Have your say on proposed changes to neighbourhood housing offices
Hackney Council is considering changing the way residents are able to access housing services.
Currently, the Council offers face-to-face services in five neighbourhood offices and Christopher Addison House, behind Hackney Town Hall. However, fewer and fewer residents are choosing to use these offices, with more people preferring to access services remotely.
As a result, the Council has been investing in - and wants to continue to invest in and improve - its self-service, online and phone services to ensure it is responding to resident demand for a more flexible service.
In order to do this, and to make some important savings, the Council wants to:
- Reduce the number of neighbourhood housing offices from six to three
- Expand these remaining offices, including creating an improved housing counter service at Christopher Addison House
- Make more housing services available online
- Provide self-service terminals in the proposed enlarged housing offices and at libraries around the borough
- Provide estate officers with the technology and training to do mobile working –so they can bring housing services to you.
We understand this may affect some people with reduced mobility, or those with no access to the internet, so our proposals include ensuring more staff are available to undertake home-visits using mobile technology such as smartphones and handheld computers, known as tablets.
The Council would like to hear residents’ views on the proposals to help it make this important decision.
All Council tenants and leaseholders will receive a consultation document in the post, which outlines the options in more detail. Residents can return the survey in the prepaid envelope enclosed, or take part online. The consultation closes on 3 February.
After the Council has gathered and considered views, these will be presented to the Council’s Cabinet at a public meeting later next year, at which a decision will be made.
If you have any questions about it, please email:consultation@hackney.gov.uk; or call: 020 8356 3330.
Residents are also welcome to come into the housing offices to discuss the proposals with Council staff.