The Cabinet of Enfield Council met on Wednesday 11 March 2026 to discuss and approve several key strategies and plans. Decisions made included the approval of the Council Housing Service Plan for 2026/2027, the adoption of the Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2026-35, and the approval of the Digital Services Portfolio for 2026/2027. The Cabinet also agreed to the Exempt Supported Accommodation Strategy and its associated Commissioning Framework, alongside the allocation of funds for the Crisis and Resilience Fund.

SSCB Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2026-35

The Cabinet approved the Enfield Safer Stronger Communities Board Violence Against Women and Girls Strategy 2026-35. This 10-year strategy, developed with input from partner agencies, community groups, and survivors of domestic abuse, aims to create a borough where all residents live free from domestic abuse and violence against women and girls. The strategy adopts a public health approach, focusing on prevention, response to immediate risk, and long-term support. Key priorities include supporting victims and survivors, understanding and tackling root causes, responding to evolving forms of harassment and violence, and holding perpetrators accountable. The strategy aligns with the Council Plan priorities for strong, healthy, and safe communities, and thriving children and young people. Funding for core Violence Against Women and Girls services is primarily sourced from external grants, with the Council directly funding two posts.

Digital Services Portfolio - 26/27

The Cabinet agreed to the Council's digital investment portfolio for 2026/2027, allocating £6.6 million to support the Council's Digital, Data and AI Strategy. This investment aims to improve resident access to services, enable more efficient and responsive services, and enhance data-driven decision-making. Key projects include the transformation of Revenues and Transactional Services, improvements to the Planning System, foundational infrastructure upgrades, and a focus on cyber security and data platform development. The portfolio is designed to deliver value for money and support the Council's wider priorities, including those related to housing, community safety, and financial resilience. Authority was delegated to the Chief Executive to vary the portfolio and procure necessary contracts.

Corporate Complaints Policy

The Cabinet approved an updated Corporate Complaints Policy, aligning with the revised Complaints Handling Code from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman and incorporating feedback from the Housing Ombudsman. A key change is the reduction of the Stage 2 investigation timescale from 30 to 20 working days, a standard already in place for Council Housing complaints. This update aims to ensure complaints are handled consistently, fairly, and effectively, with a focus on service improvement and resident satisfaction. The policy excludes certain matters, such as service requests and statutory appeals, which have separate procedures. A new complaints case management system is also being implemented to enhance efficiency and customer experience.

Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF)

The Cabinet agreed to the distribution of the £7.4 million annual Crisis and Resilience Fund (CRF) for the period 1 April 2026 to 31 March 2029. This fund replaces the Household Support Fund and Discretionary Housing Payments, aiming to support households facing acute hardship and build long-term resilience. The allocation includes £1.67 million for Discretionary Housing Payments in the first two years. The funding will be distributed across four strands: Crisis Payments, Housing Payments, Resilience Services, and Community Coordination. Specific allocations include support for Council Tax Support hardship, care leavers, rent deposits, energy and water bills, housing costs for those with No Recourse to Public Funds (NRPF), Adult Social Care costs, learning difficulties employment support, and community coordination services. The fund is designed to be cash-first, person-centred, and to provide wraparound support, with a strong emphasis on preventing homelessness and promoting financial resilience.

Council Housing Service Plan 2026/2027

The Cabinet approved the Council Housing Service Plan for 2026/2027, which outlines the service's performance over the past year and its plans for the upcoming year. The plan focuses on improving homes and services for residents, building on a C1 rating from the Regulator of Social Housing. Key areas of focus include enhancing tenant involvement and empowerment, ensuring safety and quality in housing stock, upholding tenancy standards, improving neighbourhoods and communities, and building capacity within the service through professionalisation and digital advancements. The plan also addresses findings from the Housing Ombudsman and Tenant Satisfaction Measures, with a particular emphasis on improving communication with residents. An updated Assurance Framework, including the launch of a new Council Housing Board, was also approved to provide stakeholder oversight.

Exempt Supported Accommodation Strategy

The Cabinet approved the Exempt Supported Accommodation Strategy and its associated Commissioning Framework. This strategy aims to drive up standards in exempt supported accommodation, meet local needs, and reduce reliance on expensive temporary accommodation. It also prepares the Council for the implementation of the Supported Housing (Regulatory Oversight) Act 2023. The Commissioning Framework sets out the standards providers must meet to achieve preferred provider status. An investment of £648,000 over 12 months was approved to secure additional exempt supported accommodation lets, which is projected to deliver cost savings of up to £1.33 million per annum by preventing and relieving homelessness. The strategy includes a payment by milestones process to incentivise providers and ensure local needs are met.

The meeting also noted the date of the next meeting and considered the exclusion of the press and public for Part 2 of the agenda, which involved exempt information.