The Cabinet of Hackney Council scheduled a meeting to discuss a range of issues, including the capital programme, property disposals, smoke control orders, appointments to outside bodies and a proposal to consult on changes to the adult care charging policy. The meeting was also scheduled to consider a report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman.

Adult Social Care Charging Policy Consultation

The cabinet was scheduled to consider a proposal to consult on changes to Hackney Council's adult social care charging policy¹. The report pack stated that Hackney Council, like other local authorities, faces financial challenges due to increased demand for services and reduced funding from central government. It said that the proposed changes would mean that residents who are financially assessed as being able to contribute towards the cost of their care may be required to pay more.

The report pack included the following proposed changes to the non-residential care charging policy to go forward for public consultation:

• Removing the maximum charge cap (currently £250 per week)
• Moving from charging based on 92% of the cost of service to 100%
• Moving from 75% of assessable income taken into account to 100%
• Considering whether to reduce the amount of disability benefits automatically disregarded from the financial assessment of client contributions from 25% to 20%

The report also stated that the cabinet was to be asked to agree to publicly consult on a decision to move Hackney Council’s Minimum Income Guarantee calculation in line with Department of Health and Social Care minimum rates, and to approve a new flat rate arrangement fee of £162.65 for self-funders who request that Hackney Council set up or make changes to a package of care for them on their behalf, for public consultation.

The report pack stated that if Hackney Council were not to implement the self funder arrangement fee, it would miss out on its right as per the Care Act 2014 to recover some of the cost of setting up care packages for self funders and would further add to the current budget deficit.

The report pack included a draft of the consultation questions, information pack, and frequently asked questions FAQ.

Technology Enabled Living Service

The cabinet was scheduled to consider awarding a contract for the delivery of a Technology Enabled Living (TEL) service to Provider A². The report pack stated that the contract would be for an initial term of 3 years commencing on 26 August 2025, with an option to extend it beyond the initial term for further annual periods up to a maximum of 3 additional years. The maximum cost of the contract (if extended to its maximum 6 year term) is £3,323,089.00 (an average of £553,848 per annum excluding VAT).

The report pack said that the new TEL service supports a number of Hackney Council priorities and commitments including the Hackney Adults Social Care 3 Year Plan, as well as delivering under the Care Act 2014, to promote and enable independence, whilst still safeguarding and supporting vulnerable residents.

The report pack stated that the Adults Social Care Commissioning Team utilised their sustainability heatmap, to decipher where optimal sustainability benefits could be achieved through this contract.

Consolidation of Historic Smoke Control Orders

The cabinet was scheduled to consider a report about consolidating historic smoke control orders³. The report pack stated that solid fuel burning is a significant contributor to local air pollution, especially to the smaller particles that can reach further into people’s airways and get deposited in the lungs.

The report pack stated that Hackney Council’s Air Quality Action Plan was approved by Cabinet in 2021, and contains a measure to ensure the Borough’s Smoke Control Areas are enforced, and to raise awareness of the regulatory requirements.

The report pack stated that Hackney Council has also committed to meeting the 2005 World Health Organisation (WHO) Guidelines which, for particulate matter, are more stringent than the Air Quality Objectives set out in the National Air Quality Strategy.

The report pack included the following recommendations:

• To consider the objections raised during the engagement period and to approve the decision to postpone extending the smoke controls to include moored vessels at this time.
• To approve the draft Smoke Control Order (SCO) attached to this report.
• To set the date for coming into force of the Revocation Order as 30 November 2025 and the date for coming into force of the new SCO as 1 December 2025.

The report pack stated that a Revocation Order was made and published, with people having the opportunity to raise objections to it, and that the Secretary of State advised that no objections were received and confirmed the Revocation Order on 3 December 2024.

The report pack stated that during the engagement on the proposed new SCO, 95 responses were received online, 13 emails were received in the Land Water Air inbox and conversations were held with 30 different liveaboard boaters. Of the online responses, 50 expressed support for the proposals while 15 opposed them, and that all objections related to the proposal to extend the provisions to include moored vessels.

Capital Update and Property Disposals and Acquisitions Report

The cabinet was scheduled to consider a report providing an update on the capital programme agreed in the 2025/26 budget.

The report pack stated that the cabinet was to be asked to approve a s106 scheme summarised as Capital with £41,000 in 2025/26 and £41,000 in 2026/27, and a total of £82,000.

The report pack stated that the cabinet was to be asked to approve the acceptance of the grant of £6,594,250 from the Department for Energy Security and Net Zero’s Public Sector Decarbonisation Scheme (PSDS4) managed by Salix Finance to support decarbonisation of a portfolio of Corporate properties and agreement to enter into a grant agreement and associated documents with the applicable parties in respect of such funding, and the investment of £3.7m from the Capital Programme in undertaking the projects to match the award of £6.6m.

The report pack stated that the cabinet was to be asked to approve the acceptance of an additional funding allocation of £1.1m from the Local Authority Housing Fund Round 3 and approval of the amendment to the existing Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government (MHCLG).

The report pack stated that the cabinet was to be asked to authorise the acceptance of the part-surrender by ISHA of the land leased to them at 82 and 82A Weymouth Terrace shown for identification purposes edged red on the plan at Appendix 2, and to delegate authority to the Group Director, Finance and Corporate Resources to agree all commercial terms relating to this surrender, and to the Director of Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services to agree, settle and sign legal documentation to effect proposals contained in this report and to enter into any other ancillary legal documentation as required.

The report pack stated that the cabinet was to be asked to approve the Council entering into the Letter of Indemnity with NU Technology and Learning Centres (Hackney) Limited in respect of refurbishment works at Hackney Central Library, in the form annexed to this report at Exempt Appendix 7, and delegating to the Director, Legal, Democratic and Electoral Services the authority to make and accept any amendments required to finalise the letter on the basis that these amendments do not materially change the financial or risk profile.

A supplementary agenda stated that the cabinet was to be asked to approve a s106 scheme summarised as Capital with £500,000 in 2025/26.

A supplementary agenda stated that the cabinet was to be asked to approve a NCIL scheme summarised as Revenue with £370,000 in 2025/26.

A supplementary agenda stated that the cabinet was to be asked to sign the Grant Step-down Letter and Partnership Agreement, formalising membership of the London Consortium for Warm Homes Social Housing Fund.

Appointments to Outside Bodies and Cabinet Membership Update

The cabinet was scheduled to consider a report about appointments and nominations to outside bodies, and a cabinet membership update.

The report pack included a recommendation to agree the appointment of the Councillors to Outside Bodies on behalf of the Council, as listed at Appendix 1, and to note the appointments made by Mayor Caroline Woodley to Outside Bodies on behalf of the Council, as listed in Appendix 1, and to note the Cabinet, Deputy Cabinet, and Member Champions portfolios for the 2024/25 municipal year, as listed in Appendix 2.

Report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman

The cabinet was scheduled to consider a report from the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) regarding a complaint about a refusal by Hackney Council to renew a blue badge⁴. The report pack stated that the LGSCO had made a finding of fault causing injustice, and recommended that Hackney Council:

• Apologise to Mrs D, accepting the findings of the LGSCO’s investigation;
• Make a symbolic payment of £500 to Mrs D to recognise the distress caused by the Council’s fault;
• To reassess Mrs D’s eligibility for a blue badge once the Council has carried out a review of its existing policy;
• To review the supplementary guidance the Council gives to assessment officers on scoring applicants who attend the Council’s assessment centre to ensure that the guidance is compatible with its Mobility Assessment Guidance taking account of the comments made by the LGSCO in its findings;
• Once the review has been completed, write to all applicants refused a blue badge since 1 January 2024 following an assessment at the assessment centre to draw to their attention the LGSCO’s public interest report and invite them to re-apply.

The report pack stated that the cabinet was to be asked to endorse the steps, progress and timeline to implement the recommendations contained in the LGSCO’s report, to adopt the report as the Council’s formal response under s31 Local Government Act 1972 to be communicated to the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman, and to adopt the report as the Cabinet’s formal response as required by section 5A Local Government and Housing Act 1989 for distribution to all members and the Monitoring Officer.

Questions

A supplementary agenda included a question to Councillor Anntoinette Bramble, Statutory Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Education, Young People and Children's Social Care from Anne Whitehead about planned nursery fee hikes in children’s centres.