Labour Mayor Jules Pipe has joined local residents in their campaign to limit the number of betting shops opening in Hackney.

He pledged to lobby the government for more powers to keep them out of our high street.

Mayor Pipe said he was angry at bookmakers who "fleeced the people of Hackney" and wanted more power to control the numbers of them in our borough.

He announced the start of a campaign to change the law to give local people more power to turn down planning applications from betting shops.

Other London boroughs will be asked to follow Hackney's lead and join the campaign.

Mayor Pipe said: "The majority of people are fleeced by these organisations and the more bookies there are the more people in Hackney will get fleeced.

"It is unfair that the planning system seems to be in favour of the betting shops rather than on the side of local people.

"I don't want any more betting shops in Hackney and intend to lobby the government for more powers to keep them out of our borough."

Mayor Pipe was speaking at a meeting of the full council last Wednesday which heard a deputation from residents of Chatsworth Road against the opening of a betting shop.

The delegation was brought by Leabridge councillor Ian Rathbone who has been part of the campaign about betting shops in the borough.

Cllr Rathbone said: "I am concerned about the impact of more betting shops on the kids of Hackney.

"I am really pleased that the Mayor has given his full support to local campaigners in Leabridge and is already working to control the number of bookies."

Existing planning laws mean that the council's planning authority has only limited powers to control the opening of new betting shops.

In planning terms betting shops are classed as "Financial Services" - just the same as banks, building societies, estate agents and solicitors offices.

This means, for example, that old bank buildings such as the HSBC building Mare Street don't even need planning permission to become betting shops.

Planning law also means that cafés and restaurants can convert themselves into betting shops without getting planning permission from the council.

Mayor Pipe wants to lobby the government to change the law - so that betting shops are not classed in the same group as financial services.

Mayor Pipe added: "As Mayor I have no role in planning applications so I am free to speak my mind.

"I am firmly with the residents on this - I don't believe that the people of Hackney want to see more betting shops in the borough.

"I want a change in the law that would give the council more power to determine planning applications from bookmakers.

"It is ludicrous that in planning terms they are currently classed in the same group as banks and building societies.

"The council has already ensured that we wont have any casinos in the borough and now we need to take action to control the number of betting shops."