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Posts by Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter

Hackney Greens distance themselves from Burnham effigy protest

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Wednesday 15 July 2026 at 16:59

Cabinet members were named as attending a trans rights demonstration where an effigy of the incoming Prime Minister was stabbed — but the party insists they witnessed no violence

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The graveyard at Hackney Wick: sunken boats left to rot

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Wednesday 15 July 2026 at 15:59

Where the Hertford Union Canal meets the River Lee at Hackney Wick, two sunken narrow boats lie within touching distance of one another

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Council spent £10,000 on parking charges in a year

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Wednesday 8 July 2026 at 18:58
Hackney Town Hall

Hackney employees clocked up more than £10,000 in parking penalties and road charges over 12 months

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Greens accused of U-turn as they approve Woodberry Down ‘double decant’ to avoid £13.5m overrun

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 22:07

Up to 32 council households face being moved twice under a schedule signed off at Mayor Zoë Garbett’s first cabinet — despite the Greens’ past attacks on the estate’s demolition-led regeneration

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Revealed: Hackney went nearly seven years without a housing repairs contract as homes decayed

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Tuesday 7 July 2026 at 21:32
Photograph of Fellows Court residents

Council missed an entire structural repairs cycle after its main contractor deal lapsed in 2019 — a gap insiders say left tenants in damp and mould

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Labour accuses Mayor Garbett of claiming credit for gym plans it drew up

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 3 July 2026 at 17:49

Opposition says the conversion of ’empty’ Christopher Addison House into a stopgap gym predates the Green administration’s Who Owns Hackney project

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Dalston by-election: Greens win by-election triggered by Zoë Garbett’s mayoral victory

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 26 June 2026 at 17:52

Manal Massalha elected as councillor for Dalston ward after winning 549 votes at the poll held on Thursday 25 June

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Hackney Central by-election: Greens hold seat in close race with Labour

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 26 June 2026 at 12:44
Photograph of Noah Birksted-Breen

Noah Birksted-Breen wins by a margin of 52 votes, with Labour’s Sheila Suso-Runge in second place

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Resident ‘wins’ £150 from Hackney Council after year-long wait for medical assessment

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Thursday 25 June 2026 at 16:02
Hackney Town Hall

Watchdog specifically criticised the council for taking four months to send her assessment forms, and for taking another five months to tell her the outcome – while the council sat on this information

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Last phase of Britannia Project on hold as council contractor enters administration

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Monday 22 June 2026 at 17:09

The final stage of a major regeneration project in Hackney has stalled after the lead contractor fell into administration following a High Court ruling.

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Council pays £200 to Hackney woman after two-year delay wiping benefit debt

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Thursday 18 June 2026 at 18:31
photograph of Hackney Town Hall

A watchdog has rebuked Hackney Council for taking two years to write off a resident’s benefit debt and recovering over £1,000 from her while her appeal was ongoing

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Fellows Court residents urge Mayor Garbett to act over ‘atrocious’ conditions in ‘dehumanising’ estate block

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Monday 15 June 2026 at 14:24

Frustrated social housing residents call on the new Mayor to address longstanding leaks, filth, and disrepairs

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Hackney Central by-election candidates announced

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Tuesday 2 June 2026 at 14:15
Photograph of a polling station

Hackney Central residents are set to cast their vote once again following the recent local elections

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Dalston by-election candidates announced

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Tuesday 2 June 2026 at 12:18
Polling station credit Martin Deutsch

A little more than seven weeks after the local elections, residents of this ward will be heading to the polls to cast their votes once again

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Hackney’s new Green mayor signals break with previous administration over ‘clinical’ use of performance targets

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Saturday 30 May 2026 at 12:10
Photograph of Zoe Garbett

Zoë Garbett took aim at previous Labour regime’s reliance on KPIs in maiden speech

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Council admits restructure worsened backlog of 15,000 overdue housing safety checks

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 29 May 2026 at 14:25
photograph of Hackney Town Hall

Watchdog sounded alarm nearly two years ago — yet problem has spiralled

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What’s next after the Greens’ historic takeover of Hackney?

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Tuesday 19 May 2026 at 14:14
Photograph of Hackney's new mayor, the Green party's Zoë Garbett

Hackney’s new mayor Zoë Garbett pledged to ‘change the system’ as she claimed victory at the local elections. What has she promised to do, and how will she try to achieve her goals?

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New Hackney Half route is bad for business, traders warn council

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Friday 15 May 2026 at 15:59
Photograph of Stephane and Olivia Cusset

Hackney businesses have warned they are losing one of their best trading days of the year following changes to the route

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Green party councillor quits straight after election victory following breach of local government rules

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Tuesday 12 May 2026 at 11:20
Hackney chief executive Dawn Carter-McDonald declares the results for Hackney Central ward on Friday 8 May 2026

James Tilden was elected to represent Hackney Central ward with 1,681 votes

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Green mayoral candidate accused of ‘blocking’ letter praising police for Golders Green response to knife attacks

By Josef Steen, Local Democracy Reporter | Wednesday 6 May 2026 at 18:56
Critical: Green party London Assembly Member and Dalston councillor Cllr Zoë Garbett

Cllr Zoë Garbett raised objections to a proposed missive from the London Assembly’s police and crime committee

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