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Council news

A greener, safer Hackney Central: Pembury Circus transformation revealed

20th November 2024
New images have been revealed of the planned transformation of Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus in Hackney Central, which will reduce traffic and improve safety for people walking and cycling, create a 1,900sqm linear park and encourage people to spend more time in the area and support high street businesses. The latest set of computer generated images now show detailed plans to tackle the dangerous Pembury Circus junction, which is being completely redesigned to improve safety for people walking, wheeling and cycling. The Council recently completed its first project to create a greener, healthier Hackney Central, a new pocket park in Marvin St. This project was proposed by local residents and has beautiful new trees and planting, a dockless cycle hire bay and a loading bay for businesses. The environmental-led transformation of Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus is one of the major projects in Hackney Central that are being delivered through a £19 million UK Government investment. The projects have been designed with the input of thousands of local businesses and residents over the last five years.Throughout the year, the Council has hosted a series of in-person workshops, drop-in events and conducted an online survey to identify what is most important to people who live or spend time in Hackney Central. Safety for pedestrians and cyclists was a concern raised by many people, particularly around the busy Pembury Circus junction – which saw 66 people suffer injuries in collisions in the five years up to 2022. The junction will now be completely redesigned, with new crossings installed to reduce the risk of vehicle collisions with pedestrians and new banned turns to reduce the risk of other collisions.The Council is also proposing advanced stop lines for cyclists to be able to wait ahead of other traffic, as well as an early green light for cyclists on the Hackney Downs station and Pembury Road arms of the junction. It is also working with Transport for London to add an additional early green light with a minimum four second delay for cyclists on the Dalston Lane (east) and Amhurst Road (west) arms of the junction. Accessibility for those with more limited mobility was also an important concern and the plans have sought to make the junction accessible for all those walking and wheeling too. These plans introduce a bus gate, so that motor traffic will be restricted along Amhurst Road between the junctions of Brett Road and Graham Road between 7am and 7pm. Only buses, cyclists, emergency services, blue badge holders with e-companion badges, and business vehicles loading and unloading will be permitted to use the street during these hours. These changes will help to reduce the amount of car traffic passing through Hackney Central and will also help to cut bus journey times and make it easier to change between buses and train stations in the town centre. Reducing car traffic on Amhurst Road will make Pembury Circus junction safer for people walking, wheeling and cycling.The environmental improvements are designed to encourage more people to spend more time in the town centre, helping to increase footfall for local businesses.The Council considered introducing ‘CYCLOPS’-style plans for Pembury Circus, which would include cycle lanes around the perimeter of the junction, however this would mean pedestrians would continue to need to use multiple crossings across roads and cycle lanes. In seeking to provide improvements for both cyclists and pedestrians, the Council is not proceeding with this option. The existing cycle network includes a number of quiet routes running parallel to Pembury Circus junction along Navarino Road and Wayland Avenue and the Council is continuing to develop this network to support cycling in Hackney. The transformation of the Hackney Central area is set to begin in the new year. Changes to Pembury Circus and Amhurst Road are subject to a statutory consultation which will begin on 29 November. Any objections or other representations about the traffic orders should be emailed to streetscene.consultations@hackney.gov.uk within 21 days from the beginning of the statutory consultation period. All objections must specify the grounds on which they are made.Videos showing the plans for the transformation of Pembury Circus and Amhurst Road are available online. Sign up for the Hackney Central newsletter.

Taxicard exemption through Hackney’s low traffic neighbourhoods launched

6th November 2024
Taxi users with long-term mobility difficulties or severe visual impairments will now get an automatic exemption through six bus gates in Hackney’s low traffic neighbourhoods, as part of a pilot to ensure the borough’s streets are as accessible as possible for people with disabilities. The scheme is being trialled in partnership between Hackney Council, London Councils, the Taxicard scheme operator ComCab and enforcement camera operator Yunex Traffic, before it is assessed ahead of a potential wider rollout to the rest of London. It will apply to Taxicard users - a scheme that provides subsidised Black Taxi and private hire trips to those who might find it difficult or impossible to access other modes of transport. When users are on a Taxicard trip in Hackney, their driver will be able to pass through low traffic neighbourhood bus gates where an exemption for HAC01 permit is displayed on signs. This is in six locations in the borough: Stoke Newington Church Street, Shepherdess Walk, Downs Road, Lansdowne Drive and two locations on Richmond Road. The exemption will be applied automatically. Drivers who operate taxicard services are being informed about the change to the way low traffic neighbourhoods operate in Hackney. 

Statement on a legal challenge to the Council’s plans for children’s centres

The Council's response to a legal challenge to the Council's proposals for children's centres:Read the consent order and statement of reasons regarding the judicial review.
5th November 2024

Islamophobia Awareness Month 2024

Mayor of Hackney, Caroline Woodley and Cllr Fajana-Thomas OBE, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services, set out how Hackney is no place for hate."In Hackney, we celebrate our diversity and identity as a place where communities of different faiths and backgrounds live together in harmony. We’re proud of our work to be an actively anti-racist and “No Place for Hate” borough, where we stand against hate, discrimination and abuse of any kind and invest in anti-racist practices and community infrastructure to build greater cohesion and belonging."During this year’s Islamophobia Awareness Month, we are reaffirming our commitment to keeping all our residents safe from religious hatred, discrimination and violence. This year’s theme, "Seeds of Change," encourages everyone to take small steps to help raise awareness about and deepen their understanding of Islamophobia. To support this, we invite you to explore our specially curated Islamophobia Awareness Month library reading list, which offers valuable insights into Islamic culture and individuals’ lived experiences. "Over the past year, there has been a disturbing increase in Islamophobic hate crimes, as well as the shocking rise in far-right violence and disorder across the country with its focus on migrants and mosques. We are concerned that the horrific escalation of conflict and suffering in the Middle East has also led to anti-Muslim attacks and caused immense distress, fear and anger amongst Hackney residents, many of whom are directly impacted. "We are doing everything we can with our police and community partners to respond swiftly to any incidents and support those affected. We know that hate crimes, especially those affecting our Muslim communities, often go unreported. To address this, we work with local residents, faith partners and Muslim organisations throughout the year to understand and respond to any concerns raised. "We have also stepped up the number of enforcement and reassurance patrols we carry out in partnership with the police, focusing on more vulnerable areas, to take action against racist perpetrators. We have also recently organised a community meeting and co-hosted a series of hate crime awareness pop-up information stalls to chat to residents about the range of support that’s available. "Within the Council, we are supporting staff to learn more about Islam and Islamophobia through our resources and workshops from not-for-profit organisation, Educate Against Islamophobia. We know that education is a key tool which we can use to combat racism and prejudice as it helps improve understanding and tackle misinformation. "If you’ve been affected by Islamophobia or any other hate crime, please don’t suffer in silence - there are a range of services that can help you. You may feel anxious about reporting a hate crime or incident, or concerned that it will not make a difference, but every case helps us gather information and bring Islamophobic and racist perpetrators to justice. “We work closely with the local police to tackle hate crimes, and support them to thoroughly investigate all hate crimes and work with the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) to ensure that those who commit these reprehensible offences face the full consequences of the law.”Hate crime can be reported to the police by calling 999 in an emergency and 101 in other situations. You can also report hate incidents and crimes to Stop Hate UK on 0800 138 1625 or by going online: www.stophateuk.org For more information about hate incidents and crimes, as well as the range of support available, visit: https://hackney.gov.uk/crime-and-safety#hate  
1st November 2024

"A government that shares our priorities": Mayor of Hackney responds to Autumn Budget

Mayor of Hackney Caroline Woodley responds to today's Autumn Budget:After 14 years of central government-imposed austerity, today we saw the Chancellor of the new administration – the first woman to hold this office in the UK – present a Budget that starts to reverse the chronic underfunding of public services and the brutal cuts that have left our core spending power reduced by 40% since 2010.In these tough times, we understand that a single budget could never overcome the huge financial challenges that mean Hackney Council faces a £36m shortfall this year alone. However, today we have seen proof of a government that shares our priorities, knows the value of public services and wants to invest in our communities. That is clear in the additional funding for housing, tackling homelessness, addressing poverty, investing in the NHS, supporting social care, and driving ahead with reform.The Chancellor has today demonstrated that the national government is listening seriously to the calls made by local authorities across the country. The real-terms funding increase for the sector to aid the delivery of essential services is a welcome reprieve.In terms of my priorities for Hackney, in addressing housing and homelessness, the reductions in right to buy discounts and allowing councils to retain the receipts from sales of homes are key measures which local government, including Hackney, has spent years calling for. These are the first steps in empowering councils to build the next generation of council homes, maintain our existing homes, and ensure a safe, secure and affordable place to live for all of our residents. I’m committed to tackling the poverty divide that cuts through our borough, and I know that the increase in the National Minimum Wage will make a huge difference to Hackney residents who are in work but on low incomes. With the extension of the Household Support Fund through next year, and additional funding for Discretionary Housing Payments and Carer’s Allowance, today’s Budget takes concrete steps to support people with the cost of living, delivering meaningful change to Hackney residents who need it most. I have constantly made calls for greater support for children with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). When a council like Hackney has been left facing holding a £20m deficit in SEND there was simply no room for further drift. The £1bn funding injection announced today is a clear indication of the new government gripping the issue and upholding the commitment to work with local government in driving the change that is desperately needed.I’m also committed to tackling climate change and will look to the government to bring new green jobs to Hackney residents, as they drive growth in delivering the mission to make Britain a clean energy superpower.We know more must be done to tackle the hole in local government finances, and that we have to take really tough decisions to balance our budget. There is no escaping the fact that in Hackney, as is the case for so many people across the country, we need to prepare for reduced services in some areas, to protect the frontline serving our most vulnerable residents.However, we now have a government willing to also invest, reform and work with, not against councils. We will work together in the run up to the provisional settlement before Christmas, and the long awaited multi-year spending review in the spring, to reach a sustainable solution which empowers us to deliver for Hackney. 
30th October 2024

Hackney launches new initiative to combat knife crime and robbery

Hackney Council and the Police are carrying out a programme of increased outreach support, enforcement, and educational workshops to prevent knife crime and knife enabled robberies this autumn.Led by Hackney Council’s Community Gangs Team, the project aims to address the underlying social, educational, mental health and employment factors that can lead to violent crime by providing direct support to a range of at-risk groups. This includes training and workshops with young offenders, as well as outreach work in areas where there is a higher than average rate of knife crime. Alongside this, the Community Gangs Team will work with local agencies to deliver educational workshops in schools and community centres. These sessions are designed to help young people and their parents or carers understand the risks of carrying a knife, including the legal implications, how to spot the signs that someone may be at risk of becoming involved in gang violence, and provide advice on the support available. The Police and Council’s community safety officers will also intensify enforcement measures to target knife crime and knife-enabled robbery. This includes increased police patrols, CCTV monitoring, weapon sweeps to take knives off the street, and pop-up events to distribute mobile phone anti-theft tags designed to make it easier for the police to recover stolen phones and convict thieves. Funded by London’s Violence Reduction Unit and delivered in partnership with the Metropolitan Police, Young Hackney, local agencies and schools, the initiative will take place during October and November, with future phases planned for next year. As part of the activities, the Community Gangs Team are also engaging with young people to understand their views on knife crime and work together to co-design activities for the next phase of the programme. The initiative comes in response to a rise in concerns about knife crime and knife-enabled robberies, which have increased across London since 2020 but remain lower than the pre-pandemic level.It follows the Community Gangs Team’s broader strategy, which approaches gang violence as a preventable public health issue. They work as a multi-agency team, including police officers, outreach workers, probation officers, youth offending support workers, and mentoring services, to prevent and divert people away from being involved in serious crime. They do this by providing a range of support services, such as skills-based training, mentoring and sports coaching opportunities, and work with the community to set up local projects to improve the area.
30th October 2024