Hackney residents look set to benefit from a Council Tax freeze for a record-breaking fifth year in a row. Hackney Council claims to be the first in the country to achieve this. Whether this will affect services designed to help the poor and deprived of the Borough remains to be seen, but let's hope not.

Since 2002, Hackney has set the third lowest Council Tax rise of all the 33 London boroughs, meaning that Hackney’s Council Tax is now below the London average. Hackney has made savings of more than £40 million during the past five years, the highest amount in London according to recent Government figures, and the third highest in the country. The Council claim that this has allowed consistent investment in those services that matter most to residents.

Mayor Jules Pipe is due to present next year’s budget proposals at a meeting of full Council in March, 2010.