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Welcome to my web pages. On these pages, I will keep you up to date with the important things which are happening in the council. You can also find out how to contact me and get information on the role which the Leader plays in the council and the Borough as a whole.

December 08

Child Poverty Pilot Submission

Earlier this month we submitted our bid to be a Child Poverty Pilot area. We have drawn-up proposals for a new outreach service based in some of our most deprived areas, and targeted at families with children soon to start primary school.

Our objectives are clear - firstly to unlock the often latent parent power in schools with deprived intakes by giving parents more confidence to engage with their child’s education; secondly to actively help residents access employment and training opportunities and navigate their way round the menu of Council services, healthy living support and benefits.

Under the service families of 3, 4 and 5 year olds due to start at our designated Primary Schools will receive joint home-school visits from a specialist Family Support Adviser and Benefits Officer. These initial visits will combine advice on school protocol and early learning with benefits assessments, information about Council and local health services and, if appropriate, referrals to our employment and skills programmes. After this initial tranche of visits the service will provide, through dedicated Family Support Advisers, personalised and intensive support to 100 families at greatest risk of poor outcomes.

Name, Claim and Shame

On Tuesday 2 December we agreed the branding and scope of our pioneering ‘Name, Claim and Shame’ campaign.

Waltham Forest Council is committed to tackling anything that spoils the look of our towns, villages and neighbourhoods. The ‘Name, Claim and Shame’ campaign is about informing everyone in the borough, from children to the elderly, how they can work with the Council to improve the environment and help put a stop to environmental crime.

The objective of the campaign is to improve the amenity of public areas by - promoting a zero tolerance stance towards environmental offenders; reducing the number and severity of instances of environmental vandalism; educating, engaging and enforcing residents to be more proactive in looking after their borough; and encouraging community pride and a feeling of community ownership of public areas.  

Economic downturn

I am continuing to work closely with Council officers on how we can best help families, homeowners and businesses through the economic downturn.  

We have agreed to pay local businesses within 10 days; increase the proportion of our procurement spending going to local suppliers; and explore the option to spread the cost of council tax and business rates over 12 months rather than 10. There will be further developments on this in the very near future.  

I would like to wish all our residents a Merry Christmas, and a peaceful and happy New Year