Cabinet members have approved proposals to overhaul Waltham Forest council's senior management

A detailed report will be put before the cabinet on July 7 and the changes could see a reduction in the number of senior management positions at the council.

An outline proposal to “review and transform” the structure and arrangements for service delivery was approved at the last cabinet meeting on June 25.

According to the report containing the proposal, the current senior management structure is “no longer fit for purpose”.

Interim arrangements were also ratified at the meeting and a transformation board is also to be established, chaired by council leader Cllr Chris Robbins.

The board is set to “steer and monitor the process together with other programmes, projects and workstreams delivering transformation”.

The report presented to the cabinet states: “The council is faced with significant challenges and a number of opportunities.

“It is important to respond in an appropriate and timely manner.”

This includes the appointment of an interim director of support services, who will take over a number of responsibilities from the strategic director of finance.

The report also states that the council must be “open to exploring new ways of meeting its objectives” which will lead to a “smaller, leaner and more strategic organisation”.

Restructuring will also see the remit of housing being transferred from adult and community services to environment and regeneration.

Sports, leisure and libraries will go to the children and young people directorate and arts and culture will move to people, policy and performance.

This is intended to “allow the opportunity to review the service areas in detail”.

The recent economic downturn is also cited as a reason for the changes, which are intended to help the council to “secure a closer alignment of services”.

The report to go before the cabinet on July 7 will also focus closely on the relationship with NHS Waltham Forest, especially with regard to “the better use of resources”.