This week in Hackney:

• The Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee met on Monday to discuss the procurement of new refuse collection vehicles, and contracts for the refurbishment of empty council properties.
• The Licensing Sub Committee D met on Monday to consider an application for a summary licence review of Bar A, at 133-135 Stoke Newington Road, N16, and whether to exclude the press and public from part of the meeting.
• The Licensing Sub Committee D also met on Tuesday to consider an application for a new alcohol licence from the Hackney Chinese Community Service Association Ltd and a variation to a licence from Mothership Hoxton Ltd for Colours Hoxton, in Hoxton Square.
• The Planning Sub-Committee met on Wednesday and approved three applications: one for a mixed-use development at Harvest House, one for offices at 1 Vince Street & 229-233A Old Street, and one for a bike and bin store at 31 Lockhurst Street.
• The Inner North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee also met on Wednesday to discuss a number of health issues including maternity and neonatal care, specialised services, and the Integrated Care System's finances.

Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee - Monday 04 November 2024

The Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee met to consider reports on a range of procurement issues. The meeting was asked to note the minutes of its previous meeting and a deputation was received. It also considered two business cases and a contract award report.

CHE S413 CPIC Business Case Report GBC3 Regen DLO 2

The committee was asked to approve the procurement of contracts for building maintenance work associated with the refurbishment of empty council properties. The report, CHE S413 CPIC Business Case Report GBC3 Regen DLO 2, sought approval for contracts to be awarded for the refurbishment of council properties that had become empty. This follows similar proposals that were discussed by the committee at its meeting on 2 September, in which it approved the procurement of a new 4-year contract for capital lift works at a value of £24m. The report proposed a two-lot approach, with one lot for properties in regeneration areas and one lot for other properties. The report explained that a key aim of the procurement was to provide additional capacity to the council's in-house Direct Labour Organisation (DLO), which carries out building maintenance work. The report proposed that, in line with the council's insourcing strategy, the DLO would be used to carry out a larger proportion of the work in the future, but that at present there was insufficient capacity in the team. It was envisaged that the two highest-scoring bidders in the procurement process would be awarded contracts.

Deputation

The committee received a deputation from two residents, who presented a petition signed by 123 residents calling on the council to review its approach to insourcing. They raised concerns about the impact of insourcing on the quality of services and on the council's finances.

Minutes

The meeting was asked to note the minutes of the previous meeting.

F S411 CPIC Contract Award Report - RCV Replacement 2024

The most significant item on the agenda was a proposal for the replacement of 24 refuse collection vehicles (RCVs) for the council's Waste Services. The report, F S411 CPIC Contract Award Report - RCV Replacement 2024, explained that the existing fleet of refuse collection vehicles was nearing the end of its operational life and that 24 vehicles needed to be replaced immediately. The report recommended a direct award to an unnamed supplier through the Halton Housing framework, as this was the most commercially advantageous option. The report noted that the intention was to replace the vehicles with vehicles that would continue to operate using Hydro-treated Vegetable Oil. You may recall that we have discussed the replacement of the Council’s fleet before, including the purchase of electric vehicles in August 2024.

Licensing Sub Committee D - Monday 04 November 2024

This meeting of Hackney Council's Licensing Sub-Committee D was scheduled to consider an application for a summary licence review of Bar A at 133-135 Stoke Newington Road, N16.

Application for Summary Licence Review of Premises Licence: Bar A, 133-135 Stoke Newington Road, N16 8BT

The meeting was scheduled to consider an application for a summary licence review of Bar A, though a transcript of the meeting is not yet available.

On occasions, some applications will be heard in private and not open to the press and public if discussions are likely to lead to the disclosure of exempt or confidential information.

A summary review can be requested by the police where they believe that the premises are associated with serious crime and disorder.

A summary review can result in the licence being suspended for a set period, or in additional conditions being added to the licence.

The meeting was also scheduled to consider whether it should be closed to the press and public to avoid the disclosure of exempt information.

RECOMMENDATION: That the Press and Public be excluded from the meeting during the consideration of agenda item 5 due to the disclosure of exempt information as defined under paragraph 7, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Paragraph 7, Part 1, Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972¹ allows councils to exclude the press and public if they are likely to disclose information relating to:

• the financial or business affairs of any particular person (including the authority holding that information)
• any consultations or negotiations, or contemplated consultations or negotiations, in connection with any labour relations matter arising between the authority or a Minister of the Crown and employees of, or office holders under, the authority.

Licensing Sub Committee D - Tuesday 05 November 2024

This meeting of the Licensing Sub Committee D considered two applications, one for a new licence and one for a variation to an existing licence.

Hackney Chinese Community, 12-14 Englefield Road London, N1 4LS

The Hackney Chinese Community Service Association Ltd applied for a new alcohol licence for its premises at 12-14 Englefield Road, from which it intends to operate an East & Southeast Asian Community Centre. The application was for the supply of alcohol for consumption both on and off the premises, from 10am-11pm Monday to Thursday, 10am-11.30pm on Friday and Saturday, and from 12pm to 10.30pm on Sunday.

Colours Hoxton, 2-4 Hoxton Square, N1 6NU

Mothership Hoxton Ltd applied to vary the premises licence for Colours Hoxton, to extend the terminal hour for licensable activities to 4am on Friday and Saturday nights. The application proposed that the extension to hours would be subject to two additional conditions:

1. There shall be no entry to the premises after 2am on Friday and Saturday nights except for persons temporarily leaving to smoke.
2. Licensable activities may only be provided after 2am on Friday and Saturday nights to persons attending a pre booked ticketed event or private function.

Nine representations were received from local residents about the application, four of them objecting to the proposals and five in support.

Planning Sub-Committee - Wednesday 06 November 2024

The Planning Sub-Committee approved three applications: the demolition of existing buildings and erection of a mixed-use development at Harvest House, a similar proposal at 1 Vince Street & 229-233A Old Street, and the replacement of a boundary wall and the erection of a bike and bin store at 31 Lockhurst Street.

Inner North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 06 November 2024

This meeting included an update from the NHS on a number of policies and schemes, a finance overview, and updates from several service providers. The Committee were also asked to scrutinise proposals for future maternity and neonatal services in North East London.

• The Cabinet meeting on Monday discussed the financial pressures faced by the council, proposals for the redevelopment of the Pedro Club in Kings Park, and the disposal of several small plots of land.
• The Licensing Sub Committee B considered applications for new premises licences from Unit 7, 2-4 Orsman Road and Hackney Garden, at 357A Wick Road.
• The Constitution Committee met on Tuesday to review the council's constitution and to consider its draft work programme for the coming year.
• The Audit Committee discussed the Council’s Statement of Accounts for 2023/24 and a progress report from the Council's external auditors on the completion of the audit for 2023/24, as well as risk registers, and a progress report from the Council's Audit and Anti-Fraud service.

Cabinet - Monday 28 October 2024

The meeting began with condolences offered to the family of Sam Springer, the first Black Caribbean resident to be the Mayor of Hackney, who passed away recently.Cabinet approved a grant application to the Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 scheme to fund 56 new homes for temporary accommodation, 4 new homes for resettlement of people on the Afghan Citizens Resettlement Scheme¹, and to extend the existing scheme that allows the council to purchase ex-Right to Buy homes. The cabinet also approved the renewal of a Public Spaces Protection Order² (PSPO) covering alcohol and the setup of a joint venture with Commercial Services Kent Limited to manage the recruitment of agency staff.

The cabinet also discussed a number of reports relating to the Council's finances. Councillor Robert Chapman presented a report detailing the council's financial position. This report showed a significant projected overspend for 2024/25, a pattern we have seen in previous reports to the Cabinet. This is primarily being driven by the increasing cost of caring for vulnerable adults and children, and the cost of providing temporary accommodation for over 3,000 homeless families in the borough. These cost pressures mirror those faced by councils across London and the rest of the UK.

The report set out a number of measures that the Council was taking to mitigate the projected overspend, including pausing revenue contributions to capital projects, drawing down on specific reserves, and implementing recruitment controls. The report also stated that the Council had established a monthly Budget Recovery Board to improve oversight of the Council's finances.

In addition to these immediate actions, Councillor Chapman proposed a series of changes aimed at reducing the council's long-term spending commitments. This included a number of cuts to services, an increase in some fees and charges, and the introduction of new fees and charges. These proposals are summarised below.

Plans to Reduce Spending

• Voluntary and Community Sector (VCS) grant programme. Councillor Chapman proposed a reduction of £820,000 per year to the VCS grant programme. This would be accompanied by a redesign of the grant programme informed by the new VCS strategy.
• Communications and engagement. Savings of £170,000 would be made through the deletion of a vacant Strategic Director post.
• Legal and governance. £78,000 would be saved by introducing charges for a number of legal services and seeking to secure more income from work on behalf of schools. The council would also explore procuring a cheaper case management system.
• New children's homes. The council would build two new children's homes. It was acknowledged that this would increase capital expenditure, but the council hoped that in the longer term, it would lead to reduced spending on external residential care arrangements.
• Penalty Charge Notice (PCN) Processing. The council would automate its PCN processing systems using generative AI or similar technology. This would lead to a saving of £150,000 per year and affect a number of staff posts. The Organisation Change process would be followed to consult with affected staff about the plans.
• Car pound. The council would create its own car pound by repurposing an underutilised council site. This would also allow the council to create a zero-emissions 'last mile' distribution hub for courier companies. The council currently spends £250,000 per year on its statutory car pound service, and it believes that running its own would be cost neutral.
• Libraries. The council is considering a number of changes to libraries, including reducing opening hours at Stoke Newington Library by introducing an Open Plus³ model.
• Second Homes and Empty Properties. The council would take advantage of new legislation in the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act⁴ to charge a 100% Council Tax premium on both empty homes and second homes.
• Finance Directorate. Savings of £133,000 per year would be made by deleting a Director post from the finance directorate. Additional savings of £333,000 would be made by increasing automation and streamlining procedures in the Finance Directorate.
• Council energy costs. £800,000 would be taken out of the council's corporate energy budget following a forecasted reduction in energy prices.
• HRA recharge. The corporate recharge to the Housing Revenue Account would be increased in line with inflation to reflect rising costs.
• Automation and self-service. The council would introduce voice bots and chatbots to handle a proportion of the inquiries made to its contact centre. The council would also encourage increased self-service through its website. This would allow the council to delete two full-time equivalent staff posts and save £117,000 per year.
• Blue Badge administration fee. A £10 administration fee would be introduced for all blue badges issued by the council. This would generate income of £36,000 per year.
• Subject Access Requests. The council would implement a new AI redaction tool to support the processing of Subject Access Requests. This would save £18,000 per year.
• Freshwave 4G Small Cells. The council would enter a non-exclusive open access agreement with Freshwave, who would install 4G small cells⁵ on council-owned assets, such as street furniture, to improve local mobile signal. This would generate a small amount of income for the council.
• ICT contracts. The council would review its ICT contracts to find savings of £100,000 per year by ending or reducing the scope of existing contracts.
• Registrars. The council would make savings of £150,000 per year through a combination of efficiencies and income generation by the registrars service.
• Resident experience transformation. The council would improve residents' access to a number of services, including Council Tax, Parking, Benefits, and Environment. This programme would adopt a phased approach, with the first phase delivering savings of £1.37m.
• Temporary accommodation. The council would introduce new ways of providing temporary accommodation, saving £2m per year.

The Pedro Club

The cabinet noted a report detailing plans for the redevelopment of the Pedro Club in Kings Park. The council planned to contribute £1.5m to the redevelopment of the site on condition that Kings Park Moving Together secure £1m in funding from Sport England and the Pedro Club secure additional funding from other sources. The Pedro Club is a Community Interest Organisation that provides a wide range of facilities and services to the local community, including a youth club, a boxing gym, a cycle hub, and a range of adult learning and community activities.

Disposal of Small Plots of Land

The council approved the disposal of 6 small plots of land at the following locations:

• Land adjacent to 160 Middleton Road
• Land adjacent to 29 Lilian Close
• Land adjacent to 53 Dublin Avenue
• 21a Shrubland Road
• Land right opposite 12 Brampton Close
• 46 Caldecott Way

The council plans to sell these pieces of land to neighbouring homeowners who had expressed an interest in purchasing them. This is in line with the council's policy on the disposal of small pieces of land.

Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee

Cabinet noted the unrestricted minutes of the Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee meeting that took place on 2 September. During this meeting, the committee approved the council's use of the London Boroughs' Legal Alliance’s (LBLA) Barristers' Framework, agreed the procurement of a new 4-year contract for capital lift works at a value of £24m, and approved the purchase of a new Integrated Housing Management System at a cost of £3.4m over a 10-year term.

Safeguarding Adults Board

The council noted the Safeguarding Adults Board annual report, which highlighted a number of initiatives to protect adults from abuse and neglect. This report also highlighted the increase in cases of self-neglect since the pandemic. The cabinet put on record its thanks to the board's outgoing chair, Dr Adi Cooper, for her work.

Appointments

The cabinet noted the updated membership of the Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee, with Councillor Sarah Young appointed as a substitute member.

Licensing Sub Committee B - Tuesday 29 October 2024

This meeting was about making decisions on two applications for new premises licences: one for a new licence at Unit 7, 2-4 Orsman Road, and one for Hackney Garden, at 357A Wick Road. The meeting report pack also describes the procedure that would be followed during the meeting.

Unit 7, 2-4 Orsman Road

Mr Haci Ozturk applied for a new Premises Licence⁶ for Unit 7, 2-4 Orsman Road. The site is currently licensed for the sale of alcohol and the provision of regulated entertainment.

This application was opposed by the Metropolitan Police Service, the Planning Authority, the Licensing Authority and the Environmental Health Authority.

No representations were received in support of the application.

The application was for a new licence to allow:

• Plays
• Films
• Live Music
• Recorded Music
• Performance of Dance
• Anything of a similar description
• Late Night Refreshment
• Supply of Alcohol (on and off the premises)

The applicant proposed hours of:

• 10:00 to 23:00, Monday to Thursday
• 10:00 to 04:00, Friday to Saturday
• 10:00 to 22:30, Sunday

The report pack provides a summary of the objections that were received.

Metropolitan Police Service

The Metropolitan Police Service objected to the application on the grounds of Prevention of Crime and Disorder, and Prevention of Public Nuisance.

The Police note that there is an ongoing planning enforcement case in relation to the site, and that:

Police are also aware that there is currently a planning enforcement case which has now made it to court. As such the venue is undermining the prevention of crime and disorder objective by repeatedly operating in contravention of planning enforcement notices.

They also state that the venue has:

continued to attract complaints from local residents whilst it has been operating both on its current licence and on TENs.

Planning Authority

The Planning Authority objected to the application on the grounds of Prevention of Crime and Disorder, and Prevention of Public Nuisance.

They noted that two enforcement notices, and two stop notices have been served in relation to the premises, and that these notices have been breached. They state that they consider:

The use of the premise as a bar is inappropriate by reason of its detriment to the amenity of surrounding neighbours with regard to potential noise impacts, lack of clarity with regard to customer management, negative impact on the primary Employment Area, is an incongruous form of development, which adversely affects the surrounding local area with regards to amenity and provision of employment land.

and

The use of the rear of the property as a drinking establishment/in connection with a drinking establishment is also unacceptable unconditionally as it is viewed that substantial harm is caused to the integrity of the Conservation Area including the waterway in terms of visual amenity, residential amenity and biodiversity as a result of the development.

Licensing Authority

The Licensing Authority objected to the application on the grounds of Prevention of Crime and Disorder, and Prevention of Public Nuisance.

They note that:

The Licensing Authority has been made aware of resident concerns and concerns from the Hackney Planning service about the operation of the premises as a licensed bar.

They also state that:

My understanding is that there is no planning permission to use the premises as a bar/event space.

They go on to note that the applicant previously applied for:

change of use of the ground floor from Sui Generis (workspace and auxiliary café) to Sui Generis (workspace and auxiliary drinking establishment (A4)) with additional outdoor seating spaces

which was refused.

The Licensing Authority note that they consider it inappropriate to grant a licence for a premises where there is an ongoing dispute about the planning status, and state:

If the operators of the site were to be prosecuted in relation to the planning status, it would demonstrate a direct undermining of the ‘Prevention of Crime and Disorder’ licensing objective. As such, the Licensing Authority cannot be satisfied that the licensing objectives would be duly promoted when legal planning status of the premises itself is under dispute. If the use of the site as the licensed premises is determined to be unlawful, how can the Prevention of Crime and Disorder licensing objective be promoted by the grant of a licence?

They ask that the application be refused.

Environmental Health Authority

The Environmental Health Authority objected to the application on the grounds of Prevention of Public Nuisance.

Their objection focuses on the potential for noise nuisance from patrons.

The report pack lists a number of conditions that officers recommended should be added to the licence if it were to be granted.

Hackney Garden, 357A Wick Road

Mr Adeel Shahid applied for a new Premises Licence for Hackney Garden at 357A Wick Road.

Nine representations were received objecting to the application, and one was received from the Licensing Authority.

The Metropolitan Police Service and the Environmental Enforcement team initially objected to the application, but withdrew their objections after the applicant agreed to reduce the hours applied for and add a number of conditions to the licence.

The application was for a new licence to allow Late Night Refreshment.

The applicant originally proposed hours of:

• 11:00 to 05:00, Monday to Sunday

After discussion with the Metropolitan Police Service these hours were reduced to:

• 11:00 to 02:00, Monday to Thursday
• 11:00 to 04:00, Friday and Saturday
• 11:00 to 02:00, Sunday

Licensing Authority

The Licensing Authority objected to the application on the grounds of Prevention of Public Nuisance.

They note that the hours applied for are outside of the core hours specified in Hackney Council's Statement of Licensing Policy, and note that:

The proposed hours of activity could therefore have a negative impact on the promotion of the licensing objectives, in particular, the prevention of public nuisance given the nature of the surrounding area.

Other Persons

The nine representations that were received from other people all object to the application.

The majority of these representations focus on the potential for increased noise disturbance during the late evening and early morning.

One resident writes:

The operation of late-night refreshment services will result in increased noise levels from customers. Late-night patrons buying and consuming alcohol and/or food are likely to congregate outside the premises, creating disturbances late at night. These will extend into the early hours. This is particularly concerning given the residential nature of the surrounding area, where many families, elderly residents, and individuals who work early hours reside.

Another resident writes:

Allowing Hackney Garden to operate until 4am will inevitably lead to increased noise levels during the early hours of the morning. Currently, the noise from people at the bus stop, combined with music from cars and general disturbances, already affects the peacefulness of our neighborhood. Extending the hours will exacerbate this issue, disrupting the sleep of residents and contributing to a decline in our quality of life.

The report pack lists a number of conditions that officers recommended should be added to the licence if it were to be granted.

Constitution Committee - Tuesday 29 October 2024

The Constitution Committee meeting of Hackney Council on Tuesday 29 October 2024 was scheduled to include a review of the Council's constitution one year after it came into effect. Councillors were also scheduled to note proposed updates to the Council's constitution and to review the committee's draft work programme for 2024/2025.

One Year Review of the Hackney Council Constitution

Councillors on the Constitution Committee were scheduled to receive a report on the use and effectiveness of the Council's constitution since its adoption in 2023. The report found that

Whilst the Constitution contains a large number of rules and protocols, this report will focus on the public facing elements relating to committees of the council and the meeting procedure rules as set out in Part 4A - Council Procedure Rules and Part 4B - Cabinet Procedure Rules. [... ] In the development of the current Constitution, the design, layout, accessibility, ease of language and user-friendliness was also considered.

---

[... ] As part of the process in developing the current iteration of the Council’s Constitution, a Constitution Officer Working Group (COWG), led by the Monitoring Officer, was established. The purpose of COWG is to carry out research and help the committee establish some of the gaps in the Constitution as well as areas that could be strengthened to help improve efficiency and effectiveness in the Council’s operations.

The report notes that there has been an increase in public participation in Cabinet and Full Council meetings since the new constitution was adopted but that there was no evidence to suggest that this increase was caused by the new constitution.

The report goes on to suggest that the committee consider surveying members of the public who have participated in Council meetings and that they

canvass feedback from their respective political group colleagues and make proposals to COWG on areas for review they would like to see in the refreshed Constitution.

Constitution Committee's Draft Work Programme 2024/2025

The Committee was scheduled to review its draft work programme for 2024/2025. The draft work programme included proposals to consider updates to the Council's constitution in February 2025, and to adopt a refreshed constitution at the Council Annual Meeting in May 2025.

Terms of Reference of the Constitution Committee

The Committee was scheduled to note its terms of reference and receive a report on proposed updates to the Council's constitution since its implementation in September 2023.

Audit Committee - Thursday 31 October 2024

The meeting included a presentation of the external auditor's annual report, updates on the Council's statement of accounts for 2023/24, and reports on treasury management activity. In addition, the Committee was scheduled to consider risk registers for the Chief Executive's Directorate and Finance and Corporate Resources. It also included a report on the performance of the Audit and Anti-Fraud service.

External Audit Reports 2021/22 & 2022/23

The Committee was scheduled to consider the annual reports from Hackney Council's external auditors, Forvis Mazars, for the financial years 2021/22 and 2022/23. The report for 2021/22 included the external auditor's certificate, confirming the completion of the audit. The reports contain details of the audits that were undertaken, including the scope of the work and the significant risks identified. The key risks identified in both years include the valuation of the Council's land and buildings, the valuation of the Council's investment properties and the valuation of the Council's liabilities for the Local Government Pension Scheme⁷. In addition, the reports provide commentary on the Council's arrangements for Value for Money (VFM). The external auditors conclude that:

...we had completed our work on the Council’s arrangements to secure economy, efficiency and effectiveness in its use of resources and had not issued recommendations in relation to identified significant weaknesses in those arrangements.

Statement of Accounts 2023/24

The Committee was scheduled to consider a report on the Council's unaudited statement of accounts for the 2023/24 financial year. The Committee is responsible for approving the statement of accounts under the Council's constitution, as those charged with governance. A key element of the statement of accounts is the Annual Governance Statement (AGS), which explains how the Council has complied with its adopted Local Code of Governance and meets the requirements for the publication of a Statement on Internal Control. The report notes that seven significant governance issues were identified for inclusion within the AGS, these include:

• The corporate impact of the 2020 cyber attack
• Significant cost pressures in Adult Social Care, Children & Families, Hackney Education & Temporary Accommodation
• Senior officer capacity
• Housing disrepair incorporating damp and mould issues
• Multiple external assessments including the Corporate peer challenge, Ofsted Inspection of Local Authority Children's Services, SEND Inspection, Adult Social Care Services peer review, and the ICO review of data protection arrangements
• Housing Responsive Repairs overspend
• Contract Management in Planned Asset Management

The statement of accounts contains estimated figures that are based on assumptions made by the Council about the future or that are otherwise uncertain. For example, the report identifies two contingent liabilities:

• An estimated liability of approximately £600,000 related to care costs arising from a historic ordinary residence dispute involving multiple local authorities.
• A contingent liability in respect of a procurement challenge issued in the High Court, with the claimant seeking damages estimated at between £2 million and £5 million. The report also identifies a contingent asset:
• A commercial claim issued in the High Court relating to breach of contract/defective premises concerning the construction of a residential building. The total damages that could be awarded to the Council if successful have not been determined but could reach tens of millions of pounds.

External Audit Completion Report 2023/24

The committee was scheduled to consider a progress report from the Council's external auditors on the completion of the audit for the 2023/24 financial year. The report notes that two objections to the accounts have been received and are currently being reviewed. The external auditors are required to complete their audit work on the Council's VFM arrangements in accordance with the Code of Audit Practice issued by the National Audit Office. The external auditors note that:

...they have not identified any significant weaknesses that would necessitate a recommendation.

Treasury Management

The Committee was scheduled to consider a report providing an update on treasury management activity. The report covers both the outturn position for 2023/24 and the activity in the first quarter (July to September 2024) of the current financial year. The report notes that:

In 2023/24, UK bond markets faced volatility as the Bank of England raised rates to combat persistent inflation and strong economic conditions. The Bank Rate increased by 1%, from 4.25% in April 2023 to 5.25% by March 2024. In 2023/24 the Council did not access any new borrowing, but it has subsequently borrowed £81 million from the Public Works Loan Board to support the housing capital programme. In addition, the Council currently has an outstanding loan of £0.8 million from the European Investment Bank, which was taken out in July 2014 to fund energy efficiency improvements in social housing. The report also provides an update on the Council's investment activity. The Council held average cash balances of £47 million during the reported period, compared to an average £98 million for the same period last financial year. The report notes that the Council's average interest rate on investments has fallen from 5.2% in 2023/24 to 4.98% in the current financial year. The Council's capital financing requirement (CFR), which is the underlying need to borrow, is forecast to be £492 million as at 31 March 2025. The CFR is forecast to rise to £1,143 million as at 31 March 2027. The report sets out the Council's authorised limit for external borrowing: ...irrespective of their indebted status... This limit is currently £778 million. The Council also sets an operational boundary for external debt, which is the most likely scenario. The operational boundary is currently set at £762 million. The report also sets out the Council's proposed capital expenditure programme, which includes expenditure of £161 million in the current financial year, rising to £491 million in 2026/27. The capital programme is funded by a combination of prudential borrowing, Section 106/CIL⁸ receipts, capital receipts, grants, and the revenue contribution to capital outlay. The report also sets out the ratio of financing costs to net revenue stream, which is an indicator of affordability. The ratio for the HRA is forecast to rise from 26% in the current financial year to 33% in 2026/27.

Chief Executive's Directorate Risk Register

The Committee was scheduled to consider the Chief Executive's Directorate Risk Register. The register identifies the key risks facing the directorate, which includes the following service areas:

• Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services
• Policy and Strategic Delivery
• Human Resources and Organisational Delivery
• Communication and Engagement
• Procurement

The report identifies a range of risks including:

• The risk of external factors undermining the Council's ability to deliver against the priorities in the Community Strategy 2018-2028 and the Strategic Plan 2022-26. In particular, the report identifies: > Ongoing economic uncertainty including entrenching poverty and inequality (with the ongoing cost of living crisis), housing affordability, population churn and change, increased complexity of need in communities and eroded trust and confidence.
• The risk of key LB Hackney partners' strategies and implementation plans diverging from the overall vision and strategy for Hackney.
• The risk that the cost of living crisis will impact on the Council and its partners' ability to deliver services, as well as on their staff. The report notes that: > Increased poverty is likely to increase demand for advice, food banks, and other voluntary sector partner services. Increased costs for VCS partners - could lead to the cutting of services and/or staff (which could lead to job losses for local residents). Increased competition for council funding as well as funding generally. All of this would impact severely on overall service delivery.
• The risk that consultation and community engagement activity does not provide relevant information and/or does not reach or get feedback from a wide and diverse range of people in Hackney.
• The risk that directorates and services fail to seek timely legal advice, or to follow the advice that is received.
• The risk that lawyers and the Governance Team fail to identify in a timely manner legal and governance risks that arise in case management and non-compliance with governance procedures.
• The risk of reputational damage arising from problems with the conduct of Council meetings, where there are insufficient resources to support live-streamed meetings, where members may be in remote attendance, and where there are problems with the infrastructure at Hackney Town Hall. The report notes that: > This continues to be a risk while stop-gap solutions are in place and resolutions being sought.
• The risk that demand for Legal Services is greater than the service can deliver due to a lack of sufficient resources.
• The risk that the Legal Service's case management system, which had to be replaced after it became unusable following the 2020 cyber attack, is not fit for purpose.
• The risk that non-compliance with the statutory requirements for Elections could lead to invalid processes, resulting in legal action and the need to re-hold elections, incurring additional costs and reputational damage.
• The risk of supplier failure and poor performance from the Council's suppliers and contractors/partners.

Finance and Corporate Resources Risk Register

The Committee was scheduled to consider the Finance and Corporate Resources Directorate Risk Register. The register identified a range of risks, including:

• The risk to budgetary stability relating to both budget setting and budgetary control and medium-term financial planning. The report identifies several reasons for concern, including: > The Council is currently heading towards a £36 million overspend, which presents a major challenge going forward. Rising homelessness levels and pressure on children’s services, education, social care and health have seen the Council add a “significant” increase to its spending forecasts.
• The risk to the Council's corporate savings delivery programme, relating to the accuracy of corporate financial planning.
• The risk that the Council fails to effectively deliver the annual budget-setting process.
• The risk that elected members are not adequately informed on the Council's financial position, both current and future.
• The risk that the Council is not properly prepared for changes in guidance on the Prudential Code and Minimum Revenue Provision.
• The risk that the Council's reserves are insufficient to provide the necessary financial resilience.
• The risk that the Council fails to effectively monitor its expenditure against the budget.
• The risk that the Council fails to manage its capital position during the year.
• The risk that there is a financial mismatch between the value of the assets in the Hackney Pension Fund⁹ and the cost of the Fund's liabilities. The report notes that this could lead to: > ...an increase in the cost of meeting the Fund’s liabilities.
• The risk of delays in the development and implementation of new technology by the Customer Services Team, resulting in delays in service delivery and a poor customer experience.
• The risk of poor data quality in some service areas.

Audit and Anti-Fraud Progress Report to September 2024

The Committee was scheduled to consider a report on the Audit and Anti-Fraud Progress Report for the first half of the 2024/25 financial year. The report covers both Internal Audit and Anti-Fraud activity. The report sets out the Internal Audit function's key performance indicators:

• The percentage of planned audits completed to final/draft report stage is currently 21%, compared to 18% at the same

This week in Hackney:

• The Licensing Sub Committee A was scheduled to consider an application for a variation to a Premises Licence for Depmseys, a cocktail bar at 90 Mountgrove Road, as well as the Council’s Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Procedure.

Licensing Sub Committee A - Wednesday 23 October 2024

This meeting was scheduled to consider an application to vary the Premises Licence of Dempsey’s, a cocktail bar at 90 Mountgrove Road, London, N5 2LT. The application requested permission for later opening hours. The committee also had the Council's Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Procedure scheduled for discussion. As no transcript of the meeting is available, this update focuses on the contents of the report pack. This means we know what was due to be discussed, but not yet what decisions were made.

Variation of Premises Licence: Dempsey’s, 90 Mountgrove Road, N5 2LT

Michael Gerrard Murray applied to vary the licence of Dempsey’s to allow the sale of alcohol and late night refreshment until 1am Wednesday to Saturday and midnight on Sunday, Monday and Tuesday. The application stated that the venue had a small screen that would occasionally be used to show classic films, predominantly as background entertainment. It also stated that they would occasionally have live jazz music, most likely one night per week.

The application described Dempsey’s as:

a unique cocktail/wine bar experience [with an] atmosphere of a private members club

The application claimed that Dempsey’s was:

predominantly a destination venue for couples and small groups

and noted that:

cocktails are all freshly made and priced from £13 and up

The application stated that because the venue is small and self-contained, with luxurious internal decoration and table service, it would not cause noise pollution or nuisance.

No representations were received from the Metropolitan Police, or from the Council's Environmental Health or Planning departments.

The Licensing Authority submitted a representation on the grounds that the application could have a negative impact on the prevention of public nuisance objective of the Licensing Act 2003¹, because:

the proposed hours would result in patrons leaving the premises during the early hours of the morning. Disturbances are likely to be caused at these hours due to noise from raised voices and/or patrons being picked up by taxis or private hire vehicles

The Licensing Authority also noted that:

the application seeks hours of operation which are somewhat beyond those as set out in the Council’s Licensing Policy

The current Hackney Council Statement of Licensing Policy (2023-2028) states that:

Hours for licensable activity will generally be authorised, subject to demonstrating LP 1 and LP2, as follows:

• Monday to Thursday 08:00 to 23:00
• Friday and Saturday 08:00 to 00:00
• Sunday 10:00 to 22:30

The Licensing Authority noted that planning records appear to show that when the change of use from an art gallery (Use Class A1) to a wine bar (Use Class A4)² was granted in 2016, the approved hours of opening were from 12:00 to 23:00.

Two representations objecting to the application were received on behalf of local residents. The representations cited the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm as reasons for their objections. Readers may recall that similar objections were raised at the Licensing Sub-Committee E meeting on 15 October in relation to the application from 392-393 Mentmore Terrace.

Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Procedure

The Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Procedure document set out the procedure that was scheduled to be followed during the meeting. It stated that:

Only those Responsible Authorities and Other Persons who have made a relevant representation in writing at the consultation stage can register to speak at a subsequent hearing.

It also noted that:

For new applications relating to Premises Licences and Club Premises Certificates, Members can grant with additional conditions attached to the licence, exclude any licensable activities, refuse a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) if appropriate or reject the application

The document set out a number of steps that were scheduled to be followed during the meeting, including the presentation of the Licensing Officer's report, the presentation of the applicant's case, the presentation of the cases of the Responsible Authorities and Other Persons and a period of discussion.

Readers will recall that we have written about Licensing Sub-Committee hearings in detail before.

“Each Licensing Authority in England and Wales is required to publish a Statement of Licensing Policy. This document sets out how the Licensing Authority will consider applications for Premises Licences, and other types of licences, and will often include specific policies on topics such as the prevention of crime and disorder, the protection of children from harm, and the cumulative impact of licensed premises.”

You can find details of all upcoming licensing applications and decisions on the Council's website.

This week in Hackney:

• The Licensing Sub Committee E met on Tuesday to discuss applications from 392-393 Mentmore Terrace, Cafe Kowloon, and The Gun for new and varied Premises Licences¹.
• The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission met on Monday to discuss the Ofsted inspection of Hackney Children and Families Service and reviewed the service's action plan to address issues raised in the report.

Licensing Sub Committee E - Tuesday 15 October 2024

This meeting was scheduled to consider three applications for licensed premises in Hackney. Two of the applications were about making changes to existing licences, while the other was for a new licence.

392-393 Mentmore Terrace, Hackney

An application was submitted for a new premises licence for a restaurant at 392-393 Mentmore Terrace. The applicant proposed that the restaurant should be allowed to:

• Sell alcohol from 10am to 11pm Monday to Sunday.
• Play recorded music indoors from 10am to 11pm Monday to Sunday.
• Provide late night refreshment indoors from 11pm to 11:30pm Monday to Sunday.

The application received objections from 17 local residents, as well as from Councillor Ben Hayhurst and Councillor Katie Hanson. The residents' objections primarily focussed on the potential for noise at the venue, and the fact that there are already a number of licensed premises in the area:

This application, if successful, would result in yet another noisy bar / restaurant in what is a predominantly residential area and will have a significant detrimental impact on all those residents living in close proximity.

The Metropolitan Police also submitted an objection to the application, on the basis that the applicant has not applied to become a member of the Hackney Pubwatch scheme. The Police withdrew their objection after the applicant confirmed that they would be willing to join the Pubwatch scheme.

Cafe Kowloon, 438 Kingsland Road, Dalston, E8 2QD

The licence holder of Cafe Kowloon applied for a variation to their existing licence. The key changes proposed by the variation were to:

• Allow the sale of alcohol for consumption off the premises until midnight, Monday to Sunday.
• Remove a number of conditions from the existing licence.

The applicant stated that these changes were necessary because their business has changed:

the style of the business has now changed and is now primarily takeaway

The application received an objection from a local resident on the basis that the change in business would increase antisocial behaviour in the area. The Police and the Licensing Authority also submitted representations.

The Gun, 235 Well Street, Hackney E9 6RG.

The licence holder of The Gun applied to vary the conditions on their licence to allow children under 18 to be present in the beer garden of the pub until 9pm each day. They stated that the beer garden is a family-friendly space:

We are a family-run pub and are keen to promote our family-friendly beer garden. It is a green and airy space, and there are numerous picnic benches.

This application did not receive any representations from members of the public, the Police, or the Licensing Authority.

You may recall that a number of applications for new and varied premises licences were discussed by the Licensing Sub Committee B at its meeting on 2 September 2024 and the Licensing Sub-Committee D at its meeting on 5 August 2024.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Monday 14 October 2024

The meeting began with a discussion of the Ofsted inspection of Hackney Children and Families Service, which took place from 1-12 July 2024. The service was judged to be 'good' in the inspection report, published on 20 August 2024. The Commission heard from officers about the key issues raised in the inspection report and reviewed the service's action plan to address these issues, which was to be submitted to Ofsted in November.

Ofsted Inspection Action Plan

Councillors questioned officers about a range of themes and issues raised in the inspection report.

The Commission noted that Ofsted had judged the 'timely allocation of accommodation for care leavers' and the 'consistency of responses to care leavers' as requiring improvement. Officers were questioned on the service's plans to improve housing support for care leavers, including plans to add all care leavers to the Hackney Housing Register¹.

The inspection had found there were insufficient Children's Rights Officers within children's services to undertake return home interviews for children who had gone missing from care. The Commission were reassured by the appointment of two additional officers in August to address this issue.

The Commission were also concerned that data recording for Young Carers and life story work was inconsistent and incomplete, particularly following the cyber attack on the Council in 2022. Officers outlined the work being done to improve data systems and reporting across the service, as well as plans to roll out a new digital 'memory box' to record information for care leavers.

The Commission also sought further information about the impact of the reduction of management layers within Children's Social Care, following previous concerns raised by Ofsted about a lack of management oversight in cases.

The Commission also questioned officers about the high number of placement breakdowns in residential placements for children in care, particularly for children aged 12 and over. In response, officers outlined plans to improve support for both foster carers and residential care providers and to develop new residential care services directly provided by the council.

Cabinet Q&A

The Commission questioned Mayor Philip Glanville on three policy areas: Commissioning of independent non-maintained SEND provision, the roll out of the free childcare entitlement, and the graduated response to SEND in schools.

Commissioning of non-maintained SEND services

The Commission were concerned about the high number of children with SEND being educated in independent non-maintained schools, both within and outside of the borough. In response, the Mayor outlined plans to develop additional state-funded SEND provision within Hackney, including a new Additional Resource Provision (ARP) at Daniel House in Stoke Newington and a new special school.

Roll out of free childcare entitlement in Hackney

The Commission questioned the Mayor about the recent changes to the free childcare entitlement for working parents of two year olds and children aged nine months to three years. Councillors noted concerns from local providers about the challenges of delivering the extended entitlement, particularly around recruitment and retention of staff, and queried what steps the council was taking to support providers.

Graduated SEND Response

The Commission questioned the Mayor about the effectiveness of the council's graduated response to SEND in schools. The Commission heard that the council had recently updated its guidance to schools on the graduated response and were interested to see if the changes would lead to a reduction in requests for Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs). Councillors also asked about feedback from schools, children and parents on the graduated response and what steps the council was taking to ensure that all schools were engaging effectively with it.

Housing Support for Care Leavers

The Commission reviewed a report from officers providing a written response to questions asked at a previous meeting on 11 September 2024 about the housing support available to care leavers. This followed a joint review of the service by the Children and Young People's and Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commissions in 2022-23.

The Commission noted the development of a new 'Housing First' project, run by Centrepoint, to support 10 care leavers with complex needs into social housing. They also welcomed the appointment of Rickardo Hyatt, Group Director for Climate Homes and Economy, to chair a new task and finish group to oversee the improvement of housing support for care leavers.

This week in Hackney:

• The Licensing Sub Committee E discussed an interim license for Bar A Bar on Stoke Newington Road.
• The Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee discussed awarding a contract for sexual and reproductive health services, and proposals for the Amhurst Road & Pembury Circus Transformation project.
• The Scrutiny Panel discussed the council's budget, and the council's response to the recent humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
• The Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission discussed the transfer of specialized services commissioning from NHS England to the North East London Integrated Care Board.
• The Planning Sub-Committee reviewed three planning applications and a number of delegated decisions.
• The Licensing Sub Committee A considered an application for a new premises licence for 83 Rivington Street.
• The Health and Wellbeing Board was scheduled to discuss the work of a 'co-production' group, a report on obesity in the borough, and a review of suicide prevention services. A further meeting was scheduled for Tuesday, in which officers were to make decisions about the procurement of several services.

Scrutiny Panel - Monday 07 October 2024

This meeting of the Scrutiny Panel discussed two significant issues: the Council's finances, which are under considerable pressure, and the performance of the Council’s complaints handling processes. The meeting also heard from Dawn Carter-McDonald, the new Chief Executive of Hackney Council.

Council Budget

The meeting considered a report on the Council’s finances, which showed a significant and increasing projected overspend for 2024/25, a pattern we have seen in previous reports to the panel. The overspend, after mitigations, was expected to be £36,705,000. This is a significant increase from the £21,433,000 overspend that was reported in May. This increase is primarily being driven by the increasing cost of caring for vulnerable adults and children, and the cost of providing temporary accommodation for over 3,000 homeless families in the borough.

The report set out a number of measures that the Council was taking to mitigate the projected overspend, including pausing revenue contributions to capital projects, drawing down on specific reserves, and implementing recruitment controls. The report also stated that the Council had established a monthly Budget Recovery Board, to be chaired by the Chief Executive.

Chief Executive's Question Time

Ms Carter-McDonald gave a presentation on her personal goals, and spoke about the challenges and opportunities facing the Council. She said that her priorities were to build a culture where all staff feel that they belong in Hackney, to ensure equality and anti-racism throughout the organisation, to prioritise staff well-being, to ensure that the Council is a listening organisation, and to deliver on the objectives of the strategic plan.

Ms Carter-McDonald acknowledged that the Council was facing a number of challenges, including the challenging budgetary situation, and the need to improve morale amongst staff. She said that the Council was taking steps to address these challenges, and that she was confident that the Council would be able to deliver on its objectives.

In response to questions from the Panel, Ms Carter-McDonald said that the Council was working with London Councils to lobby the government to change the rules on housing benefit subsidy for temporary accommodation, and that the Council was attempting to take more control of its supply of temporary accommodation, including through the purchase of hostels and lease deals, with the aim of bringing unit costs down.

Ms Carter-McDonald said that she was confident that the Council would be able to make its voice heard in central government, and to influence policy in a way that would have a positive impact on Hackney. She said that the Council would be working closely with the Greater London Authority, London Councils, and the Local Government Association to shape policy, and that the Council had a number of really good relationships with key government officials.

Hackney Council Complaints and Enquiries Annual Report 2023/2024

The Panel considered a report on the Council’s complaints handling processes, which showed that the Council was receiving an unprecedented number of complaints, particularly in relation to housing services. The number of stage 2 complaints had more than tripled since the pre-COVID period, and the Council had paid out £170,000 in compensation to residents.

The report noted that the high escalation rate for Housing Services suggested that there was potentially a reluctance to find fault where it exists.

Riccardo Hyatt, Group Director for Climate, Homes & Economy, told the Panel that the Council was actively reviewing its performance and that it was holding regular meetings with its contractors to discuss ways of working together. He explained that the Council's Housing Improvement Programme included work on placing residents at the heart of service delivery, and that this would include work on how the Council responds to complaints and ensures that it is being proactive in addressing residents' concerns.

Steve Waddington, Director of Housing, told the Panel that the Council was implementing a number of changes to its repairs processes, such as changing the categorisation of leaks from controllable to emergency repairs. He explained that this meant that the Council was now responding to 90% of leaks within 36 hours.

Cllr McKenzie, Cabinet Member for Housing Services and Resident Participation, acknowledged that the current state of Housing Services was not where we want to be but said that the Council was leaning in the right direction in terms of performance, turnarounds and also around resident satisfaction. She said that there was still a long way to go, but that she believed that the Council's initiatives, together with a new IT system, would lead to real benefits for residents in the coming year.

Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee - Friday 11 October 2024

This meeting was to consider a number of reports relating to the Council's procurement activities. The most significant topic discussed was the transformation of the area around Amhurst Road and Pembury Circus in Hackney Central.

Amhurst Road & Pembury Circus Transformation

The meeting was scheduled to consider a report on the Amhurst Road & Pembury Circus Transformation. This project, funded by the Central Government's Levelling Up Fund, is scheduled to make major changes to the Hackney Central area. The main feature of the scheme is a bus gate on Amhurst Road between its junctions with Brett Road and Graham Road. It also includes a redesign of the Pembury Circus junction, which is described as one of the most dangerous in the borough. The project is aimed at improving road safety, enhancing social engagement, reducing vehicle emissions, and improving air quality.

The report claims that the scheme is needed because the area currently suffers from excessive traffic congestion, and that the area around Pembury Circus is one of the worst areas in the borough for air quality. It states that the bus gate will operate from 7am to 7pm, and that it will be enforced by cameras. Exemptions will be available for buses, cyclists, emergency vehicles, Hackney waste services, and HAC01 permit holders (available to all Hackney Blue Badge holders). The report states that the operational times of the bus gate are in line with similar schemes in Hackney.

The report included a summary of the responses to the Hackney Central Conversation engagement exercise, and the subsequent co-design stage. It states that the proposals have been endorsed by the TfL Road Space Performance Group, but that there have been objections from the Metropolitan Police Service and Disability Backup.

The report included a traffic modelling report, which predicted that the scheme would lead to a significant reduction in traffic on Amhurst Road, Mare Street, and Chatsworth Road, but that there would be displacement along Graham Road and Navarino Road. It also predicted that bus journey times would improve on most routes, and that there would be a slight increase in journey times for general traffic travelling from Graham Road to Mare Street south.

The report included an air quality impact assessment, which predicted that the scheme would lead to a significant reduction in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) concentrations in the area, but that there would be a slight increase in NO2 concentrations on some surrounding roads. It stated that the Council will be installing a new permanent automatic air quality monitoring station on Graham Road to monitor the impact of the scheme on air quality.

The report included an equality impact assessment, which predicted that the scheme would have a positive impact on all protected groups. It stated that the Council has carefully considered the potential impact of this scheme on individuals with the following protected characteristics: age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, race, religion or belief, sex, sexual orientation, and pregnancy and maternity. The report stated that the Council has taken steps to mitigate any negative impacts of the scheme on protected groups, including the retention of all doctor, disabled and ambulance bays in the scheme area, taking into account emergency services feedback and ensuring that traffic filters are navigable for emergency vehicles, and ensuring that all properties, shops and residences alike, are still accessible by vehicle.

Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee - Monday 07 October 2024

This meeting considered a number of signficant reports relating to the Council's procurement activities.

Planned Capital Works Contracts for Property Asset Management

The meeting considered the procurement strategy for capital works contracts. It was proposed to procure these services through a mini-competition off an external framework. A framework agreement is a type of contract that allows the Council to procure services from a pre-approved list of suppliers, and they are becoming an increasingly popular procurement tool for the public sector. The framework in question, Fusion21, was established to allow public sector organisations to procure a range of services relating to property asset management including refurbishment, construction, and building improvements. The report recommended procuring up to four contracts, each for a two-year period, at a total cost of £180,000,000.

Contract Variation Mandeville Primary School - Facade Repairs Batch 3

The committee was asked to retrospectively approve a contract variation for works at Mandeville Primary School following a health and safety incident. The report pack stated that, whilst work was being undertaken to repair the school's facade, a corner terracotta stone corbel failed and detached itself. The incident resulted in an extension of the project timeline from August 2022 to May 2024. The total cost of the contract variation was £1,840,237.07.

Parking Services ICT Systems Reprocurement

The committee was asked to approve the direct award of a contract to Polaris Software for the provision of IT systems for the Council’s Parking and Markets Service. The contract was to be awarded for a two year period, with an optional one year extension, and would be worth £3,000,000. The report pack stated that this was necessary to ensure continuity of service whilst the Council prepared for a full open procurement process.

DN699359 - Lift Servicing and Repairs Contract

The meeting discussed the procurement of two five-year contracts for the servicing and repair of lifts in the Council’s housing stock. The total value of the contracts was to be £55,849,401.99, with the option to extend the contracts for a further five years. The meeting considered the strategy for this procurement, including the benefits of splitting the contract into two, one for the east and one for the west of the borough, as well as the option to include the provision of new lifts in the scope of the contracts.

Commissioning of Clinical Sexual Health Services and NHS Health Checks

This item was about the commissioning of sexual health services in Hackney. These services were last procured in 2014, and the current contract is due to expire in 2025. The committee was asked to agree to the commissioning of a new contract for a period of up to eight years, and to authorise the use of a direct award process to appoint the existing provider.

The meeting was also asked to approve the continuation of Open Doors, a programme that provides support to sex workers, and to agree to the recommissioning of NHS Health Checks, which are offered to people aged 40-74 to help them to identify their risk of developing certain health conditions.

The Council has a legal duty to provide sexual health services under the National Health Service Act 2006. The Council's Public Health department is responsible for commissioning these services, which are then delivered by a range of providers, including the Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust. Hackney's Sexual Health Services provide a range of services, including:

• Contraception
• Testing and treatment for sexually transmitted infections (STIs)
• HIV prevention and support
• Sexual health advice and information
• Support for sex workers

The meeting was to consider a number of key issues, including the quality and accessibility of services, the needs of different groups of residents, and the cost of services.

The report included a detailed breakdown of the budget for the service, which was said to be £28.992 million. The report also included details of how the direct award process would be used, and how this complied with the council's procurement rules. The meeting was also to consider the impact of the proposals on equality and diversity.

Commissioning of Sexual and Reproductive Health Promotion Services

The meeting considered proposals for the commissioning of sexual and reproductive health promotion services. The committee was asked to agree to the use of a framework agreement to procure these services, which would be led by the London Borough of Newham. A framework agreement is a type of contract that allows the Council to procure services from a pre-approved list of suppliers.

The report pack stated that Hackney's contribution to the framework would be £875k. The meeting was to consider the benefits of using a framework agreement, the quality and accessibility of services, the needs of different groups of residents, and the cost of services.

The committee was also asked to agree to Hackney's continued participation in the London HIV Prevention Programme, a city-wide programme that aims to reduce the number of new HIV infections.

Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission - Tuesday 08 October 2024

The Commission heard from a number of speakers about the transfer of commissioning responsibilities for specialised services from NHS England to the North East London Integrated Care Board (ICB) in April 2025, and discussed the potential impact of these changes on the provision of HIV services. They also considered a report on maternal mental health disparities in Hackney.

Transfer of specialised services commissioning to NHS NEL - focus on HIV services

Archana Mathur, Director of Specialised Services and Cancer at NHS NEL, explained that the transfer would allow the ICB to work more closely with local authorities and other partners to plan and commission services in a way that better reflects local needs. She said that the change would lead to a shift from a historical provider-based allocation of funding to one based on population needs, with deprivation, age, and sex all being taken into account.

Mark Santos, Chief Executive of Positive East, raised concerns about whether the total funding available for HIV services in North East London was sufficient. Chris Lovitt, Deputy Director of Public Health at Hackney Council, outlined Hackney's response to the challenge of HIV, including a new Sexual and Reproductive Health Strategy which was developed in close collaboration with service providers and residents.

Dr Adam Croucher, HIV Clinical Lead at the Jonathan Mann Clinic at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, said that the new commissioning arrangements were an opportunity to improve services for HIV patients in Hackney and to address health inequalities. He emphasised the importance of early diagnosis and linkage to care.

Chris Buckley, Social Care Coordinator at the Jonathan Mann Clinic, said that cuts to funding for peer support services would be detrimental to patients.

Maternal mental health disparities

The Commission also heard from a number of speakers about the challenges around tackling maternal mental health disparities in Hackney. Justine Cawley, Trust wide Lead for Perinatal Health at the East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT), gave an overview of the services available in Hackney and said that the ELFT was working to address health inequalities, including a project with the Race and Health Observatory to increase access for Black African and Black Caribbean women to perinatal mental health services.

Jairzina Weir, Maternity Strategic Lead at the City & Hackney Place Based Partnership, outlined additional services available in the borough, including targeted antenatal classes for Black and Black-Mixed Heritage women, and for Turkish and African communities, and said that the Partnership was working to improve the quality of data collected on perinatal mental health in the borough.

Emma Yates, Safeguarding Midwife at the Homerton, gave an overview of the work being done at the hospital to improve maternity care for women from Black and Global Majority ethnicities, and highlighted the importance of targeted support.

Deborah Sayagh, Chair of the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership, and Rachael Buabeng, Co-Chair of the Maternity and Neonatal Voices Partnership Black and Black-Mixed Heritage sub-group, spoke about the importance of listening to the lived experiences of mothers and of acknowledging and addressing the statistics on maternal mortality.

Sarah Summersgill, Head of Nursing for Children at Homerton Healthcare NHS Foundation Trust, gave an overview of the work being done by the Enhanced Health Visiting service, and spoke about the difficulties faced in collecting data on ethnicity.

Cllr Anna Lynch, Vice Chair of the Commission, spoke about the importance of engaging with the voluntary and community sector to address maternal mental health disparities and raised concerns about the lack of diversity in the health visiting workforce.

Cllr Sophie Conway, Chair of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission, asked if there was any work being done to analyse data on families whose children are in care, to see if there were any missed opportunities to provide support.

Cllr Claudia Turbet-Delof asked about the support available to migrant women and the steps being taken to ensure they are not afraid to access healthcare. She also raised concerns about the quality of data on maternal mental health and whether the data is disaggregated by ethnicity.

Cllr Jasmine Martins asked if there had been any analysis of the link between the high rates of maternal mortality among Black women and mental health issues. She also asked whether the service was taking cultural differences into account when providing support.

Diane Jones, Chief Nursing Officer at the ICB, said that the ICB was committed to improving maternal mental health outcomes for all women, and that mental health would be a key consideration in any reconfiguration of maternity services.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Thursday 10 October 2024

This meeting was scheduled to receive updates on a range of public health issues in the borough including homelessness, obesity and suicide prevention. The meeting was also scheduled to hear from the Local Government Association (LGA) about its review of how the Health and Wellbeing Board works.

Community Voice: Rough Sleeping Pop-up

The meeting was to receive an update about the work of a 'co-production group' of local people experiencing complex needs around homelessness and rough sleeping. 'Co-production' is an approach to service delivery that seeks to bring together service providers and service users to design and deliver services together. The group, called the 'Brunch Bunch', produced an information leaflet, the Steps signposting flyer, which lists local services such as food banks and organisations that can provide warm clothing and advice on finances. The Board were scheduled to discuss the possibility of using the Assembly Rooms for a Christmas event that would provide a hot meal and information to people who are rough sleeping.

Report on the Development session for the Hackney Health & Wellbeing Board

The Board was to receive a report from the LGA on its review of the Board’s working practices. The review made a number of recommendations for improvements to the Board’s effectiveness, including suggestions about how to improve public engagement, the transparency of the agenda setting process, and the overall culture of the Board.

Population Health Hub Update & Health Inequalities Funding

The meeting was scheduled to consider a report on the Population Health Hub, which is a partnership of organisations that are working together to improve the health and well-being of Hackney residents. The report focused on the use of funding that is ring-fenced to address health inequalities. The meeting was to consider the progress made on a number of projects that have received funding, and the impact that they have had on the health of residents.

Review of the City & Hackney 'whole system' response to tackling obesity - including findings from the Healthy Weight Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA)

The Board was scheduled to consider the findings of the 2024 Healthy Weight Joint Strategic Needs Assessment (JSNA), a document that assesses the health needs of the population. The JSNA highlighted that obesity is a significant public health issue in Hackney, and made a number of recommendations for addressing the problem. These included: supporting women to breastfeed for longer; early years interventions that address healthy eating; making changes to school environments to increase healthy eating/reduce unhealthy eating; pharmacotherapy combined with behaviour change interventions to help people lose weight; making changes to the built environment to increase physical activity; and food growing in schools.

The report also highlighted the importance of taking a 'whole systems approach' to tackling obesity, which means that all parts of the system need to work together to address the problem.

Suicide Prevention Annual Report

The meeting was to receive the annual update on the work of the City and Hackney Suicide Prevention Partnership. The report highlighted that the number of suicides in Hackney was rising and that it was now higher than the national average. The report made a number of recommendations for improving suicide prevention services in the borough, including improving awareness of the issue and collecting better data on suicide risk.

Procurement Key Decisions - Tuesday 08 October 2024

This meeting was not open to the public, though its decisions will be published online. In the meeting, officers were scheduled to consider several procurement key decisions in relation to the following services:

• Speech and Language Therapy Services
• Young Parents Supported Accommodation Pathway
• Provision of Family Time Services for Looked After Children
• Procurement of an Employer's Agent, Quantity Surveyor, Clerk of Works and Associated multidisciplinary services for the combined Kings Crescent Estate (Phase 3 & 4) and Marian Court (Phase 3 & 4) New Homes Development Contract Award
• Apprenticeship Framework Extension Business Case
• Public Health Midwives Service

These key decisions were to be made under the Council’s Constitution and its Contract Procedure Rules. The Constitution sets out the Council’s governance framework, while the Contract Procedure Rules outline the rules and procedures for the Council’s procurement activities.

Planning Sub-Committee - Wednesday 09 October 2024

The Committee considered three significant planning applications, one for a new office building in Shoreditch, one to add an extra storey to two blocks of flats, and one for two new residential moorings.

201-207 Shoreditch High Street and 1 Fairchild Street, Hackney, London, E1 6LG

The committee were asked to consider an application from One Fairchild Street Limited / Rocket Properties for permission to build a 27 storey office building at 201-207 Shoreditch High Street and 1 Fairchild Street, Hackney, London, E1 6LG. The site is located within the South Shoreditch Conservation Area.

The report notes that the application site already has permission to build a 30 storey building, and describes the applicant’s proposals to mitigate any negative impacts of the development, and to ensure that the development is sustainable. It also details objections made by local residents, and the Council’s own conservation team. The report recommends that permission be granted subject to conditions.

78-94 and 79-95 Watermint Quay, London, N16 6DN

This application, from E Reich (Avon), requested permission to add an extra storey to two blocks of flats at 78-94 and 79-95 Watermint Quay, London, N16 6DN. The application was called in by Councillor Michael Desmond. Councillors sometimes 'call-in' planning applications if they believe that the application raises issues of wider public interest, or if the application has generated significant objections from local residents.

The proposed additional storey would create four new flats, and the report notes that this application was amended following pre-application advice from the council to include private amenity space in the form of balconies.

The report also details a number of objections from residents relating to the appearance of the building, and the potential loss of privacy, light and outlook.

1 Gainsborough Studios, Poole Street, London, N1 5ED

The Committee considered a proposal to install two new residential moorings on the Regent's Canal, a proposal that was referred to the committee because of the number of objections received. The report pack notes that the principle of residential moorings at this location had already been established in 2014, and describes the applicant’s proposals to mitigate any negative impacts of the development. It also details a number of objections made by residents about the loss of privacy, noise and the use of wood burners. The report recommends that permission be granted subject to conditions.

Licensing Sub Committee A - Wednesday 09 October 2024

The Sub Committee was asked to consider an application for a new premises licence for a bar in Shoreditch.

83 Rivington Street

The report pack contained an application from MKM Resources Ltd for a premises licence to authorise the sale of alcohol, provision of late night refreshment, and regulated entertainment at 83 Rivington Street in Shoreditch. The application requested a range of opening hours including permission to open until midnight or 1am every day.

The application was opposed by the Council’s Licensing Authority who noted that the location of the premises in Shoreditch had historically been subject to problems such as “public urination, street drinking, persons suffering from over-intoxication and public disorder”, and that the premises itself had had two licences revoked in recent years.

The application was also opposed by 28 local residents who expressed a range of concerns including potential noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour. However, three people submitted representations in support of the application, saying they believed that the premises would be a positive addition to the area. The meeting was to consider the concerns raised in the representations, as well as the applicant's proposed measures to promote the licensing objectives. These included the installation of CCTV, a Challenge 25 policy, and employing SIA licensed door supervisors.

Licensing Sub Committee D - Wednesday 9 October 2024

The Sub Committee were asked to consider whether to use their powers under the Licensing Act 2003 to take an interim step in relation to the premises licence¹ for Basement, 8 Stoke Newington Road, London N16 7XN, pending the outcome of a full review of the licence. The contents of the disussion were not made public, which implies that the information to be discussed in relation to this item was likely commercially sensitive.

Licensing Sub Committee E - Friday 11 October 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee E of Hackney Council met to consider what interim steps to take in regards to the licensed premises Bar A Bar on Stoke Newington Road ahead of a full review of its licence. The meeting was held using special urgency procedures, and some of it was not available to the public.

The sub-committee was scheduled to hear from the Police about their reasons for requesting interim steps be taken, and from the Premises Licence Holder as to why they believed that this was unnecessary.

The report pack states that the options available to the Licensing Sub-Committee when considering a Review application were:

• To modify the conditions of the licence.
• To exclude any licensable activities.
• To remove a Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) if appropriate.
• To suspend the licence/certificate for up to 3 months.
• To revoke the licence/certificate completely.

No decision has yet been published.

Last week in Hackney: The Cabinet was scheduled to discuss the Council's finances, a number of proposed changes to the borough's schools, and the allocation of funds from the Household Support Fund. The Pensions Committee met to receive a quarterly update on the Hackney Pension Fund, a draft plan to make the fund a signatory to the UK Stewardship Code, and feedback on a draft survey of members’ opinions on the fund's responsible investment strategy. The Skills, Economy and Growth Scrutiny Commission discussed the development of a Green Skills and Circular Economy Initiative, and received an update on the work that the council's Licensing service is doing to support the night time economy. The Licensing Sub Committee D considered applications for new Premises Licences for Sonora Taqueria on Stoke Newington High Street and a new bar on Rivington Street in Shoreditch.

Cabinet - Monday 30 September 2024

This meeting was scheduled to cover a wide range of topics concerning Hackney’s finances, schools, leisure facilities, the Household Support Fund and anti-social behaviour. A deputation was scheduled to be received relating to the Council's failure to implement three low traffic neighbourhoods in Dalston, Chatsworth Road and Hoxton.

Council Finances

The meeting was scheduled to receive a report that indicated an overspend of £36.7m across all council departments, an increase from the £21.4m overspend reported in May 2024. The main areas of projected overspend were Adult Social Care (£17.4m), Children’s Services (£8.1m), and Homelessness Prevention (£19.5m).

Readers may recall that the Council has faced significant financial challenges in recent years. In its 2022 manifesto, Hackney Labour pledged to protect frontline services and to continue to invest in our communities. However, the Council has had to make significant savings in recent years, and this overspend is likely to put further pressure on services.

The meeting was scheduled to consider a number of mitigations, including pausing some planned investment in the capital programme and the use of a number of the Council’s reserves, including the Localised Business Rates Pool Surplus¹. The total reserves available to the Council at the end of the 2023/24 financial year were £154.1m, with an expected reduction to £72.8m by the end of the 2024/25 financial year. The report also set out the level of savings which the Council had agreed in order to mitigate against budget pressures in future years, highlighting that some of the planned savings were at risk of not being achieved. It also considered the Council’s response to the cost of living crisis, particularly those measures in place to assist residents with the cost of food, fuel and housing.

The meeting was also scheduled to receive a report on the Council’s capital programme², noting that capital expenditure to the end of July 2024 was £23.8m with a forecast of £307.9m for the whole year. It was scheduled to consider two new spending proposals totalling £1.66m: £665,761 to expand provision for 30-hours free childcare and wraparound care, and £1,000,000 to redevelop two Council assets into children’s homes to provide 10 placements for children in care up to the age of 5.

In addition to the above proposals, the meeting was scheduled to consider the renewal of a lease of a property at 245 Old Street to Sainsbury's Supermarkets Ltd for 15 years.

School Estate Strategy

The meeting was scheduled to consider proposals to consult on changes to six schools in the borough. The recommendations in the report were to consult on the closure of four schools: two faith schools: St Dominics RC Primary School and St Mary's C of E Primary School, and two community schools: Oldhill Community Primary School and Sir Thomas Abney Primary School. The report set out the reasons for the proposed closures, including declining pupil numbers across all of the schools, the impact of declining pupil numbers on the schools’ budgets, and the increasing number of pupils with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) attending mainstream schools.

The proposals for Oldhill and Sir Thomas Abney schools also included the option to amalgamate the schools with other nearby schools in the borough, Harrington Hill Primary School and Holmleigh Primary School respectively.

Readers will recall that the Council previously consulted on the closure of four schools in August 2024, and made the decision to close those schools earlier this month. The Council’s School Organisation Plan 2023-2028 acknowledges that there is surplus capacity in the borough’s primary schools, and sets out a strategy for managing the transition to a smaller primary school estate.

“Declining pupil numbers is a London-wide issue, but it is particularly acute in Hackney. This is due to a number of factors, including falling birth rates, and the high cost of housing in the borough, which is forcing families to move out of the area. As a result, we need to make some difficult decisions about the future of our schools. We are committed to ensuring that all children in Hackney have access to a good quality education, and we will work closely with schools, parents, and the community to ensure that any changes are managed in a sensitive and supportive way.”

— Hackney Council, School Organisation Plan 2023-2028

If Cabinet agreed to the proposals for consultation, this would commence in October 2024, with a final decision to be made by Cabinet in April 2025.

The report also included the Council’s proposed response to issues raised in the consultation on the closure of four schools in August 2024, and set out what is proposed for the vacant sites, including the continuation of a children’s centre on one of the sites, the use of one of the sites to provide specialist SEND provision, and the repurposing of two sites into temporary accommodation.

The report considered the financial implications of the proposals, estimating that the potential costs could be as high as £9m if closure was delayed until September 2027. It was also scheduled to consider the impact on pupils, staff and communities surrounding the schools, recommending the implementation of a series of mitigating actions to address the negative impacts.

Household Support Fund

The meeting was scheduled to consider how it will use a £2.8m grant from the Department for Work and Pensions to provide support to residents facing financial hardship between October 2024 and March 2025. The recommended approach to using this grant was broadly the same as the previous allocation of this grant. It involved providing support to children and families with a focus on providing support to families eligible for free school meals and to those families in the Orthodox Jewish community who may not be receiving support from the Council. The report set out the organisations to receive funding, and the amount of funding to be allocated to each, and to other vulnerable residents known to the council including disabled residents and carers, refugees, foster carers, those living in temporary accommodation and children in need.

The report also argued that there was a need to develop more holistic and sustainable forms of support to prevent residents facing repeated financial crises and to improve relationships between services and organisations involved in supporting residents. It was also scheduled to consider the impact on the Council’s finances and its compliance with the public sector equality duty³.

Public Spaces Protection Order

The meeting was scheduled to consider the renewal of a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) to control antisocial behaviour associated with alcohol in all of the borough’s public spaces. The order, made under the Anti-Social Behaviour Crime and Policing Act 2014, will allow police officers and council officers to confiscate alcohol and issue fixed penalty notices to anyone drinking alcohol in a public place, if they are causing or likely to cause antisocial behaviour. Breach of the order without a reasonable excuse is a criminal offence and may result in a fine of £1000.

Readers may recall that we have reported on PSPOs before. PSPOs are intended to deal with a particular nuisance or problem in a particular area that is detrimental to the local community's quality of life.

“PSPOs can be used to tackle a wide range of anti-social behaviour, including alcohol-related crime and disorder, begging, and dog fouling. They can be enforced by the police, council officers, and other authorised persons.”

— The Open Council Network Agent, 16 September 2024

The report provided a summary of the responses received during the statutory consultation on the PSPO, including responses from residents, local businesses, community organisations, local police and other local authorities, highlighting that the majority of respondents supported the renewal of the PSPO. The report also considered the impact of the order on equality, sustainability and the Council’s finances.

Kings Hall Leisure Centre

The meeting was scheduled to consider a business case for the refurbishment of Kings Hall Leisure Centre. The report highlighted the Centre’s deteriorating condition and recommended that a comprehensive refurbishment be undertaken. The proposed scheme, estimated to cost £71.442m, will include the addition of a new training pool and a new two court sports hall to meet the Leisure Centre’s needs for the next 50 years. The report considered the financial viability of the project, its impact on the Council’s finances, the local community and on the delivery of the Council’s manifesto commitments.

Other business

The meeting was also scheduled to consider the unrestricted and restricted minutes of its previous meeting, the unrestricted minutes of the Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee, and to note a number of proposed appointments to Outside Bodies. The meeting was also scheduled to consider items in private that contain exempt information under Part 1 of Schedule 12A of the Local Government Act 1972.

Pensions Committee - Monday 30 September 2024

This meeting included a quarterly update on the financial performance of the Hackney Pension Fund, a report on the scheme's investments, and a draft plan to make the fund a signatory to the UK Stewardship Code. The meeting was also to consider feedback on a draft survey of scheme members’ opinions on the fund's responsible investment strategy.

Pension Fund Update

This was the second quarterly update of the 2024/25 financial year. It included a report on the Fund’s governance and funding, its investment strategy and performance, and its pensions administration and communications.

The report showed that the funding level of the Fund was estimated to be 139% as at 30 June 2024, which is an increase from 106% at the last valuation on 31 March 2022. This improvement in funding was said to have been driven by a sharp rise in global interest rates, which has resulted in a decrease in the value of the scheme's liabilities.

The report also noted that the Fund's investment consultants, Redington, had reported that inflation was continuing to have an impact on investment returns. Readers may recall that inflation has been high in the UK for some time, and this is putting pressure on pension funds to deliver real returns for their members.

The report also included an update on the work that was being done to implement the McCloud remedy⁴. The report said that the Fund was on target to have the remedy in place by the deadline.

High Level Monitoring Report

This report included a summary of the Fund's progress against its Business Plan, its Strategic Objectives Scorecard, and its Risk Register.

The report said that work to implement a new asset allocation was on target. The report also said that the Pensions Team was continuing to address the risks identified in relation to the McCloud Project and the impact of inflation on the Fund's assets.

Funding Risk Update

This report provided an update on the funding risks faced by the Fund in light of recent changes in the economic environment.

The report noted that the funding level of the Fund had improved significantly since the last valuation, rising to 139% as at the end of June 2024. This was said to have been driven by the rise in interest rates, which has reduced the value of the scheme's liabilities.

However, the report also said that there were still a number of risks facing the Fund, including the risk of inflation eroding the value of assets, and the risk of longevity increasing the cost of benefits. The report also noted that climate change was a key risk for the Fund.

Responsible Investment Working Group Update

The report included an update on the work of the Responsible Investment Working Group, which had met on 11 September 2024.

The meeting was said to have included discussions on the following topics:

• An update from the Local Authority Pension Fund Forum (LAPFF), an organisation representing local authority pension funds that encourages the adoption of responsible investment practices;
• A draft submission to the UK Stewardship Code;
• Feedback on a draft survey of scheme members’ opinions on responsible investment.

The report said that the LAPFF had highlighted its engagement with companies on climate change, nature and biodiversity, and human rights. The report also said that the RIWG had considered a draft survey of scheme members' views on responsible investment.

Stewardship Code Submission

This report sought the Committee's approval to submit an application to become a signatory to the UK Stewardship Code. The Code is a set of principles for asset owners and asset managers that encourages them to consider the long-term interests of their beneficiaries and to engage with companies to improve their environmental, social and governance performance.

The report said that Redington, the Fund's investment advisors, had prepared a draft submission that detailed how the Fund met the 12 reporting principles of the Code.

Responsible Investment Scheme Member Survey

The report sought the Committee's approval to carry out a survey of scheme members' opinions on responsible investment. The report said that the purpose of the survey was to better understand members' priorities, concerns, and expectations in relation to the Fund's responsible investment activities.

The report included a copy of the draft survey which asked questions about members' views on climate change, human rights, and other environmental, social, and governance issues.

Skills, Economy and Growth Scrutiny Commission - Monday 30 September 2024

The meeting discussed the development of a Green Skills and Circular Economy Initiative for Hackney, and heard an update on the work that the council's Licensing service is doing to support the night time economy. The committee noted both presentations, asked questions, and suggested topics for inclusion in its future work programme.

Green Skills and Circular Economy Initiative

Councillors heard about the council's plans to create jobs in the growing green economy⁵ and to ensure that Hackney residents benefit from the opportunities that it will create. The meeting acknowledged that the council has already taken some important steps to achieve this, such as the establishment of the Build East Skills Centre Partnership, which is providing training and employment opportunities for residents in the construction industry.

The Commission expressed concern that the term green skills is too abstract for many residents, and urged the council to use language that is more relevant to the day-to-day lives of the people it serves. They also suggested that the council should focus on promoting jobs that are already in high demand, such as plumbers, electricians, and construction workers.

There was particular interest in the council's plans to develop a Circular Economy Hub⁶, which will bring together local businesses and residents to promote sustainable practices. Councillors discussed the importance of ensuring that this hub is accessible to all residents, particularly those from underrepresented communities.

The meeting discussed the council's plans to establish a Green Skills Commission, and the Commission noted that this body would need to be carefully designed to ensure that it is effective in meeting the needs of residents.

Licensing and the Night Time Economy

The Commission heard that Hackney has a thriving night time economy, with a large number of licensed premises, including music venues, nightclubs, bars, pubs, clubs, and restaurants. The meeting heard that the borough has seen a shift towards experience-led socializing, with younger people going out more for cultural activities and performances than for drinking.

The meeting noted that businesses in the night time economy have faced a number of challenges in recent years, including the COVID-19 pandemic, the cost of living crisis, and rising business costs. Councillors heard that Hackney has been relatively successful in supporting businesses through these challenges, with fewer closures than in other boroughs.

The Commission discussed the council's Hackney Nights scheme, which is a safety and regulation programme for licensed premises. The meeting heard that the scheme has been successful in reducing crime and incidents in the night time economy.

Councillors heard about the council's plans to develop a new Evening and Night Time Strategy, which will set out the borough's strategic vision for the night time economy. The meeting was informed that the strategy will be developed in a collaborative way, with input from residents, businesses, workers, and community and cultural organisations.

The Commission discussed the challenges of balancing the needs of residents and businesses in the night time economy. They heard that Shoreditch faces particular challenges, due to the high number of visitors and the concentration of businesses in the area. Councillors suggested that the council could learn from the success of Dalston, which has a more sustainable and inclusive night time economy.

Work Programme

The Commission suggested that the following topics be included in its work programme for the coming year:

• The growth of the social value economy in Hackney
• The use of solar panels on corporate property services buildings
• Energy and sustainability across the council fleet
• Support for small and independent businesses in the borough
• Regeneration projects, particularly in the north of the borough
• The council's Voluntary Sector Strategy
• The impact of transport schemes on the borough
• The council's work to achieve its Net Zero targets for 2030

The meeting agreed to schedule discussions on adult learning, skills, and employment outcomes for the November 2024 meeting, and to invite Hackney Light and Power to a future meeting to discuss its work.

Licensing Sub Committee D - Tuesday 01 October 2024

This meeting was scheduled to consider two applications for new Premises Licences⁷ under the Licensing Act 2003. The first was for Sonora Taqueria at 208 Stoke Newington High Street, and the second was for a new bar at 72 Rivington Street in Shoreditch.

Application for a Premises Licence: 72 Rivington Street

This application was submitted by Bread and Butter Collection Limited, and requested permission for the supply of alcohol, live music and recorded music from Monday to Sunday at varying times, with the latest finishing time being midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

A representation was received from an unnamed organisation at 2 Rivington Place. They expressed concern that because the two buildings are adjacent, the music would be audible in their art galleries, which are open to the public from Wednesday to Saturday. They stated that this could impact their funding from Arts Council England.

The applicant responded to this representation by providing a Noise Impact Assessment report. They stated that:

This report confirms that the noise levels will be contained within our premises and will not be audible outside, including within the galleries.

The applicant also proposed that a sound limiting device would be installed to control noise levels.

Hackney Council's Environmental Health, Licensing, Police and Environmental Enforcement teams all initially objected to the application, but withdrew their objections when the applicant agreed to amend the hours in the application, and to a long list of conditions. These included the installation of CCTV, restrictions on the use of the smoking area, the provision of free drinking water, requirements on staff training, requirements on waste management, and the use of Security Industry Authority-registered door supervisors on event nights.

Application for a Premises Licence: Sonora Taqueria

The report pack includes an application for a new Premises Licence from Sonora Taqueria Limited for their restaurant at 208 Stoke Newington High Street. It requests permission for the supply of alcohol for consumption on the premises from Monday to Sunday, with the latest finishing time being midnight on Fridays and Saturdays.

Hackney Council's Environmental Enforcement team submitted a representation to this application, expressing concern that waste from the business could end up being fly-tipped. In response to this, the applicant agreed to a number of conditions relating to their waste management, including training staff on waste disposal, maintaining a waste transfer document, and ensuring that any rubbish left on the street for collection is removed if it is not collected within an hour of the end of the permitted times.

General Exception Notices - Monday 30 September 2024

This meeting was called to discuss the spending of the next round of funding for the Household Support Fund from October 2024 to March 2025.

Use of Hackney’s Household Support Fund Allocation October 2024 - March 2025

The meeting was scheduled to consider a report, named CED S397 Use of Hackney’s Household Support Fund Allocation October 2024 - March 2025, which contained plans for the spending of Hackney's allocation from the Household Support Fund. The meeting was called at short notice because:

The Household Support Fund is due to end at the end of September and further funding was not announced until 2 September 2024. This significant funding and programme of work is required to be agreed by Cabinet by 30 September. The decision cannot reasonably be deferred to October as there will be a gap in provision of one month, which will mean that residents will not be able to access emergency support with items like food and fuel which this funding provides.

This was a General Exception Notice meeting because the decision was required with less than 28 days notice. You can read the full text of the notice in the report pack.

This week in Hackney:

• The Licensing Sub Committee C were scheduled to consider a new premises licence application from Dalston Superstore, and an application from Copper Cats to vary its existing premises licence.

Licensing Sub Committee C - Wednesday 25 September 2024

This meeting considered applications for new and varied premises licences. Readers may recall that this is a common topic at council meetings, and that similar applications were discussed by The Licensing Sub Committee B at its meeting on 2 September 2024 and the Licensing Sub-Committee D at its meeting on 5 August 2024.

Application for a Premises Licence: Dalston Superstore, 117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB

The Licensing Sub Committee C were scheduled to consider an application for a new premises licence from Dalston Superstore, for the following licensable activities:

• Plays
• Films
• Indoor sporting events
• Boxing or wrestling entertainment
• Live music
• Recorded music
• Performances of dance
• Anything of a similar description to that falling within (e), (f) or (g)
• Late night refreshment
• Supply of alcohol

The application proposed removing a number of existing conditions and extending the hours during which licensable activities could take place.

Representations objecting to the application had been received from:

• Positive East. Positive East is a charity that supports people living with HIV in East London.
• One other person

In their representations Positive East explained that they were:

supportive of the application to vary the licence to reflect the changing landscape post pandemic

Positive East argued that:

supporting these venues is now more important than ever.

The other person who made a representation objecting to the application was not named in the report pack.

Variation to a Premises Licence: Copper Cats, 574-576 Kingsland Road, E8 4AP

The Licensing Sub Committee C were also scheduled to consider an application from Copper Cats to vary its existing premises licence to:

• Remove a number of outdated conditions.
• Extend the hours for the sale of alcohol
• Amend condition 28 to read: 'After 22:00 hours, recorded music shall be incidental to the use of the premises for the service of food and drink only except for the private dining room and in the case of full venue hire'.

Representations in respect of this application were received from a number of people, but no objections were maintained, so the application was scheduled to be determined on its merits.

This week in Hackney: The Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission discussed capital opportunities in Adult Social Care, air quality, and recording accuracy in mental health units. The Licensing Sub Committee E considered applications for new and varied premises licences for a restaurant, an off-licence, and a pub. The Appointments Sub Committee met to discuss confidential staffing arrangements. Finally, the Council held its first meeting with the newly appointed Mayor and Chief Executive, tackling issues like climate change, housing, and safeguarding, and proposing DBS checks for elected members.

Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission - Monday 16 September 2024

This week's Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission meeting focused on a range of important issues affecting the health and well-being of Hackney residents. The Commission heard updates on the Capital Build Opportunities programme in Adult Social Care, the City & Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board's Annual Report, the health impacts of air pollution in the borough, and the accuracy of recording of clinical observations in mental health inpatient units run by the East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT).

Capital Build Opportunities in Adult Social Care

The Commission reviewed a report from the Adult Social Care team on its capital opportunities programme. This programme seeks to address the increasing demand for adult social care in Hackney by developing more suitable housing options within the borough. The meeting was told that demand for adult social care is predicted to rise significantly by 2030.

Currently, the Council commissions 580 placements in residential care homes or supported living facilities outside the borough, which are more expensive and geographically distant from the resident's local community. The Council’s strategy is to bring care closer to home, which is better for residents and more cost effective.

A report from consultancy Campbell Tickell has estimated that the Council will require an additional 532 units of accommodation over the next 10 years to meet future demand. Of these, it is expected that 13% will be provided through the general housing supply programme, with the remainder being sourced by engaging with Registered Social Landlords (RSLs), care and support providers, and the private rented sector.

The meeting also heard that the Council had screened a number of properties to assess their suitability, that occupancy rates in existing housing with care schemes were being reviewed, and that the programme was seeking to develop a new finance tool to help the Council make informed decisions about the financial viability of potential new schemes.

This topic is of significant consumer interest as it relates to the care of some of the borough’s most vulnerable residents, and to the effective management of Council finances.

City & Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report (2023/24)

The Commission considered the draft City & Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board (CHSAB) Annual Report for 2023/24, which sets out the work of the Board to protect adults in the City of London and Hackney from abuse and neglect.

The meeting was told that the most commonly reported safeguarding concern in both areas was self-neglect, and that 90% of people in the City of London and 92% of people in Hackney had their desired safeguarding outcomes met.

The report sets out a number of achievements for the Board during the year and identified a number of priorities for the year ahead, including:

• improving the quality of mental capacity assessments;
• working with the community and voluntary sector to increase their confidence in delivering safeguarding duties;
• embedding engagement with people with lived experience of adult social care;
• identifying and responding to the safeguarding needs of specific groups, including homeless people, those experiencing modern day slavery, and those experiencing discriminatory abuse.

This topic is of consumer interest because it relates to the safety of adults in the borough. Safeguarding is everyone’s responsibility, and readers may want to familiarise themselves with the work of the CHSAB and the types of abuse and neglect that it seeks to prevent.

Health Impacts of Air Pollution - 2024 Progress Update

The Commission considered the annual report on the health impacts of air pollution in the borough and the progress being made to implement the Council's Air Quality Action Plan.

Whilst air quality in the borough has generally improved in recent years, the meeting heard that the rate of decline had slowed, and that there had been small increases in nitrogen dioxide (NO2) levels in some locations, particularly along busy roads managed by Transport for London (TfL). This is likely to be of concern to many readers as road traffic is a significant source of air pollution.

The Commission was told that the Council’s air quality monitoring network had expanded and that it had introduced a number of measures aimed at improving air quality, including School Streets, anti-idling campaigns, the provision of cargo bike grants, and an increase in the number of electric vehicle charging points. The Council has also launched a new air quality website, AirAware, which provides residents with access to air quality forecasts, data, and events information, and makes it easier to receive air quality alerts.

This topic is of high consumer interest because it relates to the health and well-being of all residents. The Council has a duty to monitor and manage air quality in the borough and to take steps to reduce harmful emissions. Readers may wish to review the Air Quality Action Plan and find out more about the Council’s work to improve air quality.

Accurate Recording of ‘Observations’ in Mental Health Inpatient Units - Recent Issues for ELFT

The Commission considered a report from the East London NHS Foundation Trust (ELFT) on the accuracy of recording clinical observations of patients in mental health inpatient units.

The meeting heard about the findings of a Prevention of Future Death (PFD) report that was published in July 2024 following an inquest into the death of Mahamoud Ali, an ELFT patient. The report highlighted concerns about the falsification of observation records at ELFT. The Trust admitted that observation records may have been erroneously recorded in 11 fatal incidents, though none of these involved City or Hackney patients.

The Trust explained that it had commenced a trust-wide Quality Improvement project in September 2022 to improve observation practice, and that a number of changes had been introduced as a result, including the introduction of board relays, twilight shifts and zonal observations.

This is a topic of significant consumer interest as it relates to the standard of care received by some of the borough’s most vulnerable residents. The ELFT has a duty to ensure the accuracy of its patient records, and to provide a high quality of care to those in its care. The Commission is due to receive a copy of the Trust’s full response to the PFD report at the end of September.

Licensing Sub Committee E - Tuesday 17 September 2024

The Licensing Sub Committee E considered applications for new and varied premises licences for a new restaurant in Shoreditch, a variation to the licence of an off-licence on Old Street, and a variation to a licence for a pub on Hackney Road.

Application for a Premises Licence: Pizzalux, Unit A Principal Place, London EC2A 2FA

The first application was for a new Premises Licence for Pizzalux, at Unit A Principal Place, London EC2A 2FA. The application was made by Jensen Ventures Limited, owned by Paul Campbell, a restaurateur who previously worked at Harrods. The application requested permission for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, to serve late night refreshment, and to play recorded music.

The application was amended following representations from local residents and the Environmental Health Authority. The applicant agreed to reduce the hours for the sale of alcohol and to remove recorded music from the application.

The meeting agenda included a document entitled Licensing Sub-Committee Hearings, which explained the procedure that the committee would follow when considering the applications.

Local authorities have a duty to promote the four licensing objectives, which are: the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. When considering applications for new or varied Premises Licences, the Licensing Authority must consider whether the application is likely to have a negative impact on any of the four licensing objectives.

Readers will recall that we have written about Licensing Sub-Committee hearings in detail before.

Each Licensing Authority in England and Wales is required to publish a Statement of Licensing Policy. This document sets out how the Licensing Authority will consider applications for Premises Licences, and other types of licences, and will often include specific policies on topics such as the prevention of crime and disorder, the protection of children from harm, and the cumulative impact of licensed premises.

The application was located in Shoreditch, which is subject to a Cumulative Impact Policy.

Also known as a Special Policy Area (SPA), a Cumulative Impact Policy (CIP) is a policy adopted by a local authority that restricts the granting of new licences for the sale of alcohol in a defined area. The policy is intended to address the negative cumulative impact of a high concentration of licensed premises in an area, such as increased crime and disorder, public nuisance, and anti-social behaviour.

Variation of a Premises Licence: British Food and Wine Store, 329 Old Street, London EC1V 9LE

The second application considered by the sub-committee was an application to vary an existing licence for an off-licence to extend the hours for the sale of alcohol until 3am from Thursday to Saturday, and until 3am on bank holidays and New Year's Eve. The application was submitted by Deniz Food and Wine Ltd and related to an off-licence at 329 Old Street, London EC1V 9LE.

Representations objecting to the application were received from the Metropolitan Police and the Licensing Authority, who both noted that the location was already highly saturated with licensed premises. Two representations were also received from local residents, one of whom noted that the later hours would increase the public safety risk from drunk people interacting with traffic on Old Street. The application was previously considered by the Licensing Sub-Committee at a meeting held on 5 June 2024, but the meeting was adjourned after the discovery of a clerical error on the existing licence. This application will be of significant interest to residents living in the area.

Variation of a Premises Licence: Looking Glass, 49 Hackney Road, London, E2 7NX

The third application was submitted by MKM Entertainment Limited to vary the licence for a pub to extend the terminal hour for the sale of alcohol, the playing of recorded music, and the performance of dance until 3:30am on Friday and Saturday.

Representations were received from the Environmental Health Authority and the Licensing Authority, both of whom noted the cumulative impact of licensed premises in the area. The report pack included a suggested condition that no new customers would be admitted to the premises after 2:30am.

Licensing Sub-Committee Hearing Procedure (Pages 13 - 14)

Finally, the committee considered a proposed new procedure for its hearings. The procedure sets out the steps that will be taken at a hearing, from the appointment of a Chair to the announcement of the decision. It also includes information on the rights of applicants, responsible authorities and other persons to speak at a hearing.

Appointments Sub Committee - Monday 16 September 2024

The meeting of the Appointments Sub Committee was scheduled to include confidential discussions on staffing arrangements for Chief Officers of the council. The committee was also scheduled to approve the minutes of a previous meeting held on 8 July 2024.

The meeting agenda included a note that the part of the meeting that discussed Chief Officer Staffing Arrangements would be held in private because it is likely, in view of the nature of the business to be transacted, that were members of the public to be present, there would be a disclosure of exempt business. This is in line with the requirements of the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012. These regulations set out the circumstances in which meetings can be held in private. In general, councils must hold their meetings in public, but there are some exceptions, for example where the meeting is likely to involve the disclosure of confidential information.

As a subscriber to the Open Council Network, you are entitled to attend council meetings that are held in public. However, you are not allowed to attend meetings that are held in private. This is to protect the confidentiality of the information that is being discussed.

Council - Wednesday 18 September 2024

This meeting of the full council was the first meeting for both the newly appointed Mayor of Hackney and the new Chief Executive. This follows the resignation of both the previous Mayor and Chief Executive earlier this year. This meeting was notable for its agenda which contained proposals for DBS checks for all elected members, and a range of motions proposed by councillors from across the political spectrum.

DBS Checks for all Elected Members

The council considered a proposal to introduce a policy requiring all elected members to undergo enhanced Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks. The council took the view that, on balance, the public interest in ensuring that safeguarding arrangements are as robust as possible outweighed the right to privacy of elected members.

The DBS was established in 2012 to help employers make safer recruitment decisions. It allows employers to check whether a potential employee has a criminal record, or is otherwise unsuitable for a particular role. In the case of councillors, a DBS check would reveal whether a councillor has a criminal record that would make them unsuitable to hold public office.

The council considered this proposal in the context of the Bailey review of the DBS, commissioned by the Home Office in 2022. The Bailey review recommended that an enhanced criminal record check should be undertaken for any elected member in a unitary or upper tier local authority when they are being considered for appointment to any committee that makes decisions on the provision of children's services or services for vulnerable adults. This is of high consumer interest as it relates to the safety of children and vulnerable adults in Hackney.

Climate Change

Councillor Mete Coban, the outgoing Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, presented a report on the council’s progress on climate action. The report highlighted a number of achievements in the first year of the Climate Action Plan 2023-2030 including securing external funding, launching a community energy fund, expanding the network of electric vehicle charging points and cycle hangars, and completing the upgrade of street lighting to LED. The report also acknowledged the challenges the council faces including securing further capital investment and the need to develop new skills and working practices.

This is of great interest to residents concerned about climate change and the impact it will have on the borough. Readers may wish to review the full report and make themselves aware of the Council’s progress and ongoing work.

Housing Crisis

Councillor Alastair Binnie-Lubbock requested that the council discuss the urgent action needed to address the crisis in the Hackney Housing Service. Councillor Binnie-Lubbock highlighted a number of serious issues faced by the service, including issues with damp and mould, contractor performance, and IT systems.

This is a topic of great consumer interest as it relates to the living conditions of many of the borough’s residents. The quality of the borough’s housing stock, and the way in which it is managed are of great importance to residents.

The London Charter to End Rough Sleeping

Councillor Sade Etti proposed a motion calling for the Council to sign the London Charter to End Rough Sleeping. The motion highlighted the ongoing increase in rough sleeping, the significant increase in homelessness applications in Hackney, and the increase in the number of households in temporary accommodation. It also noted that the drivers of homelessness are complex and that many are outside of the direct control of the Council.

Ending Stigma and Discrimination of the Care Experienced Community

Councillor Anna Lynch proposed a motion that sought to end the stigma and discrimination experienced by care experienced people. It highlighted the challenges faced by care experienced people in relation to housing, health and education. The motion called for the Council to continue to seek out and listen to the voices of care experienced people and called on the Mayor to lobby the government to formally recognise care experienced people as a protected group.

The Need to Review Twinning Relationships, Including Hackney’s with Haifa in Israel

Councillor Claudia Turbet-Delof proposed a motion requesting that the Council pause its twinning relationship with Haifa in Israel. The motion noted that the relationship had been in place for many years, and that it should now be re-evaluated in light of the UN’s findings on Israel’s treatment of Palestinians. The motion also noted that Elbit Systems, a company that produces equipment for the Israeli military, is based in Haifa.

Support of a Wealth Tax to Fund Public Services

Councillor Zoë Garbett proposed a motion calling for the Government to introduce a Wealth Tax to fund public services. The motion noted that wealth in Britain is unequally distributed, and that a wealth tax could raise significant funds to help address the impact of austerity policies in Hackney.

End the Hostile Environment Against Migrants

Councillor Turbet-Delof proposed a motion that called for the council to oppose the government’s hostile environment policies, which it argued had a negative impact on migrants by deterring them from accessing public services and reporting abuse.

Opposing the Two Child Benefit Cap

Councillor Garbett proposed a motion requesting that the government scrap the two-child benefit cap, which was introduced in 2017. The motion argued that the policy has had a negative impact on families with three or more children, and called for the Council to write to the government to demand an end to the policy.

Annual Report on Council Climate Implementation Plan 2023 - 2026

The council sought to note the first annual report for its Climate Implementation Plan, which includes actions to address climate change by adapting to its impacts, improving the energy efficiency of buildings, reducing transport emissions, and promoting sustainable consumption.

Scrutiny Annual Report 2023/24

The Council sought to note its Scrutiny Annual Report, which covered the activities of its four scrutiny commissions during the previous year.

Appointments to Outside Bodies

Finally, the Council considered a number of appointments to outside bodies, including charities and trusts.

This week in Hackney:

• The Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission heard presentations about the council’s progress on its Green Infrastructure Strategy, the Local Nature Recovery Plan, the Urban Forest Plan, and the Parks & Green Spaces Strategy.
• The Licensing Sub Committee D considered allowing Nancy Spains to sell alcohol until 5am (currently 2am), extending Shoreditch Grill's opening hours from 11pm (midnight Saturdays) until 5am, re-issuing the existing license for Callooh Callay and discussed their own process for decision making.
• The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission reviewed proposals for a new approach to the Safer Schools Partnership in Hackney and heard about the progress made on previous recommendations for improving housing support offered to care leavers.
• The Pensions Board heard about the work undertaken by the Pensions Committee since April, and received updates on several ongoing projects, including the implementation of the Pensions Dashboard.
• The Corporate Committee considered a draft Pay Policy Statement for Chief Officers 2025/26 and a report on the performance of the Shop Fronts service.
• A General Exception Notice was issued to allow the council to enter into a Memorandum of Understanding regarding funding from the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF3).
• The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission met to consider a report on Hackney Council entering into an agreement to receive funding from the third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF3).

Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission - Monday 09 September 2024

The Commission heard from Matthew Carrington, Strategic Corporate Lead for the Climate Emergency, about the council’s progress on a number of environmental initiatives. Carrington described a range of projects that the council has been working on to improve the borough’s green infrastructure, including the planting of trees, the creation of sustainable urban drainage systems (SuDS)¹, and the installation of green roofs.

The Commission also heard about the challenges that the council faces in delivering these projects, including securing sufficient funding, and engaging with key landowners.

Carrington told the Commission that the council is working to embed its environmental policies into the wider system, including the local plan, and transport strategy.

“Although I think the borough’s got quite a good green infrastructure strategy [...] ultimately, it's about how we embed that in the wider system that actually makes the real difference. So it's about the wider authority, but also stakeholders that own space outside of us.”

The Commission also heard from Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, who said that the council was committed to improving the borough’s green infrastructure, and that they were working hard to secure funding and engage with partners.

The Commission then heard from Sam Parry, an officer in the Parks and Green Spaces department, who gave a presentation on the council’s progress on delivering its Parks & Green Spaces Strategy 2021-31. Parry described a number of projects that have been completed in the past year, including the installation of a new Changing Places toilet in Haggerston Park, the completion of a restoration project at Abney Park and the transformation of Fairchild's Garden.

Parry also spoke about the challenges that the council faces in delivering these projects, including the impact of the recent heatwave and the need to manage competing uses of green space.

The Commission then heard from Paul Fournette, Service Manager for Housing Grounds Maintenance, who gave a presentation on the Council’s work on improving the quality of green space on housing estates. He described a number of projects that have been completed, including the creation of grow-your-own sites, the installation of bug hotels and the planting of over 640,000 bulbs on housing estates.

The Commission asked a number of questions about how the Council was ensuring that new park improvements reflected the needs of residents and how they were tackling anti-social behaviour in parks. The commission also raised concerns about the high demand for allotments in Hackney, and requested that officers explore opportunities to increase the number of allotments.

Licensing Sub Committee D - Tuesday 10 September 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee D was scheduled to meet to consider a number of applications for new Premises Licences, all of which were located in the Hoxton East and Shoreditch ward.

The first application was from Leamington Holdings Inc for a Premises Licence for 128-130 Curtain Road.

Readers may recall that we have written about Premises Licences before. In short, a Premises Licence authorises the holder to carry out licensable activities at a particular premises. Licensable activities are activities that are regulated by the Licensing Act 2003 because they are considered to have the potential to cause crime and disorder, public nuisance, or harm to children. These include:

• the sale by retail of alcohol
• the supply of alcohol by or on behalf of a club to, or to the order of, a member of the club
• the provision of regulated entertainment
• the provision of late night refreshment

In England and Wales, businesses that wish to carry out licensable activities must obtain a licence from their local authority. These are known as Premises Licences, and they are granted under the Licensing Act 2003.

— The Open Council Network Agent, 16 July 2024

This application was particularly notable because the applicant sought permission for 24-hour opening and the ability to sell alcohol until 5am every day.

The premises was occupied by Nancy Spains, which has been granted a Premises Licence to allow the sale of alcohol until 2am on Fridays and Saturdays, and midnight on other days, but Leamington Holdings Inc's application requested more permissive hours.

The second application was from Mr Arif Rafe for a Premises Licence for Shoreditch Grill, 51 Hackney Road. The application was unusual because it was seeking permission for late night refreshment, but did not include any request to sell alcohol. However, the requested hours, 11am until 5am, were still considered excessive by both the Metropolitan Police and the Council's Licensing Authority.

The final application considered at the meeting was from Leamington Holdings Inc for a new Premises Licence for Callooh Callay Bar, Suna House, 65 Rivington Street. The applicant sought permission for a range of activities including film screenings, live and recorded music, performances of dance, and the sale of alcohol. The application requested a variety of opening hours, including permission to open until 2am on Thursday to Saturday.

The Licensing Sub-Committee must consider applications for Premises Licences in line with the Licensing Act 2003, and Hackney Council's own Statement of Licensing Policy. The meeting agenda included a document entitled Licensing Sub-Committee Hearings, which explained the procedure that the committee would follow when considering the applications.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 11 September 2024

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission reviewed draft proposals from the Metropolitan Police for a new approach to the Safer Schools Partnership in Hackney. The new model, which was presented by Borough Commander James Conway and Detective Superintendent Brittany Clark, proposes to re-focus the role of Schools Officers to be more crime and safeguarding focused, and to formalise police presence on school routes at the start and end of the school day.

This follows the Child Q Safeguarding Practice Review, which made a number of recommendations regarding police involvement in schools. Readers will recall that this independent review was commissioned in the wake of the strip search of a black female child by police at a school in Hackney. The review concluded that racism was likely to have been a factor in the child's treatment by the police, and made a number of recommendations to help to prevent similar incidents from happening again.

The Commission heard evidence from the City and Hackney Safeguarding Children Partnership, the Hackney Youth Parliament, and representatives from a number of local schools including The Urswick School and New Regents College, Hackney's Pupil Referral Unit.

Conway told the Commission that the new approach to the Safer Schools Partnership was a collaborative effort.

“What we've got to now is a collaborative sort of co-production between the local policing here in Hackney and Tower Hamlets and school leaders, both at secondary school and primary schools, and an outline of what we're seeing as being a more effective framework to manage that relationship.”

The Commission also received an update on the progress that has been made on a number of recommendations for improvements to the housing support offered to care leavers. Readers will recall that the Commission and the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission jointly undertook a review of the housing support offered to care leavers.

Jennifer Wynter, Assistant Director for Benefits and Homeless Prevention told the Commission that the council was working to support all care leavers who wanted to join the Housing Register to do so. She also told the Commission that the Council had secured funding from the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities (DLUHC) for a Housing First Project that would offer 10 tenancies to care leavers with complex needs.

Pensions Board - Tuesday 10 September 2024

The meeting began with a review of the work that the Pensions Committee had carried out between April and August 2024.

The Pensions Committee is a committee of the Pensions Board that is responsible for the day-to-day running of the Hackney Pension Fund. It is made up of councillors, trade union representatives, and independent members.

The Committee has considered a number of important issues during this period, including a new Exit Credit Policy, updates from the Responsible Investment Working Group, and the implementation of a Fixed Income Review.

The Board was also provided with updates on a number of projects and other work being carried out by the Pensions Team. These included:

• An update on the recruitment process for a new permanent Head of Pensions.
• A presentation on the Pension Dashboards project, which is being implemented by the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) to provide a single online portal for individuals to view all of their pension savings.
• Updates on the process of developing the Pension Fund’s business plan.
• An update on the Pension Fund’s work on environmental, social, and governance (ESG) issues.
• A report on a delay in providing Annual Benefits Statements (ABS).

Corporate Committee - Tuesday 10 September 2024

The Corporate Committee met to discuss a number of important issues including: a new Pay Policy Statement, the performance of the Shop Fronts service, and progress on the Corporate Transformation Strategy.

The meeting began with a presentation on the council’s draft Pay Policy Statement for Chief Officers 2025/2026. The report accompanying the presentation noted that the Localism Act 2011 requires local authorities to publish a pay policy statement annually, and that the statement must cover the remuneration of the council's chief officers.

The draft Pay Policy Statement presented to the Committee included calculations of the ratio between the total pay of the Chief Executive, and the median and lowest paid employees in Hackney. The report noted that the lowest paid employee in Hackney was defined as a full time employee on spinal column point 3 of the Inner London pay scale.

The Committee also considered a report on the performance of the Shop Fronts service. The report noted that the service is responsible for issuing Shop Front licences and Pavement Licences to businesses in Hackney. Shop Front licences are issued under the London Local Authorities Act 1990, while Pavement Licences are issued under the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.

“The Shop Fronts Service operates a consultative sales approach to businesses [...] to make a recommendation to the business and/or premises operators as to the best licence option for their needs which is not always the deficit creating pavement licence."

The report explained that the Council had been successful in increasing both the number of Shop Front licences issued and the income generated from them, and that a consultative approach had been adopted to work with businesses and encourage them to apply for the most appropriate licence.

The final item considered by the Committee was a report on the Corporate Transformation Strategy 2024-2028. The strategy, which was approved by Cabinet at its meeting in July 2024, sets out the Council's vision for how it would change over the next four years.

The report accompanying the strategy explained that the Council needed to change in order to meet a number of challenges, including increasing demand for services, a significant budget gap and the ongoing impact of the cost of living crisis.

“We also know that our residents experience living in Hackney very differently and we have work to do to tackle inequality across our borough."

The strategy outlined a plan to meet these challenges, by working with communities and partners to tackle inequality, delivering services that are efficient and effective, and creating a culture that values staff and supports them to deliver good quality services.

General Exception Notice - Thursday 12 September 2024

A General Exception Notice was issued on 4 September 2024 so that the Council could enter into a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the government regarding funding from the Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 (LAHF3).

The notice explained that the council had to make an urgent decision about entering into the agreement in order to be eligible to receive the funding.

This is because at least 28 clear days notice was not given of the intention to take the key decision listed below.

Readers may recall that we have reported on previous rounds of the LAHF before. The Local Authority Housing Fund is a government scheme that provides funding to local authorities in England to build new council homes.

“In 2018 the government announced the creation of a £1 billion fund to help councils to build new council homes. This fund, known as the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF), was designed to help councils to meet the growing demand for affordable housing."

— The Open Council Network Agent, 14 August 2023

The notice stated that a decision on whether to approve the report would be made by Rickardo Hyatt, Group Director for Climate, Homes and Economy, and that the lead councillors for this decision were Cllr Chapman and Cllr Etti.

Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 11 September 2024

The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission met to consider a report on Hackney Council entering into an agreement to receive funding from the third round of the Local Authority Housing Fund (LAHF3).

This report was brought to the committee as a matter of urgency under a General Exception Notice. A General Exception Notice allows councils to make decisions without giving the usual 28 days notice.

The report proposed that the council enter into a Memorandum of Understanding to receive money from the LAHF3. In return for the money, the council would have to commit to building new council homes. The report argued that entering into this agreement was time-sensitive and that failing to do so would risk delaying the delivery of new council homes.

This week in Hackney:

• The Licensing Sub Committee B considered licences for Café Botanical on Curtain Road and a new bar on Bowl Court.
• The Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee discussed procurement decisions that will impact a range of services including housing, children's services, corporate property, and sustainability initiatives.
• The Standards Committee considered a new policy regarding DBS checks for Councillors and the Elected Mayor.
• The Planning Sub-Committee considered applications to build a larger playing pitch on Springpark Drive, a house replacing a garage on Middleton Road, and was notified about the development of Bishopsgate Good Yard in neighbouring Tower Hamlets.

Licensing Sub Committee B - Monday 02 September 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee B of Hackney Council met to consider an application for a new premises licence for each of two locations. One application sought permission for late night refreshment and the supply of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, while the other was an application to authorise the supply of alcohol to be consumed on the premises.

The meeting also included a standing item about temporary event notices, and a late supplementary item about a temporary event notice for a private party at 90a Wallis Road that was received after the agenda was published.

Café Botanical, 114-116 Curtain Road

The committee considered a report pack about an application for a new premises licence for Café Botanical at 114-116 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3AH.

The applicant, Botanical 114 Ltd, requested authorisation for:

• Supply of Alcohol (for consumption on the premises)
  • Monday to Friday 10:00 - 22:00
  • Saturday 10:00 - 22:00
  • Sunday 11:00 - 22:00
• Opening Hours
  • Monday to Friday 10:00 - 22:30
  • Saturday 10:00 - 22:30
  • Sunday 11:00 - 22:30

The application was accompanied by a number of supporting documents including a plan of the premises. The report pack included a representation objecting to the application from a local resident on all four of the licensing objectives:

• The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
• Public Safety
• Prevention of Public Nuisance
• The Protection of Children from Harm

It argued that the application should be refused because:

The former Shoreditch CIP area remains by far the most significant hotspot within the borough. Shoreditch is the only location where the majority of all recorded crime and FPNs issued occurs at night.

The representation also cites the Hackney Council's Sustainable Community policy objective for a:

green and environmentally sustainable borough

and argues that a licensed premises in the location would prevent that objective being met.

The Licensing Authority received further representations from:

• The Environmental Health Authority (Environmental Enforcement)
• The Licensing Authority

The report notes that both withdrew their representations based on the applicant amending their application to remove off-sales and agreeing to a number of conditions, which are listed in the report pack.

These included a condition that:

Alcohol shall not be sold, supplied, or consumed on within the internal areas of the premises otherwise than to persons who are taking table meals from the menu.

The report pack notes that no representations were received from:

• The Environmental Health Authority (Environmental Protection)
• The Environmental Health Authority (Health & Safety)
• Weights and Measures (Trading Standards)
• The Planning Authority
• The Area Child Protection Officer
• The Fire Authority
• The Police
• The Health Authority

The report concludes by noting that the Sub-Committee has the power to refuse the application or to grant the application with or without conditions attached.

Unit B3, 3 Bowl Court

The committee considered a report pack about an application for a new premises licence for Unit B3, 3 Bowl Court, London, EC2A 3BH.

The applicant, Nektor Venues Limited requested authorisation for:

• Late Night Refreshment (indoors and outdoors)
  • Friday and Saturday 23:00 - 23:30
  • From the end of hours on New Year's Eve to the start of hours on New Year's Day.
• Supply of Alcohol (on and off the premises)
  • Tuesday to Thursday 12:00 - 22:00
  • Friday and Saturday 12:00 - 23:00
  • From the end of hours on New Year's Eve to the start of hours on New Year's Day.
• Opening Hours
  • Monday to Wednesday 08:00 - 22:30
  • Thursday to Saturday 08:00 - 23:30
  • Sunday 10:00 - 22:30
  • From the end of hours on New Year's Eve to the start of hours on New Year's Day.

The application was accompanied by a number of supporting documents. These included a plan of the premises, and a document that described a number of conditions that the applicant was willing to abide by.

The report pack included eight representations objecting to the application. Seven of these remained outstanding at the time the agenda was published. The eighth representation was withdrawn after the applicant agreed to a number of conditions. The representations raised concerns about:

• The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
• Public Safety
• Prevention of Public Nuisance
• The Protection of Children from Harm.

One of the representations argued that:

Our neighbourhood is already saturated with establishments serving alcohol: The Light bar, Vagabond, Black sheep Coffee, Crown & Shuttle are all within the vicinity. There are already issues with noise as well as with drunk and disorderly conduct (public urination, littering, destruction of property).

The Licensing Authority received further representations from:

• The Environmental Health Authority (Environmental Protection)
• The Environmental Health Authority (Environmental Enforcement)
• The Police

The report notes that all three withdrew their representations after the applicant agreed to a number of conditions, which are listed in the report pack.

The report pack notes that no representations were received from:

• The Environmental Health Authority (Health & Safety)
• Weights and Measures (Trading Standards)
• The Planning Authority
• The Area Child Protection Officer
• The Fire Authority
• The Licensing Authority
• The Health Authority

The report concludes by noting that the Sub-Committee has the power to refuse the application or to grant the application with or without conditions attached.

Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee - Monday 02 September 2024

This meeting was scheduled to consider a variety of procurement decisions that will impact a range of services including housing, children's services, corporate property, and sustainability initiatives. It included decisions on awarding contracts for a range of services including: lifts, legal support, a cloud computing platform, energy supply, and support for survivors of domestic abuse.

The meeting was also scheduled to discuss the renewal of two frameworks - for energy supply and legal support. It was scheduled to consider the potential benefits of the frameworks including: the potential for achieving cost savings, procuring services from high quality providers and securing social value benefits.

Energy Procurement

The meeting was scheduled to discuss the procurement of gas and electricity for the Council's offices, housing estates, schools and street lighting. This is an essential service required for the delivery of services across all departments of the Council.

For a number of years Hackney Council has procured energy in collaboration with other public sector organisations. The current energy supply framework, operated by Kent County Council, is due to expire. The meeting was scheduled to consider whether to renew the current framework for a further four years with the current supplier, TotalEnergies Gas & Power. It was also scheduled to consider whether to enter into a Power Purchase Agreement (PPA) with TotalEnergies for up to 30 Gigawatt hours (GWh) per year. A PPA would mean that the Council would buy up to 30 GWh of electricity directly from a generator, in this case the Seagreen Offshore Wind Farm. The wind farm, which is located off the coast of Angus, is the largest in Scotland, and it is jointly owned by SSE Renewables and TotalEnergies.

The meeting was scheduled to consider the case for continuing to buy energy through a framework and the potential benefits of entering into a PPA. The report pack argues that purchasing in advance has provided stable prices through each contract year during periods of global energy price instability. It goes on to argue that the existing framework provided protection against the worst excesses of the recent energy crisis: this arrangement provided an effective shield for the first year of the energy crisis restricting price increases to the 100% increase that could reasonably have been expected following the low price conditions of the covid-19 pandemic.

The pack notes that the recent fall in energy prices has changed the rationale for entering into a PPA. It states that the rationale for PPA has now shifted away from decarbonisation and towards risk management. It goes on to say that the focus is on price stability and reducing volatility whilst protecting against the sort of dramatic price spikes seen in 2022-2023.

London Boroughs' Legal Alliance (LBLA) Barristers Framework 2024-2026

The meeting was scheduled to discuss whether Hackney Council should join a new framework that will allow it to access legal services from a range of barristers. The London Boroughs' Legal Alliance Barristers Framework was procured by The London Borough of Ealing. The report pack states that the framework leverages its collective bargaining strength to negotiate reduced pricing rates for barristers' services.

The meeting was scheduled to consider the benefits of using the LBLA framework. It argues that because of the relative bargaining strength of the LBLA authorities (which comprise over 20 London boroughs) it is possible to achieve reduced pricing rates for Barristers. The pack also states that this is the primary purpose of the framework together with the knowledge that only good quality chambers are appointed and other value-added benefits are also available.

Lifts Capital Framework Agreement

The meeting was scheduled to discuss a proposal to procure a four year framework for the delivery of capital works to the lifts in Hackney's council homes. The framework will allow the council to appoint up to three contractors to renew lifts in council owned buildings. The meeting was scheduled to decide whether to delegate the decision on awarding the framework to the Group Director, Climate, Homes and Economy.

The report pack argues that many of our lifts have been in operation past their natural life cycle. This has presented the council with operational issues such as having to deal with an increase in lift breakdowns, and obtaining defective parts which are either obsolete or are now manufactured outside the UK.

It goes on to argue that this contract will enable us to begin the process of modernising our ageing lift stock, therefore reducing long breakdowns and having new parts that are not obsolete. It also discusses the potential to achieve social value outcomes as a result of the procurement stating that the strategy will also provide an opportunity for improved social value and sustainability offers form the framework contractors. This ties in with Hackney's objectives to address the significant backlog of works to lifts required across the stock. This also linked to the repairs strategy to reduce the repairs spend.

Integrated Housing Management System

The meeting was scheduled to discuss a proposal to award a contract for the supply of a new Integrated Housing Management System (IHMS). The IHMS will be a key system used by housing services to manage tenancies and properties. The report pack states that moving towards a fully integrated solution will allow us to meet our residents' expectations, and support staff to deliver quality services.

The meeting was scheduled to consider the case for awarding the contract. The report pack states that the new housing management system gives us more opportunity to meet residents’ and our own rising expectations. Staff will have better access to the data and tools that they need and residents will have the ability to self-serve where appropriate, for example updating tenancy information or managing payments.

The pack goes on to say that the cyber attack in 2020, reminds us of the importance of prioritising security, and safeguards around our data. But it has also shown the value of using modern cloud-based solutions which remain resilient. For the procurement, we have ensured that the solution met the highest standards for security and data protection.

Standards Committee - Monday 02 September 2024

This meeting was to consider a new policy on Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) checks for the Elected Mayor and Councillors of Hackney.

Policy on Disclosure and Barring Service Checks for the Elected Mayor and Councillors

The committee was asked to recommend to Full Council that it adopt a new policy regarding the vetting of its members using the Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS). The DBS is a Non-Departmental Public Body that was established under the Protection of Freedoms Act 2012. It helps employers to make safer recruitment decisions by identifying candidates that may be unsuitable for certain roles.

The proposed policy would require all Councillors and the Elected Mayor to undergo an Enhanced DBS check upon taking office, and every year after.

The report prepared for the meeting argues that there is no evidence that DBS checks have a negative impact on the number of people standing for election, and that such checks are an important part of the council's duty to safeguard children and vulnerable adults.

The introduction of DBS checks will not provide absolute certainty that the circumstances in which the Council has most recently found itself could not be repeated. However, it is considered that the introduction of such checks would serve as a deterrent to those who might seek office to provide camouflage for their activities or as a method through which access to children, young people and vulnerable adults is legitimised.

The report acknowledges that the council has no power to remove a Councillor or the Elected Mayor from office based on the results of a DBS check, except in the extremely limited circumstances in which the person is found to be disqualified from public office under the terms of the Local Government Act 1972.

The report includes a detailed explanation of how the results of a DBS check would be used by the council to assess risk, and the process by which it would decide what actions to take in the event that a potential safeguarding concern is raised by the results of a check.

Planning Sub-Committee - Wednesday 04 September 2024

This meeting was to consider 2 planning applications, receive notification from the Greater London Authority about a planning application in the neighbouring borough of Tower Hamlets, and review the previous month’s delegated decisions. It should be noted that this summary is based only on the documents that were available to attendees of the meeting. It does not describe what was said during the meeting, or what decisions were made.

2024/0657: Land adjacent Woodberry Down Early Years Centre Springpark Drive, Hackney, London, N4 2NP

The applicant, Berkeley Homes (North East London) Ltd, requested permission for the “re-provision of a playing pitch with associated infrastructure and landscaping works.”

The application site is located within the Stoke Newington Reservoirs, Filter Beds and New River Conservation Area, and is within the setting of the Grade II listed John Scott Health Centre. The development is located on Metropolitan Open Land, and contains 2 trees subject to a Tree Preservation Order.

The existing pitch will be demolished as part of the ongoing Woodberry Down regeneration. The application was submitted to guarantee a replacement pitch is in place before the existing facility is lost. The proposed pitch would be larger than the existing one, and located further away from residential properties.

Hackney Council’s Conservation, Urban Design and Sustainability Team commented that they would prefer a natural pitch surface, but acknowledged the requirement to use a synthetic surface. They requested conditions be added to any permission granted to minimise the impact of microplastics on the surrounding environment.

The Applicant has advised within the Planning Statement that the pitch will be enclosed by a 3m high green weldmesh fence with 1m high rebound panel to reduce noise from rebounding balls.

The application proposed ecological enhancements to the area, including the retention of mature trees and the planting of new trees. This would improve biodiversity in the area.

The application includes plans for new lighting to allow the pitch to be used during the evening. The report states that the lighting would be designed to reduce the impact on wildlife.

Sport England did not object to the proposal, but requested that conditions be added to any permission granted to ensure that detailed plans for the pitch perimeter are submitted for approval.

Certification that the Artificial Grass Pitch (AGP) has the FIFA Quality Standard accreditation or equivalent International Artificial Turf Standard (IATS) requirements.

The Stoke Newington Conservation Areas Advisory Committee commented:

We welcome the new pitch , however due to the proposed increase in residents the new pitch should be an addition, not a replacement for the existing, which is already extremely well-used. One pitch is insufficient.

Several objections were received from residents who were concerned about the potential for light and noise pollution, anti-social behaviour and traffic.

2022/0963: Land to the rear of 64 Middleton Road, London, E8 4BS

The applicant, JA Property Lets Limited, requested permission for the “Demolition of mechanic’s garage (use class B2) and erection of a two-storey 3 bedroom dwellinghouse (use class C3).”

The site is located within the Albion Square Conservation Area. The site contains no trees, and is not located on Metropolitan Open Land.

The applicant provided a report that stated the existing garage building would require significant repairs and refurbishment in order to bring it back into use as a garage. The report also stated that there had been no interest in renting the building as a garage in over a year.

The proposed dwellinghouse would be 2 storeys tall, and include 3 bedrooms. It would be clad in brick and timber.

Hackney Council's Kingsland Conservation Areas Advisory Committee objected to the proposal.

We still consider that the proposed two storey building on the land to the rear of 64 Middleton Road would negatively impact on the amenity of the current and future occupants of Nos 62 and 64.

A total of 88 objections were received from members of the public, with concerns about the visual impact of the development, the impact on the privacy of neighbouring properties, and the impact on trees on neighbouring properties.

The application included plans for a green roof on the building.

Prior to occupation, details of a green roof to the ground floor, designed for biodiversity with a minimum substrate of 80mm, and as part of a sustainable urban drainage system, shall be submitted and approved by the Local Planning Authority in writing.

2024/0821: Land known as Bishopsgate Goods Yard

Hackney Council was notified by the Greater London Authority about a planning application in the neighbouring borough of Tower Hamlets. The application site includes parts of Sclater Street, Brick Lane, Wheler Street, Commercial Street and Quaker Street within Hackney.

The applicant, Hammerson and Ballymore, requested permission for:

Notification from GLA of application 2023/0836 for Reserved Matters in respect of Plot 1, pursuant to LB Tower Hamlets outline planning permission reference 2014/2427 (GLA reference GLA/1200cd/13) dated 22 December 2014 for demolition of existing buildings; erection of up to 1,356 residential units (Use Class C3); 4,046 sqm (GIA) of flexible floorspace (Use Class A1/A2/A3/A4/B1); 2,065 sqm (GIA) of hotel (Use Class C1); 1,180 sqm (GIA) of community/leisure uses (Use Class D1/D2); and ancillary space, landscaping, public realm, and all associated works.

Delegated Decisions

The committee were asked to note the decisions made by officers on planning applications between 16 April 2024 and 18 July 2024.

The Licensing Sub Committee E was scheduled to meet on Wednesday 21 August 2024, but was cancelled. The Licensing Sub Committee A met to consider applications for new premises licences.

Licensing Sub Committee A - Thursday 29 August 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee A met to consider applications for new premises licences for businesses at 97 Stoke Newington Road and Playhouse, 258 Kingsland Road.

97 Stoke Newington Road

A new premises licence was requested for 97 Stoke Newington Road by Dream World Barz Ltd. This is an application for a new licence following the lapse of the previous licence, held by The Den Dalston Ltd, in January 2024.

The application requested permission for the sale of alcohol, performance of dance and recorded music, and late night refreshment.

Seven representations were received from local residents in response to the application, objecting on the grounds of:

• The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
• Public Safety
• Prevention of Public Nuisance
• The Protection of Children from Harm

The Metropolitan Police also submitted a representation, but withdrew it after reaching an agreement with the applicant.

The report pack for the meeting notes that the Licensing Authority is required to have regard to Hackney Council's Statement of Licensing Policy 2023-2028.

Each licensing authority in England and Wales is required to publish a statement of its licensing policy. This document details how the authority will consider applications for licences and will usually contain specific policies relating to issues such as the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance, and the protection of children from harm. The policy may also contain information about particular locations within the authority's area where special considerations apply. For example, there may be areas where the authority is particularly concerned about the cumulative impact of licensed premises.

-- The Open Council Network Agent, 29 August 2024.

It specifically notes that policies LP1 (General Principles), LP2 (Licensing Objectives) and LP3 (Core Hours) were relevant to this application.

The report recommended that, if the Licensing Sub-Committee were minded to approve the application, it should attach a list of 23 mandatory and 9 further conditions to the licence. The mandatory conditions mostly relate to the sale of alcohol, and include requirements to have a personal licence holder or designated premises supervisor on site at all times when alcohol is being sold, to operate a ‘Challenge 25’ policy, and to not sell alcohol below a minimum price. There are also a number of mandatory conditions relating to door supervision. The 9 further conditions were negotiated between the applicant and the Metropolitan Police, and cover topics such as CCTV, an incident log, signage, staff training, a dispersal policy, and the provision of free drinking water.

Playhouse, 258 Kingsland Road

Playhouse East Limited applied for a new premises licence for Playhouse, 258 Kingsland Road. The application requested permission for the sale of alcohol, the performance of recorded music, and late night refreshment.

Two representations were received from local residents in response to the application, objecting on the grounds of:

• The Prevention of Crime and Disorder
• Public Safety
• Prevention of Public Nuisance
• The Protection of Children from Harm

Hackney Council's Environmental Enforcement team also submitted a representation objecting to the application on the grounds of the prevention of public nuisance.

The report pack notes that the Licensing Authority is required to have regard to Hackney Council's Statement of Licensing Policy 2023-2028. It specifically notes that policies LP1 (General Principles), LP2 (Licensing Objectives), LP3 (Core Hours), and LP6 (External Areas and Outdoor Events) are relevant to this application.

The report recommended that, if the Licensing Sub-Committee were minded to approve the application, it should attach a list of 28 conditions to the licence. The first 22 of these conditions were proposed by the applicant, and mostly relate to the sale of alcohol and the times at which different activities are permitted, whilst the final 6 relate to waste disposal and were added as a result of the representation from Hackney Council's Environmental Enforcement team.

The Licensing Sub Committee D was scheduled to consider applications for new and varied Premises Licences, as well as objections to Temporary Event Notices.

Licensing Sub Committee D - Monday 05 August 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee D was scheduled to meet to consider a number of licensing applications, including applications for both new and varied premises licences, and objections to Temporary Event Notices. However, no transcript of the meeting was available at the time of writing.

Applications for New and Varied Premises Licences

Readers will recall that we have written about Premises Licences in detail before. In short, a Premises Licence authorises the holder to carry out licensable activities at a particular premises. Licensable activities are activities that are regulated by the Licensing Act 2003 because they are considered to have the potential to cause crime and disorder, public nuisance, or harm to children. These include:

• the sale by retail of alcohol
• the supply of alcohol by or on behalf of a club to, or to the order of, a member of the club
• the provision of regulated entertainment
• the provision of late night refreshment

In England and Wales, businesses that wish to carry out licensable activities must obtain a licence from their local authority. These are known as Premises Licences, and they are granted under the Licensing Act 2003.

— The Open Council Network Agent, 16 July 2024

Licensing applications must be considered by the Licensing Authority in accordance with the Licensing Act 2003, and also the Licensing Authority's own Statement of Licensing Policy. The Licensing Authority in Hackney is Hackney Council, and its current Statement of Licensing Policy was adopted in 2023 and runs until 2028.

The Licensing Sub-Committee considered applications relating to:

• Nancy Spains, 128 Curtain Road, London, EC2A 3AQ
• Ground Floor, 392 Kingsland Road, London, E8 4AA

Temporary Event Notices

The Licensing Sub-Committee was also scheduled to discuss a number of Temporary Event Notices. Readers may recall that a Temporary Event Notice (TEN) is a temporary licence that authorises a licensable activity to take place. The activity must not last for more than 168 hours and there cannot be more than 499 people on the premises at any one time.

In some limited circumstances a business may not require a Premises Licence to carry out licensable activities. For example, if a business is only carrying out a licensable activity for a short period of time, it may be able to apply for a Temporary Event Notice (TEN).

— The Open Council Network Agent, 16 July 2024

A relevant authority can issue a counter notice, which prevents a TEN from going ahead. Relevant authorities include the police, Environmental Health, and the Licensing Authority itself.

Counter notices were served on TENs for the following locations:

• 20 Stoke Newington Road, Hackney
• 182 Stoke Newington Road, Hackney

The grounds for issuing a counter notice are limited to the four licensing objectives:

• the prevention of crime and disorder
• public safety
• the prevention of public nuisance
• the protection of children from harm

In this case, the counter notices for the events at 182 Stoke Newington Road were both served on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder. The notice for the event at 20 Stoke Newington Road was served on the grounds of the prevention of public nuisance.

As no transcript of this meeting was available at the time of writing, it is not possible to report on the Licensing Sub-Committee's decisions. However, as we learn more about the outcome of these applications we will be sure to update readers.

The Corporate Committee held an extraordinary meeting to establish the council’s Planning Sub-Committee for 2024/25. The Pensions Committee were scheduled to meet to receive a number of reports relating to the Hackney Pension Fund. The Licensing Sub-Committee B were scheduled to consider an application to vary the licence of the Habbot Bar and Lounge, on Wick Road, to allow it to open later and serve alcohol for longer. The Planning Sub-Committee considered four planning applications, including an application from Berkeley Homes for a new football pitch in Woodberry Down.

Corporate Committee - Tuesday 30 July 2024

This was an extraordinary meeting of the Corporate Committee, called principally to determine the membership of the council's Planning Sub-Committee for the 2024/2025 municipal year. This follows the Annual Meeting of the Council held on Tuesday 15 May 2024, at which the membership of the council's various committees was initially agreed. The Corporate Committee is a committee of the council that is responsible for a range of corporate functions, including governance, finance, and legal services. It also has responsibility for the council's constitution. The Corporate Committee has nine members, all of whom are Labour councillors.

Readers may recall that we have written about extraordinary meetings before, most recently in our email of 11 May 2023, where we described an extraordinary meeting of the Tower Hamlets Council that had been called to discuss the results of the May 2023 local election.

Extraordinary meetings are called when there’s urgent business for the council to consider outside of its normal meeting cycle. This is often for very time sensitive matters, for example where a decision must be made before the next scheduled meeting, or because of unforeseen and significant events.

— The Open Council Network Agent, 11 May 2023

In this case, it seems likely that the meeting was called on an extraordinary basis because the Corporate Committee needed to formally establish the sub-committee, and this had not been possible in time for one of their regular, scheduled meetings.

The Corporate Committee also noted the appointment of its Chair and Vice Chair. These appointments are made by Full Council, and the Corporate Committee was to note that this had taken place on 24 July 2024. These appointments are usually made at the council's Annual Meeting, however it is possible that for some reason this did not happen this year.

Planning Sub-Committee - Wednesday 31 July 2024

This meeting considered four planning applications, one of which was a revised application following a previous meeting, the delegated decisions made since the last meeting, the Planning Sub-Committee's Terms of Reference, and the appointment of a chair for the next municipal year. Readers may recall that last week the Planning Sub-Committee meeting scheduled for Monday 8 July 2024 was cancelled. The next meeting is scheduled for 20 August 2024.

Land adj Woodberry Down Early Years Centre Springpark Drive, Hackney London, N4 2NP

The meeting considered an application by Berkeley Homes (North East London) Ltd, for the re-provision of a 3G football pitch on land adjacent to the Woodberry Down Early Years Centre.

Atrium Apartments, 13 Felton Street, London, N1 5NA

The meeting considered an application from Mr A. Azouz to erect a two-storey roof extension and alter the elevations and internal layout of Atrium Apartments to provide an additional 9 self-contained flats.

Land to the Rear 5 Filey Avenue, London N16 6UH

The meeting considered an application from Mr Demetrious for the erection of a two-storey new dwelling house in the rear garden of 5 Filey Avenue. This was the second time this application had been presented to the committee.

Land known as Bishopsgate Goods Yard including Braithwaite Street as bounded by Shoreditch High Street, Bethnal Green Road, Sclater Street, Brick Lane, Wheler Street, Commercial Street and Quaker Street within the London Boroughs of Hackney and Tower Hamlets, London, E1

The meeting noted an application for reserved matters approval (Access, Appearance, Landscaping, Layout and Scale) for the erection of a building on Plot 1 of the Bishopsgate Goods Yard Development. The report pack for the meeting notes that Hackney Council is a consultee on this application, and recommends an objection be made, pending the addressing of comments.

The Licensing Sub Committee E met to consider two applications for new Premises Licences. The Cabinet met to discuss a variety of topics ranging from affordable childcare, to the council's finances, to the transfer of planning powers from the LLDC. The Council also met this week, although the transcript of this meeting was not available at the time of writing.

Licensing Sub-Committee E - Monday 22 July 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee E considered two applications for new Premises Licences, one for a new off-licence on Shoreditch High Street, and one for a new restaurant and bar on Leonard Circus.

The first application, for The Corner Shop on 123 Shoreditch High Street was seeking permission to sell alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, from 10:00 to 01:00 from Monday to Wednesday, 10:00 to 04:00 from Thursday to Saturday, and 12:00 to 00:00 on Sundays.

Readers may recall that in a previous email we reported on an application for a new licence for late night refreshment at Shoreditch Grill, on Hackney Road. In that case, the Licensing Authority had objected to the application, noting that Hackney Council's Statement of Licensing Policy sets out 'core hours' for the sale of alcohol. In the case of The Corner Shop, the Licensing Authority again noted in their representation that the requested hours were in excess of those allowed under the policy, but also that the premises was located in an area subject to cumulative impact.

The second application was from Bangers London Ltd for a new Premises Licence for Bangers, on 5 Leonard Circus. This application was for the sale of alcohol for consumption on and off the premises, between 08:00 and 22:00 from Monday to Friday, and 08:30 to 22:00 on Saturdays and Sundays.

In their representation, the Licensing Authority noted that where a business did not have planning permission for the activity they were applying for a licence for, the hours they could be granted a licence for could be restricted. The Licensing Authority stated that the requested hours were in excess of those permitted under the existing planning permission for Bangers. This is a common issue, as many businesses are not aware of the need to have the correct planning permission in place before they apply for a Premises Licence.

Cabinet - Monday 22 July 2024

The Cabinet meeting on Monday 22nd July began with a deputation from Beatrice Hackett, who spoke on the subject of affordable childcare. This follows the publication in May of this year of the final report of the Hackney Commission into Affordable Childcare.

Readers will recall that the council declared a cost of living emergency in September last year, and pledged to Stand Up for Hackney in the face of the cost of living crisis.

We know that many residents are already struggling to make ends meet, and that the situation is only going to get worse in the months ahead. We want to do everything we can to help our residents through this difficult time.

— Hackney Council, Cost of Living Crisis - Hackney Council

The report considered by the Cabinet at this meeting included the council's response to the Commission's report. The Commission's report set out 29 recommendations under four headings, however these were not listed in the report pack, which instead provided summaries of the four headings, and the council's response to them.

The Cabinet also considered a report on the progress of the council's Transformation Strategy. This strategy sets out how the council plans to change the way it works in order to meet the challenges of the future. The report noted that the council is facing a number of challenges, including:

• A rapidly changing population.
• Increasing demand for services.
• Reduced funding from central government.

This echoes previous statements by the council about its financial position. In its budget for 2024/25 the council said:

Like all councils, our finances remain under immense pressure. Since 2010, our government funding has been slashed by over £140 million and, with inflation and service demands rising, we need to make further savings of £18 million this year alone. This comes at a time when our residents and businesses are facing the biggest cost of living crisis in a generation.

The report noted that the Transformation Programme is still in its early stages, but that good progress is being made. The report did not provide any details on how the programme would be funded.

The Cabinet also considered a report on the council's overall financial position. The report showed that the council is forecasting an overspend of £21.433m for 2024/25. This is a significant overspend, and the report noted that the council is taking a number of steps to try and reduce it. These steps include:

• A recruitment freeze.
• A review of all non-essential spending.
• A reduction in the use of agency staff.

The council will need to find ways to reduce this overspend, or it will need to make cuts to services. It is likely that the council will need to do a combination of both. The council has already made significant cuts to services in recent years, and it is likely that further cuts will be unpopular with residents.

The Cabinet also received a report on the proposed transfer of planning powers from the LLDC to Hackney Council. This is a significant change, as it will mean that Hackney Council will be responsible for all planning decisions in the borough. The report noted that the transfer of planning powers is scheduled to take place on 1 December 2024, but that this is subject to the government completing a Statutory Instrument to enable this to happen.

Council - Wednesday 24 July 2024

A meeting of the full council was held on Wednesday 24 July 2024, however no transcript was available at the time of writing.

Hackney Council held six meetings this week, covering a variety of topics ranging from licensing to procurement.

Licensing Sub-Committee D - Tuesday 16 July 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee D met to consider two applications: one for a new licence to serve late night refreshment at Shoreditch Grill on Hackney Road, and one to vary the existing licence for La Camionera on Well Street. Both applications attracted representations from the Licensing Authority and the Police. Both also attracted representations from local residents.

Application for a new licence for Shoreditch Grill, 51 Hackney Road

The sub-committee considered an application from Mr Arif Rafe for a new Premises Licence for Shoreditch Grill on Hackney Road to authorise late night refreshment.

The Licensing Authority objected to the application because:

The application seeks hours that are well in excess of those set out in LP3 Core Hours.

— Hackney Council Licensing Authority

LP3 of the Hackney Council Statement of Licensing Policy states that 'core hours' for the sale of alcohol are 8am to 11pm Monday to Thursday, 8am to midnight on Friday and Saturday, and 10am to 10:30pm on Sunday. It also notes that the current planning permission for the premises only authorises use as a restaurant until 11pm every night except Saturday, when it is authorised to open until midnight.

The Police objected to the application on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, and the prevention of public nuisance. They noted that there is a cumulative impact in the area because of the density of existing late night venues, and that they receive frequent complaints about noise, anti-social behaviour, violence and litter in the area after midnight. They also stated that the venue had been seen operating past 11pm without a licence.

One local resident also objected to the application on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm.

The Environmental Enforcement team did not object to the application, but asked for a number of conditions to be added to any licence granted, including the requirement to retain the venue's existing waste disposal arrangements, control of litter and a ban on the use of plain black rubbish bags.

Application to vary the licence for La Camionera, 243 Well Street

The sub-committee considered an application from La Camionera Ltd to vary the Premises Licence for La Camionera on Well Street to:

• extend the hours for the sale of alcohol to 11:30pm Sunday to Thursday, and 12:30am on Friday and Saturday.
• remove two conditions from the existing licence.
• change the layout of the premises.

The Licensing Authority objected to the application because the requested hours were outside of the 'core hours' set out in LP3 of the Statement of Licensing Policy. It also questioned why the applicant wanted to remove a condition limiting the capacity of the premises in specific areas when that condition reflected the overall capacity limit stated in their application.

Two local residents objected to the application on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety, the prevention of public nuisance and the protection of children from harm. They argued that the extended hours would increase noise levels in the area, particularly in the rear garden, and that noise from this area was already a significant problem. One resident suggested that a condition should be imposed forcing the closure of the garden by 8:30pm. Another suggested that the licensee should consider adding sound dampening materials to the garden. One local resident wrote to the council in support of the application.

The Police did not object to the application, but requested that a condition requiring the installation of CCTV be added to the licence.

General Exception Notices - Monday 15 July 2024

Two General Exception Notices were issued this week, both relating to procurement decisions that the council argued could not wait until the next scheduled meeting of the Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee.

Award of CHE S373 General Buildings Contract Lot 2

The first General Exception Notice, for a meeting held on Monday 15 July 2024 (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26430), was issued so that the council could discuss the awarding of Lot 2 of the CHE S373 General Buildings Contract, which covers the provision of general building work in the borough. Lot 1 of this contract had already been awarded at a previous meeting.

The existing contract with the previous provider of general building work had already expired, and the council argued that delaying the award of the new contract for the twenty-eight day notice period ordinarily required would, bring an unacceptable risk of a delay in the timeline and mobilisation of new contractors.

This brings an unacceptable risk of a delay in the timeline and mobilisation of new contractors. The contract with the incumbent contractor has expired and Single Tender Actions have been sought to provide capacity to the service area. Any further delays will result in a gap in service.

— Hackney Council, General Exception Notice - CPIC 15.07.24 CHE S373 DON 24 June 2024

In order to avoid a 'gap in service' the council issued a General Exception Notice which would allow the decision to be made at the meeting on 15th July, rather than waiting for the next scheduled meeting of the Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee (CPIC) on 2 September 2024.

Award of contracts for Lot 2 of Hackney Council's General Building Contract

The second General Exception Notice, also for a meeting to be held on Monday 15 July 2024 (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26426), was issued so that the CPIC could consider whether to award contracts for Lot 2 of Hackney Council's General Building Contract.

If a decision on the General Building Contract 2 award of contract is not taken at CPIC at its meeting on 15 July 2024, the next scheduled meeting is not until 2 September 2024. This brings an unacceptable risk of a delay in the timeline and mobilisation of new contractors. The contract with the incumbent contractor has expired and Single Tender Actions have been sought to provide capacity to the service area. Any further delays will result in a gap in service.

— Hackney Council, General Exception Notice

This notice was issued under the council's General Exception Procedure Rules, which allow urgent decisions to be made outside of the council's normal decision making process.

A report, CHE S373 General Building Contract 2 Direct Labour Organisation (DLO) Support - Award Report, which recommended the award of contracts, was not made public. The General Exception Notice explained that this was because it was exempt from publication under the Local Government Act 1972, as it contained commercially sensitive information.

Scrutiny Panel - Monday 15 July 2024

The Scrutiny Panel is a committee of the council that scrutinises the work of the council's Cabinet. It does this by examining the council's policies and performance, and by holding the Cabinet to account for its decisions.

At this meeting, the Panel received reports on the council's finances, the planned work programme for the Panel and a summary of responses to a public engagement exercise that had been undertaken to inform that work programme.

Council Finances

The 2023/24 Overall Financial Position Report - March 2024 detailed the council’s budget position for the last financial year (2023/24). This included the income received and expenditure by the council in each of its main service areas, and highlighted where expenditure had been greater than the budgeted amount, or lower than expected. The report also contained a detailed breakdown of how the council had spent the Household Support Fund provided by central government. The report notes an overspend for 2023/24 of £9.875m. This overspend was covered by 'pausing' further planned contributions to the capital programme, the use of corporate contingency funding, one-off grants and a lower than anticipated spend on energy.

The report also contained details of the Market Sustainability and Improvement Fund (MSIF) that the council had received from central government. This fund is designed to support the provision of adult social care services. This includes specific funding provided to increase the salaries of care workers and reduce waiting times for social care assessments.

The Capital Update and Property Disposals And Acquisitions Report provides a summary of the council's capital programme, which is the work undertaken by the council to create or improve buildings, roads and other long-term assets. The report detailed proposed spending on a range of projects including improvements to parks and playgrounds, road safety schemes and refurbishment of Stoke Newington Library.

The report requested approval for spending from Section 106 monies on projects including: *Improvements to Dunston Road and Denne Terrace and the installation of a zebra crossing on Southwold Road. *Highway improvements at Dynevor Road and Hoxton Street. *Improvements to Hackney Museum.

The report also requested approval to allocate £877k from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy for the 2024 Hackney Carnival.

Scrutiny Panel Work Programme 2024/25

The meeting was presented with the draft Scrutiny Panel Work Programme for the 2024/25 municipal year. Standing items on the agenda for the year include the quarterly finance updates, which detail spending against the current budget and highlight areas of overspend.

Also included on the work programme are a review of the complaints received by the council, a question time session with the Chief Executive, Dawn Carter-McDonald, and a question time session with the Mayor, Philip Glanville.

Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme - Public Engagement 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Commissions requested the preparation of a report summarising the suggestions received as part of the overview and scrutiny work programme public engagement exercise. The engagement received 78 responses. Suggestions included increased provision of cycle lanes, addressing antisocial behaviour and a range of comments on the council's approach to traffic management and in particular, the introduction of Low Traffic Neighbourhoods%20are,traffic%20and%20improve%20air%20quality.), which aim to reduce traffic in residential areas. Many respondents requested more action on environmental issues including dog fouling, littering and illegal parking.

Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee - Monday 15 July 2024

A meeting of the Cabinet Procurement and Insourcing Committee (CPIC) was held to discuss a range of topics relating to the council's procurement activities. CPIC is a committee of the council that is responsible for overseeing the council's procurement and insourcing activities. Procurement is the process of acquiring goods, services or works from an external source. Insourcing is the process of bringing a service or function that is currently outsourced back in-house.

Domestic Abuse Accommodation Based Refuge Support Service

The Committee considered a report about the future of the Domestic Abuse Accommodation Based Refuge Support Service. The report highlighted the statutory responsibilities on local authorities to provide support to victims of domestic abuse and their children in refuge accommodation. The committee approved a contract award to Supplier A for both the Culturally Specific Service and the Generic Service. The contract will be for 5 years, with an option to extend by a further 2 years, and the total value of the contract will be a maximum of £2,390,260.

Universal Youth Services

A report considered by the Committee set out the process for appointing a range of providers to deliver youth services in Hackney from November 2024. The report explained that the re-procurement would continue the hybrid model of service delivery, including a mix of council-run youth hubs, and contracted services from community and voluntary sector organisations. The report also explained that the Council’s approach to youth services was informed by the findings of the Hackney Young Futures Commission.¹ The report recommended to the committee that it should delegate authority to the Group Director of Children and Education to award the contract for the delivery of the Culturally Specific Orthodox Jewish Youth Service. This lot had to be withdrawn from the main tender due to a lack of bids that met the minimum requirements of the service specification. The committee agreed to this proposal.

De Beauvoir Estate

A report presented to the Committee set out the procurement strategy for the appointment of a contractor for the building of new homes on the De Beauvoir Estate. The report described the financial challenges caused by national and global factors, that had resulted in an increase in the cost of construction. It stated that the De Beauvoir scheme would be “tenure blind” and that the council was looking for a contractor that could “produce a high quality regeneration”. It stated that the chosen contractor would enter into a Pre-Construction Services Agreement (PCSA) in the first instance, and then the full works contracts would be agreed following competitive tendering. The committee agreed to the recommendations and delegated authority to the Group Director, Climate Homes and Economy, to finalise the contract award.

Corporate Property & Asset Management

The Committee considered two reports relating to the procurement of frameworks for professional services and for works contracts, to support the Council's ongoing work maintaining and improving its property assets.

Framework for Professional Multi-Disciplinary and Technical Consultancy Services.

The first report sought to establish a framework of professional consultants to support capital investment works that would be delivered by the Corporate Property & Asset Management Team (CPAM) over the next 10 years. The report described the Council's ambition to move away from a “business as usual approach” to outsourcing and bring more and more Council services in house. The report recommended that a framework of local SME consultancies be set up. It stated that using frameworks established by other organisations did not always offer value for money, and that large companies on such frameworks were not suitable for the “short-time scales” of many of the Council's projects. The proposed framework would consist of three lots, containing four consultants in each lot. The lots were the following:

• Architectural & Engineering Services
• Cost Consultants & Project Managers
• Building Consultants The total value of work to be delivered through the framework over its four year term would be £10.5m. The committee approved the proposal.

Framework for Construction Contractors.

The second report proposed to the committee that it should approve a framework for construction contractors that would allow CPAM to appoint contractors for capital works in a cost effective way. The report explained that the proposal was another step in the Council's long term ambition to move away from traditional outsourcing, and take greater control of delivering works in house. The report proposed to set up a framework of local SME construction companies for a term of four years, and stated that the total value of works to be delivered through the framework would be £69.5m. Like the proposed framework for consultants, the framework for construction companies would be structured in three lots. The lots would be the following:

• Mechanical Works
• Electrical Works
• Fabric Works The report proposed to appoint four contractors to each lot. The committee agreed to the proposal.

Amazon Web Services, One Government Value Agreement 2.0 Contract

The Committee considered a report regarding the procurement of cloud services from Amazon Web Services (AWS). The report described the council's ‘cloud unless’ strategy for its ICT systems, and the importance of that strategy following the cyber attack of 2020. The report explained that AWS was the Council's primary cloud platform provider, and that the Council ran almost all of its services in the cloud, with very little “on-premises” infrastructure. The report stated that the Council’s existing contract with AWS was due to expire on 31 October 2024 and that no extension was possible. It recommended that the Council enter into a new three-year agreement with AWS, procured through the G-Cloud framework. The report stated that the Council had seen a significant increase in cloud usage since 2020, exceeding the original estimates, but that a focus on cost management had now stabilised the costs of the estate. The report proposed that the Council enter into the One Government Value Agreement (OGVA), which would provide discounted pricing on cloud services based on a contractual commitment to an annual 8% increase in spend. The committee agreed to award the contract to AWS.

General Buildings Contract 2 for Direct Labour Organisation (DLO) Support Contractor - General Exception

The Committee considered a report seeking approval to award contracts to two companies who would provide contractor support to the Council’s Direct Labour Organisation (DLO).² The report stated that the contracts would be for a term of three years (two years plus a one year optional extension) and would be for the following works:

• Reactive repairs
• Voids
• Legal disrepair
• Electrical works
• Scaffolding The report stated that the contracts would be split 60/40 between two contractors, to enable the Council to continue service delivery in the event of a supplier failure. The report highlighted the risk to service delivery if there was a delay to the contract award. The report recommended that the committee should delegate authority to the Group Director, Climate, Homes and Economy, to finalise the contract awards. The committee agreed to the proposal.

Licensing Committee - Wednesday 17 July 2024

The Licensing Committee is a statutory committee of the council that is responsible for a range of functions relating to the licensing of premises and activities in the borough. These functions include the granting of new licences, the review of existing licences, and the determination of licence applications where representations have been made. At this meeting, the committee met to discuss the Late Night Levy and the finances of that scheme. No decisions were taken at this meeting.

The Late Night Levy

The Committee received an update on the Late Night Levy from Samantha Mathys, the Levy Manager.

The Committee heard that total receipts for the second quarter of 2024 (February - April) were £109,281.

Total receipts in Year 7 Q2 amounted to £109,281, bringing our YTD amount to £287,237.

- Samantha Mathys, Late Night Levy - Year 7 Q2 Update

The update covered the following topics:

• Hackney Nights Statistics. The Committee heard that 323 nightlife and security staff had received training in the quarter. A total of 128 engagement visits were conducted, 11 venues had become accredited, there had been 18 new Hackney Nights portal sign ups, and 100 advice sessions delivered.
• Training, portal and raising awareness. A new contract was let to Safer Business Network to deliver WAVE training.
• Pre-application licensing advice service. The Committee heard that there had been an increase in demand for this service, with 74 sessions conducted in the quarter. >...an increase in demand for application advice which may be due to the sector experiencing a lot of economic stress, and there is a need to adapt their business models in order for the business to continue. > > - Samantha Mathys, Late Night Levy - Year 7 Q2 Update
• Noise alert system and mediation support service. 182 noise alerts were sent to 61 venues using the new system. >...Our average prior to the project was approximately 10-15 reports a weekend, we are now at about 4-5 reports per week, which is a decrease of approximately 60%. > > - Samantha Mathys, Late Night Levy - Year 7 Q2 Update
• Women’s Night Safety Charter. Samantha Mathys presented the #DontCrosstheLine campaign at the Mayor of London's Women's Night Safety Summit.
• Policing, Enforcement and Welfare. The Committee was told that Police resources were affected by abstraction of officers to central London events. A new intelligence and information sharing inbox was created to improve communication between the Council and licensed premises: night-intel@hackney.gov.uk

Late Night Levy - Annual Financial Report 2023/2024

The Committee received a report on the Levy's finances for the 2023/2024 financial year. The report showed that the Levy was in a healthy financial position, with total receipts of £479,395 and a balance of £143,066 to be carried over into the 2024/2025 financial year.

However, it was noted that receipts for 2022/2023 were significantly higher, at £645,310, as a result of arrears being recouped following the pandemic.

The amount collected in 2022/2023 is much higher as arrears due to the pandemic were recouped.

- Samantha Mathys, Late Night Levy - Annual Financial Report for 2023/2024

The report noted that, as a result of the lower than expected income for 2023/2024, cuts would have to be made to some services in 2024/2025.

We are in a healthy position financially, however we will need to make cuts to some services by 2024/2025 to account for the reduction in income.

- Samantha Mathys, Late Night Levy - Annual Financial Report for 2023/2024

This week, Hackney Council held six meetings, covering a diverse range of topics, from housing to health, and from planning to procurement.

Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission - Monday 08 July 2024

The Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission met to discuss the Council’s draft Private Sector Housing Strategy 2024-29 and the Housing Strategy 2024-29, which were due to be adopted by Cabinet later in the year. Councillors discussed the draft Private Sector Housing Strategy 2024-29, raising questions about enforcement, tenant engagement, and support for specific demographics. The Commission agreed to reflect on the evidence heard and may make suggestions or recommendations for consideration as part of the strategy consultation process. Regarding the Housing Strategy 2024-29, the Commission discussed possible timelines for its publication.

Draft Private Sector Housing Strategy 2024-29

The Commission's discussion of the draft Private Sector Housing Strategy 2024-29 began by recognising the importance of the Private Rented Sector (PRS) in Hackney, which has seen a significant increase in the number of privately rented homes in recent years. Key priorities identified in the strategy included improving housing standards, tackling rogue landlords, and addressing issues such as damp, mould, and energy inefficiency.

Councillors raised several questions about the strategy. One significant concern was how the Council planned to engage with harder to reach and marginalised groups in developing and implementing the strategy. Councillor Sem Moema, Deputy Cabinet Member for Private Rented Sector & Housing Affordability, explained that the Council was committed to engaging with a wide range of groups and organisations to ensure the strategy was representative of Hackney's communities. This would include groups such as people on low incomes and key workers, as well as older people, younger people and faith groups.

As part of the consultation process, the Council planned to engage with a wide range of groups and organisations to ensure the strategy was representative of Hackney’s communities. This would include people on low incomes and key workers, as well as older people, younger people and faith groups.

— Councillor Sem Moema, Deputy Cabinet Member for Private Rented Sector & Housing Affordability

The Commission also questioned the Council's use of enforcement powers in the PRS, particularly regarding building safety. Councillor Moema explained that the Council employs a range of enforcement powers, including formal, deterrent-focused powers and informal actions, to regulate the PRS. The Commission requested a detailed breakdown of the Council's use of formal enforcement powers, such as statutory notices and banning orders.

Another important topic was tenant education on rights and responsibilities. The Commission sought clarification on how the Council assists tenants facing issues in the PRS and where they could seek advice. Councillor Moema highlighted the role of social media in disseminating information about tenant rights and Council commitments.

The Commission also explored issues related to specific demographics within the PRS. They sought information on how the Council planned to support older private tenants, recognising the increasing likelihood of individuals reaching retirement age while still in private rentals.

The conversation also touched upon the impact of external factors, such as the Renters' (Reform) Bill and Local Housing Allowance (LHA) rates, on the PRS in Hackney. The Commission sought details on the Council's lobbying efforts regarding these legislative measures. Councillor Moema confirmed the Council's active involvement in advocating for tenant rights and improved housing conditions within the PRS.

Housing Strategy 2024-29

The Commission also received an update on the Housing Strategy 2024-29, focusing on the timeline for its development and publication. Hackney Council officer Nathan Keates, Project Manager Housing Strategy & Policy, outlined three possible routes:

• Route One involved presenting a draft strategy to the Cabinet in June 2024, followed by a 12-week public consultation period, with the final strategy presented to the Cabinet in December 2024. This route had to consider potential disruptions from the London Mayoral Election and General Election.
• Route Two proposed aligning the Housing Strategy timeline with the Local Plan Review, resulting in a similar timeline to Route One but delayed by a year, with completion in June 2025. This route would avoid any potential disruptions from the elections.
• Route Three, similar to Route Two, involved waiting for the Local Plan Review and elections but also including the preparation of a Position Statement/Emerging Themes document for the Cabinet in December 2024.

The Commission enquired about the proposed 12-week public consultation process for the draft Housing Strategy. Mr Keates confirmed the statutory requirement for the consultation but stated that the specific methods were yet to be determined.

The Commission expressed their intention to revisit the Housing Strategy in the new municipal year for a detailed examination of emerging priorities and their implementation strategies.

Appointments Committee - Monday 08 July 2024

The Appointments Committee met to consider an appointment to the Independent Remuneration Panel. The Committee agreed to appoint Sarah Jones to the panel.

Appointment to the Independent Remuneration Panel

The Committee considered a report on the appointment of a new member to the Independent Remuneration Panel.

The Panel's role is to consider and make recommendations to the Council each year on the level of the following:

• The basic allowance for all councillors
• The total amount to be paid in special responsibility allowances (SRAs)
• The level of SRAs payable in respect of the offices of Leader of the Council, Deputy Leader, Speaker, Deputy Speaker and Cabinet Members
• The level of co-optee payments (where applicable).

The Panel is made up of five members of the public and two co-opted Councillors. The Council was seeking to appoint one new member of the public for a four year term of office. There was one candidate, Sarah Jones, who had experience in human resources and remuneration.

Ms Jones holds a Masters Level qualification in Human Resources Management and has held roles in reward and leadership development at two national organisations, Barnardos and Business in the Community.

The Panel noted that Ms Jones had demonstrated a clear understanding of the role and the challenges ahead.

Councillor Paul Convery proposed that the Committee appoint Ms Jones. This was seconded by Councillor Susan Fajana-Thomas. The Committee voted to appoint Ms Jones.

Skills, Economy and Growth Scrutiny Commission - Wednesday 10 July 2024

The Skills Economy and Growth Scrutiny Commission noted the minutes of its previous two meetings, on 17 January 2024 and 21 February 2024. They also noted the Executive's response to comments they had previously submitted on the draft Sustainable Insourcing and Procurement Strategy.

Planning Policy, Net Zero and Existing Buildings

The commission received a presentation from officers and external guests on the relationship between planning policy and the council's net zero targets. The meeting focused on the challenge of reducing the carbon footprint of the borough's many heritage buildings.

Cllr Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Delivery, Inclusive Economy & Regeneration, and officers from the Planning and Building Control team presented on behalf of the council. They explained that the council has a proactive approach to retrofitting existing buildings, including heritage assets, to reduce their carbon emissions.

In Hackney 80% of applications for low carbon measures e.g. solar panels on listed buildings are approved. If applications have not been approved, alternative ways to improve carbon efficiency have been identified.

Natalie Broughton, Assistant Director, Planning and Building Control, Minutes 17012024 Skills Economy and Growth Scrutiny Commission

The officers explained that Historic England, the public body that looks after England's historic environment, had provided guidance and worked with the council to find solutions that reduce carbon emissions from heritage assets without harming their historic value. For example, they had worked with the council and Lynch Architects, a firm based in Hackney, on plans to improve the energy efficiency of 195 Mare Street, a Grade II* listed building¹ in Hackney.

Westminster City Council, a local authority with a very large number of heritage assets, also presented to the commission. They described the work of their Retrofit Task Force, set up to investigate the challenge of reducing carbon emissions from the city's building stock, especially its many listed buildings. The task force is exploring innovative planning mechanisms, such as local listed building consent orders and heritage partnership agreements, to accelerate retrofit.

Economic Development Plan Update

The commission received an update on the council's work to develop a new Economic Development Plan (EDP). The plan is being developed in response to a perceived need to make the borough's economy more inclusive and to address a trend of residents being excluded from the benefits of Hackney's economic success.

The commission heard about the council's work developing a Responsible Business Charter. The charter will define what it means to be a responsible business in Hackney and encourage businesses to adopt practices that benefit the environment, their workers, and the local community. The council will promote the charter at the Mayor's Business Event on 13 March 2024.

The idea behind this piece of work emanated from a previous scrutiny commission meeting discussion about businesses social responsibilities and a social business charter.

Michael Toyer, Economic Development Manager, Minutes 21022024 Skills Economy and Growth Scrutiny Commission

The council also provided an update on its work to support social businesses in the borough. The council is developing an evidence base of the borough's social enterprise sector and hopes to publish a report in the future. The council is also looking at its procurement processes to understand how it can better support social businesses.

Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission - Thursday 11 July 2024

The Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission met to discuss a range of matters relating to health provision in the borough. The minutes of their last meeting, held on 20 March 2024 were agreed and the actions arising from that meeting were noted.

Minutes of the meeting held on 20 March 2024

The commission discussed the minutes of their meeting held on 20 March 2024. The minutes were agreed as a correct record.

The Committee is asked to agree the minutes as a correct record and note the action tracker.
RESOLVED
To agree the minutes of the meeting held on 20 March are attached, as well as the Action Tracker.
-- Item 11a minutes cover sheet

Work Programme 2024-2025

The commission discussed their work programme for the coming municipal year. They agreed a draft work programme, and asked that their forward plan be updated to reflect their discussions.

The Committee is asked to: a) Note the updated Draft Work Programme (Appendix B) for 2024-25 and the suggestions by the themed scrutiny commissions for consideration for inclusion in the work programme (Appendix D). b) Agree any additions/amendments to the Draft Work Programme (Appendix B) c) Note the contents of the INEL and JHOSC Forward Plan
RESOLVED
To note:
a) the updated Draft Work Programme (Appendix B) for 2024-25 and the suggestions by the themed scrutiny commissions for consideration for inclusion in the work programme (Appendix D).
b) the contents of the INEL and JHOSC Forward Plan
To agree:
a) the additions/amendments to the Draft Work Programme (Appendix B) as set out in the minutes.
b) that the Forward Plan be updated to reflect the above discussions.
-- item 12a work prog cover sheet

Cancelled and Postponed Meetings

The following meetings were cancelled this week:

• Licensing Sub Committee B - Tuesday 09 July 2024 (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26437)
• Planning Sub-Committee - Monday 08 July 2024 (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26431)

The following meetings were postponed this week:

• Pensions Committee - Tuesday 09 July 2024 (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/5570)
• Standards Committee - Thursday 11 July 2024 (http://opencouncil.network/meetings/26439)

This past week has been a busy one for Hackney Council, with several important meetings and decisions made. Here’s a breakdown of the key topics discussed and decisions taken.

Cabinet Meeting - Monday 24 June 2024

The Cabinet meeting tackled several significant issues, including a major heat network project, updates to the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), and a new Youth Justice Plan.

Colville Estate Heat Network

One of the major decisions was the approval of up to £20 million in funding for the Colville Estate Heat Network. This project aims to provide low-carbon heating and hot water to 1,750 homes by drawing heat from a new Energy Centre on the Colville Estate. The funding will be sourced through a combination of grant funding and borrowing.

The business case demonstrates that the scheme provides Value for Money with a present value of benefits exceeding the present value of costs... the scheme is therefore considered to be affordable and offers a positive return on investment for the Council.¹ - Colville Heat Network - Cabinet Report

This project aligns with the Council’s Corporate Plan 2022-26 and its target to be net zero by 2040, as detailed in the Climate Action Plan 2020-2025.

Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO)

The Cabinet also approved the renewal of the PSPO related to alcohol consumption for another three years. This order allows police and council officers to confiscate alcohol in designated areas to combat alcohol-related anti-social behaviour.

The original PSPO sought to address high levels of crime and disorder related to street drinking in Hackney... evidence suggests that since the implementation of the PSPO, the areas covered have seen a reduction in alcohol-related incidents.² - CHE S364 Public Spaces Protection Order Alcohol

Concerns were raised about the potential disproportionate impact on certain communities, leading to a commitment to review the PSPO annually.

Youth Justice Plan

A new Youth Justice Plan for 2024-25 was approved, focusing on early intervention and support for young people at risk of offending. The plan emphasizes addressing underlying causes of youth offending, such as poverty and lack of opportunity, and working in partnership with other agencies.

The plan sets out how the YJB, police and other partners will prevent offending by and improve outcomes for children who offend.³ - CE S367 Youth Justice Plan 2024-25

Financial Position

The Cabinet reviewed a report revealing a projected budget gap of £14.1 million for 2024/25, driven by inflation, rising service demands, and reductions in government funding.

Disposal of Property at 63b Lingwood Road

The Cabinet agreed to dispose of a loft space property at 63b Lingwood Road, E5 9BN, deemed surplus to requirements. The sale proceeds will be reinvested in the Housing Revenue Account (HRA).

The Council’s financial position is such that all opportunities to generate capital receipts from the sale of surplus assets should be fully explored.⁴ - 63B Lingwood Road E5 9BN

Food Law Enforcement

An information report on the Food Law Enforcement Service Plan was presented, outlining the Council's strategy to ensure compliance with food safety regulations through risk-based inspections and collaboration with businesses.

The Food Law Enforcement Service Plan is a statutory requirement under the Food Standards Agency’s Food Law Code of Practice.⁵ - CHE S365 Food Law Enforcement Service Plan Information Item

Licensing Sub-Committee D - Tuesday 25 June 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee D meeting reviewed three licence applications, resulting in modifications to address community concerns.

La La Land Nightclub

The licence for La La Land, a nightclub on Great Eastern Street, was modified to address noise complaints from local residents and concerns from the Metropolitan Police. The new licence conditions include reduced operating hours and mandatory door staff from 11 pm daily.

Copper Cats Bar

Copper Cats, a bar on Kingsland Road, was granted a variation to their Premises Licence, allowing them to serve alcohol until 2 am on Fridays and Saturdays.

51a Tudor Road

A series of Temporary Event Notices at 51a Tudor Road were modified to reduce operating hours following complaints about noise.

General Exception Notices - Monday 24 June 2024

The General Exception Notices meeting saw Hackney Council agree on several urgent matters, including the purchase of a property for temporary accommodation, a lease extension in Stoke Newington, and the issuance of a noise abatement notice.

Temporary Accommodation

The council approved the urgent purchase of a property to be used as temporary accommodation for homeless families, funded by the Housing Revenue Account.

Lease Extension

A lease extension on a property in Stoke Newington was granted, extending the lease by 90 years.

Noise Abatement Notice

The council granted permission to serve a noise abatement notice on a property following complaints about amplified music and shouting.

Health and Wellbeing Board - Thursday 27 June 2024

The Health and Wellbeing Board meeting covered several important strategies and initiatives.

Healthwatch Hackney Strategy

The Board discussed the new Healthwatch Hackney Strategy 24-27, which outlines the goals for monitoring and reviewing local health and social care services over the next three years.

Outcomes Framework for the Place-Based Partnership

A new outcomes framework for the Council's partnership with City & Hackney NHS Trust was discussed, focusing on improving local health and wellbeing.

Health Inequalities Strategy

The Board reviewed a new strategy aimed at tackling health inequalities, focusing on giving every child the best start in life, supporting healthier lifestyles, creating fairer places, and working in partnership.

Autistic-Friendly Neighbourhoods

Plans for a pilot scheme to make Hackney's neighbourhoods more autism-friendly were discussed. The pilot will be implemented in Hoxton East & Shoreditch and Springfield, involving changes to the built environment and training for local business staff.

Other Meetings

• The Inner North East London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday 25 June 2024 was postponed.
• The Constitution Committee meeting scheduled for Tuesday 25 June 2024 was cancelled.
• The Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission meeting scheduled for Wednesday 26 June 2024 was cancelled.

Stay tuned for more updates on Hackney Council's activities and decisions in the coming weeks.