The Hackney Council Cabinet met to discuss the borough's financial position, community sector strategy, housing improvements, waste management, and various planning and regeneration projects. The cabinet approved a refresh of the volunteering community sector strategy, a redesign of the grants programme, and the North London Waste Authority Joint Waste Strategy. They also approved the disposal of several properties and the acquisition of a property for temporary accommodation.

Financial Position

The council is currently facing a deficit of £9.372 million, according to the Overall Financial Position Report. Councillor Robert Chapman, Cabinet Member for Finance, Insourcing and Customer Service, noted that this was largely due to pressures in providing essential services to vulnerable residents, including homelessness, social care, and education.

The report also highlighted an initial list of savings for the period 2026-2029, totalling £14 million for the general fund and £3.5 million for the Housing Revenue Account (HRA). These savings are to be achieved through efficiencies and additional income measures.

Councillor Chapman also mentioned the consultation on the Fair Funding Review, which is likely to result in a shift of resources away from London boroughs like Hackney.

The cabinet approved the recommendations set out in the report.

Capital Update and Property Disposals and Acquisitions

The cabinet approved several recommendations outlined in the Capital Update and Property Disposals and Acquisitions Report, including:

• The purchase of 161 Queen's Drive, which will provide 34 units of temporary accommodation. Councillor Sade Etti, Cabinet Member for Homelessness Prevention, Rough Sleeping and Temporary Accommodation, commended the report, noting that it would reduce the number of residents in temporary accommodation and reduce nightly rates.
• The installation of a new roof and solar installation at Shacklewell Primary School.
• The sale of three properties surplus to the council's needs: 18-20 London Lane (including 13a Englefield Road), 14 Dalston Lane, and Land at Pearson Street.
• The lease of 96-98 Leonard Street to Disco Wheels, a pottery company.

Volunteering Community Sector Strategy Refresh and Grants Programme Redesign

The cabinet approved the Volunteering Community Sector Strategy Refresh and the Voluntary and Community Sector Grants Programme Redesign. Councillor Christopher Kennedy, Cabinet Member for Health, Adult Social Care, Voluntary Sector and Culture, introduced the item, but credited Councillor Joe Walker with doing the majority of the work. Councillor Walker explained that the papers needed to be seen together, as one informs the other in redesigning the grants programme to reflect savings and reset the relationship with the voluntary community sector (VCS). He said that equality objectives ran through both papers, ensuring that both strategies are trauma-informed and anti-racist.

Councillor Walker outlined some of the changes to the grants programme, including moving away from project grants towards core funding, particularly for advice, community infrastructure and lunch clubs, and shifting to five-year grants.

Councillor O'Rourke declared an interest as a trustee for Hackney Marsh Partnership and East End Citizens Advice Bureau.

Councillor Binney Lubbock asked how the redesign would improve the lives of disabled residents and what safeguards were in place to ensure that services for disabled residents did not deteriorate. Councillor Walker responded that the council takes its legal and policy commitments to protect vulnerable residents seriously, and that an Equalities Impact Assessment had been carried out to assess how changes in funding would affect disabled residents.

Councillor Tobit D'Aloft asked if a risk assessment had been conducted on the potential closure or downsizing of small to medium VCS organisations due to the reduced funding. Councillor Walker responded that a comprehensive equalities impact assessment had been done, and that the council's grant programme is just one mechanism of support for the VCS in Hackney.

Housing Improvement Plan and Housing Ombudsman Response

The cabinet discussed the Housing Improvement Plan and Housing Ombudsman Response. Councillor Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Housing Management and Regeneration, introduced the report, explaining that it updated the improvement plan set by the Regulator for Social Housing, and also addressed recommendations from the Housing Ombudsman Service and the Resident Scrutiny Panel's first report to the council.

Councillor Binnie Lubbock asked who was accountable for missed milestones and targets, and whether the service had the resources to deliver. Councillor Nicholson responded that the council as a whole was accountable, and that the improvement plan was resourced to deliver.

Councillor Reid asked about the consultant's report included in the papers, and whether the new housing advisory panel was Hackney's response to the recommendation to strengthen assurance for councillors to have oversight of compliance with regulatory standards. Councillor Nicholson responded that the Hackney panel's composition was developed following a high-level review of other assurance structures adopted by other local authority social landlords, and that it was not intended to replace the council's established councillor-led scrutiny or cabinet functions.

Update of Hackney's Local Development Scheme

The cabinet discussed the Update of Hackney's Local Development Scheme and Agreement for Group Director Approval for Minor Amendments. Councillor Guy Nicholson explained that the report had three items attached to the recommendations: minor adjustments to the Stanford Hill Area Action Plan and the Shoreditch Area Action Plan, and a proposal to delegate authority to the group director to approve minor amendments to the local development scheme. The cabinet approved the recommendations.

North London Waste Authority Joint Waste Strategy

The cabinet discussed the North London Waste Authority Joint Waste Strategy. Councillor Sarah Young, Cabinet Member for Climate Change, Environment and Transport, introduced the report, explaining that it was a statutory requirement to have a joint waste strategy with six other boroughs in North London. The overarching aim of the strategy is to move towards a low waste North London, reducing the impact of waste to meet the challenges of the climate emergency. The cabinet agreed with the report.

Residential Extensions and Alterations, Commercial Extensions and Alterations, and Retrofit Supplementary Planning Document

Councillor Guy Nicholson introduced items 15, 16 and 17, explaining that all three planning policy documents were draft and ready for consultation. The three documents are the Residential Extensions and Alterations, the Commercial Extensions and Alterations, and the Retrofit Supplementary Planning Document. The cabinet approved each item in turn.

Executive Response to Living in Hackney, Scrutiny Commission Review

The cabinet noted the Executive Response to Living in Hackney, Scrutiny Commission Review in Supported Accommodation for Single Homeless People with Complex Needs. Councillor Sade Etti commented that the report cut across three services and welcomed the recommendation from the Living in Hackney scrutiny panel.

Youth Justice Strategic Partnership Plan

The cabinet approved the Youth Justice Strategic Partnership Plan and recommended it to full council for approval. Councillor Susan Fajana-Thomas OBE, Cabinet Member for Community Safety and Regulatory Services, introduced the report, explaining that it had come to cabinet due to the urgency of submitting it to the Youth Justice Board to secure grant funding.