Hackney Council has been recognised for its commitment to green spaces, topping the list of London boroughs for Green Flag awards with 33 parks and open spaces. This achievement was highlighted during the Corporate Committee meeting on Monday 22 September 2025, where the committee approved the Planning Service Authority Monitoring Report (AMR) for April 2023 to March 2024.
According to the AMR, Hackney is the London Borough with the most Green Flag awards
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The council is dedicated to maintaining high environmental standards and community involvement. The AMR detailed improvements to Stoke Newington Common and Charles Square, which were awarded Green Flag status in 2024. Fairchild's Garden in Shoreditch and Daubeney Fields also gained the Green Flag award.
To maintain and improve the quality of its Green Flag parks, Hackney Council has allocated funds from CIL (Community Infrastructure Levy) and S106 agreements to several projects. These include improvements to Shoreditch Park, Fairchild's Gardens, Abney Park, and Charles Square, as well as the West Reservoir Improvement Project and the Park Play Area refurbishment programme.
Beyond the Green Flag awards, Hackney Council is also focused on other environmental initiatives. The AMR noted that Hackney has the highest active travel mode share in London, with walking accounting for 53.4% of trips and cycling for 8.1%.
The Corporate Committee, which included attendees such as Councillor Clare Potter, Josephine Sterakides, and Councillor Michael Desmond, approved the AMR during the meeting held at Hackney Town Hall. The agenda also included discussions on gender and ethnicity pay gaps and the Corporate Committee Work Programme for 2025/26.