The Hackney Central Community Panel

What is the Hackney Central Community Panel?

The Hackney Central Community Panel is a forum that gathers to discuss and shape the future of Hackney Central. It includes:

• residents
• local businesses
• local organisation representatives

In response to panel feedback, meetings include a mix of in-person workshops for interactive discussions and virtual sessions for quick updates. The panel adjusts how often and when it meets to make the best use of members’ time, focusing on the most relevant and important discussions.

We organise and runs the sessions, with the purpose of:

• establishing a two-way conversation
• ensuring an established and continued dialogue with community members who are best-placed to contribute towards shaping decisions for Hackney Central’s future
• understanding and responding to the interests, ambitions, and needs of local residents

When and why was the Hackney Central Community Panel established?

We established the panel in June 2021 to give the community a space to share feedback on strategic decisions and developments in Hackney Central.

While the panel doesn’t make decisions, it acts as a consultative forum for members to discuss projects and highlight community priorities. This helps us to inform and shape our approach to consultation and engagement.

Hackney’s borough-wide Local Plan designates the area as a key strategic location for growth and sets out ambitious targets for 3,000 new jobs and 1,000 new homes. The Panel helps ensure decisions are shaped and influenced by local people and businesses, taking account of their insight and understanding of the area’s characteristics, strengths, challenges and opportunities.

It is intended as a mechanism for conversation and developing ideas, with the aim of inspiring a collective sense of custodianship for Hackney Central’s future. This allows us to consider a wide range of local input and ideas, to constructively inform projects. The objective is  to ensure a collaborative approach is adopted by us when making decisions.

What issues does the Panel discuss?

Discussions provide a platform for honest conversations with those who visit or live and work in Hackney Central so they can influence change in their community.

The function of the Panel is to encourage discussion about the future of Hackney Central. Participants share their challenges and ideas with the Council to start conversations, develop ideas and work out the best way of involving different communities across Hackney Central to determine its future.

Specific discussions can focus on investments in transport infrastructure, key sites and public spaces. While the Panel provides invaluable insight, its role is solely advisory. The Council is not bound by the findings of the Panel.

Who sits on the Hackney Central Panel?

Panel members were decided based on their:

• Connection to the area and understanding of the local context
• Interest and desire to make Hackney Central better
• Representation of different issues and diversity of stakeholders in Hackney Central

They include:

Community and civic groups or organisations

Businesses or employees of businesses, and business network groups

Residents in the Hackney Central area

Elected members

• Cllr Sheila Suso-Runge Hackney Central ward councillor
• Young Parliamentarians: rotating seat

Join the Hackney Central Community Panel

The Hackney Central Community Panel brings together residents, local businesses, and community representatives to provide valuable input on local projects and priorities.

Membership is limited, but we welcome interest from anyone who wants to join. We try to involve everyone in discussions.

If you’re interested in joining, raising a topic, or learning more, email hackneycentralcommunitypanel@hackney.gov.uk.