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Council news

Lea Bridge Road cycle lanes open as part of 50km of new local cycle routes

28th November 2024

A new protected cycle lane has opened along the length of Lea Bridge Road in Hackney, joining the transformed Lea Bridge roundabout to provide a new cycle route between Lea Bridge and Dalston. Delivered by Hackney Council in partnership with Transport for London, the route makes its way along Lea Bridge Road, over the new Lea Bridge Roundabout, through the Hackney Downs area towards Sandringham Road in Dalston. It also includes safer junctions at Crossway, John Campbell Road, Sandringham Road, Abersham and Downs Park Road and Lea Bridge Road and Hillstowe Street. The cycle route is part of more than 50km of protected or quiet walkable or cycleable low traffic roads across the borough in the last five years. This includes 6km of protected cycle lanes and 45km of low traffic roads. This year, Hackney maintained its position as top in London for cycling in the Healthy Streets Scorecard, and third overall in London across all the indices measured.Over 1000 children and 456 adults have completed cycle training in the borough this year, with nearly 5,000 children taking part in the Council’s road safety education programme. Register for cycle training: https://hackney.gov.uk/cycle-training

Local people to help shape the future of 55 Morning Lane

27th November 2024

To sign up to participate in upcoming workshops on 55 Morning Lane, visit: bit.ly/55morninglanemeeting Sign up for regular updates on Morning Lane and other work to create a greener, healthier and fairer Hackney Central.Architects have been appointed to work with local residents, businesses and organisations to shape the initial ideas and options for a new development at the Tesco site at 55 Morning Lane in Hackney Central.North London practice Levitt Bernstein were selected because of their strong record of codesigning successful town centre regeneration and housing developments in Hackney and London. After it was put up for sale by Tesco in 2017, the Council purchased the Morning Lane site to ensure it could influence what would be built in this key town centre location. Since then it has spent time gathering the views of the community about what any development could provide. Levitt Bernstein and Climate Labs, an engagement consultancy which specialises in community engagement and codesign, will now set up a series of drop-in workshops, events and walkabouts, where local residents and businesses will be able to share their priorities and ideas for the site and help shape the initial proposals for a new development. This is the first stage of the design process where objectives and ideas gathered will help inform an outline plan for a development on the site. The workshops begin with a drop in session open to all on 7 December. This session will provide an introduction to the site, an outline of the current timeline, an introduction to the design team led by Levitt Bernstein and an overview of the elements that need to be considered when designing any plans for the site. As the workshops progress in January and February, the design team will develop up to three design options, which will be reviewed to ensure they are deliverable and reflect the town centre community’s ambitions for the site.To sign up to participate in upcoming workshops on 55 Morning Lane, visit: bit.ly/55morninglanemeeting Sign up for regular updates on Morning Lane and other work to create a greener, healthier and fairer Hackney Central.

“We need to change together”: Mayor Woodley on financial challenges

You are probably aware of the extreme financial challenges that councils across the country are facing.In Hackney, we have a track record of strong financial management. We are not currently among the one in four councils that say they expect to seek emergency help from the government just to continue providing basic services for residents.But I do need to be honest with you about the scale of our financial difficulties.Our latest figures revealed this week show that we need to make £67m in savings in the next three years. That’s after securing some additional funding from the government in the latest budget, and implementing considerable savings already.With our real terms funding from the government this year 40% less than it was in 2010, saving even more will be difficult. It means some of the services we currently offer won’t be sustainable.An ever growing part of our budget is going towards a small number of vital services that we have a legal and moral duty to provide – social care for adults and children, support for young people with special educational needs and disabilities, and housing for those who approach the council as homeless.Yet that means less to go around for the hundreds of other things we do, all of which make a real difference in Hackney.We can still work together for a better Hackney, but we will also need to change together. As much of our shortfall as possible will be made up by transforming how we work. We recognise that change can be unsettling, so our focus is on identifying where we can invest to save in order to maintain and improve our services while reducing costs. For example, we are developing our own temporary accommodation for households without somewhere to live, reducing the reliance on expensive privately managed accommodation, costing the Council less in the long run.However, we will need to make some very tough decisions as we work to balance our budget. In the coming months, as we begin to plan our budget for next year, we will provide more information about the changes we will need to make. We will do so carefully, transparently and – most importantly – prioritising the needs of Hackney’s most vulnerable residents first.Caroline WoodleyMayor of Hackney

26th November 2024

New figures show the scale of Hackney’s financial challenge

Hackney residents should prepare to see significant changes to services as the Council’s latest financial update showed a need to make around £67 million of savings over the next three years.The figures, included in the medium term financial plan report agreed by the Council’s Cabinet yesterday, estimate that the Council will need to save £36m in the year from April 2025 in order to meet its legal obligation to balance its budget. This will be followed by savings of £13m in 2026-27 and £18m in 2027-28.The update comes amid huge financial difficulties across local government, with one in four councils saying they expect to seek an emergency bailout from the government. A big increase in demand for services in Hackney and the cost of delivering them has put huge pressure on the Council’s finances. This is particularly the case in frontline services that the Council is legally obliged to provide, including housing for homeless people and social care for adults and children.As a result, the Council is expected to spend £38 million more than budgeted for this year, and without action will run out of financial reserves within three years.The Council is expected to consider proposals for further savings early next year, in advance of agreeing its 2025-26 budget. A first phase of savings, totalling around £13m, was agreed last month. Read more:“We need to change together”: Mayor Woodley on financial challengesHackney Council's financial situation

26th November 2024

Marking one year as Mayor of Hackney

This month marks one year since I was elected Mayor of Hackney. Hackney is my home, it’s where I’ve raised my son and seen first hand the challenges and opportunities met by younger generations growing up in this borough. It’s where I want to join our older generations in ageing well, with access to life-long learning and opportunity. It has been the greatest honour to serve and champion our communities over the past year. Hackney is a place for everyone! We take pride in our culture, our heritage and our diversity. With 89 languages spoken across this borough, I will always uphold a culture of welcome and belonging.I am incredibly proud of all we have achieved over the last twelve months, especially in my three priority areas of housing, tackling poverty and retaining Hackney’s place as a Climate leader. Together we have built award-winning social homes and committed to an intensive improvement programme in maintenance and repairs. We have helped to secure over £2m in additional financial support for eligible residents. And we have led the way with our investment in community energy, bringing solar panels and cheaper heating opportunities to schools, estates, leisure centres, community and faith settings right across the borough.There is so much more that could be listed here, including the work of the Council’s core services in public health, social care, homelessness prevention and the teams who take care of our streets and green spaces. We have won 31 Green Flags for some of the best parks and green spaces in London. We have also seen our children’s and youth justice services approved by Ofsted, and worked with parents, carers and professionals on developing guidance for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities, as they prepare for adulthood.Other highlights include the launch of sector-leading children and family hubs and two new GP surgeries, one of which meant we could also restore the heritage site the Portico in Clapton. Another heritage site that was previously at risk reopened in Abney Park - at its centre a chapel with stained glass windows representing the four seasons designed with the help of local school children, along with new workshops, a community room and a cafe - all delivered with care to retain the rewilded ecology of the Magnificent Seven cemetery.I’ve been heartened by the strength in partnership we’ve forged with volunteers, but also with the emergency services and with business - particularly with sign-up to our responsible business charter. We established a business support programme worth £630,000, developed an affordable workspace programme and worked proactively to make our homes, streets and night life economy safer. We will continue to focus on addressing anti-social behaviour and tackling violence against women and girls.Without a doubt, none of this would be possible without the tireless efforts of council staff, community groups, voluntary organisations and the dedication and creativity shown by Hackney’s people. I am also very grateful to all the councillors, across party lines and in the heart of my Cabinet, who honour their commitment to serve and to represent Hackney residents.This past year has presented a great number of challenges, many of which continue to deeply affect our communities. After 14 years of cuts to public services, imposed by the previous Government, the Council’s finances have come under unprecedented pressure due to increasing demand in adult and children’s social care and homelessness prevention.These challenges won’t get any easier. With an ever growing part of our budget going towards a small number of vital services that we have a legal and moral duty to provide, there will be less to go around for the hundreds of other things we do, all of which make a real difference in Hackney.However, the strength of Hackney’s communities and the additional support we have already seen coming in from the new national government, leave much reason for hope and optimism.In the year ahead, I will do all I can to ensure the needs of Hackney’s people are met and will drive forward my priorities of tackling the housing crisis so Hackney residents have safe and secure homes; combating poverty and inequality by supporting those grappling with the cost of living; and building on our position as a climate leader to reduce energy bills, deliver active travel, cleaner air and do our bit to protect the planet for future generations.This will require a lot of hard work from a lot of people. But this has never been something we’ve shied away from in Hackney. We will continue working together and changing together, protecting our most vulnerable and meeting challenges head on.Caroline WoodleyMayor of Hackney

25th November 2024

Get into the holiday spirit with Hackney’s festive programme