Newsletter June 2019

Have your say - TfL sets out proposals for major new cycleway in East London


Hackney and the Isle of Dogs could be connected by a 7.5km cycleway, with new trees, public spaces and pedestrian crossings according to plans put forward by Transport for London (TfL). 

The proposed cycleway is the first new cycling route to emerge from TfL’s latest analysis, which used data to identify the 25 areas with the best potential to increase cycling numbers. The route would include 5.6km of segregated cycle lanes, while Victoria Park would be among the neighbourhoods to receive improved public spaces, new trees and pedestrian crossings designed to make walking easier and safer. 

Cllr Feryal Demirci, Deputy Mayor of Hackney, said: “This proposed cycle route linking Hackney to Mile End and Canary Wharf would mean more people can start to cycle for all or part of their journey. I’d urge people to have their say on the proposals.” 

London’s Walking and Cycling Commissioner, Will Norman, added: “These exciting plans not only include a new high-quality cycle route connecting the busy streets of Hackney and the Isle of Dogs, but also a raft of improvements that will make the local area cleaner, safer, and more welcoming to get around on foot.”  

Comment on the proposals, until 21 June, at: tfl.gov.uk/cycleway

Have your say - Free condom service for 16-24 year olds

Young people aged between 16 and 24 years old are being asked to give their views on a free condom service operating in Hackney. The Come Correct (or CCard) scheme allows people to get condoms for free from various locations called 'outlets' across the borough and London.  Once a person has registered for a card they can get free condoms from any location which displays the Come Correct logo.

The Council and Come Correct want to hear from young people who have used the service or anyone who has not heard about it, to understand how they can improve what is on offer and to encourage more people to sign up to the scheme.  

To find out more about the scheme, to register for a card and to find the nearest 'outlet' go to http://www.comecorrect.org.uk/

To give feedback about the service people are being asked to complete a short survey by 30 June 2019, at https://consultation.hackney.gov.uk/public-health/come-correct/ or call 020 8356 4554. All answers are anonymous, unless contact details are included for a response to a question raised. 

Volunteers needed - Our Homes Festival @ Hoxton Market - 29 June 2019

On Saturday 29th June 2019, the Council is holding the Our Homes Festival at Hoxton Market. We are looking for two volunteers to help out on the reception desk from 9am until 4pm.

Reception/Feedback

- Meeting and greeting residents
- Signing in residents, handing them event guides, raffle ticket for food and feedback forms
- Collecting feedback forms from residents in exchange for a goody bag
- Dealing with basic queries from vendors and residents

As a thank you, you will receive an exclusive black 'I heart Hackney' t-shirt, a wonderful meal from the famous Legacy/Shades and a £20 Love2Shop voucher.

If you are interested, please contact Patience by email at patience.quarcoo@hackney.gov.uk with your name and contact number.  If we have a lot of interest, we will choose two people randomly to take part.

Short survey - Methods of raising a repair

The aim of this short survey is for Hackney Council to figure out “Council Tenants” and “Council Leaseholders/Freeholders” preferred method when raising a housing/communal repair. With this information, we can make improvements to the current systems and improve the service for residents.

To take part, click “Repairs Survey” in the Activity List on the home page.

Feedback - Digital First Primary Care Focus Group - 13 May 2019

The Council's Health in Hackney Scrutiny Commission asked Hackney Matters to assist it in carrying out some primary research with local residents on the subject of their scrutiny review on 'Digital first primary care and the implications for GP Practices’.  The aim was to hear directly from a cross section of residents about their experience of interacting with their GP Practices using either online methods e.g. for booking appointments or ordering repeat prescriptions and to get their perspective on future innovations such as greater roll out of online web chats with your GP via the Practice website or video consultations via smartphone App or a webcam on a laptop.

Six Hackney Matters panel members attended and there was a wide ranging discussion.  A key take-away from the session was that residents were broadly welcoming of all digital approaches valuing the increase in flexibility and convenience they would bring and how it would put an end to long attempts to get through to surgeries on the phone at 8.00 am.  There was some reticence about some of the practical implications of video phone consultations but again an acknowledgement that while it would not be appropriate in all cases it was a valuable new channel via which patients can interact with primary care.  There was much support for repeat prescriptions via Apps or online with some apprehensive about sorting problems should they occur with a supplier such as Pharmacy2U who is not in London.  On the issue of GP at Hand there was a general consensus that they needed to be much clearer up front about the implications to the patient of being automatically de-registered from their current GP Practice should they join GP at Hand.  There was a general welcome for The NHS App in driving forward this change but it would have to prove itself and there was criticism generally of overly complicated initial registration processes which would cause patients to give up with it.  The output from the focus group will be part of the evidence for the review and the draft report of the review will be published in July.  Local GPs via the CCG and the GP Confederation have a duty to respond to the Commission's recommendations from the review.

Feedback - Hackney Energy Company Focus Group - 20, 21 & 30 May 2019

Hackney Council is in the process of setting up a not-for-profit energy supply company to provide competitively-priced and renewable energy to all local residents and businesses. Any surpluses generated by the company will be re-invested in the local community.  It will provide fairer tariffs to prepayment (pay-as-you-go) customers, who have been traditionally poorly served by the energy market.  It will also provide renewable energy to customers by maximising the use of 50% of the Council’s residential roof space, covering it in solar panels and allowing in-borough renewable energy generation.   The company will be owned by Hackney Council, working in partnership with the fully licensed Supply Partner.

Three resident focus groups were held in May to inform the development of the brand for the Council’s not-for-profit energy company.  The registration was oversubscribed and it was not possible to involve everyone that indicated interest in attending the focus groups but we would like to thank everyone for their interest.

We will keep you informed of further developments of the energy company in future editions of the newsletter.  

May Competition - Winner

We asked you to work out 4 anagrams of wards in Hackney.  Here are the answers:
CASHMERES HANKY - Hackney Marshes
FONDLED LIONS - London Fields
CLEAN SQUAT PRO - Clapton Park
HE KNOWS CANDY - Hackney Downs

Everyone managed to get all the answers correct and one winner has been selected randomly, and we are pleased to reveal that the winner of the May competition is……….

Debbie Bowden

Congratulations!!!

June Competition

This month's competition is ANAGRAMS.  There will be 4 anagrams to solve which are famous people who were born in Hackney, and we will pick a winner randomly from those that answer all of them correctly.  The winner will receive a £10 Love2Shop voucher and the correct answers will be revealed in the next newsletter.
Login to the website and in the Activity List select "June Competition - Anagrams".

Recommend a Friend

Don’t forget that for every person you refer to Hackney Matters who signs up, you will receive 25 points worth £2.50.  Just enter their email address into the box on the home page and let the points roll in!