Waltham Forest Council's Cabinet has approved plans to bolster its debt and communications teams, with a total projected cost of £0.220m for new and temporary posts.
The Cabinet met on Tuesday, 8 September 2026, to discuss the council's budget monitoring. Key decisions included the approval of additional funding for three new posts within the debt team, aimed at improving the council's debt recovery efforts. This initiative comes as debt levels, particularly within Adult Social Care, remain a significant challenge.
The projected cost for these three additional debt recovery posts is £0.150m. The funding for these roles will be subject to review in future years, dependent on the success achieved in reducing debt. The council has acknowledged that while debt levels are a challenge, significant work has already been undertaken to enhance governance, reporting, recovery activity, and cross-service collaboration. Several initiatives are being implemented to improve debt management, including regular monitoring and performance management, targeted recovery campaigns, and debt recovery workshops for residents. Furthermore, cross-departmental collaboration sessions, benchmarking with other local authorities, and the development of a Sundry Debt Policy are underway. A new Adult Social Care Debt Forum is being established, and the council is attending the London Revenues Sub-Group. Ongoing development of a 'One View of Debt Platform' and the creation of a referral pathway to StepChange are also key components of the strategy.
In addition to the debt team enhancements, the Cabinet approved additional budget to cover the cost of temporary posts in the Communications team, estimated at £0.070m. This move supports the embedding of a new structure within the department, signalling a commitment to enhancing the council's public outreach and internal messaging capabilities. While specific metrics for the communications team's success are not detailed, the aim is to ensure the smooth integration of the new structure.
Councillor Em Dean, Portfolio Lead Member for Finance and Resources, presented the council's budget outturn position and approved the total Capital Programme forecast of £612.520m. The decisions made reflect a strategic approach to financial management and operational efficiency within the council.
For further details, the Cabinet decisions can be found in the Decisions 08th Sep 2026 Cabinet document, and the Public reports pack 08th Sep 2026 Cabinet provides additional context.