Pressure is being put on the Waltham Forest Council’s resources by “increasingly complex cases” that involve mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness and exploitation, reports Sebastian Mann, Local Democracy Reporter
Antisocial behaviour cases in Waltham Forest are becoming more complicated to deal with, a new report warns.
Pressure is being put on Waltham Forest Council’s resources by “increasingly complex cases” that involve mental health issues, substance abuse, homelessness and exploitation.
Additionally, there is a “small number” of people and shops that generate a “disproportionate” amount of antisocial behaviour, the council says. Repeat reports have led to “escalation and pressure on services”.
The report, published last week, serves as an introduction for the new communities and public protection committee.
The local Green Party wrestled control of the town hall from Labour last month, introducing 31 new councillors. For many, it will be their first time serving on scrutiny committees or in senior council roles.
Scrutiny committees cannot propose or approve policies – that is the job of senior councillors and cabinet members. They themselves do not generally sit on scrutiny committees.
The council is especially eager to tackle antisocial behaviour due to the negative impact on residents’ perceptions of the borough.
While the scrutiny committee will be tasked with overseeing and debating new policies that will look to address these issues, it will also work to tackle concerns about CCTV networks and other regulatory services.
The council says it is working to “maintain and modernise” the CCTV systems through introducing deployable cameras and upgrading equipment, but this will require investment.
It will be a challenge for the council to ensure “all activity remains necessary, proportionate and compliant against strict legal and governance requirements, including data protection, privacy and surveillance legislation” while managing public expectations and perceptions.
Additionally, environmental health officers – who deal with noise complaints and other such issues – have proven “extremely difficult” to hire and retain.
The town hall says it is also being swamped by licensing applications and is struggling with having capacity to process them. It dealt with 3,856 in the first four months of the year – an “unprecedented” number, it says – compared to 999 in the same period last year.
The committee will have its inaugural meeting under the Greens on Wednesday (17th June).
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