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Council news

We’re contacting residents who are missing out on Pension Credit

25th October 2024
From 4th November we’re calling Hackney pensioners on low incomes to help them to claim Pension Credit.Pension Credit gives you extra money to help with your living costs if you're over State Pension age and on a low income. To get the Winter Fuel Payment for this year, you need to be receiving Pension Credit.Why we’re callingOn average Pension Credit provides an income boost of £3,900 a year. However nationally up to 880,000 pensioners miss out on this income as it goes unclaimed.We’re contacting pensioners who we think will qualify for Pension Credit if they claim it. We want to help Hackney pensioners to make this claim so that they’re not missing out on any of the support that they’re entitled to.When we call you won’t need to have lots of information at hand. Instead we can give you more information so that you can claim Pension Credit or we can arrange for you to speak to an advisor at a later date. The appointment with an advisor might be over the phone or in person.Make a claimIf you’ve had a text or a letter from us and would rather make a claim yourself online you can do so here: Pension Credit - How to claim.You can also claim over the phone. A friend or family member can call for you if you cannot use the phone.Pension Credit claim lineTelephone: 0800 99 1234 (lines are open Monday to Friday, 8am-6pm)You should ask for your claim to be backdated so that your entitlement can be assessed from the earliest possible date.What happens nextAfter you claim Pension Credit the Pension Service will let you know if you are eligible and how much you will receive. If you qualify, payments will be made to your bank account. If the Pension Service backdates your claim you may also qualify for the Winter Fuel Payment.If you qualify for Pension Credit you will also qualify for:Free NHS dental treatment, help with the cost of glasses and transport to hospitalA free TV licence if you’re over 75Cold weather payments during periods of extremely cold weather

Downham Road to get new rain gardens, play features and more pavement space

24th October 2024
Downham Road in De Beauvoir is set to be transformed with rain gardens, play features like stepping stones, a new zebra crossing, speed tables and a chicane to help reduce vehicle speeds. The plans were informed by the views of hundreds of local people in consultation, who took part in drop-in sessions on options for the road and a subsequent consultation on a recommended design. They also include a boost in pavement space, two electric vehicle charging points, 15 metres of cycle parking and a car club bay for people who use car sharing services. Along with the biodiversity benefits from more trees, rain gardens and greenery, the plans are expected to improve road safety for people using the road. Over one hundred people took part in drop ins, with travel consultants Steer using the feedback and a scoring process to select a preferred design for the road. This was then opened to public consultation, with 56% of 421 respondents strongly agreeing or agreeing with the proposals for Downham Road. 39% strongly disagreed or disagreed, with 5% saying they weren’t sure. Construction on the stretch of Downham Road between the A10 and De Beauvoir Road is expected to begin in February 2025, and is expected to be completed by April 2025. An alternative design with cycle lanes was considered by residents at the drop-in stages, but the design with planting, play features and more pavement space was preferred by the community. This design means a shorter distance for pedestrians crossing Downham Road, and allows more greening and play to be included in the design, which would not be possible if the space was taken up by cycle lanes. A long-established cycle route, now part of TfL Cycleway 27, also exists 200m away, which provides a safer crossing of the A10. An existing School Street on Enfield Road provides a low traffic connection to Cycleway 27 before and after school times.  Read the decision report, which includes detailed plans for the road. 

New pocket park opens in Hackney Central

A new “pocket park” has opened in Hackney Central, the first project to be delivered from £19 million of Government funding for investment in public spaces and community facilities, making the area greener and more accessible for local residents, businesses and visitors.Marvin Street has been transformed from a dead-end street with car parking spaces into a public space with trees and plants, an idea originally proposed by local residents who wanted to see more green areas in their neighbourhood. A consultation launched with people and businesses in Hackney Central about the idea in 2023 showed over 72% of people supported the proposals.The park is designed for the community to enjoy the garden while walking through, responding to research showing many journeys in Hackney are made on foot, and over 70% of households in the area who say they do not own a car or van. A decision not to include seating will address requests from local residents about discouraging large night time gatherings. Plans to prioritise a greener Hackney Central also include two new electric car charging bays and a dockless cycle hire bay for sustainable travel at the site. In response to the need for local businesses to accommodate deliveries, the designs also include a 10m loading bay.Changes in Hackney Central are being brought forward with support from £19 million in government funding, allocated to areas across the UK in 2023 for investment in projects and places to benefit communities. Sign up to the Hackney Central newsletter to receive regular updates about what’s happening.Visit our consultation page to find out how you can get involved with shaping the changes.
22nd October 2024

Changing how we support Hackney's Voluntary and Community Sector

In Hackney we are incredibly fortunate to have a vibrant voluntary and community sector made up of dedicated organisations, working tirelessly to support our communities. The work of these groups has a profound and lasting impact on the lives of Hackney residents.Everybody at Hackney Council acknowledges the contribution made by these organisations. They often work under difficult circumstances, helping those most in need. Their commitment to our borough is deeply valued by both the Council and the people of Hackney.It is with this appreciation in mind that I must be open about a difficult decision we have had to make. Like councils across the country, Hackney is facing unprecedented financial pressures. Rising costs, reduced funding from central government, and the growing demand for essential services have left us with no choice but to make tough decisions. One of those is the need to reduce the grants we provide to voluntary and community organisations.We understand the importance of the support these organisations provide, and we know this decision will be disappointing for many. Councillor Rob Chapman has outlined some of the challenges we face in more detail, but I want to assure residents, and our partners, that we have not made this decision lightly.While we are reducing funding, we remain committed to working with the voluntary sector in other ways. We want to help organisations continue their critical work by helping them find new sources of funding, forming new partnerships, and offering advice and guidance during this transition. We also continue to support the sector in other ways, such as through our letting of commercial properties at reduced rates. We make over 40 such properties available to partners at heavily discounted rates and we have, for example, just handed over the keys to the new East and Southeast Asian Centre on Englefield Road. We believe that through collaboration and innovation we can find new ways of working that will help these organisations not just survive, but thrive.Now more than ever, we must come together as a community. By working closely with the voluntary sector, we can ensure that even in challenging times, we continue to meet the needs of Hackney’s residents.We are grateful for all that these organisations do, and we are committed to supporting them through this difficult period.Thank you for your understanding and continued support.Cllr Chris Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture; and Cllr Joe Walker, Deputy Cabinet Member for Strengthening Neighbourhoods
21st October 2024

Nine recommendations to help Hackney prepare for extreme heat

A series of nine recommendations, made by local people, to help the borough prepare for the impact of climate change are being taken forward by Hackney Council and partners, including Homerton Hospital. Earlier this year, the Council commissioned its first ever Citizens’ Climate Jury as a way to hear residents’ views and work together to prepare for the impact of extreme heat. The jury of 15 local people, who were selected by lottery to be reflective of the borough’s population, came together to explore how Hackney should prepare for and respond to very hot weather in a way that protects those most vulnerable. After discussion and deliberation over the course of four sessions, the jury agreed on nine recommendations, including four short term priorities and five longer term actions, for the council to consider and respond. Now, the Council and partners are committing to progress the jury’s recommendations as part of their broader mission to make Hackney a greener, healthier borough which is resilient to the impacts of climate change. Practical measures that the Council and partners are committing to implement, develop or expand include: Developing a new communications approach tailored to, and targeted towards, those who are most vulnerable to the impact of extreme heat Opening, mapping and promoting cool spaces, such as council buildings, libraries and shaded areas, to provide respite Working with faith groups and the voluntary sector to expand welfare checks and support for people who are rough sleepers during heat wavesIncreasing Hackney’s street tree canopy coverage - the percentage of an area covered by the crown/branches of a tree - within areas most in need  Improving green spaces at Homerton Hospital and the allocation of appointment times to meet people’s needs Incentivising companies to exceed building regulations to raise environmental standards/ improve materials and insulation Developing an Urban Forest Plan to protect, manage and increase tree canopy.To read the jury’s recommendations and Council responses in full, visit:  https://hackney.gov.uk/greener#listening    
17th October 2024