Friday 20 August 2010

The Borough of Hackney


Have you ever really wondered why Hackney is such an awful Borough and no matter what money and incentives are put in the place it keeps reverting back to a place people just want to run from?

Over the past two months my teams have been trying to support and advocate for a number of vulnerable people. I mean a young man with mental health and learning difficulties who is fleeing two youth gangs that want to kill him; A young 20 year old woman, fleeing domestic violence and pregnant; An old age pensioner who is illiterate and is being evicted by the Council for rent arrears, when her pension and benefits pay directly to the Council's Housing benefit department.

My staff have had to take on the Housing Department, Mental Health Team, East London NHS, The Homerton and Learning Disabilities.

All staff in all departments have similarities in so much as they are rude, abrupt, refuse to give information and are lazy unthinking, uncaring brainless fodder.

The staff and their Managers turn a blind eye to Government Policy and Guidelines on Abuse, Vulnerable Children, Every Child Matters, Safeguarding and more...... When I contacted the Council officials, local Politicians and Government heads all turn a blind eye and don't want to look at the problems being caused by the Public Servants they employ.

It has taken 22 Community charities (who have very little money) to come together to support and assist 3 people to achieve their goals. This is a fraction of the money the Government wastes on Public Services.

No wonder the population of Hackney Borough bite back all the time.

So, next time you may think, mmmmm Hackney is a cosmopolitan cultural centre of the Universe and you might like to immigrate there, THINK AGAIN as all you will find are brain dead "Job Lotters" sucking the life blood out of those who cannot get out.

Please help the population of Hackney survive!

3 comments:

Andrew Boff said...

I'm afraid you have encountered top-down Hackney. Some very good staff are demotivated by a culture, driven from the centre, that distrusts efforts that aren't from its own ranks. If they can't control it - they're not interested.

David White said...

I can only agree with Andrew's comment.
However, it is possible to make a difference and there are still good, highly motivated people fighting the sometimes rather closed minds in the centre (who seem only to want to protect their own interests).
Too often though it is a straight fight to try and get a bad decision changed, when there should an acceptance that a decision should be looked at again, especially in the light of new or further evidence.

swimmer6foot4 said...

Hackney Council often finances free breakfasts for the yuppy luvvies who are cycling through leafy London Fields, etc. on their way to their well-paid jobs in the City and West End.
https://www.hackney.gov.uk/xc-news-june07-beat-the-bike-thieves.htm

Meanwhile people in Hackney who are vulnerable are left homeless and hungry.
http://www.hackneycitizen.co.uk/2010/07/06/charity-for-the-homeless-faces-eviction-with-sleeping-rough-set-to-soar/

But if you are caught criticising Hackney Council, regardless of your policial affiliation (or none), your name is mud.