Annual Report 2009
Foreword by Jules Pipe Mayor of Hackney and Chair of Team Hackney
I am pleased to present Hackney’s Annual Report for 2008/09.
This is the first annual report which has been produced jointly by Hackney Council and Team Hackney, focusing on the work we are doing together to improve the lives of Hackney residents.
In the last year, the independent Audit Commission judged Hackney Council to still be ‘improving strongly’ and building on our three-star rating (out of four stars). Our progress was recognised nationally by the Local Government Chronicle, with an award for Most Improved Council. Team Hackney, our local strategic partnership, was also highly commended for Best Local Strategic Partnership.
The borough also received recognition for the way that Team Hackney manages complex projects financially, providing value for money to residents.
During these difficult financial times, the Council and our partners remain on the side of local residents. For the fourth year running the Council has frozen Council Tax without making any cuts to services, the only Council in the country that has been able to do this. Twenty of the 33 London boroughs have a higher Council Tax rate than Hackney, and the rate in Hackney is below the London average. We also continued to invest in the services most important to our residents: tackling crime, keeping our streets clean and providing more for young people to do, including abolishing swim charges for under-18s and over-60s.
I hope that you find this report useful in showing how we are working together to make Hackney a better place to live, work and visit.
Jules Pipe
Mayor of Hackney
Chair of Team Hackney
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
