Managing our finances and supporting those who need it most
Council budgets are under serious pressure across the country, and Waltham Forest is no exception. Our financial pressures are driven by sharply rising costs and demand for vital services that support and protect our residents, combined with a significant reduction in funding over the last 14 years.
The majority of our money goes into caring for older and disabled people, and supporting children in care or those with special educational needs or disabilities. We are also supporting more and more people who are at risk of being homeless, at the same time as seeing the costs of securing temporary accommodation increasing – our spend more than doubling in the last year alone. We will do everything in our power to meet our most important responsibilities; supporting people who need our help and safeguarding essential services.
We regularly review our finances to ensure council taxpayers’ money is being used wisely. The Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) was presented to Cabinet this week. It shows the impact these pressures are having on our finances. We are predicting a financial gap of £18m to £24m over the next three years, and in the coming months we will need to develop proposals to close this gap. Some of these decisions are really difficult.
We are consulting residents on plans to reduce Council Tax Support. Given the increasing number of vulnerable children, adults and households we are caring for, we can no longer afford the current scheme - costs have risen each year and if we do not take action, we estimate it will cost £20 million pounds next year. We need to balance a scheme which we can afford while protecting support for those who need it most.
We are not suggesting any changes for pensioners and we are proposing that the working age scheme will stay at current levels for those households with limited capability to work and children under five. For other eligible residents, support would be given up to a level of 57 per cent. For all people support is dependent on income, household composition and level of capital.
If these changes are implemented, the Council plans to provide additional assistance to reduce the impact of the most significant changes through the continuation of a discretionary fund. The findings from this consultation will be used to inform how we use our discretionary hardship funds to target those in need and how we help people maximise their incomes.
The consultation is now open and you can complete it online or ask us for a paper copy.
At the same we are looking at everything we do in the Council to save money - by reducing our spend on agency fees, reviewing the platforms and tools we purchase, and improving how we work between departments and with other agencies. We are also improving how effective we are as a landlord to make sure that we protect the public purse and ensure that empty and second homes are charged more council tax than residents.
We know that residents will be worried about the financial challenge we are facing and how it will affect them. We will do everything we can to make these decisions with residents’ interests at the heart of our approach, so we can continue to protect and support those who need our help the most and continue to deliver on our ambitions for the borough.
Grace
Cllr Grace Williams, Leader of Waltham Forest Council
Please note, if your postcode is IG8, your nearest events will appear under E4. If you live in E7 or E15, check out E11. You can also find online events on our website.
 Our network of Community Living Rooms is once again up and running to help support you this winter.
The Hornbeam Centre is run by The Gleaners Café every Thursday, from 11am to 3pm. Anyone is welcome to come along, have a free hot meal (food is served between 12pm and 2.45pm) and take part in creative activities.
The Hornbeam also has a weekly Solidarity Supermarket, on Mondays from 4pm to 6pm. The Supermarket provides affordable wholefood, surplus and bulk food on a sliding scale of cost to make it affordable for everyone. If you want to know more, donate or volunteer, please get in touch with Mickey at mickey@hornbeam.org.uk.
For more information about all of the support available this winter, visit our cost of living pages.
 Have questions about the new proposals for the Whipps Cross Road corridor?
Come see us at Leytonstone School from 2pm to 5pm on Saturday 9 November. The project team will be there to answer all your questions.
You can view the plans, find out more information and complete the survey before Monday November 18.
 Are you a resident-focused, committed and ambitious housing professional? Then we’d love to hear from you. We're growing our housing service and looking for housing professionals to join our diverse and energetic teams. We have five Manager roles, nine Assessment Officer roles and one Review Officer role available with more openings coming shortly.
To find out more hear from Gbemi and Daron, who work in the service, and explain how they started in the housing sector, the career development opportunities available and advice for anyone applying for these positions. Applications close on Monday 25 November.
 Are you looking after a child or young person, aged 16 or under, who is not your grandchild, sibling, niece or nephew? If you are, you could be private fostering. If so, there is a duty for you to notify the Local Authority to ensure that you and the child are receiving all necessary support.
Please contact the Multi Agency Safeguarding Hub on 02084962310 for more information.
 Waltham Forest have partnered with Airbnb, in a trial initiative to support residents to unlock the financial benefits of occasional homesharing.
The opportunities of space or homesharing can enable homeowners to earn extra money to help manage living costs – over 40 per cent of Airbnb UK hosts said the extra income helps them afford their homes.
Whether you have a spare room, or even just a cosy nook, there will be a session which will provide you with the support to list your space and start hosting.
Learn more about how to unlock the potential for you, by joining a special FREE online webinar on Monday 25 November, 5 to 6.30pm. Led by a local Airbnb Superhost Ambassador, they will share their experience and expertise, including best practice, online community resources and how to get started.
 Join The Social Cinema for a screening of the 80s classic ‘Back to the Future’ on Sunday 17 November at 5pm at Higham Hill Hub.
Presented by The Social Cinema, a Walthamstow-based CIC that creates events blending diverse media and technology, this relaxed, subtitled screening is designed for young audiences with neurodiversity and/or SEND, but it’s open to everyone. Settle in with a chair, mat, or cushion for a cozy experience, with popcorn and drinks included.
Tickets are £5, free for carers and 25 per cent of tickets are offered at no cost if price is a barrier. Higham Hill Hub is wheelchair accessible.
 The Revel Puck Winter Festival is coming to Fellowship Square this festive season. From 12 December to 5 January, there’s two shows to enjoy: The Ruckus and The Ugly Duckling. Waltham Forest residents can enjoy an exclusive 15 per cent discount on weekday tickets, to redeem enter code WFLOCAL.
Grab a bite to eat from one of the east London food vendors outside and head into their lavish, warm Spiegeltent for the show. Once you’re inside, enjoy a fully stocked bar with Winter favourites .
 The COVID-19 and flu vaccination programme is now underway. Getting vaccinated is the single best way to protect yourself and others, and is particularly important if you have a weakened immune system.
It'll give you the best best chance of staying healthy and reduce your risk of getting seriously ill, being hospitalised or dying from COVID-19. If you're eligible for the vaccine, your GP should be in touch to let you know, but there's no need to wait!
Vaccination clinics are taking place across the borough this winter, with blood pressure checks also available at most locations. Head to our website .
 Waltham Forest stands against Islamophobia and hate. This Islamophobia Awareness Month, we’re hosting assemblies in schools to show how small positive actions can lead to real change, holding themed pop-ups in libraries, and working with mosques to promote hate crime reporting
This week we’ve had pop-ups in Leyton and Chingford Libraries, and next week we’ll be at Lea Bridge Library from 5pm to 6.30pm on Tuesday 12 November, and Leytonstone Library from 3pm to 5pm on Wednesday 13. Come and say hi!
We’re also celebrating Islamic art and culture with the new exhibition at the William Morris Gallery opening to the public from Saturday 9 November:
 Next week all our libraries and Family Hubs are celebrating World Nursery Rhyme Week by hosting free activities for children under five across Waltham Forest. The activities run from Monday 11 to Friday 15 November.
Nursery rhymes play an important role in early childhood development and education. As well as being fun, they are excellent teaching tools.
 fleet of 13 new trucks is already out on your street collecting your food waste and we can now reveal the winning names! Including the likes of Olivia Codrigo, Reescycle Witherspoon and Trashzilla.
You can read the full list on our website. We have also created character cards and a bingo sheet you can download so you can tick each one off as they visit your street.
Remembrance Sunday 10 November
The Civic Remembrance Day parade and service at the War Memorial, Town Hall campus on Sunday 10 November. A parade of local organisations and members of the Walthamstow branch of the Royal British Legion will march from the William Morris Gallery, Lloyd Park, to the Town Hall at approximately 10.30am. If you wish to join the parade, please assemble at the William Morris Gallery from 10.00am. The service will begin at 10.55am at the Walthamstow War Memorial.
There will be services of remembrance across the borough at the Chingford War Memorial at the junction of King's Head Hill, Harrow Green Memorial on Leytonstone High Road, and the Coronation Gardens War Memorial, Leyton. Parades will start from 10.15am making their way to the war memorials for a short service, laying of wreaths and 2 minutes silence at 11.00am.
Back on track
The UCI Track Champions League will take place at Lee Valley VeloPark on Friday 6 December and Saturday 7 December and you can win event tickets, a hotel stay plus experience vouchers!
This prize draw will celebrate 10 years since Lee Valley VeloPark first opened and you can celebrate the Grand Finale of the International League on Saturday 7 December when the winners will be announced.
Mayor's Christmas Quiz
Join the Mayor of Waltham Forest, Cllr Sharon Waldron, for the Mayor’s Christmas Quiz on Wednesday 4 December, 7pm, at Town Hall foyer. Tickets are £12 per person or £85 per table of eight, and includes a hot beverage.
Council Tax Support Scheme consultation still open
We’re asking for your views on proposed changes to the Council Tax Support scheme from April 2025. The proposals aim to balance targeting support to those that need it most with introducing a more affordable scheme overall. The consultation is open until 24 November. Find more information on our website and give your views on the Council Tax Support consultation page.
Have your say on housing
If you're a Waltham Forest Council tenant, leaseholder or shared owner living in a Council-managed property, we want you to share your views and help shape some housing policies we are currently working on.
We'd like to know if the policies are clear, it meets your expectations, and if there are any areas it could be improved. By sharing your feedback it will help ensure that the Council's housing services are accessible, equitable, and appropriate for all residents.
Current council vacancies and other local jobs
We regularly update the vacancies and local jobs listing on our Waltham Forest Jobs website. Explore available job opportunities and apply for roles that suit you.
You can find the latest Waltham Forest Council jobs online on our website, and check out our LinkedIn.
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