment practices

ii. Training police in the local area

iii. Changes in dealing with police wrongdoing

iv. Effective follow-up with victims of crime

v. Engaging with young people

vi. Funding and expanding youth services

vii. Building partnerships with local community services

viii. Engaging with local communities

ix. Working with varied community group

x. Increasing the visibility of police on our streets

The report states that the Community Safety Partnership will provide oversight of the delivery of the commitments made in the action plan.

London Sexual Health Programme

The Cabinet were to consider a report seeking approval for Waltham Forest to sign up as a participating authority in the London Sexual Health Programme (LSHP) when the current arrangements expire in August 2026. The proposal included agreeing to the re-procurement approach for SHL.UK, a digital sexual health service commissioned at a pan-London level.

The report noted that local authorities have a statutory duty to commission open access sexual and reproductive health services. The SHL.UK service has led to a reduction in sexual health costs of around 40% for Waltham Forest since its introduction. Around 20,000 SHL.UK STI kits are ordered every year by Waltham Forest residents.

The new service will be required to continue the core offer of STI testing and the supply of antibiotics to prevent and treat bacterial infections. Optional additional service modules will include contraception, pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) supply and care, and condom distribution.

The proposed duration of the new contract is nine years in total, commencing August 2026 with an initial term of five years (to 2033), with option for two extensions of two years each, bringing the final end date to August 2035. It is estimated that the new contract will be at a value of £5.6 million for Waltham Forest over the maximum nine-year term.

The Appendix 1 - Equality Impact Assessment Form City of London found that whilst the service is used by many priority groups in London, further consideration must be given to meeting the needs of young people (under 25), Trans people, Black, Asian and other minority ethnic groups, as well as people living in the most deprived areas of London.

Fairer Contributions Policy

The Cabinet were to consider a report outlining a proposal to consult on a review of the Fairer Contributions Policy, specifically the phased removal of the 25% discretionary uplift applied to the Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) for adults receiving non-residential care.

The report noted that the Council is facing increasing budget pressures and is required to make a minimum of £25m in savings over the next three years. The consultation aims to gather public and stakeholder views on proposed options before any recommendations are made.

The level of statutory Minimum Income Guarantee (MIG) varies depending on age and is set at the following levels for single adults in 2025/26:

  • 18-24 years: £89.15 per week
  • 25-64 years: £112.50 per week
  • 65+ years: £232.60 per week

Historically, the Council has applied a 25% uplift to the statutory MIG, providing additional support to residents. The consultation will explore the potential of a phased reduction of the discretionary uplift from 25% to 0% over the next two financial years.

The Appendix 1 - EqIA highlights potential impacts and outlines possible mitigating measures aimed to minimise negative impacts where possible.

Options for the Waltham Forest Catering Services SLA with schools

The Cabinet were to consider a report seeking approval to not renew the Service Level Agreements (SLAs) with schools for the provision of school meals when they expire at the end of March 2026, and to give notice to schools of that decision.

The report noted that Waltham Forest Council currently provides the Schools Catering service to just over half of the schools in the borough, and that the service does not break even and is subsidised by the General Fund. In total, between 2022/23 and 2025/26 the council has subsidised the School Catering service at a cost of £2.1M.

The report stated that if the Council ceases to provide the service, staff would TUPE to new service provider(s) or in some cases potentially directly to a school subject to individual staff agreement. The centrally employed Catering Management Team would be subject to the Council’s redundancy and redeployment programme.

Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy

The Cabinet were to consider a report seeking approval of the proposed Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy. The proposed policy sets out the council’s approach as a social housing landlord to managing repairs in the council’s housing stock of general needs and independent living homes.

The revised Housing Repairs and Maintenance Policy sets out the council’s approach to delivering a repairs and maintenance service which meets the needs of tenants and leaseholders, and enables the council to meet its statutory, regulatory, and contractual obligations. This policy sets clear service standards, outlining what tenant, leaseholders and shared owners can expect from the council’s repairs and maintenance services, including timescales.

The proposed policy incorporates the following key changes:

  • The structure has been altered to offer improved clarity and order of each section including setting out resident and landlord repair responsibilities more clearly and in more detail.
  • A new section setting out the purpose of the policy has been introduced to reflect the current aims of the service.
  • Clearer information on target timescales for responsive repairs.
  • Updates for the section relating to residents with exceptional needs or who are vulnerable.
  • A new section in relation to how operatives will behave in residents’ homes and communicate about the works they are carrying out.
  • A new section clarifying the position in relation to mutual exchanges and repair responsibilities.
  • A new section on planned and cyclical maintenance.
  • Appendices clearly setting out tenant, leaseholder, shared owner, and landlord repair responsibilities.

Inclusive Growth and Economy Framework

The Cabinet were to consider a report seeking approval of the Waltham Forest Inclusive Growth and Economy Framework. The framework will guide actions to create a fairer and more equal borough by delivering place-based inclusive growth and affordable housing, securing high quality exemplar design, responding to the climate emergency and creating safer spaces whilst taking a relational, whole-life approach, ensuring that people receive tailored support, when and where they need it most.

The framework outlines a new cross-council and cross-partner approach across five pillars: Exemplar Design, Placed Based Growth, Equitable Productivity Innovation, Relationship Centered Approach and Community Wealth. Opportunities and interventions rising from these pillars will be targeted towards for identified communities of focus.

The communities of focus are:

  • Residents in Temporary Accommodation
  • Long Term Health Conditions: Adults with Learning Disabilities
  • Young People: Black Young Men
  • Black and South Asian Women

The framework identifies several key enablers that will work across the borough to support, develop and deliver interventions targeted at identified communities of focus. These include:

  • Social Investment Fund
  • Voluntary and Community Sector
  • Inclusive Economy Mission Board

Other Matters

Councillor Vicky Ashworth was scheduled to be removed from the Shareholder Committee membership.

Attendees

Linda Murray
Profile image for Councillor Grace Williams
Councillor Grace Williams  Leader of the Council •  Labour •  William Morris
Profile image for Councillor Ahsan Khan
Councillor Ahsan Khan  Deputy Leader (Housing and Regeneration) •  Labour •  Hoe Street
Profile image for Councillor Clyde Loakes
Councillor Clyde Loakes  Deputy Leader (Climate and Air Quality) •  Labour •  Leytonstone
Profile image for Councillor Naheed Asghar  Portfolio Lead Member - Inclusive Economy
Councillor Naheed Asghar Portfolio Lead Member - Inclusive Economy  Portfolio Lead Member - Inclusive Economy •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Cathall
Profile image for Councillor Vicky Ashworth
Councillor Vicky Ashworth  Portfolio Lead Member - Stronger Communities •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Wood Street
Profile image for Councillor Rosalind Doré  Portfolio Lead Member - Libraries, Culture and Sports & Leisure
Councillor Rosalind Doré Portfolio Lead Member - Libraries, Culture and Sports & Leisure  Labour •  Hale End and Highams Park South
Profile image for Councillor Paul Douglas
Councillor Paul Douglas  Portfolio Lead Member - Finance and Resources •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Chapel End
Profile image for Councillor Kizzy Gardiner  Portfolio Lead Member - Children and Young People
Councillor Kizzy Gardiner Portfolio Lead Member - Children and Young People  Portfolio Lead Member - Children and Young People •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  William Morris
Profile image for Councillor Khevyn Limbajee  Portfolio Lead Member - Community Safety
Councillor Khevyn Limbajee Portfolio Lead Member - Community Safety  Portfolio Lead Member - Community Safety •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Grove Green
Profile image for Councillor Louise Mitchell  Portfolio Lead Member - Adults and Health
Councillor Louise Mitchell Portfolio Lead Member - Adults and Health  Portfolio Lead Member - Adults and Health •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Chapel End
Debbie Porter
Rob Manning
Temitope Ademosu
Stewart Murray
Joe Garrod
Nicky Crouch
Marc Gadsby
Mark Hynes
Ian Buckle
Hannah Dalgleish
Ian Rae
Lisa Shukla
Frankie Simons