News in Brief September 2009
Benefits fraudster jailed
A benefits cheat has been jailed after pleading guilty to a £2,500 fraud.
Gary McIntyre, 32, of Upper Clapton, failed to inform the Council and the Department for Work and Pensions that he was paid for work between September 2007 and January 2008 while still on benefits. Consequentially, he was overpaid in housing benefit by £1,305, Council Tax benefit by £264 and Job Seekers Allowance by £1,006.
McIntyre was sentenced at Thames Magistrates Court on 2 September to two months imprisonment.
Cllr Samantha Lloyd, Cabinet Member for Finance, said:
“The Council will not tolerate benefits cheats, and will not hesitate to pursue them through the courts.”
21 September 2009
Leona waxes lyrically
World famous Madame Tussauds is set to add a Hackney favourite to its galaxy of stars.
Songstress Leona Lewis, 2006 winner of reality show The X Factor, cemented her status as an A-list artist by becoming the latest addition to the NW1 tourist hotspot.
Leona said: “It is such an honour to be asked by Madame Tussauds to join the other music stars.
It has been a life long dream since I visited the attraction as a child – I can’t wait to meet my wax double.”
Her doppelganger will wear the dress she donned at the closing ceremony of the 2008 Beijing Olympics. Over 300 measurements and countless reference photos were taken for the figure, which will take four months to create to the tune of £150,000.
21 September 2009
Blazing the way
The latest recruits to an Olympic work experience scheme will be volunteering at the London 2012 headquarters.
The 20 Trailblazers – including 58-year-old Hackney resident Sarah Mooniamah – will work one day a week in Canary Wharf through the London 2012 Organising Committee of the Olympic and Paralympic Games (LOCOG) pre-Games volunteer programme.
More than 40 people have now been through the Trailblazer programme, contributing 4,041 man hours since January.
Sarah said: “The schemes have given me an opportunity to organise groups to visit the Olympic Park and train to be a tour guide. The sky is the limit as far as I am concerned.”
Sarah came to Trailblazers through the Personal Best programme, partly funded by the Council, which offers opportunities to residents who are not in work or education.
To apply call: 020 8820 7075; or email: richard.creighton@learningtrust.co.uk
21 September 2009
What’s your local landmark?
Residents have until 18 October to vote for the landmark they would like to appear on an celebratory Olympic badge.
Locations in the running are the Hackney Empire, E8; Sutton House, E9; St Augustine’s Tower, E8; and Hackney Marshes, E9. The collectable ‘London Landmark’ pins will be part of a set of 33 – one from each London borough – due to go on sale next year. The vote is being run in partnership with London Councils and supported by the 33 local authorities that compiled the shortlist. The results of the vote will be announced at the end of October, as part of the celebrations for 1,000 days to go until the start of the 2012 Games. To vote, visit: www.london2012.com/landmark.
21 September 2009
Building bridges
Construction work is under way on a bridge that will link Hackney Marshes to the 2012 Olympic Park. From 5 October, the Olympic Delivery Agency (ODA) will start to move soil onto East Marsh to build a ramp so the bridge can be used by cyclists, buggies and wheelchair users. The work will affect three football pitches, which will be moved to the current rugby pitches site.
The ODA will fund two replacement rugby pitches on the main Marshes. The whole area is receiving a multi-million pound investment package as a result of the 2012 Games, which will improve facilities.
21 September 2009
Back to life
Landlords, developers and residents are being urged to highlight empty buildings in Hackney so the Council can bring vacant homes back into use.
The call is part of a drive to increase the number of decent homes in the borough. In 2008, empty properties were turned into 16 new flats, and the aim is to improve on that this year.
Unused properties can invite dumped rubbish, or cause damp to neighbouring buildings through leaking roofs or gutters, and the Council can take enforcement action against landlords who consistently refuse to remedy this.
Landlords wanting to return empty homes to use can apply for grant funding while owners, developers, estate agents and residents can also find out available options.
For more info call: 020 8356 4866, or email: private.sector.housing@hackney.gov.uk
21 September 2009
Nasty neighbours locked out
A nuisance household has been shut down thanks to new powers to tackle anti-social behaviour.
For the first time, the Council has been able to grant police a Premises Closure Order, ending persistent anti-social behaviour, blighting the lives of residents at Lucan House on Colville Estate, N1. The order was granted at Thames Magistrate’s court on 4 September. Under the order, anyone trying to get into the property will be committing a criminal offence. Newlon Housing Association has also begun legal proceedings to repossess the property.
In a witness statement, one resident said: “The actions of the perpetrator and their associates have been completely unacceptable and caused my family considerable loss of sleep and stress.”
Cllr Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:
“This is a real win for us and for residents of Lucan House. No resident should have to live in fear because a few people are bent on creating an intolerable nuisance.”
21 September 2009
Street name to remember Henry
 |
Clapton-born First World War veteran Henry Allingham, who passed away in July, aged 113, is to have a road named after him. The Council has agreed to a request by Hackney Downs Ward’s Cllr Michael Desmond who felt that the RAF founding member – who for a short time was the oldest living man in the world – should be commemorated in the borough where he was born. He said: “We don’t want to honour Henry just because he became the oldest man in the world. |
It’s because he wanted to make the world a better place and did so.”
In February Henry made a final trip to Hackney from his Brighton care home to meet children from Northwold Primary School, after they wrote to him about a Clapton clean-up campaign.
His life spanned three centuries and six monarchs, and he is survived by five grandchildren, 12 great-grandchildren, 14 great-great grandchildren and one great-great-great grandchild. Tributes were made across the country noting Henry’s bravery, compassion and even-handedness.
Cllr Desmond said Henry’s name would be added to a borough road as soon as a suitable opportunity arises.
7 September 2009
Licensing crackdown
A joint crackdown on venues flouting licensing laws saw a late night party shut down.
During a day of enforcement on 21 August, Council licensing and noise pollution officers joined police and street wardens to carry out a patrol of the borough.
Cordy House, EC2, was found to be hosting an event where alcohol was sold and a DJ playing without a licence.
Officers issued a closure notice and the premises agreed to shut at 10.40pm.
The patrols visited Stoke Newington, Shoreditch and Dalston, monitoring the management of outside spaces and checking that licensees were keeping to the rules.
During the day, trading standards officers, police and cadets carried out underage cigarette and alcohol sale checks. One off-licence in Hoxton sold tobacco to an under 18-year-old. This could result in the prosecution of the seller or the owner of the premises.
Cllr Alan Laing, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, said:
“These joint initiatives are an essential part of tackling problem premises and catching them in the act; whether it be selling to underage children or hosting unlicensed club nights. In Hackney we listen to our residents when they come to us with complaints and we make sure we put a stop to any illegal or anti-social activities.”
7 September 2009
Fighting fire together
Firefighters in Stoke Newington are preparing to welcome residents to a station open day on 12 September.
As part of the first London Fire Brigade Safety Week from 12 to 18 September, people are invited to become fire safety champions, learning how to make sure that they, their families, and neighbours are safe from fire.
The event will take place from 11am to 4pm at the station in Stoke Newington Church Street, N16.
For more info, call: 020 8555 1200 x35516 ,or visit: www.london-fire.gov.uk
7 September 2009
Downs are on the up
A scheme to revamp Hackney Downs has been approved and work is due to start this autumn.
The park will have a brand new multi-use games area for football and basketball; new changing rooms with a community room facility; better park rangers' accommodation; new public toilets and improved tennis facilities. All of this will be available for residents to use, as well as local schools.
Cllr Nargis Khan, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: "Hackney's most popular green spaces are being transformed as part of an improvement programme, including Hackney Downs.
"The existing facilities will be improved, there will be greater disability access, and the new games area will allow for more types of sport to be played than is currently available. The additional tennis courts will support local development of the sport, which has become an area of growth in recent years."
Work on Hackney Downs should be completed by spring 2010. For info about Hackney's parks and green spaces, visit the Parks pages.
7 September 2009
Page updated: 15 Jun 2010
.