News in Brief November 2008
Watching history happen
Meeting the USA’s first black president before he was historically elected was a once in a lifetime experience for a lucky Hackney youth.
Ismael Zakaria, 16, was one of seven newly-elected members of the Hackney Youth Parliament (HYP) who got to see the conclusion of a nail-biting presidential campaign up close.
Ismael, who represents North East Hackney, even got to shake Barack Obama’s hand at a rally in Virginia and described him as ‘really inspiring’.
The HYP members – Omojolade Olusanya, Matthew Oyetunji, Kim Pham, Patrice Redman-Pinard, Rona Skerratt, Jasmine Strickland-Scott and Ismael – were selected to go on the educational visit to Washington, paid for by the Youth Opportunities Fund.
The trip helped the group to gain an understanding of an alternative political system and what motivates young people to become politically active. They also compared the history of democracy in the UK and USA and considered how a black presidential candidate could motivate young people from minority backgrounds to become politically active.
Patrice, 14, member for Stoke Newington, said: “This was a brilliant experience, not just the lessons we will share with others, but to know we were there to see history made.”
Highlights of the trip included visits to the White House and the Arlington National Cemetery. They also learnt skills to encourage voters to turn out for elections, and visited a local TV station to watch a live broadcast and take part in an interview themselves.
Now back in Hackney, the young people have been tasked with sharing their experience to help promote democracy and voting among young people in the borough.
For more info, visit the Hackney Youth Parliament Election page.
Thumbs up for local cops
The borough’s police force has received a big vote of confidence from residents.
A recent survey showed that three out of four people think our local police are doing a good job.The figures are taken from the Metropolitan Police Public Attitude survey and show a massive increase over the last year.
In March 2007, only one in five local people said they had confidence in Hackney’s police. Acting Borough Commander, Superintendent Alun Goode, said: “These figures show an incredible turn around in the way Hackney people feel about their local police.
“Crime has been falling steadily in the borough over the past four years and the introduction of Safer Neighbourhoods police teams has made a real impact. These figures show that people are really starting to feel the difference, and having extra police on the beat is a big factor.
Not the bare minimum
Are you earning less than £5.73 an hour? If so, your employer could be breaking the law by not paying new National Minimum Wage rates.
They rose to £5.73 per hour for workers aged 22 and over; £4.77 for 18 to 21-year-olds; and ?3.53 for those aged 16 and 17, from 1 October.
Hackney’s Mayor, Jules Pipe, is urging residents to make sure they get a fair deal and if they’re not, to find out more from a confidential Government helpline offering support in more than 100 languages.
Mayor Pipe said: “The minimum wage is a national standard of employment rights for every worker, and I strongly urge staff and employers alike to find out more about the new rates if they haven’t already done so.”
The minimum wage includes agency, part-time, casual, foreign, home and pieceworkers, and it does not matter how much experience an employee has.
The only time a deduction that takes pay below the minimum rate can be made is if a worker lives in accommodation provided by their employer, in which case, the maximum deduction is £4.30 per day, or £30.10 per week.
If you are not receiving the new minimum wage, contact the helpline anonymously on: 0845 6000 678, 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri. For more info, visit: www.direct.gov.uk/nmw or email: nmw@hmrc.gov.uk.
Pembury people power
One of Hackney’s longest-standing Tenants and Residents Associations (TRAs) has celebrated its 25th anniversary.
The Speaker of Hackney, Cllr Ian Rathbone, helped mark the quarter-century of the Pembury Estate TRA (PETRA) by hosting a reception at Hackney Town Hall on 30 October.
Also attending were four previous PETRA chairs, who together spanned the whole quarter-century.
Current chair, Richard Harris, said: “Residents feel a great sense of solidarity from being part of an organisation such as PETRA. We need continued active support from the voluntary and statutory sector to build on the good foundations established over the past 25 years.”
Cllr Rathbone added: “This is a time to celebrate – PETRA has achieved a great deal since its inception 25 years ago, and members past and present can be proud of their work.”
The Peabody Trust runs the estate as a social landlord, taking over from the Council through a stock transfer in 2000, during which PETRA represented the interests of residents.
£5million saved for residents
The Council is saving millions of pounds for taxpayers by driving down insurance costs and reinvesting the money in services.
In recent years, Hackney has worked closely with its insurers to identify and sort out problem areas, such as an increase in claims over badly-maintained roads during the 1990s.
Last year, there were 40 per cent fewer claims than in 2003, while costs have also been halved. This has meant the Council has been able to make savings of more than £5million. This has helped keep Council Tax frozen for the past three years, while also improving services for residents.
The savings have funded repair work for 16,000 potholes, making the borough’s roads and pavements safer while reducing future risk.
Due to this improved efficiency, the Council has also been able to reduce its insurance premiums this year by a further £500,000.
Cllr Jamie Carswell, Deputy Mayor of Hackney, said: “I am delighted that services for residents are being invested in and improved through ever-increasing financial efficiency and strength.”
Fair day’s pay
Residents and workers in the borough are being urged to make sure they get a fair deal, after National Minimum Wage rates were increased.
The rates cover all home, agency, part-time, casual, foreign and pieceworkers. As of 1 October, they rose to £5.73 per hour for people aged 22 and over; £4.77 for 18 to 21-yearolds; and £3.53 for 16 to 17-year-olds.
Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, said: “The minimum wage is a national standard of employment rights for every worker, and I strongly urge staff and employers in Hackney to find out more about the new rates if they haven’t already done so.
“Workers who aren’t receiving the new minimum wage can also report their employer via a confidential helpline.”
Last year, Her Majesty’s Revenue and Customs enforcement officers investigated 560 employers in London and secured more than £277,000 in unpaid money for over 930 workers.
The Employment Bill, currently before Parliament, will provide extra protection by introducing a fine of up to £5,000 for businesses found underpaying workers. The most serious cases could result in unlimited penalties.
The Bill also includes a fairer method for dealing with minimum wage arrears, so workers do not lose out.
The Government has also announced plans to stop employers using tips to ‘top up’ pay to meet the minimum wage. Sometimes an employer may deduct money to pay for uniforms, transport or agency fees – but after this has been done, pay must still be at least the minimum rate.
The only time a deduction can legally take pay below the minimum level, is if a worker lives in accommodation provided by their employer, in which case, the maximum deduction is £4.30 per day, or £30.10 per week.
If you are not receiving the new National Minimum Wage, contact the helpline anonymously on: 0845 6000 678, 9am-5pm, Mon-Fri. For more info, visit: www.direct.gov.uk/nmw or email: nmw@hmrc.gov.uk.
No anthrax risk to public
The Council has been working closely with the Health Protection Agency (HPA) and City and Hackney Primary Care Trust (CHPCT) to reassure residents there is no public health risk from a single case of inhalation anthrax in the borough.
At the time of going to print, a resident was being treated in hospital for the rare illness. He is believed to have been exposed to anthrax spores from an imported animal hide while making drums.
Mayor of Hackney, Jules Pipe, said: “This is an extremely rare case, and the HPA has assured us this type of anthrax cannot be passed from person to person.”
Residents who live in the same building as the patient’s work studio have been informed and reassured that they are not at any risk of infection.
As part of an investigation to identify where the anthrax originated from, the HPA were due to carry out some testing at the Hackney workshop.
For further info, visit the HPA website: www.hpa.org.uk.
Page updated: 11 Dec 2008