The strategy and change service sits within the corporate centre of the council in the Chief Executives Directorate.

The service plays a central role in enabling Waltham Forest Council to deliver Mission Waltham Forest, which has the overarching aim of making the borough a more equal place to live for residents. This is done primarily through policy development, transformation programmes, and engagement and partnership working.

If you have questions regarding this service or our privacy practices, you can contact us by e-mail or in writing at the address below:

Contact us by email: insight@walthamforest.gov.uk

Contact us by post:

Strategy and Change 

Waltham Forest Council
Waltham Forest Town Hall
Forest Road
Walthamstow E17 4JF

Please note that face-to-face meetings are by appointment only and can be arranged with the service.

We use the personal information we hold about you to carry out data matching, helping us identify Thames Water customers who may be experiencing water poverty. This allows the Council to offer targeted support and assistance to residents who may benefit, including help to reduce water bills.

This work supports schemes such as WaterSure, established under the Water Industry (Charges) (Vulnerable Groups) Regulations 2015, and social tariffs provided by water companies under section 44 of the Flood and Water Management Act.

The information we use is personally identifiable, and our aim in processing it is to ensure we can provide meaningful, positive assistance to residents who need it most. The shared Data will not contain any special category data. 

Thames Water offers a discount programme that automatically applies eligible social tariff reductions to customers’ accounts. This initiative is specifically designed to help those most in need by lowering their water bills without requiring any action on their part.

In collaboration with Thames Water, the London Borough of Waltham Forest identifies residents who may be experiencing water poverty. These individuals are then automatically enrolled in discounted billing schemes, ensuring they receive support even if they do not actively apply for it. This process guarantees that assistance reaches those who might otherwise be overlooked.

The main objective of this campaign is to provide practical and timely financial support to households, especially during challenging times such as the current cost-of-living crisis. By proactively identifying and assisting eligible families, the scheme aims to alleviate financial stress, promote overall financial wellbeing, and ensure that residents can afford essential water services.

The lawful basis for processing this data is that it is required for the performance of a task that serves the public interest, as set out in Article 6(1)(e) of the UK General Data Protection Regulation (UK GDPR). The Council undertakes this processing in line with its responsibilities under the Localism Act 2011 and the Public Sector Equality Duty within the Equality Act 2010.

The sharing and processing of personal data are required to enable the identification of customers who may be experiencing water poverty and are therefore potentially eligible for support from Thames Water. This processing supports the delivery of assistance, including access to social tariff schemes, to help reduce financial hardship and ensure residents are able to maintain access to essential water services.

This auto enrolment campaign for Thames Water is to be facilitated by Policy in Practice (PiP), who will be the Council’s data processor. Policy in Practice is a social policy software and analytics company working in partnership with councils, government, housing providers and community organisations. This campaign will take place in partnership with Thames Water Utilities Limited, who, alongside Waltham Forest, are the data controllers. 

The Council shall retain the Thames Water shared data for a period of not more than twelve months after processing. Thames Water shall retain any relevant data in line with its normal customer record retention practices. 

The Council will retain the data for a period of 6+1 years in accordance with the Limitations Act. This information is retained so that all necessary activities can be completed, including reviewing outcomes, checking that support has been provided correctly, and carrying out any required analysis or audits.