Friday, November 30, 2007

"A Host for 2012 - The London Olympic and Paralympic Games"

Useful Numbers

  • 24 hr construction Hotline 080000 722 110
  • Hackney 2012 Team 020 8356 3126
  • Job Opportunities 020 7241 7080

Web sites

2008 Highlights

  • The Olympic Flag will be handed to London and the closing of the Beijing 2008 Games
  • Five host boroughs will take centre stage with a new annual summer cultural festival
  • Main venue construction will begin and run through to 2011
  • Five host boroughs and the Olympic Delivery Authority will engage residents on post-2012 planning

2009 Highlights

  • Procurement starts for the delivery of Games services
  • New phase of opportunities for residents to work in areas such as construction, culture, tourism and transport
  • Work will get underway to improve the Marshes for football and community use

2010 Highlights

  • East London Line Extension Line to Dalston Opens
  • North London Line Improvements
  • Jobs on the Games site reaches its peak at 20,000
  • Hackney Marshes improved pitches and new changing rooms will be completed
  • Official volunteering programme for the 2012 Games will be launched

2011 Highlights

  • East London Line to Highbury will be completed
  • Football on East Marsh will transfer to the main Marshes until 2013
  • Hackney Schools active in local and national volunteering programme
  • Venues for the Games will be completed and test events will be staged

2012 and Beyond

  • Olympic and Para Olympic Games in July, August and September
  • Host boroughs will celebrate with a Cultural Olympiad open to everyone in East London
  • East Marsh will be returned for football in 2013 with a new bridge connecting the Marshes to the Olympic Park and sports facilities
  • The Legacy phase begins for Hackney and the Lower Lea Valley including a new Park, new neighbourhood and employment area
  • 2012 and beyond - legacy benefits will provide new opportunities for Hackney

Details taken from the Mayor of Hackney's "A Host for 2012"

Fresh Start

What is Fresh Start?
Fresh Start is a scheme for residents wanting a transfer outside of London. The scheme will enable residents to move into council housing, housing associations or private properties.

Who can join the scheme?
Residents on the Council housing register or council and Housing Association tenants can join the scheme.

How do I find out more information?
Contact the Fresh Start team to arrangement and appointment by calling 020 835 5751.

Hackney Mediation Services

One of the many issues that local residents come to see councillors about is disputes with neighbours and we are pleased to announce that there will be three more training sessions on mediating neighbour disputes planned for early 2008. We would encourage TRAs and TMOs to register people to attend.

The dates are:

  • 31 January
  • 28 February
  • 20 March

For further information and to book onto one of the courses please contact the Hackney Mediation Service on 020 8356 4794 or email mediation@hackney.gov.uk

Recent Tranport Announcements

Here is a breakdown of recent transport announcements:
  • Since 11 November 2007 passengers have been able to use Oyster and Travelcards on Transport for London's new London Overground service, North London Railway.
  • Door-to-door fares for older and disabled Londoners will be abolished making rides free from 1 January 2008 and will benefit around 50,000 Londoners.
  • Another six environmentally friendly hybrid buses are being added to Transport for London's (TfL's) bus fleet. By 2012 every new bus entering the fleet will be a hybrid and will help to cut pollutant emissions in London and contribute to the drive to tackle climate change.
  • Londoners on income support can get access to reduced bus and tram fares by sending proof of income support to TfL and enclosing a copy of a passport, drivers licence bank card or Post Office Card Account card, birth or marriage certificate, NHS Medical Card and recent utility bill. Forms are available on the TfL website (www.tfl.gov.uk/discountcard ) or from a local post office. The helpline number is 0800 731 4564
  • There will be a price freeze on all single Oyster and cash fares for bus and tube Journeys next year. Single cash fares will remain at £2 ; bus journeys paid for using the cashless Oyster cared will remain at 90p; single cash fares for zone 1-4 journey’s will be £4 and Oyster pay-as-you-go passengers will pay £2.50 7am-7pm. Full details of charges are listed on the TfL website.

Tuesday, November 20, 2007

Decent Homes Programme Phase 2 - Marie Lloyd House

Works on roof renewal, concrete repairs and window replacement will commence on Marie Lloyd House on 26 November 2007 and will be completed by the end of May 2008.

Any residents with questions can go along to a weekly drop in session which will be held every Wednesday morning between 9.00am and 12.00pm at the Shoreditch Neighbourhood Office, Bletchley Court, 1 Cropley Street, N1.

£4m for transport improvements in Hackney

Tfl has announced a £4m of funding package for transport in Hackney.

Here is a breakdown of the funding for Hackney:
  • Principal road renewals - £198,000
  • Local safety schemes - £425,00020mph zones - £300,000
  • Education, training and publicity - £44,000
  • Walking - £160,000
  • Cycling - £250,000
  • London Cycle Network+ - £867,000
  • Bus stop accessibility - £147,000
  • Bus priority - £510,000
  • School Travel Plans - £806,000
  • Work travel plans - £17,000
  • Travel awareness - £32,000
  • Regeneration area schemes - £80,000
  • Environment - £50,000
  • Controlled parking zones - £50,000
  • Local area accessibility - £60,000
  • Total £3,996,000

Monday, November 19, 2007

Plans to Re-vamp Windsor Terrace

Windsor Terrace is in need of a facelift and the council is working with Shoreditch Trust to find a solution and local residents have been consulted on layout, lighting replacement, seating and planting. The trees on this City Road landmark will be retained but the trip hazards caused by the pertruding roots will be recitifed.


Comments can still be submitted to joost.berger@hackney.gov.uk



Wednesday, September 12, 2007

East London Line Extension

The East London Line Extension, running to Highbury and Islington, New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon, is well underway. Stations at Dalston, Haggerston, Hoxton and Shoreditch High Street are all included in phase 1 of the project.

Phase 2 of the project is still awaiting approval for the funding that will create a direct link between East and South London.

Over the coming months, the government will make announcements which will determine which major transport projects will be delivered.

Friday, July 06, 2007

More Door Entry Systems

Residents on East Road and in Halstead Court, Hoxton, will be benefiting from more door entry system being installed on their estates.

Wach this space for more details!

Thursday, April 26, 2007

Fall in Crime

There has been an overall fall in crime across Hackney. The s of the light increase in robberies and theft in Hoxton is thougth to be as a result of events taking place in the night time economy area.

Deatailed figures for Hoxton can be found on the Met website.

Wednesday, April 25, 2007

How to Avoid a Fridge Mountain in Hoxton

Have you ever wondered how to get dispose of those things you have hanging around but don't know what to do with them? So did I until a colleague sent me a link to a website called Fridge Mountain. It's a UK-wide website set up to swop all kinds of unwanted stuff including old furniture, books, wheelbarrows and almost anything else.

For those whose childhood viewing was anything like mine, it's a bit like Swop Shop on the internet for adults.

I’m told that it started in Cambridge its popularity across London is growing. It would be good to see its use growing in London and across Hackney.

Sunday, April 22, 2007

Roving Surgery

Hoxton Councillors took the opportunity to hold another Roving Sugery with Meg Hillier, Member of Parliament for Hackney South and Shoreditch.

We spent three hours visiting residents in Burtt House, Fairchild House, Aske House and Royal Oak Court to chat about everything from Decent Homes Programme, immigration issues, mould and planning issues.
We hope to be doing more of these over across the ward so look out for a notice telling you the time and location.

Otherwise you can always visit ward Carole, Clayeon or Phil at one of our regular surgeries.



Thursday, April 12, 2007

Hackney Home Repair Hit Sqaud Visits Hoxton

The Hackney Homes Responsive Repair Team comprising of plumber, electrician, bricklayer, carpenter and glazier will be at St Leonards Court, and St John’s Estate on Thursday 12 April.

The team have already visit Arden, Pitfield and Provost Estates.

I hope the team will be a permanent feature around the ward.

Wednesday, April 11, 2007

Redeveloping Jack Beard Pub, Hoxton?

The keen interest in developing Hoxton continues to grow. Tonight residents were asked to comment on more plans. This time site for development is the Jack Beard Pub on Murray Grove.

Telford Homes want to use the site to build a nine story block on the site. They are hoping that their proposal for 10 family sized affordable homes on the first 3½ floors will be acceptable to local residents and that objections won’t be raised when they submit them to Planning.

They want to make four of the affordable until into 1 bedroom flats; 3 of the units into 3 bedroom flats and 3 of the properties will have four bedrooms.

Their plans included 19 properties which will be for private sale.

The usual legal obligations will have to be fulfilled which means that plans will eventually be submitted for viewing on the Planning Authority Website.

The consultant working for Telford Homes will, I’m sure, welcome further comments on the plans. Martin Hughes can be contacted on 07831 869878 and faxed on 020 8181 6234. He can also be emailed at martin@lucis-communications.co.uk

Sunday, April 08, 2007

Regenerating Hoxton Estates















Resident representatives from St Johns and Crantson Estate in Hoxton met with consultants this week to tell them their visions for the developement of their estates over the next few years.
Levitt Bernstein Associates and Strategic Urban Futures have been appointed by the council to work on consultation with local residents on regenerating their estates so they have both the look and layout suitable for local needs.

Over the next 10 weeks, there will be extensive consultation Wenlock Barn, St. John’s & Cranston estates and Haberdasher Estate.

The next meeting will be held on 18 April. More details will be posted soon.

Tuesday, April 03, 2007

London Marathon

Its that time of year when people start sending emails letting you know that they will be running the marathon and aksing for support.

My latest message was from Trevor Phillips, Chair of the Commission for Equality and Human Rights. Mr Phillips will be running in aid of the abolition of the slave trade legacy fund.

Best of luck!

Monday, April 02, 2007

Caught on Camera

I take my mobile phone with me everywhere and as it has a camera on it, I take more pictures now than I have ever taken before.

It is particularly useful when walking around the ward as I can take pictures of dumped rubbish as well graffiti and send it straight to officers. These generally get dealt with very quickly so I was please to hear that Hackney Homes now have a new repairs textline on 0773 854 4872.

To report repairs all you now need to do is take a picture of the problem and with the name of the estate along with the problem.

Any reports made throughout April will be entered into a draw to win a camera phone.

Friday, March 30, 2007

Wenlock Barn to Get Disable Parking Space

Following on from a written complaint regarding the lack of disable parking bays at Wenlock Barn Estate, Hoxton, Hackney Homes have finally agreed to replace one of the bays outside outside Wimbourne Court with a disabled parking bay.

The new bay will not be allocated to an individual property, but it will be an estate disabled parking bay which is for the use of any disabled driver who is living on Wenlock Barn Estate.

Watch this space to find out the location.

Cllr Carole Williams

Monday, March 26, 2007

Cows Seen Grazing in Shoreditch

Hoxton Councillors Clayeon McKenzie, Carole Williams and Phil Glanville, have been receiving information about cows seen grazing across Shoreditch. The latest herd was last spotted by Sheperdess Walk Park on Sunday lunch time.

Ward Councillors were called to the scene and found five hungry cows being fed by local residents. They are asking other residents to continue to do the same on a regular basis to keep the cows from going hungry and prevent the NSPCA being called out.

From appearances it is clear that the herd is going to continue to grow and increase in numbers with the likelihood of more being seen across the borough.

"Please continue to feed the cows," pleads Councillor Clayeon McKenzie. "Without the help of residents, we will be heading for disaster."

Abolition of Slavery

For over four hundred years, from the mid-fifteenth century, millions of Africans were enslaved through the transatlantic slave trade. It is thought that over 12 million Africans were loaded onto slave ships and that over three million died.

Until the 19th century, slavery was considered an acceptable part of the economic system, enabling many countries in Europe and beyond to profit and prosper from the trade of goods produced by enslaved labour.

Two hundred years ago the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act was passed in Parliament. William Wilberforce has received much of the credit for its abolition, but there are many unsung heroes and heroines whose voices have been lost in the mists of time.

William Wilberforce, born in 1759 into a wealthy family played a central in the abolition of slavery and was galvanised to do something about the trade in human lives.

Wilberforce was not a skilful legislative tactician and despite introducing an abolition bill every year and getting the House of Commons to vote to abolish the slave trade in 1792, he failed to get the support of the House of Lords so the bill was not passed until 1807.

Others who contributed to the abolition of slavery included Thomas Clarkson, who travelled around the country, generating petitions to parliament and Lord Grenville who got the measure through the House of Lords. James Stephen also urged Wilberforce to get parliament to ban British ships carrying slaves to the colonies of France and its allies.

Women also played a vital role despite their own lack of emancipation and political power. Instead, they used moral action as well as indirect action to cajole and influential friends and those in with political clout.

More than 300,000 people, for example, were encouraged to join a boycott of sugar grown on plantations which used slave labour.

The campaign worked and the Act was passed in 1807. It was enforced gradually, however and in 1824, Elizabeth Heyrick, was still working to oppose Wilberforce’s ‘gradual’ approach and published a pamphlet entitled 'Immediate, Not Gradual Abolition'. The call was taken up by women's societies in 1830 putting the Anti-Slavery Society in a position where they had to agree to the change.

Other abolitionists include Quobna Ottobah Cugoano , Anthony Benezet, Joseph Sturge , John Woolman, Mary Prince , James Stephen , James Ramsay , Toussaint L'Ouverture and many more

There were also many other nameless and faceless men women and children who we know nothing about who played a vital role in this movement.
It is by no coincidence that the 200th anniversary is the year which organisations such as Anti Slavery have chosen to mark the phenomenon called modern slavery. They know that, despite the fact that abolition of slavery is an historical event, there are at least 12 million people around the world who live and work in contemporary forms of slavery.

It’s these forms of modern slavery which have galvanised nameless and faceless men, women and children up and down this country 200 years after the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act to fight against the continuing trade in human lives.


More information on the abolition of slavery visit The National Archives, The BBC Website or the Parliamentary Website


What ever you do to mark the anniversary, visit the exhibition at Hackney Museum.

Friday, February 02, 2007

0% local tax rise AND boosts for key services.

Hackney’s part of the council tax is being frozen for the second year in a row - with a 0% rise for 2007/8.

Rising collection rates and efficiency savings at the Town Hall mean Hackney’s ruling Labour group is able to put more money into key services without putting up council tax.

Highlights of the 2007/8 budget were revealed to a meeting of the full council on Wednesday.

For the fifth year running Labour Mayor Jules Pipe will be setting a balanced budget that does not have to deal with overspends in previous years.

This is also the fifth year that there are NO cuts in services in Hackney’s budget – as well as extra money to fund residents’ key priorities.

The council has made almost £4 million in efficiency savings – money which is being ploughed back into key services.

The council tax collection rate is rising and is now at 90% - up 1% on last year – bringing in more money that can be spent on key services for residents.

Hackney’s Labour mayor Jules Pipe said: “Hackney Labour is very pleased we can deliver a 0% rise in local tax for the second year in a row.

“I am committed to keeping council tax down through improving the Council’s efficiency and driving up collection rates.

“Improved council efficiency means we can also put more money into the services that matter to you.”

Labour’s 2007/8 budget means boosts for key services including:

KIDS SWIM FREE: An extra £295K to fund free access to all residents under 18 to swimming lessons during school holidays – starting this Easter.

BETTER CUSTOMER SERVICE: An extra £80K to extend the opening hours of the Hackney Service Centre from 8am-6pm Monday-Friday to 8am to 8pm Monday to Friday AND Saturday morning. More translating services for customers without English as a first language.

STREET WARDENS: Investment to secure the future for Hackney’s Street Wardens to help make our borough cleaner and safer. - In Hoxton this means our street wardens continue to be fully funded by the Council.

MORE RECYCLING: An extra £250K to roll out compulsory recycling across the borough including for plastics and to introduce blue bins for kitchen waste to all kerbside collections.

MORE TREES: An extra 500 trees on Hackney’s street this year alone – reducing our carbon footprint and making Hackney greener.

GREENER HACKNEY: An extra £1.3m to improve Hackney’s parks and green spaces

In addition, Hackney’s schools are getting an extra £11 million to continue the improvements in education in Hackney that have seen GCSE results improve from 32% in 2002 to 51% today.

Labour’s 2007/8 budget takes a further step forward and away from the financial mismanagement and instability of a hung council.

Back then, Hackney’s finances were in chaos, services were being cut and properties had to be sold to pay for the services that had to be maintained.

Since Jules Pipe became Mayor in 2002 the Council has finished every year without overspending and has put more investment into new services.

Wednesday, January 31, 2007

How does Parliament Represent You?

Hackney South MP, Meg Hillier, invited me to a meeting women MPs held in the House of Commons last week to look at the parliamentary record of gender representation across all parties.

How representative are your MPs? Well, if you look at the Labour Party's record, representation is going in the right direction. Women now make up 27% for all Labour MPs.

There are currently 97 Labour women MPs out of 354 Labour MPs. The aim is to increase that number to try to get at least 40% of women in Parliament by the next General Election.

The cake in the photographs show the reprsentation across the parties

Councillor Carole Williams

X Factor's Robert Allen Comes to Hackney Empire

X Factor’s Robert Allen presented awards to young people from Hackney at the annual Trailblazer’s Award Ceremony.

The award ceremony which started in 2005 was repeated again this year and students given awards for achievements in five categories: academic achievement, sports, creative arts, musical excellence and personal development.

Hackney award ceremonies are always a night of high emotion, excitement and anticipation. This year was no exception and having Robert in the line-up heightened the anticipation, raised pulse rates and got the crowd screaming.

The Hackney Gazette article can be read on The Learning Trust Website.

Councillor Carole Williams

Local Licensing Applications Received Week ending 26th January 2007.

Please see below three nearby licensing applications/reviews Hackney has received that you may wish to comment on:

Jam

123 Shoreditch High Street
London E1 6JE

Applicant(s):
Sgt Kevan Coleman (Met. Police)

Brief summary of application:

Application to review premises licence on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder, public safety and the prevention of public nuisance.

Closing date for representations:

20/02/2007

The Spreadeagle

1-3 Kingsland Road London E2 8AA


Applicant(s):
Ms Jesus

Brief summary of application:

Application to vary existing licence to allow supply of alcohol, and regulated entertainment comprising of films, live/recorded, facilities for making music/dancing and any facilities of a similar description from 10:00 until 04:00 Mon to Sat and from 12:00 until 00:00 on Sun.

Closing date for representations:

21/02/2007

The Plaza

165 Kingsland Road
London E2 8AL

Applicant(s):

Sgt Kevan Coleman (Met. Police)

Brief summary of application:

Application to review premises licence on the grounds of the prevention of crime and disorder and public safety.

Closing date for representations:

21/02/2007

Please let any of us know if you have any concerns about this application.

Thursday, January 25, 2007

What does it take to Build a School?

After working continuously for the past eighteen months I finally took a break this New Year. Along with a group of 27 people from the South England I went to Peru to work with a small charity within a small community in Pucullpa, Peru. .

Our task was to assist in building a new School as the current one had been condemned by the local government.

It didn’t look too bad for a 46 year-old school but the upper floor was no longer safe, the hot midday sun would stream through the glass-less windows of the upper school and during the rainy season the rains would flood the teacher’s staff room. The grounds also had insufficient space for playing, outdoor-sports or the separation of primary and secondary school children. The current school library is small and cramped with little in the way of books learning materials. The school is able to teach computing but the quality of the machines was questionable.

When you consider that the school body is made up of 300 students (175 Elementary School students and 125 High School students) you can begin to see the problems and the task that lay ahead of us.

The start of the project saw the building of two new classrooms and a toilet block with an additional two to be built in this phase of the programme. When more funds are raised another identical block will be built directly behind this one.

The location for the new building was ideal in many ways but it had its own problems and challenges. The site is 4.5km from the current school, but even in such a short distance, we saw an incredible and dramatic change in the socio-economic profile of the local community.

The current location is in the centre of town where there are relative signs of wealth. The new building is going up in an area surrounded by communities who live in extreme poverty - it wasn’t unusual for us to turn up for a 7am start and see families, alongside the vultures, going through the local rubbish tip. The housing is poor, the roads full of potholes and local facilities are limited.

This group of 27 people from the UK were always going to stand out in this community and every day we saw groups of children and adults coming to see what we were doing. Questions were asked about the new school and why we were there, friendships were made and laughter shared

By spending this time in Peru we were able to get an insight into what it is like to live in extreme poverty and we were fortunate enough to see the hope in the eyes of local children and saw a world of possibilities opening up.

There was no way that a group of 27 were going to complete a new school building (especially when you consider the number of days lost to illness, accidents, and other incidents). In fact, the foundations should have been prepared for us to build on. The summer rains, however, prevented work being completed on the foundations and on arrival we saw the extent of the task ahead of us.

There were foundations which still needed to be poured. Where foundations had been poured but not filled, we had to remove rain waters and refill holes large enough for the person of average height to stand in. Walls had to be built and the grounds levelled.

There was a lot of work done but we have left behind a team of Peruvian construction workers with less work and more encouragement. We left behind a community not only with a vision and hope for a new school but with the actual structures part completed.

It was a great way to spend the New Year break and the loss of our luggage to the Peruvian mafia will not be able to take away the experience!

Councillor Carole Williams

Wednesday, January 10, 2007

New powers will be coming soon to help local residents tackle anti-social behavior on Estates in Hoxton.

TACKLING ANTI SOCIAL BEHAVIOUR ON OUR ESTATES

One of the most common issues local councillors face is the issue of anti-social behavior. Often local residents know who is to blame, but sometimes find it hard to get others to translate this information into action. Meaning that residents are left frustrated and intimidated by the actions of a minority.

The Government yesterday, recognised that it is local people, with local knowledge who are in the best position to help tackle these issues - so they announced that resident groups on estates are to be given new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour and take day-to-day control of council services.

New regulations laid before Parliament yesterday will for the first time give Tenant Management Organisations (TMOs) powers to apply for Anti-Social Behaviour Orders. This means that TMOs in Hoxton on Cranston, Arden and Wenlock Barn Estates could soon have these new powers to help tackle ASB on their estates.

Powers of this kind are at the heart of the Government's Respect programme which is about giving people power and a real sense of ownership over their services and public spaces.

There will be clear safeguards to ensure the new powers are used responsibly, but, where a TMO has been assessed as competent, the Government sees no reason why it should not be delegated ASBO functions.

The new ASBO powers are a key element of the Labour's wider commitment to make social housing more responsive to the needs of social tenants. It is a commitment underpinned by the huge investment Labour in Hackney are putting into council housing in the borough through the Decent Homes Programme and improvements to estate security.

With the right safeguards and support I believe the TMO's in Hoxton will be ideally placed to use these new powers when they become available. And with the backing of us as local Labour Councillors, Hackney Homes and the Police - continue our efforts to make our estates safer.

Cllr Philip Glanville