The Hackney Central Community Panel

What is the Hackney Central Community Panel?

The Hackney Central Community Panel is a group of residents, businesses and representatives from local organisations who meet every two months to discuss the future of Hackney Central. 

The Council organises and runs the sessions, with the purpose of establishing a two-way conversation, ensuring an established and continued dialogue with some of those in the community who are best-placed to contribute towards shaping decisions for Hackney Central’s future  – and helping the Council learn about and act on the interests, ambitions and needs of local people.

When and why was the Hackney Central Community Panel established?

The Panel was established by the Council in June 2021 as a way of ensuring the community has an input into strategic decisions and developments in Hackney Central from an early stage. 

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 the Council 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 the Council 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.

If you would like to raise an issue for discussion, have an interest in joining the panel or would like to know more, please email hackneycentralcommunitypanel@hackney.gov.uk

 

 

Page updated on: 26 May 2023