Agenda and minutes

1.1 The Chair updated those in attendance on the meeting etiquette and that the meeting was being recorded and livestreamed.

1.2 Apologies for absence were received from Councillor Young.

2.1 There were no urgent items, and the order of business was as set out in the agenda.

3.1 There were no declarations of interest.

4.1 The Chair opened the discussion by outlining that estate regeneration could offer existing tenants better homes, more new and affordable housing, and improvements to the local environment. However, when residents were not at the heart of proposals, it could leave residents feeling like they were properly consulted, social housing being lost, and displaces tenants and leaseholders getting a bad deal.

4.2 The Chair explained that the Commission saw this discussion as timely due to the Council’s ambitious programme of estate regeneration which were at various stages of delivery, the recent publication of the Housing Services Resident Engagement Strategy, and the ongoing refresh of the Housing Strategy.

4.3 As part of the scrutiny process, Members held a focus group to hear from residents living in council managed estates that had been affected by estate regeneration schemes. This helped Members to understand residents’ experiences of engagement, and what they may like to see happen additionally or differently in the future.

4.4 Representing London Borough of Hackney

·  Councillor Guy Nicholson, Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Delivery, Inclusive Economy and Regeneration

·  Rachel Bagenal, Strategic Head of Housing Regeneration and Delivery

·  HermoineBrightwell, Project Manager Woodberry Down Estate

4.5 External Guest(s)

·  Paul Watt, Professor of Urban Studies, Birkbeck University

4.6 The Chair invited the Deputy Mayor and Cabinet Member for Delivery, Inclusive Economy and Regeneration and the Strategic Head of Housing Regeneration and Delivery to give a short verbal presentation. The main points are highlighted below.

4.7 The Council’s approach to resident engagement for estate regeneration schemes had evolved over the last decade, and whilst more could always be done to improve the approach, it was a culmination of years of engagement experience.

4.8 The administration had made a clear commitment to further improving resident engagement on council estates in its most recent election manifesto, including on those estates affected by regeneration schemes.

The Council was undertaking a programme of over 3,400 Council-led homes across more than 30 sites, alongside partnerships such as Woodberry Down. 1,984 new homes had started construction, completed or received planning permission between May 2018 and May 2022.

4.9 These homes were a mix of large and small brownfield sites, including estate regeneration and infill development. The programme would be funded through social rent, shared ownership, Hackney Living Rent and outrights sales, and there were plans for 1,000 new Council rent homes by 2026.

4.10 The programme had four overarching commitments. These commitments set out that estate regeneration should be:

·  Not for profit, with homes being built for outright sale to pay for social housing

·  Council-led, without private developers or by selling off land and would make the most of the land available

·  First dibs for local people, with a right to return for existing residents and local letting policies

·  Collaborative, with local people would be at the heart of proposals.

4.11 The Council’s consultation principles were informed by the Residents’ Charter and Resident Engagement Strategy. These set out that consultation should be:

·  Timely, allowing maximum time  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

5.1 The draft minutes of the previous meeting held on 22nd March 2023 were presented.

5.2 Members agreed the draft minutes as an accurate record.

6.1 The Chair referred to the Commission’s work programme and highlighted the discussion items planned for the remainder of the municipal year.

6.2 The Chair then thanked all Commission Members for their hard work over the course of the municipal year and highlighted some of the key areas of work it had undertaken.

6.3 The Commission had looked at a number of topics relating to registered social landlords in Hackney (including the Council), which included reviewing progress against the implementation of the Charter for Social Housing Residents, and exploring particular issues of local concern such as nominations and lettings, tenancy sustainment, repairs, complaints, safety and resident engagement. It would be looking to finalise its findings and recommendations for this piece of work over the coming weeks.

6.4 It also looked at the partnership approach to the policing of drug use in Hackney, and in particular how effective this approach has been, how consistently it is used across our communities, and the impact it has had on residents. Again, it would be looking to finalise its findings and recommendations from this piece of work over the next few weeks.

6.5 The Commission reviewed the progress of the Council and its partners in advancing equality, diversity and inclusion in the arts and culture sector, bringing together a number of key stakeholders to understand their views and perspectives, especially in light of the pandemic and ongoing cost of living crisis.

6.6 The Chair reminded Members that the joint meeting with the Children and Young People Scrutiny Commission to review the coordinated partnership response to the concerns raised by the Child Q incident would be held on Tuesday 25th April 2023.