You will have the opportunity to take part in short polls, surveys, online focus groups/live chats, plus a whole host of new features.  And every time you take part, you will earn reward points which you will be able to trade in for shopping vouchers when you reach a certain threshold.  The more you put in, the more you get out!

This is an exciting time for Hackney Matters and for all our panellists, and we are looking forward to engaging with you more, because your feedback is so important to us to make Hackney a better place for everyone! 

So keep an eye out over the next couple of months, as we will send you an email from consultation@hackney.gov.uk asking you to login to the new website and update your login details.  This is for security so that we can ensure all your details are kept safe on the new website and so you can make the best use of the new platform.

“Working in Hackney” Focus Groups

We would like to send a huge thank you to all of those who attended the “Working in Hackney” focus groups on Monday 19th February.  It was a very successful turnout with 21 attendees split into two focus groups.

The purpose of these focus groups was to give the Working in Hackney Scrutiny Commission an understanding of people’s choice of employment and why, any concerns they may have about employment, the changing work environment and their views on the future of work and skills in the next 5-10 years.

This information from the focus group will feed into the Scrutiny Commission’s review looking at the ‘Future world of work and skills in the next 5-10 years’.  Information from the focus group will form part of the evidence base collated from a variety of sources which has included information from: academics, think tanks, local stakeholders, council departments, local businesses, local residents, site visits and desktop research.

Next Steps – the write up from the focus groups will be included in a formal report from the Working in Hackney Scrutiny Commission.  This report will be submitted to the Council’s Executive Members and senior management for response and will make recommendations for the action the council should take to support and prepare residents for future employment and skills.

“Free Your Homes Festival” comes to Hackney Town Hall

Hackney Town Hall will be opening its doors on Wednesday 14 March for the Your Homes Festival takeover - a free event for borough’s tenants and leaseholders to get their voice heard on local issues and housing, while celebrating with free fun, games and live entertainment for all the family. The festival will include workshops where residents can share their thoughts and experiences of housing services while learning how improvements are being made across the board. A new repairs service will also be launched on the day which aims to reduce waiting times.  Local musician Josh Tenor from Rising Tide will be performing alongside other young up-and-coming artists and poets on the music main stage. There will also be activities for younger children including craft workshops, a visit from the Play Bus in the Town Hall Square, children’s capoeira and much more!

Those that sign up to the festival online can pick up lots of freebies including a swim session at London Fields Lido, free food and drinks, free walking tours, free taster exercise classes and goodies to take home.

On the day, attendees will be able to:

•          Sign up to free computer lessons

•          Get careers and up-skilling advice

•          Join in with arts and crafts activities for all ages

•          Learn about £1 exercise classes taking place across the borough 

•          Get advice on universal credit and changes to benefits

•          Receive a £20 voucher for taking part in engagement workshops and get your voice heard

•          Find out what’s on in and around Hackney

•          Watch free live entertainment

•          And more!

Residents must register online or over the phone to attend 020 8356 7845 or www.hackney.gov.uk/housing-get-involved. For more information you can also contact the Hackney Council Resident Participation via email: get.involved@hackney.gov.uk

Britannia Leisure Centre – Upcoming Events

Following last year’s various consultation and engagement events on the redevelopment of the Britannia Leisure Centre, Hackney Council is preparing a planning application for the Britannia project.

As a part of the application, the Council is inviting local residents, centre users and other interested parties to view the final proposals before the application is submitted to Hackney’s Planning Authority.

The drop-in exhibitions will take place on:

•          Tuesday 27 February - Colville Community Hall – 6.00-8.30pm

•          Wednesday 28 February – Shoreditch Park Primary School 5.30 -8.00pm

•          Thursday 1 March - Britannia Leisure Centre- 6.00-8.30pm

•          Friday 2 March - Britannia Leisure Centre – 6.00-8.30pm

•          Saturday 3 March – Britannia Leisure Centre – 10.30am-12.30pm

If you would like to know more about the project, please email consultation@hackney.gov.uk or call 020 8356 1739.

For more information on the Britannia Leisure Centre project, please go to visit www.hackney.gov.uk/britannia-site

Have Your Say - Future Shoreditch Issues and Options

Help to shape the creative heart of London, by sharing your views to inform the Future Shoreditch plan.

Shoreditch has experienced phenomenal growth over the past 30 years, becoming one the world's fastest growing arts, fashion, media and technology-led communities.

It is also home to thousands of residents and the demand for space is intense, which is continuing to push up workspace and residential rents. 

The Future Shoreditch Plan will guide and shape new development so that it invests into and benefits the wider community.  It aims to protect and enhance the unique character of Shoreditch by carefully curating the ongoing demand for space that can support businesses create new jobs, provide new homes, community facilities and enhance the public spaces.

Once adopted, Future Shoreditch will provide a detailed planning framework to manage growth in the area over the next 15 years.

To view the Plan and have your say, please visit https://www.hackney.gov.uk/future-shoreditch.

Have Your Say – Hackney Council's Strategy for Tackling Hate Crime

Residents are being asked to have their say on the Council’s strategy to tackle hate crime in the borough. Hate crime is defined as any criminal offence which a victim or anyone else thinks was motivated by hostility or prejudice based on disability, race, religion, transgender identity, or sexual orientation. The Council’s strategy sets out how it will work with the community and partner organisations to tackle hate crime, which increased by almost a third (29 per cent) nationwide in 2016/17, compared to the previous year.

It sets out key aims on: building understanding of hate incidents and crime; building community resilience against extremist beliefs and attitudes; increasing the reporting of hate crime; ensuring that Council staff can respond to hate incidents by supporting the police; and improving support for the victims of hate crime.

To have your say, visit: https://consultation.hackney.gov.uk/communications-and-consultation/hackney-hate-crime-strategy or call: 020 8356 4342 to request a paper copy of the consultation.  This is a featured consultation.

You can also sign up to a workshop to give your ideas and feedback on how the draft strategy could make a difference in your community.  We would also value your feedback on the key objectives and actions identified in the strategy and the role you and/or your community could play in helping to implement the strategy.  Visit https://consultation.hackney.gov.uk/communications-and-consultation/hackney-councils-strategy-for-tackling-hate-crime/consultation/intro to register your interest.

Hackney in photos

Are you a budding photographer?

If you have a good scenic pic of the borough that you wouldn’t mind sharing, please send it over! It could be a street, park, landmark, town hall, market, estate – anything. Or get out there and start snapping!

The Hackney Film Office are trying to build up a catalogue for their Instagram (@hackneyfilmoffice) so they can remind people how great Hackney is and why they should film here.

We would really appreciate as many photos as you can send through, and we will pick a winner who will receive a £20 shopping voucher.  Send your photos with a short description to: consultation@hackney.gov.uk