Pet Cemetery?

A big thank you for everyone who voted for Hackney City Farm in the telephone poll to decide which organisation won a Big Lottery Fund grant through the People's Millions scheme.

Hackney City Farm’s Back to Earth project will use the cash to reclaim and clean up unused wasteland in and around Haggerston Park and local estates for public and community use. The farm is a much loved and admired part of Hackney life and a real jewel in Haggerston's crown.

As the best runner up in the region the farm gets £50,000 to support its work. We know they'll spend it well.


The winner was the PDSA in Ilford who want to restore a pet cemetery. People's priorities can be very strange.

The Home of Professional Sport in Hackney

London's only professional basketball team, London United, have made Hackney Community College their home.

Councillor McShane is meeting with the club's manager this week to see how we can work together to get local kids involved in basketball.

It's a real privilege to have professional sport here in Haggerston. Go and see them and make sure they stay...

Free Cash Machines

Haggerston Ward is a strange cash machine desert. Given the number of people who live and work in the ward it is surprising to find only three sites with free cash dispensers:

Texaco Garage on Shoreditch High Street
Hackney Community College on Falkirk Street

and from last week, Tesco on Kingsland Road.

Until Tesco opened the entire north and east of the ward had to make do with fee charging machines in shops charging anything up to £2.50 for a withdrawal. But still some of the poorest people in Hackney are being made to pay to access money.

This is a nationwide problem - of the 58,000 cash machines in the UK, 40% charge a fee.

Haggerston Councillors are now aiming to take advantage of an offer by RBS Bank to provide free cash dispensers in areas of need. The locations need to be accessible to large numbers of people and they need to be in locations where people will feel safe withdrawing money. Many resident sdon't feel safe taking money out from the Community College machines, especially after dark.

We're seeking views from local people as to where they would like to see a free cash machine in the ward.

Hopefully Haggerston ppeoplewill soon be able to get their hands on their money without having to pay outrageous fees to private cash operators.

Fly Tipping

Got some old rubbish you don't want?
Too lazy to call up your local bulky waste collection service?
Too mean to pay for it to be collected if you're a business?

I know, why don't you drive over to Hackney and dump all your crap in one of our Council skips? It's easy, it's free and what are the chances of getting caught?

Well if you're stupid enough to do it in Haggerston ward then the chances are actually quite high.

Haggerston Councillors are never off duty and the idiots spotted this morning will have a hefty fine coming their way soon.

If you see people fly tipping in your area let us know.

Never approach fly tippers as they may become violent.

Licensing Applications Received Week Ending Nov 3

Night Shanghai
1E Great Eastern StreetLondon EC2A 3EJ

Application for a premises licence to allow the supply of alcohol from 12:00 until 23:00 Mon to Weds, 12:00 until 03:00 Thurs to Sat and from 10:00 until 17:00 on Sun and the provision of late night refreshment from 23:00 until 05:00 Thurs to Sat.

Closing date for representations:
27/11/2006

Tay-do Restaurant
60-64 Kingsland RoadLondon E2 8DP

Application for a premises licence to allow the supply of alcohol from 07:00 until 23:30 Mon to Sat and from 07:00 until 22:30 on Sun, recorded music 07:00 until 00:00 Mon to Sat and from 07:00 until 23:00 on Sun, and late night refreshment from 23:00 until 00:00 Mon to Sat.

Closing date for representations:
27/11/06

Ultimate Experience Ltd
115 Worship StreetLondon EC2A 2BA


Application for a temporary premises licence from 27 November to 22 December 2006 to allow the supply of alcohol from 18:30 - 00:00 Mon to Fri and regulated entertainment comprising live/recorded music, performances of dance, and facilities for dancing from 18:00 to 00:00 Mon to Fri.

Closing date for representations:
27/11/06

Express Convenience Store
110 Kingsland RoadLondon E2 8DP

Application to vary existing premises licence to allow supply of alcohol for consumption off the premises up to 24 hours per day.

Closing date for representations:
28/11/06

If you have concerns about any of these applications get in touch.

Housing Minister Visits Haggerston West & Kingsland

Housing Minister Yvette Cooper came to visit Haggerston West and Kingsland Estates yesterday. Local Councillors have been working hard with Jamie Carswell, Deputy Mayor, and Meg Hillier, our local MP, to get this redevelopment started.

The conditions on both estates are totally unacceptable and people have waited far too long for progress to be made. In a situation like this it's vital that the people who residents elect remain visible and approachable even if it means knocking on doors when we don't have good news - or even any news - to share. Only last weekend we were out again with Meg talking to residents and letting them know about the Minister's visit.

The Minister was left in no doubt about the need for urgent action and she also got to meet some of the long suffering residents and hear their frustrations first hand.

We left the walkabout with a renewed confidence that problems can be overcome and the people of Haggerston West and Kingsland Estates can get the homes they deserve.

Bye Bye Foxtons

Estate agent boards on estates across Hackney have been a problem for years. In Haggerston, the problem has become much worse in recent years as the 'big boys' such as Foxtons move into the area with their aggressive marketing tactics. As soon as one board appears, all the other agents stick a board up in a pathetic attempt to show that they are the biggest player in an area.

The ridiculous thing is the boards aren't needed anymore - especially in inner city London. The days when young couples would drive up and down streets to spot their perfect home have long gone. People now search through the internet for properties of the right size, price and location and then call the agent direct. These boards a re free advertising pure and simple and it has to stop.

Not only do they look awful, they are crudely nailed onto the walls of our estates causing significant damage.

With support from local Councillors across the borough, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods Alan Laing is getting tough on the estate agents. They have been reminded of the legal situation regarding putting up boards on estates (which they knew already) and told they could face legal action if any signs are seen on estates after December 1st.

If you see a sign after that date let us know.

Sadly we can't get rid of estate agents but through hard work and a tough approach we can get rid of their signs.