Hackney Council has laid out its budget for the 2022/23 financial year. The council drew attention to the struggles that Hackney’s residents have faced during the pandemic and has committed to providing continued support for the most vulnerable.
“Despite the financial strains, we remain ambitious for the borough and continue to deliver for our residents,” said Philip Glanville, Mayor of Hackney.
We’ve broken down the budget into six main points
1. Council tax to increase by 2.99%
Hackney Council has argued that this increase is justified as it will aid them in raising the £2.7 million needed to fund local services. Discounts will remain available to any vulnerable residents unable to deal with the increase, and “affordable repayment plans” are in place.
SEE MORE: Hackney’s reaction to 2.99% council tax increase
2. £71 million to be spent on affordable housing projects
The council has planned to build 565 new homes, including 300 affordable housing projects. They have also promised to improve the 22,000 council homes under their management. Mayor Glanville said that the council has made “£1 million of additional investment in Housing Services to clear the repairs backlog caused by the pandemic.”
3. Funding for regeneration projects
This includes £23 million of investment into Hackney’s parks, which the council labelled as “more important than ever” due to their vital role in boosting the local mood during the pandemic. Additional support will be given to “town centre regeneration schemes,” which aim to re-invigorate the local business economy through initiatives like #SeeYouInStokey – a scheme that supports Stoke Newington’s independent businesses.
4. Continued support for Hackney’s children
£78 million will be given to programmes that are focused on “helping our children and families to thrive.” The Holiday Activities and Food Programme will continue in an effort to keep Hackney’s children out of food poverty. Additional funding will be granted to Kickstart, Hackney Council’s Apprenticeship Network, and an additional 30% spent on the borough’s education services.
5. Work towards a greener Hackney
The council is confident that it will be able to approve its Climate Action Plan this year. £24 million has been invested into the council’s Net Zero projects, and local cooperatives like Stokey Energy will continue to receive funding. The council is also aiming to plant 16,000 trees by the end of this year and has committed to investing in sustainable transport throughout the borough.
6. Make Hackney safer
£10 million has been committed to support the Integrated Gangs Unit, which works to protect people vulnerable to gangs. A number of ‘town centre teams’ have been set up to deal with anti-social behaviour towards night-time economy workers.
