Hackney Council's Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission will review the Housing Ombudsman's special investigation into the council, as part of its work programme for 2025/26.
The decision was made at the commission's meeting on Tuesday 23 September 2025, where members discussed and agreed upon the work programme for the upcoming municipal year. The Living in Hackney Work Programme 2025/26 includes a range of housing-related topics, including homelessness, new council homes, and housing complaints, as well as:
- Homelessness & Temporary Accommodation Supply Transformation Programme
- Housing Associations Compact Refresh
- New Council Homes Programme
- Housing Complaints Annual Report
- Empty Homes
- Housing Services Improvement Plan
- Housing Revenue Account Budget Monitoring
- Services for leaseholders, freeholders and shared owners
- Update on Community Halls Review
- Update on Supported Accommodation Scrutiny Review recommendations
The Housing Ombudsman's special investigation report into Hackney Council will be considered at an extraordinary meeting of the Scrutiny Panel on Thursday 12th June 2025. The purpose of the discussion is to consider the Housing Ombudsman's special investigation report into Hackney Council and the Council's response. Richard Blakeway, Housing Ombudsman, and Steve Waddington, Strategic Director Housing Services, are expected to attend.
The Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission's remit includes scrutinising matters relating to community safety in the borough. The commission was also scheduled to discuss the progress made against the priorities and actions outlined in the Eliminating Violence Against Women & Girls Strategy 2022-25. The strategy has four priorities:
- Preventing and reducing VAWG
- Supporting all victims and survivors
- Holding perpetrators to account
- Building trust and confidence
The report pack included a report from the Domestic Abuse Intervention Service (DAIS).
The members of the Living in Hackney Scrutiny Commission are: Cllr M Can Ozsen, Cllr Soraya Adejare (Chair), Cllr Clare Joseph, Cllr Joseph Ogundemuren (Vice-Chair), Cllr Zoe Garbett, Cllr Caroline Selman, Cllr Ifraax Samatar, Cllr Faruk Tinaz and Cllr George Gooch.
