The Overview and Scrutiny Board is asking residents and stakeholders in Hackney for their views on what issues they would like to see put under the spotlight this year.

The Council’s five scrutiny commissions hold Hackney decision-makers to account and suggest ways of improving public services in the borough - that s any service, not just those provided by the council. Each year, the five Scrutiny Commissions carry out reviews of issues suggested by residents through an annual survey.

Last year’s survey found that making the borough safer was the top priority. In response to that, the Community Safety and Social Inclusion Scrutiny Commission completed a review of how the council and police are working together to address gun & knife crime. As part of the survey, residents also said that education services were important. Following this, the Children and Young People Commission carried out a review of achievement at Key Stage 2 level.

The Governance and Resources Commission has also played a vital role in the development of the 2011/2012 budget, ensuring the process was open and transparent for the local community and stakeholders. Through this commission, the local community were able to see how the Council has planned and delivered a budget of £1.06bn.


Councillor Simche Steinberger, Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board, said: “The Scrutiny Commissions have an important role in holding local decision-makers to account. Your priorities really help to shape the services we will review.”

Councillor Daniel Kemp, Vice Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Board, said: "Every year, public input has a great influence on our choice of topics for scrutiny. We really need to know what areas are important to people who live, work and study in the area, and look forward to their responses.”

Hackney’s Scrutiny Commissions, committees of local councillors, work across party political lines to put the issues that matter under the spotlight. Anyone can get involved, either by attending meetings, registering their opinions or recommending topics for future work.


To take part in the anonymous survey, call: 020 8356 3341; e-mail: scrutiny@hackney.gov.uk; or visit: www.hackney.gov.uk/scrutiny

The survey runs until Friday, 15 April 2011.

Notes for editors:

The Scrutiny Commissions are: Health in Hackney; Children and Young People; Governance and Resources; Living in Hackney; and Community Safety and Social Inclusion Scrutiny.

For further information, please contact Gareth Greene on 020 8356 3539 or gareth.greene@hackney.gov.uk