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Council news

Bringing local communities together for a Big Lunch

20th March 2025
Residents across the borough are once again being given the chance to bring their neighbours together as part of the national Big Lunch initiative.The Housing Services’ Resident Participation Team are offering those living in Hackney Council homes the chance to apply for grants to celebrate the initiative aimed at bringing local communities together to share friendship, food and fun.This year the Big Lunch is being held over the weekend of Saturday 7 and Sunday 8 June. In previous years groups have organised events including face painting and international dishes that residents have produced and provided on the day. People can apply for up to £750 to hold an inclusive and accessible event which benefits all local residents. Applications for funding need to be made by Wednesday 30 April. They must be made from a home managed by Hackney Council. Groups also need to have appropriate safeguarding procedures in place and carry out a risk assessment for the event or activity.Applications for street closures to support events should be made at least four weeks before the planned event.  There is usually no problem in obtaining  permission to close quiet residential streets, but the Council is likely to refuse permission to close major routes (classed A and B roads), bus routes, or one-way streets where it thinks doing so will cause too much disruption to  surrounding traffic or impede emergency vehicles.The Resident Participation Team can also provide support to anyone looking to host an event to mark VE Day on Thursday 8 May. While there are no grants specifically available for these events the team can advise people living in Hackney Council homes looking to host one.For more information and to apply for a street party and arrange a street closure see https://hackney.gov.uk/street-partyInformation on how to apply and the range of other funding available through the Council to help communities come together can be found at https://hackney.gov.uk/housing-funding-streamsThe Council’s Housing Services Resident Participation Team can support groups in the planning of activities and identifying suppliers for their Big Lunch events. They can be contacted on 020 8356 7845 or by emailing get.involved@hackney.gov.ukYou can request a Big Lunch pack from https://www.edenprojectcommunities.com/the-big-lunchArranging Street Parties and applying for road closuresThere are a few criteria that street parties need to follow including thatfewer than 200 guests invited;all guests must be associated with the immediate area;no alcohol will be on sale (it is okay to serve alcohol free of charge);no formal entertainment (entertainment such as music from a stereo is okay as long as you do not disturb others in the community);no tickets are sold for the event;no food or other merchandise will be on sale (but it is fine to bring food to share with your neighbours);no temporary structures (e.g. stages or marquees) are set up.

Look Up Look Out campaign urges residents to beware of phone thieves on mopeds and bikes

20th March 2025
Hackney Council and the police are warning residents to be on alert for phone thieves on mopeds and bicycles. Last week, community safety officers joined TfL, the Met Police, and British Transport Police outside Manor House station for the London-wide "Look Up, Look Out" campaign, engaging with the public on how to stay safe when using their phones in public spaces. Residents are warned to be particularly careful at bus stops, near train stations, outside pubs and clubs, and when wearing headphones.To help keep yourself safe from thieves on bikes and mopeds, the Metropolitan Police offers this advice:Always be aware of your surroundings.Go hands-free to make a call.Be discreet when using your phone out and about, or put it out of sight.Try not to text or use apps while walking along, you’ll be less aware of what’s going on around you.Be extra careful at bus stops, train stations and at curbsides.If you have to use your phone, stand away from the roadside, close to a building or wall.Try using your phone in the hand closest to the wall so it’s harder to take out of your hand. The Council’s 24-hour CCTV team works with the police to deter theft committed by people on bikes and mopeds, resulting in a number of arrests. Council wardens are also offering safety advice to people when out and about.Get more tips on keeping yourself protected from crime at hackney.gov.uk/crime-and-safety

Families invited to help shape the future of education in Hackney

Hackney Council is looking for parents’ opinions on the future of education in the borough, as part of the work on a new strategy highlighting the borough’s top priorities for the next three years. Parents and carers from all of Hackney’s diverse communities are invited to express their interest and take part in one of the early engagement activities due to begin this term by filling out a short form by 30 March. The aim of the new strategy is to find ways to develop an education offer that is strong, fair, child-focused, anti-racist and inclusive. It will focus on working together with families, schools, settings and other partners to build long term plans, making the most of the available resources. Listening to residents is at the heart of the work to build the strategy, so that the Council can adapt quickly and respond to their changing needs and challenges.The strategy will be built around a series of priorities, including:Providing the right help at the right time for children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND). Attention will be put in particular on early help and inclusion, offering increasing levels of support for children that do not receive suitable education in mainstream schools due to exclusion, illness or other reasons.Building a strong, sustainable and financially viable education offer. Schools, early years settings and other providers will be encouraged to work together and share lessons learned and resources where possible, in area-based partnerships adjusted to local needs.Helping all children achieve their dreams and passions. This includes listening to and working with families to help reduce the gaps for children from disadvantaged communities.The work on the education strategy is in response to the increasingly complex challenges that Hackney is facing, including:A drastic fall in the number of children, with some communities particularly affectedA significant increase increase in the number of pupils with complex special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) High number of exclusions in local secondary schoolsFinancial challenges Difficulty in finding qualified staff due to the rising cost of livingParents and carers interested to find out more and have their say are invited to fill in the form by 30 March. The Council is preparing a series of events to engage with all interested audiences, including schools and settings, partner organisations, families and children and young people. The feedback gathered will be taken into account when shaping the final draft version of the strategy.The Council will publish the draft strategy later this year.
18th March 2025

Transforming transport in Hackney: have your say

Residents are being asked to help shape the future of transport in Hackney after an ambitious previous plan saw the borough become a leader in sustainable travel. Over the last ten years, the council has delivered a transformative programme of change to improve travel across the borough, making it safer, greener and healthier. Ambitious policies to promote sustainable travel have resulted in cleaner air, healthier travel, and safer walking and cycling routes. Now, the council is inviting everyone to share their views and help shape the vision for transport in the borough over the next ten years. The last strategy made significant changes to how people travel, with Hackney now leading the way as the borough with the highest level of active travel - walking, wheeling and cycling - in London. Traffic levels remain lower than before the Covid-19 pandemic and journeys made by car within the borough are decreasing. Hackney has expanded low traffic neighbourhoods (LTNs) to cover over 50% of the borough, giving it the highest proportion of LTNs in London. School Streets - low traffic zones - have been introduced at 50 primary schools in Hackney, ensuring safer routes for children and families, and over 10,000 children have taken part in cycle training. The last strategy also saw the implementation of an electric vehicle (EV) charging network, with 1,000 charging points now installed across the borough, as well as over 1,000 cycle hangars providing over 6,000 bike parking spaces for residents.The council is now seeking feedback on key transport themes for the next ten years and any other comments, which will inform the development of the new draft transport strategy. Transport refers to the movement of people, goods and services within Hackney, encompassing public transport, roads, walking and cycling routes, and more. It also includes key issues such as road safety, air quality, and accessibility, all of which impact people’s health and the environment.Anyone can share their views by filling out the online survey.Everyone who completes the survey can also register their interest in participating in focus groups to discuss the issues more deeply. A consultation on the full draft strategy will take place in autumn 2025 to gather feedback on the policies and proposals.The survey will run for 12 weeks, closing on Monday 9 June. To have your say visit https://consultation.hackney.gov.uk/streetscene/help-shape-the-future-of-transport-in-hackney/ 
17th March 2025

Have your say on middle income housing in Hackney

A first-of-its-kind expert panel has been launched in Hackney to look at how more housing can be provided for middle income and key workers. The Panel is now seeking views from all those interested in intermediate housing, from shared ownership to London Living Rent, to help shape future plans and policy. Made up of industry-leading experts and academics, the entirely independent Intermediate Housing Panel will explore and advise on existing housing models and suggest new ways to build affordable and accessible homes for those who don’t qualify for social rent but are priced out of homeownership.With house prices increasing more than sevenfold in 20 years, the panel will review local housing needs, market trends, and demographic data to assess whether intermediate housing options are viable, practical, and effective in addressing the housing crisis. This also includes engaging directly with those who would consider intermediate housing but face barriers that keep them in the private rented sector or living outside Hackney. By gathering real-life experiences, the expert panel will explore and advise on how existing housing models can better serve local people and develop new ways to make homes in Hackney more affordable and accessible – helping shape plans and policy in years to come.Have your say on the types of middle income housing you’d like to see in Hackney. These insights will help ensure future housing developments truly reflect the needs of local people. 
14th March 2025

Wishing Hackney a happy and safe Purim

The annual Jewish festival, Purim, will take place from the evening of Thursday, 13 March, until the evening of Friday, 14 March. That means the streets around Stamford Hill will be busier than normal as people celebrate one of the most important festivals in the Jewish calendar. Purim commemorates a story from the Book of Esther, where the Jewish people were saved from a threatened massacre in the ancient Persian Empire. The celebrations include extravagant costumes, the exchanging of gift baskets, performances, and a feast.During Purim, the Council and partners, including the Metropolitan Police, encourage everyone to think about their safety and be considerate of others. Please think about if you need to drive or if you can use alternative transport, such as walking, cycling or public transportDo not drink and drivePlease keep the volume of all music to respectful levels at all times and ensure trucks emitting music are not parked in front of residential propertyPlease do not play loud music or sound car horns after 10 pm. Residents who wish to make a noise complaint can go to https://hackney.gov.uk/noise or contact the Council’s Enforcement Service on 0208 356 4455. The line will be open until midnight on both nightsIf you intend to use flatbed trucks to carry passengers on the back, ensure they have the required safety equipment to protect your passengers, and that your driving licence allows you to carry passengers in this way, and your vehicle insurance and any hire agreements cover this use of the truckPlease drive and park respectfully so that vehicles can pass each other and are in compliance with relevant parking restrictionsPlease do not wear costumes or make-up that could be offensive to other communities. ‘Blackface’ (the practice of colouring any part of the face or body in black or brown make-up to look like a member of that community) is highly offensive to the Black community.Hanging of Haman: Racist groups have previously used a noose and hanging doll to threaten, intimidate and murder Black people. We should avoid it. 
13th March 2025