Hackney Labour Party

Working hard for you

What happens next?

After the riots: practical things we can do to help

• Siva Kandiah is one of the local businessmen who was most affected by the rioting and looting on Monday evening on Clarence Road. Hackney Council is helping Mr Kandiah by providing support and advice, but there is also a fund set up by local residents. All the details of how to donate are online on the HCVS website here.
  
  
• Can you help the Police? Operation Withern has been set up to investigate the last few days of disorder and violence in London. Anyone with information should call the Major Investigation Team on 020 8345 4142.  The Police are also asking people to look at CCTV images online here to help with identifying people connected with the looting across London.
  
  
• The Government confirmed on 11th August that there will be a £20m High Street Support Scheme which affected businesses will be able to access – once further details are released, the Council will see whether any of this can be used in Hackney.

The aftermath: looking forward in Hackney

HCVS organised an emergency meeting on Wednesday to consider a community response to the disorder. This was attended by the Mayor, Chief Executive, councillors, the Borough Commander, 50 community leaders, frontline workers and residents. 

A set of actions for further community engagement and involvement came out of the meeting and these are outlined below:

1. It was agreed to coordinate with key partners to arrange a community meeting/event to galvanise community support during responses to major incidents.

2. It was agreed to work with relevant partners and agencies to convene a meeting to look at issues around parenting and supporting stronger parenting in the borough.

3. It was agreed to work closely with the Borough Commander to make plans for a community event to bring together the police and communities about police/community relations and community safety.

4. It was agreed to explore with a range of statutory and voluntary services the possibility of a meeting for young people, led by young people, that brings together those involved and those not involved in the incidents – without incriminating those involved, to discuss young peoples perceptions and solutions to what has happened.

5. It was agreed to arrange a young people and borough leadership meeting to enable young people to express their feelings and look towards the future.

6. It was agreed to explore further a T-shirt/positive message campaign

7. It was also agreed to focus on longer term issues of effective police campaigns that will build relationships between police and young people

The VCS, Council and Team Hackney partners will be taking these forward over the coming weeks and months, and further information will be available as these progress.

Nationally:

Ed Miliband MP, the leader of the Labour Party visited businesses and residents, and met with community leaders and volunteers in Hackney today (Saturday 13th)

Ed Miliband stressed the importance of looking at some of the issues around the looting including problems with parental responsibility, the relationship between the police and the public and the lack of opportunities for young people.

He said that there needed to be a ‘national discussion’ to address the issues behind the disturbances. “If David Cameron doesn’t set up that national conversation, I am going to do it myself because we cannot allow a situation to develop whereby there is a focus for a few days on these issues and then we go back to business as usual. It is our duty as politicians, my duty as Leader of the Opposition, to make that happen. That is what I am committed to doing. Today we start the process of listening to you.”

Photo Credit: The Hackney gazette