The meeting will include the setting of Hackney Council's budget and Council Tax for 2025/26. It will also include a number of motions from opposition parties, the renaming of an estate and the appointment of a new member to the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission.

Budget

The meeting report pack includes a report that sets out the Council's budget and Council Tax proposals for 2025/26. The report proposes a 4.99% increase to Council Tax which, as stated by the Elected Mayor, is the difficult decision to propose a 4.99% increase to the Council’s element of Council Tax.

The report states that the Elected Mayor has identified three priorities which she is committed to: tackling poverty, tackling the housing crisis and homelessness, and tackling the climate emergency. She stated that despite significant budget challenges, the administration proposed to maintain the Council Tax Reduction Scheme at current levels of up to a 90% discount on Council Tax for low-income households. The report pack states that £55m will be invested on maintaining and improving the Council’s homes. It also sets out that £116m will be invested towards delivering new social housing and an additional £135m to address the homelessness crisis.

The report pack also includes a statement by the Interim Group Director of Finance, in which she states that this has been an even more challenging process this year given the ongoing pressures on our services which has meant that we have had to plan to use £10m of reserves to balance the budget. The report pack sets out the medium-term financial plan and highlights an estimated budget gap of £51m by 2028/29 which we must continue the work we have already begun to close.

Polling Place Review

The report pack contains a report about a review of the polling districts and polling places in the borough. The review was conducted by the Acting Returning Officer, Dawn Carter-McDonald, in accordance with the Representation of the People Act 1983¹ and the Electoral Administration Act 2013². The report proposes that two polling places are moved to new locations. The polling place in polling district HSKA in Dalston Ward will be moved from Colvestone Primary School to St Mark’s Church Hall. The polling place in polling district HNHD in Hackney Downs Ward will be moved from Baden Powell Primary School to Clapton Methodist Church. These changes have been proposed because Colvestone Primary School and Baden Powell Primary School are no longer available, having been closed due to school amalgamation.

Renaming of the Rhodes Estate & Rhodes Community Hall

The report pack includes a report about proposals to rename the Rhodes Estate and the Rhodes Community Hall in Dalston. The report proposes that the estate be renamed to the 'Dalston Gardens Estate' and the community hall to the 'Dalston Gardens Community Hall'.

These proposals come as a result of the Black Lives Matter motion passed by the council in July 2020, in which the Council committed to undertake a review to understand the presence of statues, memorials and place and building names in Hackney. This resulted in the Council working with community stakeholders to form the 'Review, Rename & Reclaim' working group. This working group identified Cecil Rhodes as someone infamous for his racist policies and imperial actions in southern Africa, which greatly disadvantaged the indigenous communities.

Following a resident-led approach a two-stage consultation process was carried out across the estate in January and February 2023 and again in January 2024. The second phase of the consultation asked residents to choose their preferred option from three names: * Dalston Gardens * Celestine Edwards³ * Zenele The report states that 74% chose 'Dalston Gardens' and this option has been recommended to the Council.

Section 85 Local Government Act 1972 – Resolution To Extend Six Month Rule

A report in the meeting pack recommends that the Council approves a dispensation from the six-month rule for Councillor Clare Joseph to accommodate her maternity leave. The dispensation will excuse Councillor Joseph’s non-attendance at meetings until August 2025.

Appointments to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Commissions

The report pack includes a report which recommends that the Council approves the appointment of Lisa Neidich to the Children and Young People’s Scrutiny Commission. The report proposes that Ms Neidich replaces Jo Macleod who is currently the Hackney School Governor Association representative on the commission.

Green Group Motions:

Three motions from the Green group are scheduled to be introduced: * Opposing the Two Child Benefit Cap * Call on Government to Abolish Right to Buy Immediately * Support of the Plant Based Treaty

Labour Group Motion

One motion from the Labour group is scheduled to be introduced: * Together Against Violence Towards Women and Girls (VAWG)