Content

RESOLVED:
 
1. 
The scheme for Climate, Homes & Economy Directorate
as set out in section 11 was approved as follows:

 
Reimagining
Hackney Museum: Empowering Communities with Collections:
Resource and spend approval of £1,345k
(£375k in 2025/26, £844k in 2026/27, £113k in
2027/28 and £13k in 2028/29) and spend approval of
£350k (£89k in 2025/26, £239k in
2026/27 and £23k in 2027/28) is requested to go towards
the reconfiguration and refurbishment of the Hackney Museum.

 
Hackney Town Hall
Audio Visual Equipment: Resource and spend approval of
£94k in 2025/26 is requested to purchase
portable Audio Visual equipment for Hackney Town Hall for both
internal and larger-scale events.

 
2. 
The scheme for Children & Education Directorate as
set out in section 11 was approved as follows:

 
School Site
Rationalisation: Resource and spend approval of £880k (£500k in 2025/26 and £380k in
2026/27) is requested to fund the project work required as part
of the Council's decision to take forward a proposal to close
school sites as part of the Phase 2 of the School Estate Strategy
(September 2024 Cabinet Key Decision No CE S366).
 
3. 
It was agreed to accept additional grant funding of
£1,016,193.00 from the Greater London Authority (GLA) UK
Shared Prosperity Fund (UKSPF) Programme and delegate to the Group
Director Finance and the Director Legal, Democratic and Electoral
Services authority to agree the final grant funding agreement
terms. This funding will go toward the expenditure on the
improvements to Ridley Road Market and public realm improvements to
Gillett Square and Hackney Wick as well as support for local
businesses, town centres and high streets.

 
4. 
The S106 scheme set out in section 12 was
approved:

 

S106

2025/26
£'000

2026/27
£'000

Total

Revenue

210

210

420

Total S106
Revenue for Approval

210

210

420

 
5. 
The S106 scheme set out in section 13 was
noted:

 

Project Description

2025/26
£'000

Capital

94

Total
S106 Capital for Noting

94

 
 
REASONS FOR DECISION
 
The decisions required are necessary in order
that the schemes within the Council’s approved Capital
programme can be delivered and necessary to approve the property
proposals as set out in this report.
 
In most cases resources have already been
allocated to the capital schemes as part of the budget setting
exercise but spending approval is required in order for the scheme
to proceed. Where, however, resources have not previously been
allocated, resource approval is requested in this report.
 
To facilitate financial management and control
of the Council's finances.
 
UK Shared Prosperity Fund GLA £1m Grant
Funding: In London, the Greater London Authority (GLA) administers
the UKSPF on behalf of the Ministry of Housing, Communities and
Local Government (MHCLG). Between 2023-25, Hackney received
£1.8m of UKSPF funding which has, and is being used to fund
public realm improvements in Dalston
and Hoxton and deliver refurbishments and a new kiosk in
Fairchild's Garden. The programme also supported local businesses
through funding the Hackney Impact consortium to deliver a range of
business support across the borough, including cost crisis support,
capacity building, start-up and scale-up advice and training and
advice on transitioning to net zero.
 
The UKSPF funding has been extended for an
additional year, 2025-2026. The intention is that funding will be
used to support the delivery of the London Growth Plan, which was
published in February 2025 by the GLA and London Councils.
 
For the investment priorities of Community and
Place and Supporting Local Business, Hackney received an allocation
of £1,016,193 from the GLA for 25/26.
 
Hackney’s allocation consists of
£678,533 capital and £337,660.00 revenue. Capital
expenditure of £550,033 will be used to repurpose the Gillett
Square car park to facilitate improvements for the public and
better use of the space. In addition, £91,360 will be used to
fund improvements to lighting and security for Ridley Road
Market’s compound. This will deliver local environment and
safety improvements for traders and officers. Capital funding of
£10,000 has also been allocated to restore street furniture
in Hackney Wick, which was installed in 2011 as a wayfinding trail
from Victoria Park to the Olympic Park. Finally, £27,140 of
capital will be used to cover the project management costs for the
programme.
 
The capital projects are expected to deliver
the following benefits:
 
· 
High impact public realm improvements at Gillett Square and, where
possible, link public realm improvements into wider town centre
public realm improvements through a consistent use of materials to
create a coherent sense of identity.
· 
Improve Dalston’s green
infrastructure.
· 
Deliver safety improvements for Ridley Road market traders and
officers.
 
Revenue allocation of £247,700 will be
used to fund the business support programme across the borough. As
part of this programme, £50k has been allocated to deliver a
grant scheme to support businesses to implement energy efficiency
measures. The remaining £14,960, revenue will be used to
support marketing and branding of the ‘Hackney Responsible
Business Charter’ and ‘Love Hackney’
campaigns/events.
 
Additionally, £25,000 of revenue has
been allocated towards the Communities and Place programme and will
be used to fund town centre and high streets events and activation,
including some revenue related Christmas activities. The Council
will generally have an enabling role and not a direct delivery role
in the expenditure of this funding and will work closely with local
business groups to identify relevant projects and initiatives.
 
The funding will be required to deliver
community activities, support businesses, town centres and high
streets, drive additional footfall into the town centres and help
to deliver an economic uplift to businesses.
 
The revenue funded supporting business
programmes are expected to deliver the following outputs:
 

Deliverables

Beneficiaries

Number of low or zero carbon
energy infrastructure installed

2

Number of enterprises receiving
grants

4

Number of businesses receiving
non-financial support

15

Number of potential
entrepreneurs assisted to be enterprise ready

5

Number of local events or
activities supported

3

Number of new enterprises
created as a result of support

3

Number of enterprises adopting
new or improved products or services

3

 
DETAILS OF ALTERNATIVE OPTIONS CONSIDERED AND
REJECTED
 
UK Shared Prosperity Fund GLA
£1m Grant Funding: Do nothing - do not accept the UKSPF
funding allocation:
 
· 
The improvements to Dalston’s
public realm, landscaping and biodiversity would not be
realised.
· 
There would be a risk to the Council’s reputation for not
accepting external funding to deliver the projects/programmes
identified following the extensive work with local residents and
stakeholders and the expectation within the community via the
Dalston Conversation, Dalston Plan and Gillett Square co-design with
local stakeholders.
· 
Opting not to establish a programme to deliver business support
would also be a considerable missed opportunity to support local
businesses and deliver the Council’s inclusive economy
commitments at a time when businesses are in great need of
support.
 
The above option has therefore been
rejected.