This meeting included a deputation from a member of the Hackney New Traveller Site about the provision of new Traveller sites in the borough, updates on the council's capital programme, the adoption of a supplementary planning document for Dalston, updates on the council's budgets, as well as details of the Housing Revenue Account budget for 2025/26.

Deputation on the Hackney New Traveller Site

Philomena Mongan, a member of the Irish Traveller community and campaigner for Traveller housing rights, was scheduled to give a deputation to the Cabinet.

Hackney is a self-declared anti-racist borough and yet Gypsy, Roma and Traveller communities face lots of discrimination including in housing.

The report pack included the text of Ms Mongan's planned statement to the meeting. In it, she was scheduled to raise several points including concerns about delays in building a new Traveller site in the borough, unsuitable temporary accommodation arrangements for Travellers and the loss of £2 million from the London Legacy Development Corporation (LLDC). She was also scheduled to ask the Cabinet whether the council's housing, land and planning departments could confirm whether the new site would be built during the current administration's term of office, whether the council was aware that a new Traveller site could increase biodiversity and whether the council was considering using the Affordable Homes Programme to fund new Traveller sites.

Financial Position 2024/25

A report entitled 2024/25 Overall Financial Position - November 2024 was scheduled for consideration. This report would have provided an update on the council's financial position. The report stated that:

The Council remains in a serious financial position

The report identified that the main drivers for the predicted overspend were rising demand and costs for temporary accommodation and social care. The report set out in some detail the steps that the council was taking to mitigate the overspend. This included the implementation of a non-essential spend freeze and a freeze on recruitment.

Capital Programme Update

A report on the council's capital programme was included in the meeting pack. This report included the recommendation that the council accept £3 million of grant funding from the Greater London Authority's Civic Partnership Programme. The report identified that the money would be used to fund a regeneration project entitled Connecting Hoxton that would deliver public realm improvements in Hoxton Street.

The report pack explained that:

This grant award enables us to focus resources on one of our priority regeneration areas of Hoxton and build on our ambition to support areas undergoing change through addressing long-standing inequalities and deliver our regeneration objectives focusing on creating open, connected, and inclusive public spaces, regenerating high streets, and partnering with communities.

The report also requested approval to grant a 25-year lease of the former Northwold Road day centre to a charitable organisation. The report suggested that the granting of the lease to a charitable organisation would provide a stable long-term income stream for the council. The tenant would be responsible for all repairs and maintenance to the property, as well as rates, utility bills and other outgoings.

Council Taxbase and Local Business Rates 2025/26

A report was scheduled to be discussed which provided information about the council's Council Taxbase for 2025/26 and the forecast level of local business rates income. The report identified that the council's business rates income was likely to be impacted by business rate relief measures and the council's participation in the Localised Business Rates Pool.

The report recommended an estimated collection rate for Council Tax for 2025/26 of 94.0% and the levying of a 100% Council Tax Premium on second homes.

Housing Revenue Account Budget 2025/26

A report was included for consideration that set out the proposed budget for the Housing Revenue Account and rents for Council homes for 2025/26.

The report recommended a rent increase of 2.7% from 7 April 2025 and explained that:

This increase is needed to fund the inflation levels we have experienced over the past year in order to deliver our operational requirements and strategic priorities, from repairs and maintenance to building safety and decarbonisation

The report stated that despite the proposed rent increase, rents would remain amongst the lowest in London. The report pack identified that the average weekly rent for a Council home in Hackney in 2025/26 would be £128.56. This compared to an average rent in Hackney for homes let by Housing Associations of £145.27 and £617 for homes let by private landlords.

The report proposed savings of £3.4m in order to balance the HRA budget.

Hackney a Place for Everyone

A report on the Hackney a Place for Everyone Voluntary and Community Sector Grants Programme was included in the meeting pack. This report set out proposals for interim grant arrangements to cover the period from April 2025 to October 2025, while a redesign of the programme was undertaken. The report identified that the council would be reducing its annual grant funding to the VCS from £3,075,000 to £2,255,078.

The report recommended that the council use grant reserves of £301,193 to continue funding a number of multi-year grants from 2024/25 until 31 October 2025, when it was anticipated that a redesigned grant programme would be in place. The grants scheduled to be extended until 31 October included:

• Advice Services
• Community Infrastructure Grants
• Specialist Grants

The report pack stated that:

The extension allows services to our most vulnerable and disadvantaged residents to continue whilst the new programme is put in place. It also provides an opportunity for those organisations currently in multi-year funding arrangements to consider and put in place measures to mitigate against the loss or reduction in grant from the Council. The reduction of the budget for the programme and the use of the existing reserves does mean that it will be very difficult to hold reserves for any future unforeseen events.

The report also requested approval to make a one year grant for Adventure Playgrounds and associated infrastructure support totalling £288,566 and to incorporate the budget for Lunch Clubs into the Voluntary and Community Sector Grants Programme, recommending that a sum of £158,000 of the remaining grant programme budget reserve be set aside to manage risks to the transition.

Dalston Plan SPD

The Cabinet was scheduled to consider the adoption of the Dalston Plan Supplementary Planning Document, a document that sets out guidance to supplement the policies in the council's Local Plan. The report pack included the full text of the proposed SPD. The SPD described Dalston Town Centre as a key area for growth and set out guidance on how the council intends to manage the regeneration of the area.

The report pack stated that:

The key objective for the Dalston Plan SPD is to manage development pressures and other changes in the Town Centre, whilst maintaining and enhancing the area’s special character and identity while improving opportunities for the local community.

The document set out a number of objectives, including:

• Increasing access to green space
• Encouraging sustainable travel
• The provision of new affordable homes
• Supporting a vibrant town centre with jobs
• Ensuring Dalston is an inclusive and safe place
• Supporting cultural, creative and community well-being

The SPD identifies 10 sites in the town centre for which it provides more detailed planning guidance. These include:

• 130 Kingsland High Street and site to the rear
• Dalston Kingsland Station and associated works
• 1-3 Dalston Lane and 1-7 Ashwin Street
• 36-42 Kingsland High Street
• Kingsland Shopping Centre
• Ridley Road Market
• Birkbeck Mews
• 2-16 Ashwin Street and 11-15 Dalston Lane
• Stamford Works
• Former CLR James Library, 16-22 Dalston Lane and 62 Beechwood Road

The report explained that:

As well as providing guidance to inform new development this guidance will also be used to positively shape existing places through projects for parks, public realm improvements and streetscene initiatives, housing and Regeneration

The document also identified a number of public realm projects that the council intends to deliver.

Private Sector Housing Strategy 2025

The report pack contained a draft of a new Private Sector Housing Strategy for 2025-2030.

The report stated that:

The improvement of property conditions and management standards across the private sector is a primary objective of this strategy.

The report identified that a key focus of the strategy would be to improve housing standards in the private rented sector. It set out the council's intention to introduce new licensing schemes for Houses in Multiple Occupation and other privately rented properties. The report stated that the council would be reviewing its Empty Homes Grants Programme to encourage the return of empty properties to the housing market, and that it would be:

lobbying for local authorities to have the power to regulate

the market for short-term lets.

School Estate Consultation Responses

The meeting pack contained four separate reports that provided an update on the responses to consultations on the future of four separate school sites, in light of decreasing demand for primary school places in the borough. The sites were:

• Sir Thomas Abney School
• St Dominic's School
• Oldhill Primary School
• St Mary's Primary School

Each of the reports recommended that the council agree to publish statutory notices that set out the council's intention to close the schools on 31 August 2025. The report pack stated that after that date, the sites would no longer be used for educational purposes.

3 Year Local Implementation Plan (LIP) 2025/26 to 2027/28

A report on the council's Local Implementation Plan (LIP), covering the period from 2025/26 to 2027/28 was scheduled to be discussed. The LIP sets out the council's plans for transport in the borough.

The report pack stated that:

The overarching vision for Hackney’s transport network is to create a greener, healthier, fairer and better connected Hackney, where streets are welcoming places where people choose to walk, cycle and use public transport.

The report included the proposed LIP Delivery Plan for 2025/26 - 2027/28 as an appendix. This included a number of schemes, projects and programmes scheduled for delivery over the period, including:

• School Streets
• Cycle Superhighway 1
• Liveable Neighbourhoods
• Cycleway 23
• Parking Schemes
• Electric Vehicle Charging points

Appointment of Local Authority Governor

The Cabinet was scheduled to consider a report recommending that Hayley Barbary be appointed as the Local Authority Governor of Rushmore Primary School. The report identified that Ms Barbary had served as a Co-opted Member of the school's Governing Board since November 2023.

Appointments to be made by Cabinet to Outside Bodies

The final item on the agenda was a report on appointments to be made to Outside Bodies. This report set out appointments that the council was required to make to various partnership and other outside bodies. The report included details of the organisations, length of terms of office and the names of the Councillors scheduled to be appointed.

The report included as appendices details of the appointments to be made by the Cabinet and the Mayoral appointments. Executive appointments to these organisations were scheduled to be made during the meeting.