The Scrutiny Coordinating Committee was scheduled to meet to discuss corporate performance, the Waltham Forest Max programme, and the upcoming scrutiny annual report. The committee was also expected to review its approach to scrutiny reviews and consider its forward plan for the coming year.

Corporate Impact Framework

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the council's Corporate Impact Framework (CIF), which measures the council's performance against its key priorities and challenges. The report included data and commentary for the period ending May 2025.

The report highlighted two specific metrics for the committee's consideration:

• Percentage of Adult Social Care (ASC) service users whose support has been reviewed in the last 12 months: This metric has been trending downwards and is at its lowest point in a year. The report attributes this to social worker vacancies and long-term sickness leave within the review team. It was noted that while the current performance of 70% of service users having their support reviewed is still acceptable, it presents a risk, especially with an upcoming Care Quality Commission (CQC) inspection[^1]. [^1]: The Care Quality Commission (CQC) is the independent regulator of health and social care in England.
• Acceptances as a percentage of main duty decisions: This metric relates to homelessness applications that result in the council accepting a legal responsibility to find long-term housing for the applicant. The report indicates a steady increase in both acceptances and main duty decisions, while the percentage has remained flat due to efforts to address a backlog caused by staffing shortages.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss proposed refinements to the CIF dashboard, including a reduced number of core metrics aligned with Mission Waltham Forest and the creation of an 'Annual Tab' for metrics updated less frequently. The proposed new list of metrics is included as an appendix to the Corporate Impact Framework report.

Workforce and Culture Update

The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Workforce and Culture transformation programme, which aims to make the council a great place to work. The update included headline results from the staff survey and information on support provided to staff during change processes.

The transformation programme is focused on three pillars:

• Building a highly engaged, productive, and diverse workforce
• Becoming an employer of choice
• Building, retaining, and recruiting inspirational leaders

The programme includes 26 levers for change, such as increasing leadership development, establishing a diverse empowerment programme, reducing agency spend, and improving staff performance and development.

The Workforce and Culture Update report also highlighted progress made since the programme launched, including:

• Reduced agency spend by transferring agency workers into permanent roles
• Increased staff engagement, as shown by the staff survey results
• Reduced pay gaps
• Overhauled performance and development cycle
• Launched a health and wellbeing action plan
• Improved career pathways for local care experienced young residents through the Future Pathways scheme
• Designed the Thrive Diverse Empowerment Programme

Waltham Forest Max

The committee was scheduled to discuss Waltham Forest Max, a new locality-based prevention model being delivered through the council's network of public libraries. The programme is intended to tackle inequalities through early intervention, access to support, and community-led delivery.

Waltham Forest Max aims to provide early, dignified access to coordinated support within library settings, bringing together council services, NHS partners, and the voluntary sector. The model includes a core offer available in every hub, such as digital access and support, information, advice and guidance drop-ins, support with homelessness, and activities for children, families and young people. Each locality will also deliver a local offer of enhanced services shaped by resident need, service data and community insight.

The Waltham Forest Max Scrutiny Paper outlined that the programme will be delivered in two phases:

• Phase 1: Using existing library spaces in Lea Bridge, Leytonstone, Wood Street, Walthamstow, Hale End, and Chingford
• Phase 2: Adapting workspace areas within libraries to accommodate the Waltham Forest Max model in Leyton, Chingford Assembly Hall, and Walthamstow

Scrutiny Annual Report

The committee was scheduled to discuss the proposed Scrutiny Annual Report for the 2024-25 municipal year. The report outlines the work of all the scrutiny committees, as well as themed reviews and collaborative working.

The Draft Scrutiny Annual Report 24-25 summarises the activity undertaken by each committee, a summary of the recommendations made throughout the year and the impact of those recommendations. The report also covers themed reviews undertaken by committees, and other major activity under the scrutiny remit.

For 2024/25, the committees and chairs were as follows:

• Coordinating (Councillor Gerry Lyons)
• Budget (Councillor Miriam Mirwitch)
• Children and Families (Councillor Yusuf Patel)
• Climate (Councillor Tony Bell)
• Communities and Public Protection (Councillor Keith Rayner)
• Health and Adult Social Care (Councillor Karen Bellamy)
• Housing and Inclusive Economy (Councillor Whitney Ihenachor)
• Whipps Cross Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny Committee (Councillor Richard Sweden)
• Inner Northeast London Joint Health and Overview Scrutiny (Councillor Richard Sweden)

The Annual Report also summarises the scrutiny reviews that were undertaken in the 2024/25 municipal year, which were:

• Communities Scrutiny Committee Home Streets
• Budget and Health and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committees Adult Social Care transformation

Approach to Scrutiny Reviews

The committee was scheduled to discuss a proposed approach to scrutiny reviews, including key principles, forms of scrutiny work, and the suggested process. The Approach to Scrutiny Reviews report outlines that scrutiny review work should be:

• Considered within the context of the prioritisation of work
• Properly scoped to ensure that the best method for tackling the issue is identified and that resources are optimised
• An opportunity to gather more information from the authority, partners, service users and experts before forming a conclusion and recommendations
• An opportunity to bridge the gap between committees where responsibility may fall within multiple areas
• Considered within the whole of the scrutiny function and led by the Coordinating Committee to ensure that resources are deployed most effectively

The report also outlines different forms that scrutiny review work can take, including themed reviews, task and finish groups, and 'hackathons'.

The Scrutiny Report

The committee was scheduled to review the action and recommendation trackers. The Scrutiny Report also included the committee's forward plan and the Cabinet forward plan.