London Assembly Launch Cost of Living Survey

Your London Assembly Members want to hold the Mayor of London to account for drastic policing cuts, soaring housing costs and transport fares continuing to rise.

London Assembly have launched this year’s Living In London survey and are asking for your help by giving you the opportunity to have your say on the key issues in the capital.

Complete the short survey by visiting www.bit.ly/londonlife to have your say on how we can improve life for all Londoners.

Hoxton West votes - local election results 2014

Hoxton West Councillors would like to thank everyone who voted for us in the local elections that took place on 22 May 2014 and for backing our campaign to continue to transform Hoxton West. We are also grateful to everyone who took the time to talk to us over the past twelve months, for telling us what you think of our progress so far, and for sharing your thoughts about how we can continue to make Hoxton West an even better place to live.

We delivered hundreds of manifestos; tens of thousands of leaflets and hundreds of letters about our record of campaigning for local people since the 2010 elections and outlining our plans for the next four years. We walked tens of miles across the new ward speaking to thousands of residents. Your thoughts, ideas and aspirations helped to form our election pledges which we will now work to deliver – read them here.

As well as our victory in the local elections, Hackney also voted to return Jules Pipe as Mayor of

Hackney. He romped home to victory on first preference with 59% of the votes, an increase of 7.5% over 2010. At one point a table collapsed under the weight of his votes!

Full results of the local and Mayoral elections are available on the council website.

We want to continue to work with you to be a strong voice for all of Hoxton West.

You can follow us on twitter for the latest news and sign up to our e-newsletter here

Thanks once again,

Carole, Phil and Clay

Election Pledges 2014

Over the past few months Hoxton West Councillors have been speaking to local residents to ask what your priorities are for the ward for the next four years.  Based on what you have told us, we are making five election pledges to you. If elected we will...

1. Campaign to see better regulation of the private rented sector in Hackney, continue to resist Tory and Lib Dem attacks on social housing and fight nationally with the Labour Party to end the Bedroom Tax.
2. Improve the local environment by planting more street trees, improve cycling facilities and lobby to hold the Mayor of London to account on delivering better air quality in Shoreditch.
3. Fight for improvements to our local roads and public realm including New North Road junctions and crossings, Murray Grove and Cropley Street shopping area and Pitfield Street.
4. Ensure that Hoxton West's local parks and green spaces such as Shepherdess Walk Park and Charles Square get the investment they need and work to bring toilets and cafe to Shoreditch Park. Work with the Council to improve leisure facilities at Britainnia Centre.
5. Complete the Decent Homes programme in Hoxton West over the next 12 months and deliver new investment to those homes left out of the original Decent Homes programme on Fairbank, Provost, Charles Square, Wenlock Barn, Windsor Terrace, Haberdasher and St John's Estates. Finish the regeneration of St Leonard's Court.

Hackney's Forthcoming Transport Strategy 2014-2024

Hackney has undertaken many ambitious projects in the past 4 years to improve walking, cycling and public transport conditions and options for all residents in the borough; including schemes such as Goldsmiths Row, Pitfield Roundabout, Broadway Market, and the Narrow Way.

Hackney has ambitious plans to make our borough the most sustainable urban living space in London.  To achieve this Hackney will set out a coherent set of sustainable transport policies, proposals and actions in its forthcoming Transport Strategy 2014-2024.

Some of the goals we want to achieve by 2024 are to ensure:

• Hackney remains one of London's most liveable borough with green, safe and thriving neighbourhoods, streets and public spaces where different communities get on and interact.
• To have play an important role in improving resident's health and well being, as well as tackling obesity levels through higher rates of active travel.
• Continue to advance the case for key public transport infrastructure improvements in Hackney and promoting linked trips, with Crossrail 2 which is at an advanced stage of design and implementation.
• Enhance residents' access to jobs, training and essential services without increasing congestion on public transport or roads.
• Strengthen the role of sustainable transport in facilitating Hackney's continued regeneration and supporting the local economy through initiatives such as the 'Love Hackney, Shop Loca' campaign.
• Continue the reduction of car ownership and made it unnecessary for residents to need to own a private vehicle.
• Significantly improve air quality and lowered carbon emissions from our transport system.
• To be better prepared for the implications of climate change on the public realm and transport network.

Generation Rent

With the demand for social housing far outstripping demand and rocketing house prices, the Private Rented Sector has become  increasingly the only available tenure type for anyone (except the very wealthy) wanting to live in Hackney.

After an intensive review lead by Hoxton Councillors, highlighting poor management and conditions many tenants face, Hackney Council has agreed to explore tighter regulation of the Private Rented Sector.

You can read the report here.

We are please that licensing of the Private Rented Sector or best alternative forms part of Labour manifesto pledges to support hard-pressed private renters.

Christmas Services

Hackney Council has published times and dates of services during the Christmas and new year period. Click here for more details.

For information on access to medical advice during the holiday season, visit the Hackney CCG website here.

For information on contacting local police, visit the Hackney MPS website.

We wish you all a very 

Merry Christmas 

and a 

Happy New Year

Kingsland Road Fire Station will Close

Hackney Council is one of 7 local councils to lose the High Court battle over Mayor of London Boris Johnson's proposals to close 10 fire stations in the capital, including Kingland Road Fire Station.

We previously wrote about Boris Johnson's plans on this blog here and we are very disappointed to learn of this news today. 

It was only 4 years ago the flames engulfed Thomas Fairchild School. 75 fire fighters and 15 fire engines attended that blaze.

And on 30 November that police, Fire Brigade and Ambulance services attended a blaze on Wenlock Barn Estate, a short distance from the one at Thomas Fairchild School.  

Due to the swift action of the emergency services, the blaze was quickly contained and no one was hurt.  We are concerned, however, that should there be a substantial blaze again in the future, the closure of Kingsland Road Fire Station could put an unnecessary strain on Old Street Fire Station.