The Skills, Place and Economy Scrutiny Commission met to review the progress of Hackney's Markets Strategy and discuss updates on waste and recycling services. Key decisions included a commitment to not further burden traders with increased costs and a focus on improving waste management through enhanced enforcement and community engagement.

Markets Strategy Update

The Commission reviewed the progress of the Markets, Shopfronts and Street Trading Strategy 2024-2029. Councillor Rachel Kiesu-Gifu, Cabinet Member for Inclusive Economies, Skills, High Streets and Markets, highlighted the importance of markets as community anchors and drivers of the local economy. Dan O'Sullivan, Head of Service for Markets, Shopfronts and Street Trading, presented an update on the strategy's delivery, noting significant growth in licenses and economic spend generated by markets.

While many aspects of the strategy were rated as 'green', the development of an indoor market was marked as 'red' due to a third-party property arrangement not progressing within contractual timelines. The 'safe and inclusive shopping' mission was rated 'amber', acknowledging ongoing challenges with antisocial behaviour and noise, though overall antisocial behaviour reporting had decreased. Financial sustainability was also rated 'amber', with the service breaking even in 2024-25 but facing cost pressures due to two consecutive years without a CPI uplift, resulting in an estimated £355,000 not recovered.

Discussions focused on strategies for using revenue and technology to drive footfall, with investments in Wi-Fi, CCTV, and upgraded commercial storage. The council's commitment to reducing single-use plastics was highlighted, with Hackney being the first borough to make plastic-free markets a licensing condition, resulting in an estimated 1.2 million fewer single-use plastic items being used annually. The Commission heard about regeneration projects, including significant investment in Hoxton Street Market, and the success of the Hackney Next Gen brand supporting young traders. Technology is being used to streamline licensing processes, with activations now taking 48 hours, a significant improvement from previous years.

Councillor Chapman raised concerns about financial sustainability and the red rating for the indoor market, questioning the confidence in delivering the strategy in full by 2029. Officers explained that a clear plan was in place to bring costs down and that other strategic objectives were on track. They also detailed plans for reorganisation, efficiency savings, and identifying underused spaces for commercial storage to generate income. Councillor Kiesu-Gifu emphasised a commitment to not burdening traders further with increased costs, focusing instead on community wealth building initiatives and local outsourcing opportunities.

Councillor Dekker inquired about regular entertainment at markets to boost footfall, and officers confirmed trials of busking zones and plans to designate spaces for performance art. The issue of safe and inclusive shopping was discussed, with officers detailing ongoing work with partners and uniformed officers on site to address antisocial behaviour and support vulnerable residents. Councillor Sheldon-Grün asked about external funding sources and the potential for capital expenses to be part of an Invest to Save approach, to which officers confirmed approved Invest to Save funding for composting and exploration of similar applications for commercial storage.

Councillor Chereji asked about the £4.7 million secured for connecting Hoxton and the associated risks and timelines for infrastructure upgrades, with officers explaining extensive engagement with traders and businesses had informed the improvements. Councillor Concepcion requested further EDI data on market traders, which officers confirmed was available and could be shared. Councillor Burkes-Abreen inquired about the market champions scheme, and officers explained the evolution towards working with national bodies like the National Market Traders Federation.

Councillor MacMahon asked about the implementation of no fixed abode licenses for people experiencing homelessness, with officers detailing a successful trial that led to two individuals being housed and deriving income. The impact of the August heatwave on occupancy and revenue was discussed, with a 7% drop in occupancy and plans to mitigate future impacts through refrigerated storage and supporting traders with bulk buying. The reduction of single-use plastics was further detailed, with high compliance rates and ongoing work to address challenges with meat, fish, and poultry businesses.

Waste and Recycling Services Update

The Commission also received an update on Hackney's waste and recycling services, addressing resident feedback on bin collection frequency, litter accumulation, and illegal fly-tipping. Councillor Jacob Cable, Cabinet Member for Climate, Clean Air, Energy and Transport, introduced the services, highlighting the challenges of operating in a densely populated borough with limited internal storage space and high resident turnover. He noted that Hackney has already surpassed the national 2042 residual waste target per person.

The presentation detailed the operational performance, including a low miscollection rate, and outlined current work to meet national legislative mandates under the Environmental Act 2021, such as mandatory food waste collections and estate recycling upgrades. Innovations like AI-fitted cameras on collection vehicles and reverse-lidded communal bins were mentioned to deter contamination and dumping. Strategic ambitions include aiming for zero waste to landfill and reducing residual streams by 50% by 2040, alongside advocating for pan-London public awareness campaigns and legislative reform. A pilot for community skips was also proposed, focusing on circular economy items.

Geeta Subramaniam-Mooney, Director of Environment and Climate Change, elaborated on the challenges of Hackney's urban context, particularly for waste presentation and contamination in predominantly flat properties. She emphasised the importance of residents changing their behaviours to reduce overall waste, noting that a significant portion of residual waste could be recycled. The presentation confirmed that fortnightly residual collections remain essential for driving waste separation, supported by rigorous assessment processes for households requiring additional capacity.

Discussions covered recycling rates, with comparisons to other boroughs, and the challenges posed by Hackney's demographics, including a lack of garden waste and higher levels of deprivation. The council's compliance with Simpler Recycling mandates for dry recycling, food waste, and garden waste was confirmed. Initiatives to reduce single-use plastics, including market licensing and the Bring It Hackney campaign, were highlighted.

Regarding cleansing and fly-tipping, the Commission heard about enhanced enforcement resources, including additional officers for evening and weekend shifts, which led to a 71% increase in fixed penalty notices and a 15% reduction in unregulated business waste. The root causes of fly-tipping were identified as commercial waste evasion and high-density residential churn, exacerbated by unlicensed operators. The council's submission to the London Assembly Environment Committee calling for legislative reform and tougher landlord accountability was noted.

Innovations planned for 2027 include smart CCTV, community workshops, local artist collaborations, and dedicated storage bins in hotspot areas. The community skips pilot was described as a phased, seasonal programme focusing on circular economy items, leveraging existing fleet and prioritising high-footfall sites.

Councillor Decker raised concerns about external bin stores on estates attracting fly-tipping, and officers outlined a combination of education campaigns and collaboration with community safety teams. Councillor Sheldon-Grün linked fly-tipping to the feeling of environmental immunity and suggested a link between climate strategy and waste strategy. Councillor Chapman questioned how resident feedback on waste services had been analysed and what specific changes were being made, with officers explaining the evidence for fortnightly collections, the assessment of street cleanliness, and the increase in reporting due to easier digital channels.

Councillor Chereji inquired about the payment and challenge rates of fixed penalty notices and the barriers to prosecuting persistent offenders. Officers explained the payment rate is around 60%, with ongoing work to improve the software for managing FPNs and prosecution packs. They also noted that court processes are not quick and the focus is on compliance rather than solely prosecution. The financial implications of enforcement were discussed, with income from FPNs not offsetting officer costs, but the social value of the behaviour change team's work was emphasised.

Councillor Burkes-Abreen asked for more detail on the reduction in unregulated business waste and plans to achieve closer to 100% compliance, as well as inquiries about innovative technology and learning from international cities. Officers explained that the success in reducing unregulated business waste was largely due to shifting activities to out-of-hours patrols and early mornings, and that this is an ongoing effort. They also detailed plans for smart CCTV and a new system to be financed by FPN income.

Councillor Concepcion asked for more information on the community skips pilot, including timelines and the encouragement of reuse and repair. Officers confirmed that the pilot is in its early stages and will connect with reuse initiatives. Councillor Sheldon-Grün suggested conversations between waste management and the community hall strategy teams to explore co-locating repair cafes.

Councillor Dekker questioned the recycling rates in comparison to other boroughs and asked what could be learned from them, particularly regarding communication and education. Officers explained the challenges of garden waste in Hackney's urban context and the ongoing work with other North London boroughs. The role of food waste in incineration for energy generation was also discussed, with a call for more impactful communication campaigns.

Councillor Concepcion asked about the impact of paid garden waste collections and any resulting increase in fly-tipping, with officers noting a reduction in garden waste tonnage but no significant increase in fly-tipping. The take-up of concessionary rates for garden waste was also discussed.

The meeting concluded with thanks to the officers and councillors involved in both the markets and waste and recycling updates. The Commission then moved on to approve the minutes of the previous meeting and discuss the work programme for 2026-2027.