Dog control in Hackney - what do you think?

The Council has launched a consultation on dog control in Hackney and is asking for your views.

Whilst the vast majority of dog owners are responsible and ensure their dogs are well behaved and controlled, many people in Hackney get in touch with the Council to express their concerns about irresponsible dog ownership, particularly around dogs off their leads and aggressive dogs.

The Council is currently looking to address these concerns. As part of deciding on the best way forward, it has launched a consultation on the proposed introduction of a number of different Dog Control Orders.

The orders being consulted on are:

• A 'dog exclusion' order, which would enable the Council to stop dogs from entering certain areas including children's playgrounds, sports courts, multi-use games areas, and marked pitches where games are in-play
• A 'dogs on leads' order, which would stop owners from exercising dogs off-lead on roads or towpaths or in car parks, communal areas on estates, churchyards and small public parks and gardens under half a hectare in size
•  A 'dogs on leads where requested' order, which would give officers the power to request that dogs are put on leads where they are not under the appropriate control of their owner, or where they are causing damage or acting aggressively.

The consultation forms part of a wider educational programme which aims to promote responsible dog ownership and support dog owners. The Council is currently working with a number of organisations, including the Dogs Trust, to provide information and advice about dog training, pet care and to micro-chip 250 dogs free of charge. As part of this, the following events are being held:

• 2-6pm on 15 June in St John at Hackney Churchyard
• 2-6pm on 6 July in Hackney Downs
• 2-4pm on 9 July at St John at Hackney Churchyard

You can respond to the consultation, and find more information, on the Council’s website.  The consultation runs until August 14^th.

Roving Surgery Saturday 18th June

We'll be out and about on Colville Estate this Saturday afternoon between 1 and 3 pm, knocking on doors and talking to local residents about the proposals for the Estate. If you live on Colville Estate and would like one of your local Labour councillors to visit you on Saturday please send us an email at DeBeauvoir@Hackney-Labour.org.uk , or leave a message or text our hotline 07722 868937.

Duke of York- Licensing hours cut

Many local residents and users of this blog were very concerned about the proposal to extend the opening hours of the Duke of York pub in Downham Road to 5am (reported below). There were fears that the extended hours would see noise nuisance and anti-social behaviour causing disturbance all through the early hours of the morning.

 

Following wide spread objections from the local community, supported by your local Labour councillors, Hackney's licensing committee have determined that much shorter opening hours will apply. In accordance with normal council policy the pub will now have to close by midnight at the latest, and conditions have been applied to limit potential noise or nuisance.

 

The new owners have assured residents that they will work closely with local people to ensure that the pub is run in a way that is sensitive to their needs.They have a track record of running licensed premises in Hackney, understood to be "Off Broadway" in Broadway Market. They have also promised a much higher quality establishment than we have seen on the site before.

 

Hackney Council licensing officers and the Police will monitor events closely.

Your views on the future of Hackney's libraries

Hackney's libraries remain a key part of the Council's efforts to improve skills, raise education standards and improve the health and well-being of local residents. Despite the swinging budget cuts faced by the Council in 2011/12 the Mayor and Councillors have committed to keeping open Hackney's eight libraries.

Later this year, the new Clr James Library will open in Dalston (you can see the latest progress in the picture below). This follows in the footsteps of the re-opening of the refurbished Clapton library in 2010.

The Council is now consulting on the future of Hackney's libraries and wants to hear from everyone in Hackney on what they want from their libraries. The consultation hopes to hear not only from regular library users, but also from people who do not currently use them.

Residents views will then be used to help shape the future of Hackney's library service.

You can find more details on the proposals and provide your views by clicking here. The consultation runs until July 27th.

Don't Forget! De Beauvoir Marketplace 2-5 tomorrow!

The first ever De Beauvoir Marketplace, taking place tomorrow - Sunday June 12th - from 2 to 5. Please do come along!

The idea of the event - being run for the first time this year - to give local businesses a chance to get more widely known within De Beauvoir, hobbyists a chance to make some money, and for people to barter for goods and services if they wish.

Entry is free and will include light refreshments.

The event takes place in St Peter’s Crypt under St Peter's Church on De Beauvoir Road.

Lockner's 'Big Lunch' and 'Artists in De Beauvoir'

This weekend saw two great events happening in the north of De Beauvoir and De Beauvoir's councillors were very pleased to be able to attend both.


Lockner's 'Big Lunch' has been going for a number of years now and this years was bigger than ever. Not only did they have music, food and drink but also beat-boxers, street-runners and even a visit from De Beauvoir's Safer Neighbourhoods team! The event has helped to build a real community on the estate and it was great to see so many people getting involved and getting to know their neighbours. You can read more about the event on Lockner Tenants and Residents Association's blog.

Nearby, at St Peter's Church the 'Artists in De Beauvoir was busy throughout the weekend with a varied and exciting exhibition of works from Artists who live or work in De Beauvoir. Everywhere you looked the standard of exhibitors was brilliantly high, with the sculptures of 'the four evangelists' at the front of the church particularly catching the eye. If you missed them you can both see them in the picture below and also at St John's at Hackney, near Mare Street, from now until September. The exhibition was held to raise money for the St Peter's crypt refurbishment fundraising campaign.

It was a great weekend and a massive thanks goes to all those involved in organising both events. Next year, the only change we'd ask for is for the rain to stay away!

City of London internship scheme for Hackney A-level students

Applications are now open for a summer internships programme open to Hackney students who want to gain work experience to help them get on in today's ever competitive jobs market.

The scheme is open to students finishing their A levels and provides paid work experience in some of London’s biggest companies, including banks insurance companies. Experience can be gained acros the finance sector, including back-office functions, such as accontancy, ICT, and administration

The scheme is run by the City of London Corporation, the City’s local authority, and administered by Brokeridge Citylink, an independent charity established to encourage young people living in inner-city London to access the opportunities offered by the City.

Students can earn up to £400 per week whilst taking part in the scheme. All Hackney students finishing A-levels with a B or above in GCSE Maths and English are eligible to apply.

Applications can be made online here, and full details of the scheme can be found here. 

'Artists in De Beauvoir' - exhibition this weekend

This weekend sees the ‘Artists in De Beauvoir’ exhibition taking place in St Peter’s Church.

The exhibition will feature work by many of the artists living or working in the De Beauvoir area. The works in the show will be for sale and the weekend is in aid of the St Peter’s Crypt refurbishment project, which aims to provide De Beauvoir with a beautiful new community space.

The exhibition is open tomorrow from 10am to 6pm and on Sunday from 12pm – 5pm.

Hope to see you there!

Licencing Application - The Duke of York pub, Downham Road

A licencing application has been submitted for the site of the old Duke of York pub, on the corner of Downham Road and Hertford Road.

The application asks for a licence to sell alcohol between the hours of 10am and 5am every day of the week.

The De Beauvoir councillors have objected to this licence application on the grounds that the Duke of York pub is in a residential area and therefore the hours proposed are entirely unsuitable. Whilst a well-run pub or restaurant is an asset to an area and can be a focal point for a community, a late-night bar is not suitable for an area that is firmly residential.

The application has been made by Blue Dragon De Beauvoir Alchemy Group Ltd who appear to be the owners of Off Broadway, a bar in Broadway Market, which describes itself as “an East Village Bar that got lost and ended up in East London”.

The application will be considered by the Council’s licencing committee later this month.

There are four grounds on which a licence application can be amended or rejected:

• The prevention of crime and disorder
• The prevention of public nuisance
• Public safety
• The protection of children from harm

The De Beauvoir Councillors have objected to the application on all the above grounds.

Details of the application are below:

“Application for a premises licence for films from 10:00 to 23:00 daily, live music from 10:00 to 02:00 Monday to Saturday and from 10:00 to 01:00 Sunday, recorded music, alcohol from 10:00 to 02:00  facilities for dance and supply of Monday to Thursday, 10:00 to 04:00am Friday and Saturday and from 10:00 to 01:00 Sunday and supply of  alcohol and late night refreshment from 23:00 to 05:00 daily.”

The original application can be seen here.