The Corporate Committee of Hackney Council was scheduled to meet on 19 May 2025 to discuss a range of issues, including the establishment of the Planning Sub-Committee, environmental enforcement, business regulation, and the Corporate Peer Challenge update. The committee was also expected to note its terms of reference and work programme for the municipal year 2025/26.

Planning Sub-Committee

The Corporate Committee was asked to approve the establishment and membership of the Planning Sub-Committee for the municipal year 2025/26. The proposed membership included:

• Councillor Jessica Webb (Chair)
• Councillor Jon Narcross (Vice Chair)
• Councillor Michael Desmond
• Councillor Humaira Garasia
• Councillor Ifraax Samatar
• Councillor Ali Sadek
• Councillor Clare Potter
• Councillor Sheila Suso-Runge
• Councillor Michael Levy
• Councillor Penny Wrout

With substitute members:

• Councillor M Can Ozsen
• Councillor Clare Joseph
• Councillor Faruk Tinaz
• Councillor Shaul Krautwirt
• Councillor Benzion Papier

The report pack noted that any changes to the Planning Sub-Committee's membership during the municipal year 2025/26 would be reported to the Corporate Committee for consideration.

The report pack also noted that, due to the quasi-judicial nature of the Sub-Committee, all members and substitutes are required to undergo training regarding planning law and their duties.

Environmental Enforcement Annual Performance

The Corporate Committee was scheduled to consider the annual performance report for the Enforcement Service for the 2024/25 financial year. The report set out the key areas of enforcement, management arrangements, resources, and targets.

The report stated that enforcement in Hackney incorporated an integrated approach, including environmental enforcement, to address issues such as:

• Highway obstructions
• Littering
• Fly tipping

It also noted that officers undertake investigations relating to anti-social behaviour (ASB) with partners, using powers available in the Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014. These powers include:

• Closure Notices and Orders
• Community Protection Warnings and Notices
• Injunctions

The report stated that the service is also responsible for investigating residential noise service requests and providing the out of hours noise service, but that this was reported to the Corporate Committee in March 2024.

The report included data on enforcement activity in parks and open spaces, including the number of fixed penalty notices (FPNs) issued for littering, urinating, and street trading. It also detailed the work of the service in relation to A-Boards¹, unregulated waste, pirate radio stations, and the night time economy.

The report also discussed Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs)² in relation to:

• Wick Woodland
• Hackney Marshes
• Millfields Park
• Mabley Green
• Daubeney Fields

The report stated that the service is expected to support its provision through its own enforcement activities in preventing and tackling ASB, Highways obstructions, waste and other nuisance type issues that occur on the Borough’s public spaces and streets.

Business Regulation Service Delivery Plans

The Corporate Committee was scheduled to review and agree to the contents of the Food Law Enforcement Service Plan for 2025/26. The plan sets out how the council will undertake enforcement of food safety legislation, in accordance with the Food Standards Agency’s (FSA) Framework Agreement.

The plan sets out the objectives of the service and demonstrates how they are linked to the Mayor’s Priorities and Hackney’s Sustainable Community Strategy. It also sets out the key areas of food law enforcement, the management arrangements, the resources that have been allocated for this work by the local authority, and the key targets.

The report noted that as of 31 March 2025, there were approximately 3,642 food businesses registered within Hackney. The largest group of businesses, Restaurant/Cafe/Canteen/Caterers amount to 40% of all business in Hackney.

The report also provided a breakdown of Food Hygiene Rating Scheme (FHRS) scores for Hackney compared to London and England at 31st March 2025.

The Food Standards Agency is planning a fundamental review of the way that food safety is delivered within the UK, which will have a significant impact on all local authorities. The new scheme, the Food Standards Delivery Model (FSDM) will be implemented from the 1st April 2025.

The report stated that the modernisation of the FHDM includes:

• a modernised food hygiene intervention rating scheme, including a decision matrix, to determine the appropriate frequency of food hygiene controls based on the risk posed by a food business establishment,
• an updated risk-based approach to the timescales for initial official controls of new food establishments, and for undertaking due official controls,
• increased flexibility as to the methods and techniques of official controls that can be used to risk rate an establishment,
• extending the activities that officers, such as Regulatory Support Officers, who do not hold a ‘suitable qualification’ for food hygiene can, if competent, undertake.

The report also discussed the Healthier Catering Commitment, a London-wide project supported by the Association of London Environmental Health Managers, which aims to improve the food offer in food businesses that have a food hygiene rating scheme score of 3 or above, by working with businesses to substitute and increase visibility of healthier options.

Corporate Peer Challenge Update

The Corporate Committee was scheduled to receive an update on the Corporate Peer Challenge (CPC) undertaken by the Local Government Association (LGA). The CPC involved a review of finance, performance, and governance, with meetings with councillors, staff, partners, and residents.

The final report highlights Hackney's strengths, such as community understanding, equalities agenda, partnerships, leadership, financial management, and transformation program. The report also includes 11 recommendations focusing on prioritising objectives, transformation, financial challenges, partnerships, and support for elected members.

The report pack included the LGA's Corporate Peer Challenge Final Feedback Report [Appendix 1 - CPC Final Feedback Report LB Hackney.docx 1https://hackney.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s93263/Appendix%201%20-%20CPC%20Final%20Feedback%20Report%20LB%20Hackney.docx%201.pdf], and Hackney Council's Corporate Peer Challenge 2024 Action Plan [12-2 - Appendix 2 - LBH Corporate Peer Challenge 2024 Action Planhttps://hackney.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s93264/12-2%20-%20Appendix%202%20-%20LBH%20Corporate%20Peer%20Challenge%202024%20Action%20Plan.pdf].

The report pack stated that quarterly progress reports will be produced and reported to the Corporate Transformation Board, starting from June 2025, and that the LGA will conduct a follow-up visit in October 2025.

Other Business

The committee was also scheduled to:

• Note the confirmed appointments of the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Corporate Committee for the Municipal Year 2025/2026.
• Note their terms of reference as set out in the Hackney Council Constitution.
• Note their draft work programme for the 2025/26 municipal year [DRAFT Corporate Committee Work Programme 2025-26 Version 4 as of 09.05.25.docxhttps://hackney.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s93239/DRAFT%20Corporate%20Committee%20Work%20Programme%202025-26%20Version%204%20as%20of%2009.05.25.docx.pdf].
• Consider the minutes of the previous meeting held on 14 April 2025 [Draft 14.4.25 Corp Comm meeting minshttps://hackney.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s93312/Draft%2014.4.25%20Corp%20Comm%20meeting%20mins.pdf].
• Consider any other business the Chair considers to be urgent.
• Consider the EXEMPT minutes of the previous meeting in closed session.