Reporting on Hoxton's Safer Neighbourhood Team

Residents at the last meeting of the Hoxton Community Action Panel, set the priorities for policing. Click here for information. Since then, the Metropolitan Police's have reported their statistics for Hoxton. These show that crime (total notifiable offences) is down on figures for last month and also for this time last year. All details are here on the Met website.

You can also read the latest edition of the Police and Council's Safer Neighbourhood newsletter for Hoxton here.

Volunteering with Crisis

This year Councillor Carole Williams will be volunteering with Crisis, the homelessness charity and has set up a fundraising webpage on the Crisis site. Click here.

As well as helping out over the Christmas period, she has also set herself a fund raising target to help with the work that Crisis is doing to end homelessness. If you would like to help Councillor Williams achieve her target why don't you think about clicking the link and making a donation? All funds go directly to Crisis.

Merry Christmas!

Merry Christmas

Hoxton Councillors, Carole Williams, Phil Glanville and Clayeon McKenzie would like to take this opportunity to wish all Hoxton residents a very merry Christmas and a happy new year.


We'll be back working hard for Hoxton in 2010, in the meantime remember that Christmas is a time of giving and recieving and the result is usually a lot of wrapping paper so remember to recycle!

I'm sure that you'll catch a glimpse of us around the ward otherwise, we'll see you in the new year.

Hackney Prepared for a Sudden Cold Snap

It’s that time of year when we all start getting out our woolies and wrapping up warm in preparation for lashings of snow as another cold snap hits London.


The bookmakers have slashed their odds on a white Christmas and, after much of London came to a stand in February, residents across Hoxton want guarantees that the council are ready for another sudden and heavy downfall of snow. 

Though we have had only a light dusting of snow so far, Hoxton Councillors have been told that adequate preparations have been put in place to keep Hackney roads clear and safe for drivers as well as pedestrians.

We have asked for and received confirmation of the following facts and figures:

• Partners have been instructed to increase salt stocks from 100 tonnes to 170 tonnes.
• A review was held with contract partners in October to ensure that all necessary arrangements are in place for a sudden freeze
  
• The Met Office forecast a milder and wetter season than last year, although much of the country has already seen freezing temperatures.
  

Hoxton Councillor, Carole Williams said, "The council's quick response to the heavy snowfall last year was made apparent as I walked through Hoxton in February.  The main roads as well as the side roads were well gritted. This year, I am pleased to see that the council  have an increased supply of salt and grit and that preparations have been put in place just in case the Met Office have it wrong and London is hit by a prolonged cold snap."

 If you are interested in facts and figures, here are some more:

• Over an average winter, salting lorries will be deployed about 40 times in Hackney, usually overnight.
• On every trip over 40% of Hackney’s entire road network are treated – about 102km
• Hackney's Red routes are treated by Transport for London and colleagues at Waste Services deal with treating footways
• The Council  commenced its winter standby service on 8 November and it will run for 18 weeks up to mid-March. This will be reviewed in late February and consideration will be given to extending it if necessary.

Tackling Hate Crime

Hoxton Councillors have met with local police for a second time to discuss hate crime. On Friday 4 December we met with the local Member of Parliament, Meg Hillier, Council Officers, Councillor Julius Nkafu, Chair of Hackney's Hate Crime Forum, LGBT Hackney Domestic Violence and Hate Crime Officer form Hackney Police as well as Police Officers from Tower Hamlets and Councillor from Weaver's Ward in Tower Hamlets.

Weavers and Haggerston Safer Neighbourhood Teams have recorded a number of attacks on members of the public and they have been working together to reduce incidents, to help the public stay safe while out and to speak to local community leaders to address the root causes.

Hoxton Councillors will continue to work with Councillors in Haggerston Ward as well as police and the council to address community concerns and fears.

CouncillorPhilip Glanville said, "Residents from across wards and boroughs have raised their concerns about attacks that have taken place on both sides of the borough boundary. The majority appear to have taken place across in Tower Hamlets. We are committed to working with Hackney Council to ensure that, working in partnership with Tower Hamlets Council, Tower Hamlets Police and local community the streets are made safe for all."

Councillor Carole Williams said, "This was a good opportunity for councillors to meet with partners and the owner of a local bar about tackling hate crime. We commend the work that has been done so far and welcome news that there will be another public meeting in the New Year to discuss the public's concerns."