The Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission met on Tuesday 10 March 2026 to discuss the visitor policy for temporary accommodation hostels, an update on supported accommodation for single homeless people with complex needs, and future plans for Carnival Arts in Hackney. The Commission also reviewed scrutiny reports, letters, responses, and the actions tracker.

Temporary Accommodation Hostel Visitor Policy

The Commission was scheduled to review the Council's visitor policy for temporary accommodation hostels, following a report by Shelter titled Policy vs. People: The Hidden Harms of Hostel Visitor Rules. Shelter's report asserted that the current policy is excessively restrictive and causes harm to families, particularly lone mothers, who are experiencing homelessness. The report highlighted issues such as delayed physical recovery for new mothers, childcare pressures on lone parents, and barriers to parent-child contact.

The Council's Benefits and Homelessness Prevention service provided a briefing note outlining its operational context regarding visitor management in temporary accommodation. It stated that the Council does not operate a blanket visitor ban but rather a managed access framework essential for safeguarding vulnerable residents, many of whom are fleeing domestic abuse. The service noted that while Shelter's advocacy is welcomed, the negative impact of restrictions is not widespread across all temporary accommodation residents. The Council's approach was benchmarked against the wider sector, noting that strict no unauthorised visitor rules are standard in shared environments to maintain safety. Hackney has designated some buildings solely for families and single adults, but mixed-use buildings require a robust managed access framework. The Council clarified that professional visitors are exempt from restrictions, and personal support for new mothers is available through a formal request procedure. Shelter's proposed solutions, such as mandatory DBS checks for personal visitors and allowing visitors for routine childcare while residents are at work, were noted as having significant legal and practical barriers that could compromise resident safety. The Council also highlighted its commitment to trauma-informed training for staff and stated that since 2022, only a small percentage of complaints regarding staff conduct in temporary accommodation have been upheld.

Update on Supported Accommodation for Single Homeless People with Complex Needs Review

The Commission was scheduled to receive an update on the implementation of recommendations from its February 2024 review into supported accommodation for single homeless people with complex needs. The report indicated that the Benefits & Homelessness Prevention Service has implemented a Complex Needs Team that provides targeted, trauma-informed support to single individuals in temporary accommodation with complex needs. This team has been recognised with an award and a £20,000 prize fund to support innovative projects. A key challenge identified is the lack of suitable supported housing for single homeless people with varied support needs.

A needs assessment for supported accommodation among homeless and rough sleeping cohorts has been commissioned and is being used to inform the forthcoming housing strategy. This assessment includes a costed series of options to address the gap between current and required accommodation. The Housing Strategy and Policy Team has produced a draft supported housing chapter, and a standalone supported housing strategy is in development. The report also noted that the City & Hackney Safeguarding Adults Board has completed a deep-dive audit into safeguarding referrals for adults in temporary and supported accommodation, identifying key insights and trends to inform practice and service development. Recommendations from this audit focus on improving the quality of safeguarding referrals, strengthening consistency in decision-making, raising awareness of the duty to refer under the Homelessness Reduction Act, increasing professional curiosity regarding repeat referrals, improving feedback to referrers, and increasing workforce confidence in working with complex needs.

Update on Future Plans for Carnival Arts

The Commission was scheduled to receive an update on the work undertaken to support Carnival Arts in Hackney and follow up on suggestions made following its meeting on 10 February 2025. The report indicated that the Cabinet agreed in January 2025 to discontinue the annual £0.5 million Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding for a full Hackney Carnival road parade due to a significant financial deficit. The Council committed to working with carnival organisations to support alternative carnival activities and explore other funding options, such as sponsorship and fundraising.

A £100,000 transition programme for 2025/26, funded by NCIL and Arts Council England, is supporting strategic capacity building, advocacy, and a 2025 showcase event. An external sector-expert has been appointed as Strategic Lead to explore the feasibility of establishing an independent charitable trust for carnival groups to ensure long-term sustainability and access to external funding. A funding landscape review concluded that securing large-scale funding for a full carnival is unlikely due to restricted arts grants and the presence of other large carnivals. The Council is exploring the potential for a Carnival Hub on an underused Council-owned site, contingent on the formation of an independent governance structure. Challenges identified include collaboration difficulties among the 17 stakeholder groups and some stakeholders' continued lack of awareness regarding the cessation of funding for the full carnival parade.

Scrutiny Reports, Letters & Responses

The Commission was scheduled to consider draft letters to the Executive regarding the Housing Improvement Plan, the VAWG Strategy 2025-29, and Joint Social Tenancies & Domestic Abuse. These letters would outline the Commission's findings and suggestions for improvement following its scrutiny of these areas.

Scrutiny Actions Tracker

The Commission was scheduled to review the actions tracker, which consolidates agreed actions from previous meetings, their subsequent outcomes, and results. This tracker is updated after each meeting, with completed actions being removed. The tracker highlighted outstanding actions related to services for leaseholders, freeholders, and shared owners, including requests for a breakdown of disputes and performance reports. It also noted actions related to the Council's personalised emergency evacuation plans (PEEPs) and the use of underspends in the Tenant Levy.

Minutes of the Meeting

The draft minutes of the previous Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission meeting held on 9 February 2026 were scheduled for review and agreement. These minutes covered discussions on services for leaseholders, freeholders, and shared owners, and an update on the Community Halls Review.