Public service work with real impact

Our directorate has more than 650 staff working across a wide range of roles, so getting our culture right really matters. We are working hard to make sure our teams feel supported, valued, and equipped to do their jobs well. We want to build a culture that is empathetic, customer-focused, and really clear about what the Council can and cannot do. With financial pressures affecting everything, we also need to make sure value for money is central to how we work. This means we are looking for leaders who bring strong technical skills, great people skills, and a practical, solutions-driven approach.

The cyber-attack in 2020 had a huge impact on the Council's systems, and we have spent the last few years recovering. We are now ready to move forward with designing and rolling out a new integrated tenancy and property management system. Our new colleagues will play a key part in making sure this major investment gives us what we need, while also helping our teams through the transition.

Improving how we collect, analyse, and use data is also a big focus. Better data is essential for improving performance in areas like rent collection, repairs, and procurement. With around 80,000 repairs a year and a wide mix of home types across our stock, having accurate and up-to-date information is crucial. Alongside our system work, we are investing in a full stock condition survey, which had been delayed during the pandemic.

Hackney Council is a place-based organisation, which works in a hybrid and flexible way. We have diverse services that work in a variety of locations, and we accommodate working from home wherever possible. Staff are also expected to spend regular time in the borough of Hackney. Our priority will always be our residents and the services they receive. Wherever we work, we are professional, focused, open, accessible, and visible.

We make sure Hackney's workspaces are places where our people want to spend time: purposeful, comfortable, safe, and well-equipped with space for learning, collaboration and quiet work. We focus on developing and nurturing talent, recognising that learning through working together with colleagues is an important aspect of that.

Our staff work in a variety of ways to best serve Hackney residents, including agile working, hotdesking, in-person and online meetings, socialising as a team, training and development, working from home, and regular workplace days.

The majority of Hackney Council office space is located at the Town Hall campus, in Hackney Central, E8 (Zone 2), served by Hackney Central/Downs and London Fields Overground stations. Our staff are also based in schools, youth hubs, libraries, depots and housing estates across the borough, with the flexibility to log in and work from any location.

Hackney is a special place, diverse, creative, and full of energy. Its neighbourhoods, restaurants, cultural venues, markets, and green spaces make it a great place to live and work. In a borough as varied as ours, we are committed to maintaining a shared sense of fairness, citizenship, and social responsibility.

Hackney currently has around 273,526 residents, and that is expected to rise to 320,000 by 2033. We are one of London's most densely populated boroughs, with nearly a fifth of residents aged between 20 and 29. Like many places in London, we face a severe shortage of affordable housing, which is leading to overcrowding and homelessness. Our Local Plan sets out the need for 26,000 new homes by 2033, and we are committed to delivering 1,000 new affordable homes over the next three years.

Even with the challenges we face, we have achieved a lot. We have delivered more than 800 new homes and launched Hackney Living Rent, a new offer for middle-income private renters who may not qualify for social housing but still need a genuinely affordable option or the chance to save for a deposit. National changes, like the lifting of restrictions on Right to Buy receipts and the HRA borrowing cap, also give us more flexibility to build the homes we need.

We are also focused on making the most of our estates, improving public spaces and infrastructure, creating high-quality and child-friendly neighbourhoods, and providing affordable workspace for businesses. Reducing economic inequality remains a key priority, and our inclusive economy strategy aims to ensure that growth benefits everyone, not just a few.

The wider economic climate is tough, but in the Housing team we are energised by the important role we play in shaping Hackney's future. We are continuing to invest to make the borough fairer, safer, and more sustainable, and our new senior colleagues will be central to making that happen.