Subscribe to updates

You'll receive weekly summaries about Waltham Forest Council every week.

If you have any requests or comments please let us know at community@opencouncil.network. We can also provide custom updates on particular topics across councils.

Cabinet - Tuesday, 3rd June, 2025 2.00 pm

June 3, 2025 View on council website
AI Generated

Summary

At a meeting of the Waltham Forest Council Cabinet, members approved a plan to acquire 64 homes for use as temporary accommodation, adopted an Asset Transformation Strategy to guide the use of council land and buildings, and agreed to extend the council's joint venture with Norse Group for property services. The Cabinet also agreed to begin consulting on the closure of Church Lane Car Park in Leytonstone, with a view to selling the site for redevelopment.

Temporary Accommodation Acquisition Programme

The Cabinet approved a plan to acquire a minimum of 64 homes for use as temporary accommodation, with Councillor Ahsan Khan, Deputy Leader (Housing and Regeneration), explaining that the proposal would allow the council to procure much needed temporary accommodation. The £28.8 million scheme will be funded through a combination of £8.6 million from a Greater London Authority (GLA) grant and £20.2 million from council borrowing.

Councillor Kizzy Gardiner, Portfolio Lead Member - Children and Young People, noted the importance of providing in-borough temporary accommodation to support families in their communities, highlighting that one child in every classroom in London is living in temporary accommodation. Councillor Grace Williams, Leader of the Council, said she was pleased to see that the proposal is focussed on delivering quality temporary accommodation that mitigates £6m spend over 10 years.

The acquired properties are intended to reduce the council’s reliance on more expensive temporary accommodation options, such as private sector leasing and hotels. The council estimates that this programme will save £6 million over 10 years, compared to the cost of using private sector temporary accommodation.

The only alternative considered was to return the grant to the GLA, which would have meant losing the opportunity to increase temporary accommodation provision and incurring interest payments to the GLA.

Asset Transformation Strategy 2025-2030

The Cabinet agreed to adopt the Asset Transformation Strategy 2025-2030, a plan to maximise the potential of the council's land and property assets. Councillor Ahsan Khan clarified that 54% of the proposed 134 new homes to be built on the Church Lane Car Park site would be available for Discounted Market Rent1. The strategy includes the release of surplus council-owned sites for regeneration and the conversion of vacant buildings into temporary accommodation. Councillor Grace Williams thanked cabinet members for their role in shaping the strategy.

As part of the strategy, the Cabinet agreed to begin consulting on the closure of Church Lane Car Park in Leytonstone and, subject to the closure of the car park, agreed in principle to sell the site to Pocket Living Limited2, subject to planning consent being granted. The council intends to re-provide the Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) and playground on the site to a higher quality as part of the longer-term development.

The council considered the option of retaining the car park, but decided that the site offered an excellent opportunity to release strategic value and deliver much-needed affordable housing. The option of the council developing the site itself was rejected due to the capital resources required.

Evolve Norse Review

The Cabinet approved the extension of the council's joint venture (JV) with Norse Group3 for a further five years, until 2032. Councillor Ahsan Khan noted that market conditions have affected the ambition and size of the council's capital programme, and that the proposal addresses this changing context. The agreement includes a contract variation to remodel the JV, with the aim of embedding new statutory requirements and improving service delivery. Councillor Grace Williams welcomed the proposal and noted the ongoing focus on risk and contract management.

As part of the review, the council considered ending the JV, but discounted this option due to the financial impact and complexity of the transition. Revising the contractual terms to remove exclusivity and introduce full competition was also considered, but was not supported by the JV partner.


  1. Discounted Market Rent homes are offered at a reduced rate compared to the typical market rent in an area, making them more affordable for eligible renters. 

  2. Pocket Living Limited is a private developer that builds compact homes for first-time buyers in London. 

  3. Norse Group is a company owned by Norfolk County Council that provides property services and built environment expertise to local authorities. 

Attendees

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
Councillor Naheed Asghar  Portfolio Lead Member - Inclusive Economy •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Cathall
Profile image for Councillor Rosalind Doré
Councillor Rosalind Doré  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  Health and Wellbeing Board
Councillor Kizzy Gardiner Health and Wellbeing Board  Portfolio Lead Member - Children and Young People •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  William Morris
Profile image for Councillor Khevyn Limbajee
Councillor Khevyn Limbajee  Portfolio Lead Member - Community Safety •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Grove Green
Profile image for Councillor Louise Mitchell  Health and Wellbeing Board
Councillor Louise Mitchell Health and Wellbeing Board  Portfolio Lead Member - Adults and Health •  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Chapel End
Debbie Porter
Rob Manning
Temitope Ademosu
Joe Garrod
Nicky Crouch
Marc Gadsby
Mark Hynes
Ian Buckle
Profile image for Councillor Andrew Dixon  Health and Wellbeing Board
Councillor Andrew Dixon Health and Wellbeing Board  Labour and Co-operative Party •  Hoe Street
Jarlath Griffin

Topics

No topics have been identified for this meeting yet.

× Meeting image