New play area for De Beauvoir Estate

Hackney has new Government funding for new and improved play spaces for children in parks and on estates around the borough.

The Learning Trust, who run schools in Hackney, selected the De Beauvoir Estate as one of the first areas for improvement.

Residents in De Beauvoir are being encouraged to get involved in the design process, and there’s an information stall all day on Thursday 4th December 2008 - Portelet Court Play Area, De Beauvoir Estate

For more information contact Karin Burt or Matthew Lucas on 020 8820 7000 or at playpathfinder@learningtrust.co.uk

Nuttall Street problems sorted

On last Saturday's roving surgery on Whitmore Estate, residents told us about two main problems:

1. A broken drain cover on Nuttall St that was causing a terrible noise driving as cars drove over it.

2. Over hanging branches on Nuttall St that were making the street too dark in the evenings.

The drain cover in Nuttall Street (near the junction with Kingsland Road) has now been made safe. A permanent repair will be carried out on a weekend within the next 28 days.

A notice has been sent to Canalside Housing Partnership by Hackney Council to deal with the tree branches as they emanate from their property.
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Lighting up our streets

New figures show the Labour Council's plan to transform street lighting in the borough has seen around 80% of the borough's roads relit.



Figures for crime in Hackney have been significantly reduced, and this is due in no small part to the upgrading of our street lighting.

Hackney Car Club gets even bigger

So successful has been the Hackney Car Club, that a further 32 more vehicles are to be ordered for the borough.
 
The scheme, operated for Hackney Council by Streetcar, will see more car locations introduced in the new year.

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New trees for Kingsland Road

Transport for London are to replant two missing trees on Kingsland Road - at the Lockner Estate section of the road.

These will have been planted by March. They will also have the street surveyed within the next few days to record any other empty pits or outstanding issues.

If you have anything you'd like TfL to look at in their local survey, let us know.
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New fence to protect our tree

Residents will remember the crumbling wall surrounding the tree at the corner of Kingsland Road and Englefield Road.

After some lobbying by your councillors, Hacknety Council have now replaced the wall with a fence to protect the tree.

We're also pushing Transport for London to replace some of the missing trees that run along the back of the Kingsland Road garages of Lockner Estate.

More facilities for dog owners

Not the nicest of subjects, but important.

Your councillors spoke with a number of residents around the Square two weeks ago and heard complaints about a lack of dog waste bins.

After approaching Hackney's Head of Green Spaces, the Council have said there will be an increase in the staff avaiable to empty the existing waste bin. And there will a new waste bin installed on the square.

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Leona staying in Hackney

Hackney's Leona Lewis says she has no intention of quitting the East End for Los Angeles.

In an article in the Independent the beautiful singer says she plans to buy a house in Hackney, saying "When you're settled it's hard to move".

We'd be delighted to see Leona move into De Beauvoir.

Overground: Your questions answered

Transport for London is running a drop-in information centre to let you know what's happening in Dalston.

It will be held at the Centreprise Trust at 136-8 Kingsland High Street, London, E8 2NS, on Tuesday 11 November, between 2pm and 9pm. 

TfL representatives & contractors will be on hand to answer your questions. 

Work is now well underway to extend the East London line and is on target to start services from Dalston Junction to New Cross, Crystal Palace and West Croydon, by June 2010.

TfL are now working on the extension from Dalston Junction to Highbury & Islington.  When this link opens in 2011, passengers will be able to connect to the Victoria Line, the National Rail network and existing London Overground services.

To build this link, a short section of new track is required between Dalston Junction and the North London line.  Following consultation with local authorities, TfL has agreed the best way to construct the track is to replace a Victorian cast iron deck under Dalston Lane, Kingsland High Street and Boleyn Road. 

For more info call the 24-hour hotline on 0800 587 2441 or email: overground@tfl.gov.uk
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Untaxed cars

Residents on De Beauvoir Square complained that untaxed cars were being parked in a Hackney Homes owned lane off the Square.
 
Hackney Homes have been contacted to arrange for the untaxed vehicles to be inspected and removed.

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Parking signs update

Following our parking sign walkabout with council officials on Thursday, officers have agreed to walk every road next week to resolve the signing issues across the whole area.

They will look to remove old signs relating to the paving works, tidy up crooked signs/posts and ensure all signs are appropriately sited.

Knowing local feeling on the issue we pushed hard for them to use short posts whenever possible.

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