What's happening in De Beauvoir

Britannia Leisure Centre cycle hire station - opening date announced!

2012-02-13T23:08:00.001Z

Following our post last week, the opening date for the Barclays cycle hire station outside the Britannia Leisure Centre has now been confirmed as March 8th. It's good to see TfL fixing a date and not holding things up any longer.

We look forward to seeing the station fully stocked up and ready to go in just over three weeks time.

You can read the full story here.

Friends of Regent's Canal meeting

2012-02-13T13:00:00.000Z

The next public meeting of the Friends of Regent's Canal is being held on the 15th February.

This group aims to promote the benefits of the canal, monitor developments and care for the canal's upkeep.

2012 sees the bicentenary of the start of construction of the canal and the Friends will be discussing ways to mark this occasion over the coming months.

The canal is an important feature of our ward used daily by hundreds of residents and visitors. If you would like to contribute towards its care and maintenance this meeting is an ideal place to start.

The meeting is being held at the London Canal Museum, 12-13 New Wharf Road, N1 9RT (near King's Cross), on Wednesday 15th February from 7 to 9pm. A printable flyer with map is here.

More details on the Friends of Regent's Canal is available on their website.

News from The De Beauvoir Association

2012-02-11T11:30:00.002Z

Our friends at The De Beauvoir Association have alerted us to some local news.

If you are interested in cooking, a new project called League of Meals is hoping to start a pilot scheme in Hackney. The idea is to set up community cook clubs, where people cook not only for themselves, but make a few extra portions of food to be given or sold to members of the local community such as families with small children who want to eat home-cooked meals but are short on time or carers who can take a hot meal back for their elderly family member or friend. It is aimed at older people who enjoy cooking.

To find out more phone 07766 778826 or email johanna@sidekickstudios.net.

At the De Beauvoir Gardeners meeting of the 1st May, Blue Peter gardener Chris Collins who also appeared on the BBC programme Wonder of Weeds will be giving advice and talking about his experience as a gardener at Westminster Abbey.

Finally, the DBA AGM is in March when you can apply to join the organising committee for the coming year. You can also consider helping to organise community events, e.g. the walkabout in July or being part of the Show committee. To request further information email info@debeauvoir.org.uk

New Barclays Cycle Hire Station at Britannia Leisure Centre - but when will it open?

2012-02-10T09:43:00.000Z

As you may have seen, the new TFL cycle-hire station has now been installed on the pavement outside Britannia Leisure Centre.

Last year we pressed for TfL to assign their cycle-hire expansion budget to De Beauvoir and, having listened to our call, it's good to see the station now finally becoming a reality.

However, the site is yet to open. The stands themselves have now been in place for more than two weeks and we've been given no timetable for them being 'switched on'. Its really disappointing to have TfL drag their feet in actually getting it ready for use.

We've written to TfL expression our unhappiness at the delay and asking for a clear statement of when the stand will open - we'll let you know when we receive a response.

Hackney Residents Awards 2012

2012-02-07T10:03:00.000Z

The nominations are in for the Hackney Homes Active Residents Awards 2012, and you can now select a winner from the shortlisted candidates.

These awards recognise those people in our neighbourhoods who give of their time to help others and bolster community spirit.

There are four categories:

Young Resident of the Year (under 25)
Resident of the Year
Resident Group of the Year
The Ron Devoti Award for Services to Hackney.

There is an online voting form available.

Or you can fill in a voting form at the Neighbourhood Office.

Details are on the Hackney Homes website, or call 020 8356 3527.

Hackney and the snow

2012-02-06T11:32:00.000Z

This is just a quick update on the work Hackney Council has done over the weekend to ensure the borough coped with the inclement weather.

Before the snow began on Saturday, both roads and pavements were treated. The Council's contractors, Volker Highways, began on the roads at 4.00pm, and a further gritting was carried out at 7.30pm. As snow was settling, a third gritting was carried out at around 11.30pm. Pavements were gritted during the day on Saturday ahead of the snow. Once the snow had begun, six waste crews were deployed to clear snow from high streets and town centres, and a further gritting on pavements was carried out over night. Crews worked until around 3.00am on Sunday morning.

On Sunday, Volker were out on three separate occasions. Between 8.00am and 11.00am, the main roads in both the north and south of the borough were gritted. Following completion of this, vehicles were deployed again between 12.00pm and 3.30pm to grit residential areas in the north and north-east of the borough. A final gritting took place between 5.00pm and 8.00pm on the main roads, again in the north and south of the borough.

Today, both the waste and recycling collection services continue function as expected. Roads in the borough continue to be running well, however the Council will continue to monitor the situation over the course of the next few days.

Radio 1 Hackney Weekend

2012-02-05T13:38:00.014Z

BBC Radio 1 is holding its Hackney Big Weekend on Hackney Marshes on the 23/24 June.

Headline acts will include Leona Lewis, Jack White, D'banj, Jessie J, Will.I.Am, Florence and the Machine, Tinie Tempah and Plan B.

The festival will be held over six stages including the Radio 1 Main Stage, the 1Xtra Arena, the Dance Arena and the BBC Introducing Stage.

Hackney Big Weekend will be a great opportunity for Hackney residents and business. There will be workshops at the Radio 1 Academy in Hackney, open DJ sessions, visits from top artists and DJs and 20% of food concessions within the site will go to Hackney businesses.

Attendance is free for the event but a booking fee of £2.50 will be charged.

50% of tickets will be allocated to Hackney residents.

There is a two-step procedure for ticket allocation.

Applicants must be over 16 years of age by 23 June 2012 and must first register their details online including uploading a recent photo. Registration opens on Monday 6 February.

Once registered, applicants can then apply for tickets by phone or online starting on the 25th March.

Full details including frequently asked questions are available on the Radio 1 website.

Any new acts from East London interested in performing on the Introducing Stage can upload examples of their music at the BBC website.

All details of this exciting East London event are available at the special BBC Hackney Weekend website.

London Olympics Recruitment Event

2012-02-03T10:00:00.000Z

The University of East London is staging a recruitment event to provide information on paid roles during the summer Olympic and Paralympic games. The event is organised in association with the London Organising Committee for the Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Attendees can find out about positions in catering, retail, security and cleaning as well as working within the London Organising Committee for the Games.

University staff will be on hand to provide information about the learning and training opportunities available.

This recruitment event takes place on Tuesday 7th February 10am to 2pm at: John Lewis (Stadium Suite), 3rd Floor, Westfield Stratford City, Stratford. Directions link.

The event is free and open to all.

For more information about the event and to reserve a place call 0845 266 8707

Hackney Empire 'Youth Takeover' Weekend.

2012-02-01T15:34:00.013Z

Hackney Council's Youth Arts Festival is now in its second month and running through to the 3rd of March.

Part of the festival sees the 'Youth Takeover' at Hackney Empire on Mare Street this weekend. This event is made for and by the young people of Hackney and includes the final of the 'Alter Ego' talent search. This will feature the best of our borough's young singers, actors, rappers and comedians vying for the title 'Alter Ego 2012'. The final starts at 7.30pm through to 9.30pm this Friday 3rd Feb at the Empire - £2 in advance or £4 on the door. Book tickets here.

Other events throughout the weekend include an Opportunity Fair giving advice on how to get into the arts industry, Creative Writing workshops led by Tameka Empson (Eastenders), Dance Workshops led by Kat B and Comedy Workshops led by Hardeep Singh.

Places for these events are limited so email the theatre to reserve places - projects@hackneyempire.co.uk - or call 020 8510 4396. More details can be found at the website.

For information on the continuing series of events throughout February in the Youth Arts Festival visit the website or call 020 8356 7209.

Digital Television Switchover

2012-01-28T17:37:00.009Z

The switchover of London's analogue television signal to digital begins in April.

Many people have already moved over to the digital signal. However, following the completion of the switchover in October the old analogue signal will be turned off and anybody who has not switched over will lose their television reception.

Most non-digital sets can be converted to receive digital television, so it is important not to just throw your TV away and buy a new one.

Letters have already been sent out to residents with details of the switchover.

If you have not received a letter you can visit the switchover website for information. Or call the advice line on 08456 505050.

There is extra help available for the over 75s or registered disabled.

If you are eligible or have a family member, friend, or neighbour who you think might be, the details are at the Switchover Help Scheme website or via the helpline: 0800 4085900.

Another planning application for 121 Mortimer Road - the 'mole man' house

2012-01-25T11:04:00.000Z

The long-running saga of the so-called 'Mole Man' house seems to be drawing to a conclusion.

The firm of lawyers thought to be acting for the heirs of William Lyttle, the 'Hackney Mole Man', have lodged a new planning application to demolish the dilapidated house at 121 Mortimer Road in the heart of De Beauvoir. The house is well know locally as the former home of William Lyttle, known as the 'mole man'.

This follows the December approval on appeal of the planning application to replace the existing structure with two four storey houses.

The lawyers have said that once this application is granted the site will be put on sale with the planning permission attached. The application that was granted in December follows the rejection of a previous application which proposed a large, modern block of flats that was rejected on the grounds that it would not have been in keeping with the surrounding conservation area.

Mr. Lyttle was evicted from the house in 2008 after digging tunnels beneath the property making it unsafe and collapsing adjacent pavements. Mr Lyttle passed away in 2010. The saga has attracted nationwide interest and been immortalised on TV and in many books, including those of Iain Sinclair.

Dalston CLR James Library now open

2012-01-23T10:49:00.000Z

Hackney's new library is now open in the heart of Dalston, just to the north of De Beauvoir.

At 2,964 square metres over three floors, the Dalston CLR James Library is one of the largest libraries in the UK, more than twice the size of the previous facility.

As well as 17,000 books for adults, 9,500 for youngsters and 200 talking books there are 1,600 CDs/DVDs.

The library includes 20 dedicated study spaces and 2 meeting rooms along with free use of 57 computes and free wi-fi.

There will also be a cafe on the site (opening later in the year) managed by a local business.

Hackney Archives, previously located in De Beauvoir ward, have a new home in the building. The collection includes historic photographs and original council records. The full archive will open soon after the library.

The library, as with the previous building, is named after CLR James, a Trinidadian historian, journalist and social theorist.

Planning applications

2012-01-22T19:04:00.003Z

There are three notable planning applications within De Beauvoir currently open for comments:

The first is toclear the existing structures behind the Scolt Head pub and erect four new two bedroom flats. Comments until 6th February.

The second is to convert the old Doctor's surgery at 6 Englefield Road into two flats. Comments until February 13th.

Finally, the convenience store on Downham Road at the site of the old laundrettes has applied to retain its illuminated sign. Comments until February 2nd.

Whitmore Estate tomorrow

2012-01-20T09:36:00.001Z

Tomorrow morning we'll be out speaking to residents on Whitmore Estate as part of our month walkabout surgery.

If you'd like us to call on you let us know - you can contact us using the details on the left hand side of the blog.

London 2012: 200 days to go...

2012-01-10T16:58:00.003Z

To mark 200 days until the opening ceremony the organising committee for the London Olympic Games has produced a new video featuring actor and east Londoner Idris Elba, star of TV shows Luther and The Wire.

The video details some of the events scheduled around the Games including the Olympic Torch Relay and Hackney's own BBC Radio 1 academy.

If your browser does not display the video above please follow this link to view on youtube.

Proposed bus route changes during the Olympics

2012-01-09T14:48:00.000Z

Transport for London have released the proposed changes to bus routes during the summer Olympic Games.

Some of the possible effects on local routes include:

149 - increased from two to four buses per hour nightly. Additional capacity from Liverpool Street.

35 - increased from four to six buses per hour evenings and Sunday and six per hour at night.

488 - under review. May require a diversion due to venue plans at Wick Lane.

The full document detailing the proposed bus route changes is available from the TfL website.

All the finalised changes will be confirmed by April and we will bring you the details here.

Jigudus Cafe Bar licencing application

2012-01-08T11:44:00.000Z

Jigudus Cafe Bar of 323 Kingsland Road have put in an application for a licence to sell alcohol between the following hours:

10:00am to 02:00am Sunday to Thursday
10:00 to 03:00am Friday and Saturday

The cafe is found on the west side of Kingsland Road between Downham Road and Travis Perkins builders merchants.

If you would like to make any comment on this application it must be submitted by January 26th. Details of how to do so can be found here.

Welcome back!

2012-01-05T10:34:00.000Z

As we start 2012, this is just a short note to say we hope you all had a good break and are reinvigorated and ready to tackle the new year.

Normal service will resume over the coming days...

Happy Christmas

2011-12-23T10:36:00.000Z

We'd like to wish you all a merry Christmas and a happy new year.

This blog will be taking a break and will return again early in 2012. If you need to contact us in the meantime you can do so at the contact details on the left of the blog, or you can contact Hackney Council using the details here.

We hope you have a great break and return refreshed in the new year.

Tom, Gulay and Rob

New home for De Beauvoir Surgery

2011-12-21T11:10:00.001Z

De Beauvoir Surgery is settling in to it's new home on Hertford Road, leaving behind its longtime base on Englefield Road.

Dr Gary Marlowe, Dr Haoli James and Dr Katy Young alongside the many nurses and support staff are now based at their new surgery in the Kingsland Wharf development, just east of De Beauvoir Estate.

The team will use the base to continue to serve the De Beauvoir area, providing high quality, personal healthcare to local residents.

Christmas at St. Peter's Church and St. John at Hackney

2011-12-14T10:00:00.008Z

Following the recent successful carol service, there is a full programme of events to celebrate Christmas thoughout December at St. Peter's Church.

On Saturday 17th of December at 10am the Church's decorations will be put up followed by carol singing at 12 noon on the church steps.

At 5pm on Sunday 18th of December there will be carols by candlelight followed by wine and mince pies.

Midnight Mass commencing at 11.30 on Christmas Eve will be followed by Family Communion with blessing from the crib at 10am on Christmas day.

St. John at Hackney Church in neighbouring Clapton are also celebrating with their own Christmas events.

These include a children's nativity performance at 11am on December 18th followed by Carols by candlelight at 1.30pm. A children's carol service at 5pm on Christmas eve followed by midnight mass at 11.30pm. And the Christmas day celebration from 10am.

There are many other events taking place at the church.

For more information on St John at Hackney's events programme visit their website.

Hackney Homes Tenancy Agreement Changes

2011-12-12T13:21:00.007Z

A number of changes have been proposed to update the Hackney Homes conditions of tenancy. These changes include new legislation and also best practice.

If you are a Hackney Homes resident you should already have received a consultation form through the post in order to have your say on these new conditions.

If you have not received the form you can pick one up at your local neighbourhood housing office.

You can also complete the form online if this is more convenient.

The new conditions of tenancy are available in full here.

And you can fill in the consultation form here.

If you require further information on these changes please call 020 8356 2060 or email tenancyconsultation@hackneyhomes.org.uk. Or visit your neighbourhood housing office.

Hackney Singers Carol Service

2011-12-12T07:01:00.001Z

Christmas in De Beauvoir began in earnest last night with a stunning performance by Hackney Singers at St Peters Church.

Conducted by Dan Ludford-Thomas the Singers preformed a programme including the Coventry Carol and excerpts from Handel's Messiah.

A collection after the concert raised money for the De Beauvoir homeless shelter, which re-opens in St Peters Crypt at the start of next month.

Hackney Active Residents Awards

2011-12-09T11:29:00.000Z

The Hackney Homes Active Residents Awards recognise people in our borough that make a positive difference to the community.

Winners of the Awards win prize money to go towards community initiatives.

There are several award categories: Young Resident of the Year (under 25); Resident of the Year; Resident Group of the Year, and the Ron Devoti Award which recognises residents who have dedicated several years of their lives to improving their community.

Public nominations for the awards close on 16th December.

If you know of a person or group deserving of recognition for their community work you can nominate them in several ways. You can pick up a nomination form from your local neighbourhood Housing Office, download a nomination form, fill in an online nomination or email your nomination.

All shortlisted nominees will be invited to the awards ceremony in the new year where the winners will be announced.

Full details on the awards are available on the Hackney Homes website.

New Dalston CLR James Library

2011-12-06T10:59:00.000Z

The first new library to be built in Hackney for 20 years will open in late January 2012.

This state-of-the-art facility will feature separate adult and children libraries.

As well as a wide range of books, study materials and online reference there will also be an education area.

There will also be an area for teenagers and a 'quick picks' function where visitors can issue books to themselves using modern self-service technology.

The new building will also house Hackney Archives which is moving from its previous base in De Beauvoir ward.

Further details on all the Council's libraries are available on the Hackney Council website.

Free School meals

2011-12-04T16:49:00.000Z

Recent government figures have shown that close to 40% of families in Hackney could be eligible for free school meals. But the Learning Trust - which runs education services in our borough - found one in five families are not taking this up.

Families receiving Income Support or other benefits are entitled to apply for free school meals which could represent an average saving of £390 a year.

If you have school-age children and think you may be entitled to this essential service you can find further information at the Learning Trust's website, where you can download the application form.

You can also call 020 8820 7248 to speak to a member of staff.

Duke of York reopening

2011-12-01T09:34:00.000Z

The Duke of York pub on Downham Road bordering De Beauvoir estate will be reopening soon.

The pub will be renamed Duke's and will be a modern microbrewery establishment.

Some residents had earlier voiced concerns about this reopening due to an application to extend weekend opening hours to 5am. However this has now been resolved and the pub will operate normal opening hours.

Duke's is set to open before the end of the year and will be a Beavertown Breweries pub, who have a Facebook group page with further details.

Statement on November 30th strikes

2011-11-29T10:19:00.000Z

The following statement has been released by Hackney's Labour Councillors regarding the strikes that are due to occur in Hackney and across the country tomorrow.

Hackney's Labour Councillors believe that the Local Government Pension Scheme is a good quality pension scheme that benefits from being funded and locally managed.

We believe that the proposals from the Government are not an attempt to ensure that the pension scheme is sustainable but are in reality a savings exercise as none of the additional revenue will go towards improving the financial security of the scheme.

We believe that the government's intransigence has increased the possibility of industrial action.

Hackney's Labour Councillors support the work of the trades unions in raising awareness of this issue and local government employees in defending their pension scheme. We regret the potential implications for local residents and service users of industrial action but we have confidence that the most vital services will be maintained. Labour councillors recognise that trade unions members have an entirely legitimate grievance in a dispute that is not of their making.

De Beauvoir's Christmas Fairs

2011-11-28T12:54:00.000Z

This weekend saw not one but two Christmas fairs in De Beauvoir.

At St Peter's Church Crypt, the De Beauvoir Underground organised a wonderful mix of arts and crafts across two rooms including local fixtures the The De Beauvoir Deli and a number of local artists.

On the Regents Canal, the Canals in Hackney Users Group had their own homely affair with cakes, mulled wine and children's narrowboat trips featuring Father Christmas!

If you missed them both, or are still looking out for more Christmas ideas, don't miss the Hackney Pirates Christmas market from 2-6pm on Sunday 11th December at their new base at 1-9 Downham Road. (And we'll have more about the Pirates in a future post!)

Pizza by the canal

2011-11-27T16:08:00.004Z

An afternoon pizza party was held recently by the brain injury charity Headway on the Regent's Canal towpath in our ward.

The wood-fired pizza oven was hand built by members of the charity with materials donated by Allen Build contractors with E5 Bakehouse providing dough and pizza chefs.

The event raised over £500 for the charity.

The event was attended by Hackney South and Shoreditch MP Meg Hillier who said 'This is a fun way to raise [the charity's] profile. It is also really important for people who are finding difficulty getting into employment to have the opportunity to build confidence and skills'.

The great success of the event will hopefully mean a return visit to our ward by the charity and perhaps more pizza to enjoy for our residents and visitors.

If you'd like to learn more about Headway's work please visit their website.

And there are more pictures and further information on the pizza party here.

De Beauvoir Estate resident representation and Rose Lipman Community Hall

2011-11-22T17:32:00.001Z

We are pleased to be able to announce two pieces of good news about DeBeauvoir Estate – the first about how all tenants and residents can have theirsay in how their estate is run and the second about the Rose Lipman Community Hall on Downham Road.

De Beauvoir Estate Tenants and residents – have your say

Hackney Homes has invited all De Beauvoir Estate tenants and residentsto a meeting on November 30^th to re-start resident meetings on theestate. The meeting will be held in the Rose Lipman Centre Community Hall.

The meeting will be facilitated by an independent chair and will be an opportunityfor residents to discuss how to spend funds on communal improvements, talkabout any activities residents want to undertake on the estate, and generallyraise any issues about estate maintenance or repairs.

The evening will have two parts. The first, from 6.30, will be a chancefor residents to raise any personal issues they have about repairs or other subjectwith Hackney Homes officers on an individual basis. From 7.30 there will be a formalmeeting to allow residents to discuss issues that are relevant to the future oftheir estate.

Over the past year Hackney Homes has been working with residents to findcommon ground on how to effectively restart and renew the Tenantsand Residents Association on behalf of De Beauvoir Estate’s residents. This processhas regrettably failed to achieve a workable consensus acceptable to allresidents involved and so this new interim meeting is being put in place toensure people on the estate continue to be able to have a say their estate isrun and hold Hackney Homes to account.

The De Beauvoir Councillors will be coming along andhope to see many residents there!

Rose Lipman Community Hall

The Rose Lipman Community Hall has been closed since the start of theyear due to water damage and ongoing problemswith the heating system.

The hall is now back in working order and due to be officially re-openedin the New Year. All bookings will be managed by a dedicated team fromHackney Homes who can be contacted on 020 8356 7845.

Priority for bookings will be given to resident groups from De BeauvoirEstate and others from the local community.

De Beauvoir Christmas Fair

2011-11-17T13:23:00.003Z

The second annual De Beauvoir Town Christmas Fair is taking place soon.

This event features the work of talented local artists, florists, jewellers, printers and photographers and many others.

Entry to the fair is free but donations are welcome and all funds raised will go towards the creation of a community space in De Beauvoir.

The fair takes place on 26-27th of November at St. Peter's Church Crypt, Northchurch Terrace from 10am until 3pm.

There is an events page set up on Facebook here with more details.

Hackney Winter Warmer is back!

2011-11-10T14:12:00.004Z

Hackney Council and Hackney Homes have announced the 2011 Winter Warmer event for elderly residents.

This event offers advice on keeping warm and saving energy and money this winter.

Soup, tea and cakes are available on the day whilst attendees chat with other Hackney residents.

There will also be instruction on light exercise to do at home.

The Winter Warmer event takes place on the 16th November from 11am to 3pm at The Round Chapel, Lower Clapton Road, Hackney E5 0PU. Map

Places on the day are limited so if you are interested please call 020 8356 2066 to register for the event.

Further details on keeping warm and safe during the winter months are available on the Hackney Council website.

London Cycle Hire Station secured for De Beauvoir

2011-11-06T13:52:00.009Z

Following pressure from your De Beauvoir Labour councillors Transport for London have decided to allocate funding for a new cycle hire docking station in our ward.

These cycles, sponsored by Barclays, have become a familiar sight in neighbouring wards and around town.

The new docking station will offer cycles for hire 24 hours a day subject to demand.

The station is scheduled to be placed on Pitfield Street outside Britannia Leisure Centre (see above pic).

The construction works for the station are scheduled to take place between now and February next year.

Further details on the cycle hire scheme are available on the TFL website.

On the removed posters for Friday's Hackney Debate...

2011-11-01T10:30:00.001Z

A number of residents in the north of De Beauvoir have contacted us about the removal of posters for Friday night's Hackney Debate.

We contacted Council officers about this and this morning we've had the following apology through from Terry Edwards, the Borough Operations Manager for Waste Services:

"I can confirm that one of our sweepers did remove the posters as part of his cleansing duties. However this was a mistake on our part due to the sweeper trying to keep the area clean. I have spoken to the sweeper and the supervisor and clarified what is to be removed in the future. The Area Manager has also spoken to [De Beauvoir Association Secretary] Mr Paul Bolding and apologised and explained the situation."

So, it been confirmed that for the future - as they have been before - posters attached to private railings will be left alone by the street cleaning team.

For the present, hope to see you on Friday night at St Peter's Church!

2011 Hackney Debate with George Alagiah.

2011-10-30T12:59:00.004Z

BBC newsreader and presenter George Alagiah is returning to chair the third in a series of debates held in DeBeauvoir Town.

The topic for debate is The Media We Deserve?.

In the wake of the phone hacking scandal and the closure of the News of the World should there now be tighter regulation of the media? And what possible effect might there be on free speech?

Speakers will be:

Nick Higham, BBC correspondent,

James Alan Anslow, City University lecturer and former production editor at News International,

Suzanne Moore, Guardian and Mail on Sunday journalist.

The debate takes place in St. Peter's Church, De Beauvoir Road, N1 on Friday 4th November.

Doors open at 7pm and the debate begins at 7.30.

Admission is free.

Bus Stop Improvements on Englefield Road

2011-10-27T13:50:00.004+01:00

Hackney Council will be carrying out improvements to Bus Stops on Englefield Road.

These improvements will make the stops more user-friendly and generally accessible.

The stops concerned are in front of house numbers 126a and 65 Englefield Road.

The work will start on Monday 7th November and be completed the same day.

Resident access will not be effected and if possible a temporary stop will be provided during the works.

If you need more information or wish to comment on these works please contact Hackney Service Centre on 020 8356 2897 or email: info@hackney.gov.uk

Hackney Winter Night Shelter

2011-10-20T12:21:00.004+01:00

An open meeting is being held this Monday 24th October for any residents interested in volunteering at Hackney's winter night shelters for the homeless.

The shelters were started seventeen years ago by a local Christian group and are now a registered charity.

The shelters will provide a meal and bed for the night for vulnerable homeless people in Hackney during the cold winter from January to March at various churches throughout the borough.

Last year the Shelter provided accommodation for 92 people including 11 women and helped 62 people find permanent accommodation.

If you feel you could spare some time to help the shelters with food preparation and supervision it would be greatly appreciated.

The meeting is being held on Monday 24th October at St. Mark's Church Hall, St. Mark's Rise, Daltson, E8 2NL from 7.30pm. Map

For more information on the vital work the charity carries out, and to download volunteering forms, please visit their website.

Hackney Biodiversity Plan Consultation

2011-10-19T15:41:00.006+01:00

The consultation period for Hackney Council's Biodiversity Plan is coming to an end.

Biodiversity is the local wildlife and their habitats including the boroughs parks.

Many residents value our open spaces and enjoy seeing the wildlife. It has also been proven that contact with the natural environment can improve well-being and reduce stress.

The Biodiversity Action Plan outlines the planned activities to protect the local wildlife.

The closing date for residents to comment on the draft Biodiversity Action Plan is Monday 24th October.

Further details on the consultation are available on Hackney Council's website, where you can download the full draft of the plan and a questionnaire to have your say.

If you just want to get the questionnaire you can download it here (right click and 'save').

New Bridport House

2011-10-16T12:49:00.005+01:00

The BBC has recently visited the De Beauvoir ward to report on the building of Colville Estate's new Bridport House.

Bridport House is the first step in Hackney Council's seven-year regeneration of Colville Estate.

Please follow the links below to learn more about this impressive new site and the ingenious innovation that went into its construction.

BBC TV News channel report:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-15298896

BBC Radio 4, Today Programme:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/today/hi/today/newsid_9615000/9615230.stm

And a report on construction from the Timber Trades Journal online edition:

http://www.ttjonline.com/story.asp?sectioncode=16&storycode=68366&c=3

Your Labour councillors look forward to working closely with local residents and Hackney Council over the coming years on this and other exciting building developments in our community.

Greener Hackney Event

2011-10-08T12:52:00.008+01:00

Residents who have an interest in Green issues and environmental impact are invited to Hackney Council's inaugural Greener Hackney event.

Hackney Black History Month 2011

2011-10-01T10:47:00.000+01:00

Today see's the start of Hackney Black History Month, the borough's annual celebration of the contribution that Black African and Carribean communities have made both here in Hackney and across the whole world.

Over the coming month, a wide range of events, including storytelling, poetry workshops, and film screenings will be happening across the borough - you can download the full programme of events here.

One of the centerpieces of the Month is 'Our African Roots' a new exhibition opening at Hackney museum which focuses on culture, identity and linkages back home in the Hackney African community. The exhibition - which includes exhibits from the Royal geographic Society and the Horniman Museum - opens on October 11th.

Tackling Anti-Social Behaviour Roadshow

2011-09-29T12:26:00.007+01:00

Hackney Homes, along with Hackney Council, the Metropolitan Police and London Fire Brigade have been holding roadshows across our borough on tackling anti-social behaviour.

The aims of the roadshows are to give advice on living safely and peacefully in our homes and how to report problems when things go wrong.

There is also be advice on micro-chipping and how to be a responsible dog owner.

The roadshow in DeBeauvoir takes place on Colville Estate near the Britannia Leisure Centre, N1 5PR, between 12-2pm on Monday 3rd October.

If you are unable to attend this event there is advice on the Hackney Homes website.

And of course you can always contact your team of Labour Councillors using the details on the left of this page.

Hope to see you there.

Decent Homes investment comes to Hobbs Place Estate!

2011-09-27T04:59:00.000+01:00

The De Beauvoir Councillors are very pleased to be able to annouce that Hemsworth Court and Clinger Court on Hobbs Place Estate have been awarded Decent Homes funding.

This success comes after a long fight by Hackney Council and Councillors who have successfully convinced the government on this and therefore have successfully brought the funding to the Borough.

The work will cover the external parts of the estate's buildings, and will consist of items such as new window and roof renewal or repairs, and with other external repair work that is deemed necessary as a result of the surveys.

All affected residents on the estate will soon receive - if you haven't already - a letter from Lakehouse , the council's contractors, introducing themselves. They and their surveyors will be carrying out inspections to the block to ascertain what works are required. Should Lakehouse need to carry out an internal inspection, then they will contact you to arrange a convenient appointment.

The exact addresses being covered by this work are:

1-25, 26-37, 38-49 and 50-73 Hemsworth Court
1-48, 93-96 and 97-102 Clinger Court.

A resident drop in consultation event has been scheduled for early October 2011 and will be held at the Regan Way Community Hall. The works are currently programmed to commence before the end of November.

All affected residents should by now have received a letter giving them more details. If you haven't received the letter or would like to know more please do get in contact with us at the above address.

UpRise festival in Dalston this Sunday

2011-09-24T11:54:00.000+01:00

This Sunday sees UpRise festival return to the streets of London. Local venues throughout Dalston will light up with live music, art, comedy, poetry and much more.

Gillett Square, Passing Clouds, Centreprise, Open the Gate, Dalston Roof Park, the Arcola Theatre, the Dalston Curve Garden, and the Vortex will open their doors to play host to the festival trail and celebrate the diversity of Hackney. This years theme is 'peace across the streets'.

If you're keen to come along, you can find more details here, or just come along between midday and 8pm

Oktoberfest in Shoreditch Park

2011-09-22T11:17:00.000+01:00

This weekend sees the arrival of London Oktoberfest in Shoreditch Park with the opening night being this evening. As you will have seen if you have been to the Park this week, the tent for the event has already been put in place (see below)

After starting this evening, the event will then continue through this weekend and - after taking a break during next week - go through next weekend as well finishing on Sunday October 2nd.

From the plans we have seen, the nature of the event and the capacity of the tent, we anticipate that Oktoberfest will cause disturbance those in the local area and have made clear to the Council our objections to the event.

If the event does cause you disturbance please call Hackney Council's noise and environmental pollution team on 020 8356 4455. They are open at the following times (and will answer messages left at other points):

Thursday: 8am - 2pm,
Friday morning 8am - 5am Saturday morning,
Saturday: 9pm - 5am Sunday morning,
Sunday: 6:30pm - 2am Mon morning.

They have assured us that they will also be attending the park this evening and over the weekend in order to undertake noise readings and ensure that the event adheres to its licence.

You can find full details of the Noise and Environmental Pollution team here.

We would also be happy to here from any residents and raise your concerns with the Council. Please contact us with the details on the left of this blog.

2012 Paralympic Games - one year to go

2011-09-19T09:38:00.000+01:00

Hackney recently marked the one-year countdown to next year’s Paralympic Games. A record number of 4,200 athletes from 150 countries are set to convene in London between 29 August and 9 September 2012 and compete in 503 events in 21 sports.

To celebrate one year to go until the 2012 Paralympic Games in Hackney, disabled people and their carers will swim for free at pools across the borough, all year round.

You can find more details here.

'We Love Hackney' weekend

2011-09-16T11:17:00.000+01:00

The 'We love Hackney' weekend starts tomorrow and includes live music and performances, film, children's entertainment and the return of the Hackney One Carnival which was cancelled last month following the riots in Tottenham.

Across the weekend events are being held at a wide range of venues including Sutton House, the Hackney Empire, Hackney Museum and Central Library, and the Narrow Way. In addition, in Hackney Wick the Hackney Wicked festival returns for its second year.

Sunday sees the return of the Hackney One Carnival, which will bringing the borough's streets to life with spectacular costumes, energetic dance and uplifting music.

Now in its fourth year, the Council-run event brings together hundreds of performers from carnival and community groups across the borough.

The carnival parade begins at midday at Ridley Road Market, E8 and will make its way north up Kingsland Road and Stoke Newington High Street, before travelling along Church Street to Clissold Park.

You can see full details of what's on by clicking here.

Have a great weekend!

The transformation of St Peter's Crypt - what do you think?

2011-09-10T12:37:00.000+01:00

Sitting on De Beauvoir Road at the heart of De Beauvoir Town St Peter's Church has been part of the local community since the area was first urbanised in the mid-nineteenth century.

To reaffirm its position at the heart of local life, St Peter's is currently undertaking a refurbishment of its crypt in order to make it a really useful community space used by a wide range of people from across the local area. The crypt is already used in a wider range of ways including as a nightshelter and a community cafe, and the Church would like to expand this further. Phase one of the refurbishment completed last year, and they are currently planning phase two of the work.

The team are currently in discussions with a major donor who is keen to know more about what people think about the project and about what they would find useful.

In order to do this St Peter's have prepared a short online survey to gather suggestions about the sort of community activities and events you think are needed in De Beauvoir. It only takes a couple of minutes to complete, and can be found online here.

If you want to know more about the Crypt refurbishment project you can find more details here.

The Amazings

2011-08-29T11:18:00.000+01:00

The Amazings is a new social enterprise which is set up to allow people to make the most of their retirements.

As they approach their launch, they've got in contact with us looking for over 60s in De Beauvoir who have unusual skills and knowledge that they'd like to share with the wider community.

Kate Ivey-Williams who is helping to launch the amazing told us "an example of an experience could be someone interested in local history giving a tour of the streets telling stories of life growing up in the East End, or an expert at baking giving a lesson on making classic British cakes. How great is it to earn a bit of cash doing something you love?"

If you're interested in find out more there's details on the poster below and also on their website: hwww.theamazings.org

Tea on Clarence Road

2011-08-14T20:13:00.007+01:00

St John at Hackney is organising an afternoon tea on Clarence Road tomorrow from 5pm.

The event is timed to coincide with exactly a week after the trouble broke out and is a community response to take back the street.

The event is being supported by Marks & Spencer on Mare Street, Hackney Council and other local businesses.

Please do come along and support the event!

This week

2011-08-13T18:38:00.001+01:00

This post aims to provide an overview of the events that happened at the start of this week, and the work the Council and other have been doing since that point to help Hackney pull together and move forward.

Disturbances at the start of this week

As you'll be aware, disturbances on Monday night focused on the areas surrounding Mare Street and the Pembury Estate. That night there were attempts to break into shops on Kingsland Road but no shops were actually entered, though there had been a break in at the Kingsland Shopping Centre the previous evening.

Police have informed us that there were no disturbances in Hackney on Tuesday night or any of the following days this week. As you have probably seen there the police have worked hard on long shifts throughout the week. Those involved included officers from the Met, including our own De Beauvoir Safer Neighbourhoods Team, and those brought to London from elsewhere.

De Beauvoir was one of the least affected areas of Hackney on Monday night, but there were unfortunately still a limited number of incidents that occurred in our area.

We have spoken to the police about the assault that took place on De Beauvoir Square on Monday evening and it is currently being thoroughly investigated and they are hopefully that they will be able to bring the perpertrators to justice in the near future. If you have any information on this please contact Crimestoppers or the De Beauvoir Safer Neighbourhoods Team.

There were just two other incidents in De Beauvoir ward on Monday night: a mugging on Kingland Road, and a brick put through an office window on Orsman Road.

What is happening now

Both the Police and the Council are focusing on ensuring those involved in breaking the law on Monday evening are brought to justice. The Council's CCTV team, working with the police, are currently working through all the relevant footage in order to inform the investigations. Across London, the Police have now arrested more than 1,200 people in connection with these events, and they are providing ongoing update here.

The people of Hackney have showed amazing community spirit in coming together to ensure that we work together as whole to move forward from what has happened this week, and the Council is supporting these efforts wherever it can.

From 3am on Monday morning the Council's street cleaning teams worked to clear Mare Street, Clarence Road and other affected areas - most areas were clear by 5am, with streets then being washed down which was completed by half past seven. It was great to see so many people turn up to help with the clean up on Monday morning – as part of the RiotCleanUp twitter campaign - but there was nothing left for them to do!

Fifteen businesses were damaged in the Hackney Central area and 5 in Dalston. Seven of these are locally owned ones. The Council has been visiting businesses in the town centre on a daily basis and has distributed advice sheets from the Police, advising on safety measures, and helping with the clear up.

The most affected shop was Siva Kandiah's on Clarence Road which lost stock worth a total of £50,000. Mr Kandiah is a long standing and valued member of the community in that area, and a collection has been started to raise money to help him re-open and if you wish to donate you can do so here. The appeal has already raised more than £10,000.

A range of community responses have been planned or are already occurring – some of you may have attended the community prayer vigil at St John’s Hackney on Wednesday – and we’ll have more about those on this blog in the coming days.

An update

2011-08-10T10:34:00.001+01:00

Last night there were no significant disturbances in De Beauvoir or anywhere in Hackney, and across the borough in general our streets were quiet. We, alongside, everyone in Hackney, hope that this signals the end of the events that were experienced on Monday afternoon and evening.

The police continue to be present throughout the borough so if you have any concerns regarding safety or how a situation might develop please contact them immediately.

All Council services are open today as normal.

There is a community prayer vigil being held outside St Johns Hackney at midday today which will be addressed by young people, the Speaker of Hackney, Meg Hillier MP and the Bishop of Stepney.

We will update this blog with further information as we have it. As always, please do be in contact if you have questions or concerns.

Statement on last night's events

2011-08-09T11:40:00.000+01:00

We are shocked and appalled by the events that took place in Hackney last night. There is absolutely no place for this in our community and we stand united calling for everyone to pull together and ensure that this goes no further.

Residents we have spoken to this morning have confirmed that De Beauvoir as a whole was quiet last night except for Kingsland Road and a very small number of isolated incidents elsewhere in the ward.

Please ensure your family members are safely off the streets this tonight as we all work to ensure there is no repeat this evening.

Thank you to the police and those from other emergency services who worked through the night. Thanks also to the Council's street cleaning team who have been hard at work cleaning the streets since early this morning.

Please contact the police if you see trouble forming or feel in immediate danger. If there is anything we as Councillors can do to help you or the area where you live please get in touch through the contact details on the left hand side of this blog.

New BBC drama films on De Beauvoir Estate

2011-08-05T11:14:00.002+01:00

Over the the past few weeks BBC Drama's in-house production team have been on De Beauvoir estate filming a new four-part drama.

The series, written by Paul Smith, is called 'One Night' and stars Jessica Hynes (who you may know from Spaced, The Royle Family, or Twenty Twelve) and Douglas Hodge (Robin Hood, Mansfield Park).

The series, which is due to premier on BBC One in 2012 is Smith's first commission for BBC prime time. It tells the story of a life-changing event told from the point of view of four characters whose lives intersect over the course of a single hot summer night.

The crew became a familiar and friendly presence on the estate and added a sense of excitement to the area during the time they were there.

More pictures below!

Colville Estate regeneration gets the go ahead!

2011-07-31T18:06:00.000+01:00

The masterplan for the regeneration of Colville Estate was approved at Hackney Council's Planning meeting on July 18th, paving the way for the replacement of existing council homes and the construction of much-needed new housing for the Regents Canal / Hoxton area.

Picture from Flickr

The masterplan - defined jointly by residents, architects and the Council - is for a mixed neighbourhood of almost 900 homes, made up of private, social rented and intermediate properties. The plan is specifically designed to retain the community feel that is so important to 'The Colville',which nestles between Regents Canal and Shoreditch Park, at the South of De Beauvoir Ward.

Over the past year, Colville Estate Tenants and Residents Association (CETRA), Hackney Council's Regeneration Team, Karakusevic Carson Architects and De Beauvoir's Councillors have worked together to put together the proposal.

At the planning meeting, a number of Colville residents, including the CETRA committee, spoke in favour of the proposal as did Cllr Rob Chapman, representing the three De Beauvoir councillors who all believe that the plan balances the residents desire to retain a distinct community feel with the need for the proposal to be self-financing.

Two tower blocks will replace the existing Harwood Court tower and the finance from the private flats within these and elsewhere on the estate will be used to fund the replacement of the social housing already on the estate. Without the construction of the towers the height of the buildings elsewhere on the new estate would need to be increased very significantly.

The masterplanning process ran alongside the development of the first phase of the regeneration, which has seen the construction of 20 new council houses in the now completed Bridport House.

You can see a couple of images of the masterplan below:

The above picture shows a model of the overall site - with the masterplan elements in white, and the below picture shows a sketch of a proposed streetview:

You can see more coverage of the approval here, here and here.

The scheme now moves forward to agree phasing and then to appoint an architect for the detailed design, builders for the construction, and a developer for the private aspects of the scheme.

We realise there are many aspects of the scheme around which people have questions - including leaseholder rights and timescales - so if you do have anything you want answered please do get in touch.

De Beauvoir Councillors call for Cycle Hire scheme to expand to De Beauvoir

2011-07-25T20:50:00.000+01:00

The De Beauvoir Councillor are calling on Transport for London to extend the Barclays Cycle Hire scheme to the ward. The scheme has seen thousands of Londoners make journeys across the city centre and we're now asking for it to be brought further into Hackney.

Currently the nearest bike station is at the south of Shoreditch Park with racks also found to the south of Pitfield Street and throughout Shoreditch.

We are calling for the stations to be expanded onto Hoxton Street and the south of the ward, and also into Dalston in order to further expanded the transport options for the ward's residents who currently face increasingly crowded buses and overground trains. A recent Tfl consultation included a proposed site on Pitfield Street.

The bikes, which were devised and set underway by Ken Livingstone during his time as mayor but have colloquially become known as 'Boris bikes', can be used for free for 30 minutes by those who pay an annual
fee, or is £1 for 24 hours for those who aren't members.

We'll be pushing for this in various forums over the next few months - and we'll let you know how we get on!

Shoreditch Festival - this weekend on the Regent's Canal!

2011-07-15T12:28:00.000+01:00

This weekend sees for the first time the arrival of Shoreditch Festival on Hackney's Regent's Canal.

A longstanding annual fixture for the local area this year the Festival moves north from Shoreditch Park to the canalside. Tomorrow is the first day of the 'live weekend' when attractions include live music on three stages, boat trips, street dance, food markets, and floating forest and much more.

In De Beauvoir, just east of Whitmore Road you'll find a floating stage, and on the opposite side of the canal, by the Waterhouse Restaurant you'll find a floating cinema and headstart exibition.

On the following weekend the theme is 'exploration' - when London Walks, Heritage Podcasts and the Shoreditch Festival Arts Trail will allow you to explore east London's waterways and see the area in a whole new light.

You can find more details about what's going on on the festival's website, and a map of what's going on can be found here.

Shoreditch Park festivals - your views

2011-07-14T11:24:00.000+01:00

In recent years Shoreditch Park has become an increasingly popular site for festivals and other events. This year has already seen three major events take place on the Ply Park area on the eastern side of the park - The Bionic Film Show, the 1234 Festival (see picture above) and Summer Rites.

In previous years we have taken up specific issues relating to the festivals after they have been raised to us by residents - in 2010, we raised issues around toilets and stewarding at 1234.

This year the De Beauvoir Councillors have received far more complaints from residents than we have in previous years. We are currently working through these and ensuring they get a proper response from the Council.

As part of this we would be pleased to hear from other residents who have concerns they want to raise with us, or just want to be kept informed of the progress we are making.

In terms of park events later this year and beyond, there are two key things to highlight - London Oktoberfest and the Shoreditch Park Users Group.

In late September and early October, London Oktoberfest will take place in the park, occuring over two weekends from 22nd September to 2nd October. Due to an oversight by the Council, the De Beauvoir Councillors were only informed of this event last week, with the licence for the event having already been granted at the start of this year. This is obviously a very significant event running over a number of days, and - from where we are now - we are concerned to ensure that its impact upon residents is minimised wherever possible. We will be speaking with the organisers to ensure their plans are clear and well thought out, and that they are aware of residents concerns.

In terms of ensuring future events are well selected and managed, at each park in Hackney, the park users group is a key forum which council officers use to engage residents and ensure their concerns are listened to when park events are proposed. All event proposals are brought in front of the group for consultation. Unfortunately, the Shoreditch Park Users Group recently folded, meaning this channel of communication is currently closed for Shoreditch Park.

The Council are keen to form a new Users Group for Shoreditch Park and have asked the Councillors to seek out residents who might be interested in being a part of the Group. If you are interested please do get in touch.

De Beauvoir Party in the Park 2011 - a great success!

2011-07-10T21:57:00.001+01:00

Once again, the De Beauvoir Party in Park was a great success with the De Beauvoir Square thronging with people throughout Saturday afternoon. Thanks to everyone who was involved in organising - and congratulations to the De Beauvoir Association for organising a great event. And, finally, thank you to weather for keeping the rain away for one day at least!

The photos below give a flavour of the day itself:

The Square in all its glory.

The outstanding brass band that provided a musical accompaniment to proceedings.

Thanks to the Fire Service for making an appearance.

And to the police!

Meg Hillier MP and De Beauvoir Councillors Rob, Gulay and Tom at the Party in the Park - enjoying the ice cream and already looking forward to next year.

De Beauvoir Square Party in the Park

2011-07-08T09:43:00.004+01:00

De Beauvoir's annual Party in the Park happens tomorrow between 2 and 5 in De Beauvoir Square.

Organised by the De Beauvoir Association, the event welcomes people from across the local area to enjoy fun family activities including face painting, bouncy castles, music and games. However it's not just for children - all ages are welcome, so please do come along and enjoy the afternoon's activities.

The Party in the Park has now been a fixture of De Beauvoir life for a number of years, and this year is set to be as successful as ever. Just fingers crossed the weather clears up...

We look forward to seeing you there!

Dog control in Hackney - what do you think?

2011-06-21T15:02:00.000+01:00

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

2011-06-16T15:58:00.001+01:00

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

2011-06-15T13:13:00.001+01:00

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

2011-06-15T11:25:00.000+01:00

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!

2011-06-11T09:42:00.007+01:00

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'

2011-06-07T14:25:00.001+01:00

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

2011-06-06T12:59:00.022+01:00

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

2011-06-03T11:43:00.003+01:00

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

2011-06-01T10:49:00.003+01:00

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.

Dalston Junction southern entrance opens - and the 488 bus is soon to arrive...

2011-05-30T10:02:00.002+01:00

Transport for London have announced that from Saturday June 4th the 488 bus route with extended to the new Dalston Junction bus interchange.

At the same time Tfl, who both run London Overground and oversee London Buses, have opened the southern entrance to Dalston Junction station (see the pathway to the left of the picture below).

De Beauvoir Councillors and local London Assembly member Jennette Arnold have previously written to TfL about the ongoing closure of the station's southern entrance. It's really good to see it's finally been opened.

The 488 bus route currently runs between Bromley-by-Bow and Clapton Pond via Bow Church, Old Ford and Homerton Hospital. The extension with mean the bus continues from Clapton Pond via Kenninghall Road roundabout, Kenninghall Road, Rendlesham Road, Downs Road, Rectory Road, Shacklewell Lane, Kingsland High Street, Kingsland Road and Forest Road to Dalston Junction station.

You can find more from TfL on this here.

De Beauvoir Marketplace - got something you want to sell? Sign up now!

2011-05-28T17:35:00.004+01:00

It’s not too late for people to sign up as exhibitors for the first ever De Beauvoir Marketplace, taking place in St Peter's Crypt on Sunday June 12th.

If you’re a local shopkeeper, plumber, electrician, architect, garden designer, accountant, cabinet maker, plasterer, painter and decorator, upholsterer, newsagent, grocer, greengrocer, pub landlord, artist, furniture restorer, gardener, general handyperson, run a car repair workshop or have any other trade or craft, then this is your chance to meet your neighbours and get better known locally without spending a fortune on advertising.

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, and for people to barter for goods and services if they wish.

The organisers are also keen for you to take part if you have a hobby and would like to make some money from it, whether that be sewing, knitting, crochet, home-made greetings cards, plant cuttings and seedlings, baked goods or delicious ethnic food.

The cost will be very low to exhibitors: £10 for businesses, £5 for sole traders and free for deserving causes. Anyone who can't attend in person on the day can pay £5 to leave publicity material for distribution.

If you'd like to take part in what promises to be a great event please email info@debeauvoir.org.uk for more information or with any questions. Entry to the public will be free and will include light refreshments, so organisers are hoping for a great turnout.

And if you don't want to exhibit - please put June 12th in your diary and come along to see what De Beauvoir has to offer! The event takes place from 2-5pm in St Peter’s Crypt under St Peter's Church on De Beauvoir Road.

Tomorrow: Roving Surgery on Kingsgate Estate

2011-05-20T10:44:00.000+01:00

From 1 o'clock tomorrow Rob, Gulay and Tom will be on Kingsgate Estate estate and in the surrounding roads speaking to residents as part of the monthly roving surgery. Please do get in contact either by email or phone if you'd like us to call on you.

Listen to your gut...

2011-05-19T11:09:00.002+01:00

Yakult's most recent TV advert has some rather familiar buildings in the background! Great to see De Beauvoir starring on the small screen...

As you may know, the area has a long association with the TV and film - Gainsborough Studios, in the south of the ward by Shoreditch park, were once one of London's major film studios. In commemoration, the new development that stands in its place has a statue of Alfred Hitchcock in its courtyard. Probably best not to ask what he'd have made of yoghurt adverts being made just across the canal!

De Beauvoir welcomes David Miliband

2011-05-17T13:05:00.000+01:00

Former Shadow Foreign Secretary and Movement for Change founder David Milband MP visited Hackney last night as the guest of Meg Hillier MP and we were pleased to be able to host him in De Beauvoir.

Speaking at the An Viet restaurant on Englefield Road he congratulated Hackney's Councillors and Mayor Jules Pipe on the achievements of the Council over the past decade, in particular paying tribute to the role played in improving education in the borough.

He also touched on themes he thought would define political conversation over the coming years - including the economy, the environment, and globalisation - and talked about his plans for the future, including teaching citizenship at his old school, and his work to grow the Movement for Change. M4C is a London Citizens-style community organising organisation focused on allowing the Labour Party to connect with voters at a local level in places where the party doesn't have local councillors.

If you are on twitter you can follow David Miliband here - and recent arrival Meg Hillier can be found here where you can find tweets from her on being Hackney South's MP and shadow climate change secretary.

The Trolley Stop

2011-05-14T17:50:00.002+01:00

The owners of the Trolley Stop pub on Stamford Road have applied to convert the pub into two residential flats. If the application is approved, the change will mark a significant step forward in the campaign by local residents and De Beauvoir's councillors to ensure the area is not adversely impacted by Dalston's night time economy.

In January 2011 the owners of the Trolley Stop were granted a licence to open it until 1am. Their barrister successfully persuaded Hackney's Licencing Committee that the pub formed part of Dalston's night time economy, despite numerous objections from local residents.

The De Beauvoir Councillors strongly supported the residents in their complaints. It is clear that the Trolley Stop is in Stamford Road, which is in a residential street. Therefore it should be treated as a neighbourhood pub rather than as part of Dalston's nightlife.

We have worked alongside residents to prevent late night opening from occurring, including applying pressure to the owners, and exploring the opportunity of an appeal against the licence.

It now appears that the owners have accepted the arguements of residents that they will be significantly impacted by a late night venue opening in their street. We welcome this change of heart, have written to support it, and look forward to their application being approved.

You can see the application here. Comments are open until May 18th and the application is likely to go to the July meeting of the Council's Planning Committee.

Please do get in touch if you have any comments or questions.

Still time to return your census...

2011-04-30T10:56:00.004+01:00

Thanks to all of you who have already returned your census. To the few of you who haven't please do so as soon as possible - a fair level of funding for Hackney depends on getting a good response.

Here's a few facts about you, Hackney and the 2011 Census:

Poor response rates could lose the Council as much as £57m per year in funding for health and Council services alone.

All information is confidential.

Everyone, regardless of nationality is required to complete the census.

If you don't want to be bothered by authorities, the best thing to do is to return the forms immediately - the doorknocking has started.

If you have not received or lost the form these can be re-ordered easily online or by calling 03000 2011 01.

All libraries in Hackney are providing census helpdesks throughout their opening hours.

The final day to return your form - either by post or online - is May 6. You can find more information here.

Hoxton Hall to become a Young Hackney Youth Centre - your chance to have your say

2011-04-25T11:41:00.010+01:00

As part of the improvements occurring to Hackney's Youth Service, residents are currently being invited to comment on proposals for the development of Hoxton Hall as a Young Hackney youth centre.

The venue can be found on Hoxton Street, and is used by many young people from the south of De Beauvoir.

The development of the space as a flagship venue for youth arts is one phase of Hoxton Hall's larger master plan for refurbishment and will enhance its role a community arts venue.

The Grade II* listed music hall and adjoining arts centre has a long and interesting history having first opened its doors in 1863. However, the last major building works were in 1977 and it is now in need of large scale renewal.

These works, planned to take place between September 2011 and April 2012, will focus on:

Improving access: New entrance, reception, external signage and lighting, a wheelchair accessible lift and more toilets to increase capacity from 120 to 250
Better education and youth arts facilities: refurbishment of visual art studio, music rooms, rehearsal rooms, kitchen and cafe

This phase of the of the Hoxton Hall renewal plan is expected to be funded through the MyPlace programme. This programme has already led to a new youth centre in Stoke Newington, which opened in Autumn 2010.

At every stage, young people's views have been at the heart of this programme and the draft plans for Hoxton Hall were drawn up after consultation with young people who use the centre.

If you would like to find out more, you can do by visiting the Young Hackney website. There is an email link on the page so you can submit your comments, and there will be a further opportunity to comment once a formal application is made for planning permission.

This new Young Hackney centre for De Beauvoir, Hoxton and Shoreditch will provide young people with a safe place to go in their spare time and will offer high-quality structured youth activities such as basic life skills, help with homework, media, drama and sport. In addition, young people will be able to access information, guidance and support in areas such as education, training and employment, health, family and relationship matters.

Boating in London during summer 2012

2011-04-22T12:17:00.001+01:00

British Waterways, who are responsible for the Grand Union Canal splitting De Beauvoir ward, have begun consultation on how the use of the canals will be managed during the Olympic Games.

Last summer they carried out a survey which showed that significant numbers of boaters may want to bring their boats to London during summer 2012 to enjoy the Games.

In order to manage this they are presently drawing up proposals that will look to manage this. In doing so they say they are looking to balance the needs of the London-based users and businesses with those boaters from outside the capital who will be looking to take this opportunity to travel to London and enjoy this one off event.

They have assured us that no-one with an existing home mooring in central London will need book a berth - these moorings will continue as normal. However they do envisage the need for some exceptional restrictions and will shortly be advertising visitor moorings on a pre-bookable, paid-for basis. For boaters wishing to continuously cruise through London they say this will give plenty of notice to help plan journeys in 2012, or indeed, book a berth.

If you have any comments or queries about this you can get in touch at – olympicmooringsfeedback@britishwaterways.co.uk, or to British Waterways Olympic Moorings, 1 Sheldon Square, Paddington Central, London, W2 6TT.

For further updates and details on what is being proposed visit: www.waterscape.com/londonboats2012

And for those who like to enjoy De Beauvoir's canals, don't forget that the Towpath Cafe, found just off Whitmore Road, has now re-opened for the summer!

Improving Hoxton Market - consultation now open

2011-04-19T22:18:00.005+01:00

Hackney Mayor and Councillor’s are committed to improving Hackney's markets - both for those who trade there, and those who enjoy them as a place to visit and shop. The Council is currently seeking resident’s views on a range of options for improving Hoxton Market.

The aim of these improvements would be to reinvigorate the market by bringing in new traders and expanding the range of goods on offer, encouraging more shoppers, a vibrant retail mix and good value for customers.

The proposals include:

Reinvigorated Saturday Market: attract more customers to the market on a Saturday by increasing the number of traders and focussing on fashion as a main feature.

New Friday Market: establish a new Friday market focussing on ready to eat food, pedestrianisation of the street and extending the market until 8pm.

Vintage and antiques: dedicate a section of the market to vintage clothing and antiques on either Fridays or Saturdays.

Speciality Markets: host occasional continental, seasonal and specialist markets.

You can respond by:

Completing the online survey
Emailing your views to consultation@hackney.gov.uk , or
Writing to FREEPOST, LON18819, Consultation Team, London Borough of Hackney, Town Hall, Mare Street, E8 1EA

The options are laid out in more detail in the consultation documents which can be found here where there are also details of who to contact with any questions.

The consultation closes on May 1st.

Bridport House topping out

2011-04-17T10:41:00.001+01:00

Deputy Mayor Karen Alcock recently visited De Beauvoir to 'top out' Bridport House, the first phase of a scheme to regenerate the Colville Estate.

The new block contains 20 new council flats which will be home to 41 residents. The scheme was built after the Council successfully applied for £3.4m of funding from the Homes and Communities Agency.

Bridport House marks the start of a scheme to redevelop the whole of Colville Estate, which is found in south of De Beauvoir directly north east of Shoreditch Park. De Beauvoir Councillor Tom Ebbutt chairs the Estate Regeneration Committee through which the residents work with the Council to move the scheme forward. He joined the Deputy Mayor in Colville residents in 'topping out' the scheme (pictured above).

If you're interested, more deatils of the wider Colville Estate scheme can be found here. The framework planning application has recently been submitted and if successful means that the scheme is able to move forward to the next phase.

There are many people who have been involved in the regeneration so far, but Rob, Gulay and Tom would in particular like to thank all residents of Colville for their hard work in getting the process to where it is today.

If you'd like to know more about the regeneration scheme please do get in touch.

Tomorrow: Roving Surgery on Hobbs Place

2011-04-15T12:47:00.000+01:00

From 1 o'clock tomorrow Rob, Gulay and Tom will be out on Hobbs Place estate speaking to residents as part of the monthly roving surgery. Please do get in contact either by email or phone if you'd like us to call on you.

Calling all Gardeners.... rooftop allotment available in Dalston

2011-04-14T08:09:00.001+01:00

Dalston-junction based Bootstrap Company are offering rooftop alloments to anyone living or working in Hackney who is keen to get gardening. Bootstraps are offering plots for the whole summer on top of the Printhouse building near Dalston Junction. They will provide grow bags, seedlings seeds and tools, as well as advice and guidance for new gardeners.
If you're keen to apply the closing date for applications is 20 April, and the allotments will be allocated by 1 May.
You can find more information on Bootstrap's website, and also by calling or emailing Zak on 020 7275 0825 or zak@bootstrapcompany.co.uk. He is also the right person to contact if you want to apply.
Dalston Roof Park, where the allotments are located, opens again next month. After last years success, this year it will have a pop-up bar open from 4pm every day, as well as hosting film screenings and music events throughout the summer.
PS - if you're keen on gardening you might also want to take a look at the De Beauvoir Garderners

Two men jailed for 32 years for Agnes Sina-Inakoju murder

2011-04-12T21:10:00.001+01:00

Two young men have been found guilty of the murder of Agnes Sina-Inakoju, who died after being shot in a takeaway on Hoxton Street in April last year.
The Old Bailey in central London saw a judge sentence Leon Dunkley, 22, and Mohammed Smoured, 21, to a minimum of 32 years without parole and warn they may never be released. Later Agnes' brother spoke movingly to the BBC about his sister.
These sentences are a welcome message that should act both as a forceful deterrent and a strong statement that these actions have no place in our community.
Hackney Council, the Police, and many groups, including many community organisations, continue to work both to prevent gun crime, warn young people of the dangers of becoming involved in gangs, and ensure the widest possible opportunities are available to the young people of Hackney.
If you'd like to speak to us about any issue related to young people in Hackney please do get in touch.

Census day!

2011-03-27T10:14:00.001+01:00

You can complete your questionnaire as soon as you receive it, but if you haven't already nows the the time to get started - your answers should be about everyone living or staying in your household (including any overnight visitors) on census day, Sunday 27 March.

If you need help, or have questions, just call the free Census hotline on 03000 2011 01 or contact them via their website. In addition, you can fill in your forms, and get assistance, in all Hackney libraries.

The more people in Hackney that fill in the census the more money will be spent in the borough on schools, hospitals, roads and other local services - so please fill yours in today.

March for the Alternative

2011-03-24T19:21:00.003Z

Government spending cuts will damage public services and put more than a million out of work. They will hit the vulnerable, damage communities and undermine much of what holds us together as a society.

The March for the Alternative is taking place in central London on Saturday 26 March. It is expected to be the largest demonstration in the capital for many years and the first national mobilisation against the spending cuts which are viewed as unfair, too fast, and too deep by the majority of voters.

The march will form up from 11am on the Victoria Embankment between Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges and proceed through central London until reaching Hyde Park, where the rally will start from around half past one.

There will be a significant contingent from Hackney travelling to the march together on Saturday morning, setting off from Dalston Junction - if you want to join us, please get in contact.

You can find more details on the march here:

http://marchforthealternative.org.uk/

And more on the cuts here:

http://falseeconomy.org.uk/

2011 Census

2011-03-13T18:30:00.004Z

Forms have begun to land on people's doorsteps for the 2011 Census.

The census is Britain's survey of our population which takes place every decade, and is a critical tool used by government to decide how money is divided up between different areas and therefore how much is spent on our local schools, hospitals and transport.

At the last Census, Hackney Council estimates that around 13,500 forms in Hackney were not returned meaning that we lost out on valuable funding which is crucial to fund our local services. This lost funding is even more important now in light of the current cuts being imposed on us from Whitehall.

Some people may find the forms confusing, or want some questions answered and there are a number of different ways to get those answers: you can call the Census hotline on 03000 2011 01 or contact them via their website. In addition, from this week the Council will also be providing help via local libraries.

We know that there have been some concerns that personal information is being asked for, but it is SO important that you complete your form and return it. All information is completely confidential and is not released for a century.

Last time, Hackney had the second lowest response rate in the country at only 73% - this undercounting meant that we lost out on valuable resources equivalent to the local NHS services receiving £40 million less than they should have over the period and the council missing out on £17 million. This is a serious amount of money - ensuring we receive it this time depends on all of us completing and returning our forms either on paper or online.

Hackney Council - the Government's cuts and our budget

2011-03-03T20:03:00.000Z

On Wednesday evening, Hackney Council set its budget for 2011 / 2012.

The full budget papers are available online on the Council’s website, and can be downloadedhere.

It is not possible for Hackney to escape the impact of the Government’s spending review. This budget, however, is the financial expression of this Council’s Labour Mayor, Cabinet and Councillors determination and commitment to shielding residents from the Tory government’s attack on the nation’s public services.

The cuts to local government are some of the deepest allocated to any part of the public sector, and the cuts to Hackney are among the deepest anywhere in local government. Once one off monies and some NHS money ‘given’ to councils is removed, the cut in Hackney’s grant for 2011/12 is 14.9% - 44 million pounds. This is one of the most severe cuts in Central Government support to Local Government since the Second World War.

Over the past months councillors and officers have been grappling with how this reduction in spending can be achieved with the minimum of harm to the people of Hackney. The front loading of cuts into year one and the delay in the publication of the provisional settlement until mid-December has made this task more difficult still.

Despite this, in this budget the Council will not be making cuts to the front-line services it provides to residents. There will be no raising of eligibility criteria for homecare for the elderly, there’ll be no library closures, no closure of children’s centres, no reduction in the cleanliness of our streets or any similar ending or reduction of services.

Instead, the Council has delivered the required savings through a range of changes, including continuing the efficiency savings that it has made every year for the past five years - these savings include stripping out layers of management, transforming the way we work, and gaining additional efficiencies from the contracts we have for things like ICT. In addition, a significant part of the cuts this year have been to funding for the wider borough that was passed through the council to Team Hackney – the local partnership that funded many projects that were run alongside the Council’s services. The Council has attempted to step in and fund Team Hackney activities where we can, but obviously our resources are limited.

Some people have suggested that the Council should either set an illegal budget or no budget at all and to do otherwise would be implementing ‘Tory cuts’. Neither of these are legally possible and, frankly, these accusations do no more that help the Government localise the blame for cuts on councils.

If either an illegal budget or no budget were set, then – very simply – the council’s officers would continue to follow the current budget. In this scenario, when contracts ran out services – from the council’s website, to sure start centres and nurseries - would be shut down. Eventually, a team from central government would be appointed to direct officers. In summary, the action would have no effect whatsoever.

The spending reductions imposed on local government and Hackney in particular have been made under the guise of ‘deficit reduction’ but ultimately at their core lies an ideology that seeks to change, and attempt to dismantle, public sector provision in our country. Whilst in this budget we have made the best attempt we can to protect you, your neighbours and all the people of Hackney, in future years this will become more and more difficult.

2011-02-06T16:26:00.003Z

Discover Young Hackney, Hackney Council’s annual youth arts festival, is back this month for its fifth year.

The festival aims to offer young people in Hackney the chance to build their skills, try something new, challenge themselves, and get to meet at range of professionals from across the arts industry – and 2011 offers more opportunities than ever before.

The festival is designed for young people from the age of 13 to 19, by a team of cultural ambassadors, all recruited from within that age group and from within Hackney.

The festival launched on Friday with the ‘I’m In’ talent show at the Hackney Empire, and continues with more than twenty events across the borough over the next two weeks.

You can find out more about the festival, and about other activities available for young people in Hackney, at www.discoveryounghackney.com

Campaigning against the cuts

2011-01-30T13:33:00.002Z

Yesterday Hackney Labour was out in force across the borough speaking to residents about the effect of the Government's cuts to the Council's budget and their impact upon the us, our families and our neighbours.

Across the borough local members and councillors set up stall to make clear the cuts' impact on Hackney. On Broadway Market they were joined by Hackney South MP Meg Hillier, whilst on Stoke Newington Church Street Diane Abbott MP and Jennette Arnold AM spoke to many concerned local residents. Stalls were also held on Ridley Road Market, Upper Clapton and the Narrow Way in Hackney Central. We also looked to building awareness of the TUC's 'March for the Alternative' protest on 26th March in Central London.

Hackney Council’s funding will be cut by £44m in 2011/12 alone, with a further cuts to come in future years. In the past, areas like Hackney have received extra funding from the government for good reason— to help the Council tackle the high level of social need in the Borough. The structures that provided that support have been removed by the current Local Government Minister, Eric Pickles.

The reach of the cuts go beyond Hackney Council. On Wednesday students from BSix College and Hackney Community College came to Hackney Town Hall to tell us about about the campaign to save the Educational Maintenance Allowance which gives poorer students the means to stay on in education beyond 16. A packed council chamber also heard from Hackney Keep Our NHS Public about the impact that that GP commissioning and 'any willing provider' will have on healthcare in the borough.

The Cuts and Hackney - the full picture

2011-01-13T10:49:00.001Z

Hackney Council has now received details of its central grant funding for 2011/12 and 2012/13.

In 2011/12 our core central government grant will be cut by £33 million and – removing the one-off transition grant which covers no more than the costs of making the cuts we face, and the money ‘given’ to the Council from the NHS budget and taking into account the end of a number of social care grants – we are facing a reduction in central funding of £44m for the next financial year. This represents a cut of 14.9% in the Council’s grant funding.

This cut is significantly higher than the headline figure of 8.9% announced in December by Eric Pickles, the Local Government Secretary, and the 7.25% announced by George Osborne in the Comprehensive Spending Review. It is also significantly higher than the cuts faced by other more affluent areas – across the country the local government settlement has favoured rich areas at the expense of poorer ones.

The mayor, cabinet and Labour councillors have already agreed a package of spending reductions amounting to £23m. Whilst having a serious effect, these cuts will largely not directly impact on the Council’s front line services. For example, as part of these reductions the Council will lose approximately a third of its director and senior manager posts.

Due to £4m of additional unavoidable cost pressures, this leaves the Council needing to cut another £25m from next year’s spending. The majority of this – and the biggest impact - will be made up of the ending of specific grants totalling £17m. These grants are for third-sector and voluntary projects and are funded through partnership arrangements. The funding for these projects will therefore come to an end. The mayor has said that he would like some of these projects to be picked up by the Council but clearly the scope for doing so will be extremely limited.

The remaining deficit, after some technical savings, is about £5m. Later this month Labour Group will consider how this can be bridged. Legally, the Council has to set its 2011/12 budget by March 11^th. If it does not do this, the Coalition Government will set its budget for it.

While we may be able to avoid further direct cuts for 2011/12, for 2012/13 we face a budget gap of about £25m. It’s difficult to see where this will come from except through direct cuts to services.

There will be further cuts to our funding in 2013/14 and 2014/15 but these are yet to be announced and the government is currently undertaking a review of the overall structure of how money is distributed to local authorities.

If you want more details, you can find them here on the council’s website.

As always please do get in contact if you have an questions or comments.

Hackney Community Law Centre

2011-01-11T10:33:00.001Z

For many years the Hackney Community Law Centre has provided access to justice for vulnerable people from across Hackney and beyond.

The Centre was recently successful in securing new contracts from the Legal Services Commission which means it will be able to continue to support our community. Its legal advice service covers social welfare – which includes housing, debt, welfare benefits, employment, discrimination and community care - as well as immigration & asylum issues.

In addition to the Legal Services Commission funding which is now secure, the Centre also receives funding from Hackney Council and London Councils. It is a member of the Law Centres Federation, and is part of the campaign to defend access to justice in the face of the unprecedented cuts to legal aid that are being proposed by the current government.

If you need to contact the Centre for any reason to you can reach them in the following ways:

General Advice Line: 020 8985 8364 – 10.00am to 1.00pm Monday to Thursday
Immigration & Asylum Advice Line: 020 8985 8364 – 11.00am to 1.00pm Friday
Visit their offices at 8 Lower Clapton Road, London E5 0PD – they are open between 10 am and 5 pm, Monday to Friday.

Flagship Hackney Youth Centre gets green light

2011-01-07T15:10:00.002Z

The go ahead has been given to a new flagship youth centre to be built in Forest Road, just to the east of De Beauvoir. The new £2.5 million facility – to be built on a site just across Kingsland Road - will be at the heart of a new network of five youth centres based across Hackney. This network will also include the long-established Hoxton Hall found on Hoxton Street to the south of De Beauvoir’s Hobbs Place estate.

The new Forest Road Youth Centre will be at the centre of this network and will offer activities such as sport, music, art, fashion, and photography. The new building, which has been designed in consultation with young people who live locally, will include main hall, an IT suite, a group room for smaller group activities, a ‘chill-out' space, interview rooms for one-on-one sessions and external break-out spaces. Fifteen staff from Hackney Youth Services will also be based in the building. In addition, the centre will provide a base for the Youth Parliament and Youth Volunteering programmes. The new building will replace an existing youth club on the site, which is currently run from a single-storey portacabin-type facility.

The centre forms part of a £5m investment in youth service in Hackney. Beyond the investment at Forest Road, funds will also be allocated to four other locations. These include Hoxton Hall in Hoxton Street which will be refurbished. The others are centres in King’s Park and Milton Gardens, and a new centre in Woodbury Down.

The investment is funded by MyPlace, a youth-focused grant scheme set up by the previous Labour Government. The scheme was set up in 2009 to improve youth facilities across the UK and Hackney was awarded funding in March of that year. The scheme has now been discontinued.

Improvements to the junction of Whitmore Road and Hoxton Street

2011-01-04T20:45:00.013Z

Many of you – particularly those who live in the south of the ward and the cyclists among you – will by now have seen the new road layout at the junction by the Britannia Leisure Centre.

The new set up removes the roundabout that previously sat where Whitmore Road, Hoxton Street, Hyde Road, and Pitfield Street meet and creates a layout that is far more friendly to cyclists and pedestrians.

As you can see in the plan below, once the works on the pavements are also complete it will also create additional open space by the side of the road where 16 new trees will be planted improving the area for those that live and work nearby.

The main funding for the works has been provided by the Department for Communities and Local Government and they are designed to improve the flow of traffic which travels along Whitmore Road onto Pitfield Street and into Shoreditch. The road is a key cycle commuter route (as anyone who has travelled along it at 8.30 in the morning will confirm!) and these improvements will make the journey far easier for those cyclists who travel down this route into the City and beyond, as well as for the cars and pedestrians that use this route.

Some residents have contacted us with concerns about the consultation that occurred prior to this work starting. We have raised these concerns with the council who have promised to use this feedback to improve future consultations.

We can also assure those of you that have been in touch with us about ‘the family’ sculptures that were in the centre of the previous roundabout that once the works are finished they will be put back into the new layout in a new location in front of Hobbs Place estate, just south east of where they were previously found.

Merry Christmas and a happy new year!

2010-12-24T12:37:00.004Z

The De Beauvoir councillors would like to wish all the residents of De Beauvoir a merry Christmas and a happy and peaceful new year.

If you wish to contact Rob, Gulay or Tom over this period you can reach us as normal on 07722868937 or DeBeauvoir@hackney-labour.org.uk.

Our first surgery of 2011 will be at 11am on January 8th at Colville Community Hall on the Colville Estate.

Office for Civil Society consultation on improving support for frontline organisations

2010-11-18T12:12:00.006Z

The Office for Civil society has launched a consultation to get your thoughts and ideas on the role it can play in ensuring that civil society in England is supported and encouraged in the coming years. In particular, it looks to find out what help, support and and influence would help it to respond to the current public sector cuts and take up the additional responsibilities that the new government is seeking to place upon it.

The consultation asks for your specific feedback on proposals in six key areas:

Easier access to advice through online services
Access to wider sources of support, particularly from the private sector
Direct support to frontline organisations through bursaries
Consolidation of support services through merger and collaboration
Local public sector partnerships
Partnerships between Central Government and national infrastructure organisations.

Hackney, as an area with a vibrant and wide-ranging third- and voluntary-sector, should ensure that it's voice is heard in the consultation, and that our views and needs are reflected in the responses.

To respond visit www.strongercivilsociety.org.uk to download the consultation document and send your response.

The consultation is open until 6 January 2011.

Roving Surgery Saturday 20th November

2010-11-17T15:19:00.001Z

This Saturday, the 20th November, your three local Labour councillors will be out and about on De Beauvoir Estate. If you live on the estate and would like to talk to us about a local issue or a problem you have, please email us at debeauvoir@hackney-labour.org.uk or leave a message or send a text on 07722 868937, and we will make sure we knock on your door. We will be there from 2pm.

We hold regular roving surgeries all around the Ward. If you would like Gulay, Rob and Tom to come to your street or estate - do let us know, and we'll add it to our programme for an early visit.

New home for Dalston's Arcola Theatre

2010-11-16T20:17:00.001Z

Dalston’s famous Arcola Theatre is to move into new premises at Dalston Junction, just to the north of De Beauvoir.

Their new space will be on Ashwin Street, in the Colourworks. As well two professional theatre spaces, their new home will have youth and community and rehearsal spaces as well as an expanded Arcola Energy research centre and a new café / bar.

The Colourworks itself is a historic building, being the former home of Reeves, the world famous fine art paint manufacturers, whose paint was used by artists such as Turner and Constable. It is owned by theBootstraps Trust, an organization that exists to improve the social, economic and cultural environment of Dalston.

The final production at the current Arcola Theatre will be The Cradle Will Rock by Mark Blitzstein, which closes on December 18^th at which point the theatre will move to its new home.

You can find more about the work, and their fundraising campaign here, follow the progress of their work on their blog, and they are also posting weekly video updates of the work so far. You can see the first of them here.

Comprehensive Spending Review and it's impact on Hackney - an update

2010-11-14T15:39:00.003Z

The impact of the comprehensive spending review on Hackney is now becoming clearer.

It now appears that the majority of cuts from central government funding to Hackney Council will be made next year, rather than being spread evenly over four years as initially indicated. Specifically, the information that has currently been released by the Government suggests that Hackney will experience budget cuts of around 20 per cent in the first year, not the 7.25 per cent initially stated by the Coalition.

If correct, this could mean a reduction in government funding to Hackney Council of between £50 and £60million in the next financial year (2011/12). This means that, unless there are further funding streams that are still to be revealed by the Government to make up this shortfall, the Council will be faced with having to make devastating decisions.

In the lead up to the Chancellor's announcement, Hackney Council had successfully found savings of some £26million, some 6-7 per cent of its budget, to be ready for the Coalition Government's reduction to next year's local authority grants. In identifying these savings we intended to buy ourselves a 12-month breathing space to avoid snap front-line service reductions. This new information suggests that the buffer that Hackney has built up will be swept away by the massive cuts over the next year.

The Prime Minister, the Chancellor, and the Secretary of State - in writing to all council leaders - have confirmed that the average loss in real terms to local authorities would be around 7 per cent each year over the next four years. However the specific budget cuts on a council by council basis are yet to be announced. Extra grant funding has been given to areas like Hackney in the past for good reason, but we will now potentially see reductions in grant of more than twice the national average.

Hackney's Mayor and Councillors continue to work hard to protect Hackney's budget however we can, and we will ensure the budget cuts we will be forced to make will seek to protect the most vulnerable in our community as best we can. However, the scale of cuts currently being proposed by Central Government mean that it will be impossible for us to avoid making cuts to front-line services.

We will continue to provide more information to Hackney's residents as and when it is available to us.

Please do get in touch with us if you have any questions and we will do our best to answer them as best we can.

Unique legal advice centre opens to serve Hackney

2010-10-27T14:00:00.002+01:00

The UK's first legal advice centre to offer free confidential support to people who witness street violence opened last week in north London.

The centre will offer advice to eye witnesses and victims in cases of street violence. Initially its focus is on incidents that occur in Hackney and Islington.

The centre is run by Witness Confident, an independent charity which aims to reduce the numbers of muggings and stranger attacks by encouraging the public to take a stand when they see street violence. The centre, which is staffed by a barrister, a solicitor and a law graduate, has been approved by the Bar Standards Board. It has been funded by donors including the Nuffield Foundation and the Allen Lane Foundation.

The kind of cases the charity's legal helpline will advise on are where the client:

is unsure whether the police can or will do anything
needs to know what the process will entail
wants to check their evidence is of value
cannot contact the right police team
is anxious about going to court
suspects or dislikes the police
is afraid of reprisals

If you are a victim or witness of street crime in Hackney or Islington, you can contact the legal team on 020 7226 0968 or at help@witnessconfident.org