The Healthy and Safe Communities Scrutiny Panel met on Monday 12 October 2026 to discuss a range of important issues affecting the borough. Key topics included an update on community cohesion work, the Safeguarding Adults Board's annual report, and self-assessments for Adult Social Care and Public Health. The panel also received an update on the recent measles outbreak and reviewed the council's work programme.

Community Cohesion in Enfield

Jonathon Toy, Head of Community Safety, presented an update on the council's efforts to foster community cohesion and combat hate crime. He highlighted the growth of the Multi Faith Forum and its role in a community resilience network. The report noted an increase in antisemitic and Islamophobic hate crime, which the council is addressing through events and engagement with faith communities. Officers are working with faith leaders to ensure messages reach a wide audience. The council is also progressing with plans to recruit 25 anti-social behaviour officers over its four-year term. Grant funding from the Home Office via MOPAC, alongside council funding, supports the team's work. The Multi Faith Forum has expanded significantly, now boasting 165 members. Measuring success is challenging, with a focus on softer measures like community engagement rather than solely relying on hate crime reporting. The Leader of the Council praised the collaborative response to incidents, specifically mentioning Andrew Gilbert and Imam Adam Kantar. Discussions also touched upon the Ponders End Police Hub, with positive conversations about a potential hub in Enfield Town. The council is also addressing violence through a national enquiry, reviewing referrals, and developing training and a violence fixation screening tool, with a particular focus on domestic abuse and the violence against women and girls' strategy.

Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2025/26

Elspeth Fuller, Team Manager for Safeguarding Adults, and Councillor Andy Milne, Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care, introduced the Safeguarding Adults Board's annual report. The report indicated an 8% increase in safeguarding concerns, but a reduction in enquiries, prompting a review of how inappropriate referrals are handled. Neglect and acts of omission were identified as the most common forms of abuse, which is attributed to the number of care providers in the borough. In 86% of cases, risk was reduced or removed, though some individuals chose not to pursue proposed mitigations, such as remaining in abusive relationships. There was also an increase in self-neglect cases, with a safeguarding adults review published concerning hoarding. Areas for development identified by the CQC included improving the timeliness of Safeguarding Adults Reviews (SARs) and ensuring providers receive feedback more quickly.

Regarding Section 42 enquiries¹, officers explained that Enfield counts referrals as concerns upon receipt, unlike some other councils. Audits are conducted quarterly to implement learning. Even concerns not meeting Section 42 criteria are investigated by the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) to provide support. Learning from SARs is shared through learning events, though disseminating this across large organisations like the Police and NHS can be challenging. The Police and hospitals typically raise the most safeguarding concerns, as they are most likely to witness abuse and neglect. Referrals from the public are fewer, as individuals may not know how to report concerns and are more likely to contact professionals. Some partners use their own referral forms, which can sometimes lack the necessary detail, requiring additional work for officers to distinguish between safeguarding issues and general support needs.

Adults Social Care Self-Assessment 2026-2027

Councillor Andy Milne introduced the Adult Social Care self-assessment report, which outlines the service's strengths and areas for improvement. The service aims to support residents in living safely and independently, while managing increasing demand, complexity of need, and financial pressures.

Regarding equipment management, officers confirmed that all items are tracked, and Enfield is one of the few authorities to maintain an in-house service, allowing for greater oversight. Equipment is provided on loan, and approximately £2.5 million worth of equipment was recycled or reused last year. Issues can arise with care homes when a resident passes away, but officers stressed the need for assessments before equipment is used.

In response to questions about recommended improvements, officers detailed efforts to reduce waiting times for Care Act Assessments and Occupational Therapy. Through some outsourcing, waiting lists have decreased, and a tool is being employed to save frontline staff approximately 20% of their time by automating data recording.

Concerning housing, a board comprising key services meets regularly. While housing supply is limited and not always suitable, the council is working to fill gaps, such as establishing Reardon Court. The transition service faces challenges in discussing future care plans with elderly carers of young family members with learning disabilities, but long-term plans are put in place, with the ability to react quickly when needed. The increase in waiting lists is attributed to rising demand due to people living longer and experiencing more ill health.

Annual Public Health Report: Start Well, Stay Well: A Life Course Approach to Children & Young People's Health and Wellbeing in Enfield

Councillor Andy Milne, Dudu Sher-Arami (Director of Public Health), Gayan Perera (Head of Data & Intelligence (People)), and Roseann Kennedy-Smith (Senior Public Health Intelligence Specialist) presented the annual public health report. The report focuses on ensuring children and young people have the best start in life, with key challenges including child poverty, increasing demand for Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND) support, and health inequalities. The report examines health and wellbeing across six life stages: pregnancy and preconception, birth and infancy, early years, primary school years, early adolescence, and late adolescence. Key findings include higher-than-average teenage birth rates, low registration of infants with GPs and uptake of vaccinations, childhood obesity, dental decay, and rising mental health needs.

Officers will investigate the question regarding waiting times for SEND assessments and provide a response. To reach harder-to-reach groups, the public health intelligence team gathers data, and disparities are addressed by working with community leaders to provide training and health messages through trusted voices. Sex education is delivered through the curriculum, with a youth-focused sexual health service providing contraception access and testing. Regarding childhood obesity, a nourishment programme is underway, and schools are provided with informative letters about necessary steps. The report also highlights that the shift from sickness to prevention is integrated across all council boards and strategies, extending to partners' services.

Measles Update - Lessons Learned from the Winter Outbreak

Dudu Sher-Arami, Director of Public Health, presented an update on the measles outbreak, noting 111 cases between January and April. Enfield is part of a Trailblazer programme offering additional support for areas with low vaccination uptake. A learning event has been held, and a wider review of childhood vaccinations is underway. To prevent future outbreaks and combat misinformation, a trusted voices in trusted places approach is used to engage communities. Training is being funded for non-clinical staff, and a peer vaccine champion programme is being commissioned to support parents. The impact of COVID-19 on vaccine uptake was not dramatic, but there has been a gradual decrease in MMR vaccine uptake since the 1990s, exacerbated by social media misinformation. Challenges in the UK include a mobile population, a complex vaccine schedule, and limited appointment availability. Councillor Milne noted an increase in COVID-19 vaccine uptake when it became a travel requirement. Officers highlighted that some vaccines are mandated, and vaccination rates are higher in countries with social pressure to vaccinate. Primary care, through GPs repeatedly contacting individuals who have not had vaccinations recorded, is the most effective method for administering vaccines, with lower uptake observed through schools.

Work Programme 2026/27

Members noted the Healthy & Safe Communities Scrutiny Panel Work Programme for 2026/27.

Dates of Future Meetings

Members noted the dates of future meetings. The Chair thanked everyone for their contributions, and the meeting concluded.