annual report and financial statement 2014 to...
TRANSCRIPT
Annual Report and Financial Statement
2014 to 2015
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CONTENTS
STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIR 1
AIR QUALITY 2
BIODIVERSITY & GREEN SPACES 3
ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE 4
FOOD & FOOD GROWING 5
TRANSPORT 6
WASTE & RESOURCES 7
FINANCIAL STATEMENT & INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT 8
STATEMENT FROM THE CHAIR
Another world is not only possible - it exists right here, right now. People are helping
each other and the planet here in Hackney in 2015. This annual report can only skim
the surface by highlighting a few of the gains and achievements won by people in
your community. No pointless, disposable commodities; no fear-mongering to
engender deference to authority; no hatred dividing us on grounds of race, religion,
sexuality or gender. Just people doing what needs to be done because the world is a
better place for it. And in the process sharing time, experience and joy. Sustainable
Hackney is lucky and proud to be involved in some of the amazing work hundreds of
local people do to create a sustainable, peaceful, sane Hackney. We invite you to
get involved too.
Russell Miller
Chair, Sustainable Hackney
Contact [email protected]
E-news [email protected]
Web www.sustainablehackney.org.uk
Twitter @SustainHackney
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AIR QUALITY
Our Greenprint for Hackney calls for air that is clean
and fit to breathe to reduce the impact of air pollution
on everyone’s health. We responded in detail
Hackney Council’s second Air Quality Plan to try and
make this achievable.
We focused attention on the Council’s duty to give everyone much better information
about the devastating health effect of poor air quality in Hackney. Up-to-date,
transparent and accessible information can help people, businesses and
organisations make the right choices to protect health. We laid out why the Council
needs to develop much stronger links between its plans for air quality and its
transport strategy. Hackney’s population is forecast to increase at a much faster rate
than the density of jobs here in the coming years. This means people in Hackney will
have to travel to work more, with up to 25% extra journeys. So the Council needs to
work harder to reduce the need to travel to work.
We also laid out why tying up air quality action with action on biodiversity is a priority
so plans for ‘green corridors’ are updated and air quality improved by planting more
trees and vegetation on streets especially at road junctions. We told the Council it
could and should take many other actions and work with local people and
businesses to make them a reality. A ‘Green Travel Plan’ for every school, better
walking routes and more support for cleaner hydrogen-powered buses were just a
few.
Air quality, good or bad, depends on global factors too. Clear evidence that less air
travel leads to better air quality came when volcanic ash grounded flights that would
normally cross London air space. Sustainable Hackney opposes the expansion of air
travel capacity in London on these grounds.
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BIODIVERSITY & GREEN SPACES
Sustainable Hackney worked alongside many
dedicated and tireless campaigners to see off
Sainsbury from Wilmer Place, Stoke Newington.
Without a large retailer leasing the ground floor the
development is stalled and Abney Park Cemetery’s
woodland edge is safe - for now.
Many local organisations are directly involved in improving Hackney's green spaces.
In the past 12 months’ Sustainable Hackney, Tree Musketeers, Hackney Community
Tree Nursery and park user groups have
planted hundreds of trees – 289 to be exact (243 grown in Hackney)
engaged over 300 people actively outdoors in Hackney parks
given over 2,500 hours to actively improving our green spaces.
We organised 20 free guided walks in parks helping people to get out into and learn
more about the green spaces around them. And to celebrate local trees, Tree
Musketeers distributed 1,200 Hackney Tree Calendars. We worked with the Rhodes
Estate on their Queensbridge Road tree-planting project, which won a 2015 ‘Tree
Oscar’ – RELEAF’s award for ‘Best Street Tree Planting in London’.
Work by our experts has identified over 100 new species of flora or fauna in
Hackney’s green spaces and we now know that at least 38 species of bee occur
here. Dalston Curve Garden, a vital green oasis in urban Dalston, continues to grow
and thrive: long may it do so!
Dalston Eastern Curve Garden [email protected]
Hackney Community Tree Nursery [email protected]
Tree Musketeers [email protected]
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ENERGY & CLIMATE CHANGE
Sustainable Hackney's Green Print on Energy and
Climate Change called for a whole range of actions.
We worked with and supported groups across the
borough to make a great start. Here are the highlights.
Sustainable Hackney is part of and supports community members to found Hackney
Energy, which promotes community-owned solar energy projects. Hackney Energy
worked with the Council, Repowering and Banister Solar to raise a whopping
£142,000 for the borough’s first community-owned solar project. Solar panels at
Banister House could save up to 36.7 tonnes of CO2 a year. The investment will
provide a community fund, internships for local people and keep shareholders’
money in the borough. Hackney Energy also ran solar panel making workshops and
helped to mend The Grove's solar panels, which are almost 20 years old!
Sustainable Hackney also supports Divest Hackney, an exciting new group aiming to
convince the Council to divest £42m invested in fossil fuel companies from its
pension funds. It is accepted that investments in fossil fuels are both harmful to the
environment and human health but studies now show that it is also an economic risk.
Divest Hackney is looking for people right now to help out, so get in touch if you can.
We supported the local 38 Degrees ‘No TTIP’ group’. TTIP is the Transatlantic Trade
and Investment Partnership and aims to scrap environmental, public health and
safety regulations because they are “barriers” to trade.
We were inspired by ‘Disruption’, a 2014 film exploring the devastating impact of
climate change. We used it to organise a groundswell of local people to form a
‘Hackney contingent’ for the People’s Climate Change march and engaged our new
MPs in climate issues.
Hackney Energy [email protected]
Divest Hackney [email protected]
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FOOD & FOOD GROWING
Hackney Food Partnership (HFP) is part of
Sustainable Hackney. Our aims are summarised in
the Hackney Food Charter. This year we developed a
set of plans that will go some way to meeting these
aims.
We have started working with Hackney council and others to help coordinate work
that tackles food poverty. A well-attended event brought interested groups together
in February and mapping of current projects is ongoing. We also began organising
an event to help schools buy good food collectively. Councillor Jonathan McShane -
Cabinet Member for Health, Social Care & Culture and Chair of Hackney Health &
Wellbeing Board - will chair it, bringing pilot schools, the Hackney Learning Trust,
Islington and Hackney councils and the Food for Life Partnership together.
HFP developed a relationship with Plan Zheroes to begin mapping the ‘surplus food
ecosystem’ in Hackney – sources of surplus food, people or groups that can collect
or distribute it and others that can use it – and then linking them all together.
HFP is helping to develop ideas for a new food growing area at the Hackney Downs
Bowling Green. We also working with Sustain and local groups to include food
growing in planning policies that would support new food growing areas elsewhere. It
has also started work on a directory of local food producers and food processors that
will promote local food and make it more accessible to everyone in the borough,
‘localising’ Hackney’s food system
A lively @HackneyFood Twitter account promotes the work of the Hackney Food
Partnership, increases awareness of food issues in our borough and helps to link
local food projects together.
Hackney Food Partnership [email protected]
@HackneyFood
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TRANSPORT
Sustainable Hackney gave a comprehensive response
to Hackney Council's 2014 to 2024 Transport Strategy
covering cycling, walking, road safety, public
transport, liveable neighbourhoods and sustainable
transport.
We worked with Hackney Cycling Campaign throughout the year, putting pressure
on Hackney Council and Transport for London on cycling, road safety and public
transport. In the run up to the 2014 local election campaign, we demanded
candidates come clean on their commitments to a series of ‘Ward Asks’. Across
London, Hackney was the only borough to get 100% buy-in from candidates
Cycling Superhighway 1 now extends into the no-through roads in De Beauvoir area,
carefully designed so cars are excluded and cyclists protected. More than 25 ‘cycle
hangars’ are now installed across the borough for more secure estate and on-street
cycle parking. The expansion of cycle hire continues with work on 8 docking stations
and 320 bikes for the Olympic Park.
Campaigners’ pressure also got Narrow Way buses re-routed making it safer and
more pleasant for cyclists and pedestrians alike. Richmond Road now boasts the
UK’s first combined cycle and pedestrian crossing – a ‘tiger crossing’! Cyclists can
cross without dismounting and cars have to give way to both cyclists and
pedestrians. 2016 will see Transport for London start work making the ‘motorway’
through Stoke Newington a 2-way route, discouraging high-speed, large-volume
motor traffic and encouraging pedestrians, cyclists and local shopping.
Public transport users will save time and money now that the West Anglia mainline
routes through Hackney Downs have become part of the Overground network and a
new footpath route links Hackney Central and Hackney Downs stations.
Hackney Cycling Campaign [email protected]
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WASTE & RESOURCES
Sustainable Hackney worked hard to build a good
relationship with the Council’s Waste Prevention team
this year. We focused on projects that work at the top
of the ‘waste hierarchy’ - repair and waste prevention.
With Hackney & Tower Hamlets Friends of the Earth and the Restart Project we set
up Hackney Fixers. Every 2 months Hackney Fixers hosted a ‘Restart Party’ -
community electrical and electronic repair events where local people share skills and
have fun fixing things. More than 200 people came to 7 events with a ‘Rosie the
Restarter’ and ‘Young Fixer’ events helping women and young people build skills
and confidence tacking DIY electrical repairs. We are aiming to widen the type of
repairs we do at our Autumn Fix-Fest.
We partnered with Hackney Council at their ‘Give or Take’ events – even offering the
Council our own electrical testing service so that donated electrical goods could be
taken away safely. We built great relationships with our Party ‘host’ organisations too
- Manor House PACT, Hackney Marsh Partnership, Abney Park Trust and Arcola
Theatre.
Waste prevention is not just an environmental issue. When valuable things are
thrown away rather than shared with those in need, it’s a social justice issue too. But
Freecycle, Freegle, food and others groups working on this struggle with storage and
distribution - free furniture is no good if you have no way to get it home. So
Sustainable Hackney wants to tackle this by bringing people and groups together.
Get in touch with us if you or your group wants to make waste prevention a priority.
Hackney Fixers [email protected]
Restart Project http://therestartproject.org/contact/
H & TH Friends of the Earth www.foe.co.uk/groups/hackney/contact
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FINANCIAL STATEMENT FOR
YEAR ENDING 31ST
OCTOBER 2014
INDEPENDENT EXAMINERS REPORT
TO THE STEERING COMMITTEE OF SUSTAINABLE HACKNEY
I have examined the attached account and statement, which have been prepared on
the receipts and payments basis.
Respective responsibilities of Trustees and Examiner
The trustees of the charity are responsible for the preparation of the accounts; they
consider that the audit requirement of section 43 (2) of the Charities Act 1993 does
not apply. I have been appointed under section 43 of the Charities Act 1993 and
report in accordance with regulations made under section 44 of that Act. It is my
responsible to examine the accounts, without performing an audit, and to report to
the trustees.
Basis of Independent Examiner’s Report
This report is in respect of an examination carried out under section 43 of the
Charities
Act 1993 and in accordance with the directions given by the Charity Commissioners
under section 43(7)(b). An examination includes a review of the accounting records
kept by the charity trustees and a comparison of the accounts presented with those
records. It also includes a review of the accounts and making such enquiries as are
necessary for the purpose of this report. The procedures undertaken do not
constitute an audit.
Independent Examiner’s Statements
Based on my examination, no matter has come to my attention, which gives me
reasonable cause to believe that in any material respect accounting records in
accordance with section 41 of the Charities Act 1993, or that the accounts presented
do not accord with those records or comply with the accounting requirements of the
Charities Act 1993. No matter has come to my attention in connection with my
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examination to which, in my opinion, attention should be drawn to enable a proper
understanding of the accounts.
Cyndi Smart
Senior Community Accountant
Community Accountancy Project
The Print House
18 Ashwin Street
London E8 3DL
SUSTAINABLE HACKNEY
RECEIPTS & PAYMENTS ACCOUNTFOR THE YEAR ENDED 3T OCTOBER 2OL4
Receipts:Grants
Groundwork LondonLB Hackney
MembershipsDonationsReimbursementBank Interest
Payments:Charitable ExpensesRELEAF ProjectRestart ProjectProfessional feesAdvertisingInsuranceRoom HireAGMWebsite
Excess of Receipts over Payments
Balance B/fr /d @ 1 November 2013
Bafance Clfwd @ 31 October 2OL4
20L4E
4,350.001,000.00
397.0083.000.003.91
2013E
4,639.7L0.00
264.003,573.39
8.28.59
51833.91 8,485.97
4,350.00280.00920.00641.00106.0040.000.00
208.31
4,639.7t0.000.000.000.000,00
45.00222.90
61545.31
(71r.40)
4,4L3.70
4,907 .6t
3,578.36
835.34
3,7O23O | 4,4L3J0
Approved by tltg Stgering-Committee on& .S'rS and signed on their behalf by
Steering Committee Members
SUSTAINABLE I{ACKNEY
STATEMENT OF ASSETS & LIAEILITIESFOR THE YEAR ENDED 31 OCTOBER 2OL4
Gaeh and BankBank - Current (1)Bank - Current (2)Cash in Hand
Other Monetary Aorets
Fixed Aeeete usod by the Charity
Current Liabilitiee:
Independent Examination fee
?,702.30 | 4,4L3J0
20L4C
2,98L.70720,6A
0.00
2013E
4,4t3,530,L70.00
+.
f 60.00
Approved Steering Committee on %'S.csand signed on their behalf by
Steering Committee
by the
SUSTAINABLE HACKNEY
NOTES TO THE ACCOUNTSFOR THE YEAR ENDED 3T OCTOBER 2OT4
l. Accounting BasisThese accounts have been prepared on the receipts and payments basis.
2, Unrestricted FundsAll receipts and payments relate to general unrestricted funds.
3. Restricted Funds
Balance B/fwdReceipts:Grant (GWL)Grant (LBH)Payments:Website
RELEAF Restaft HackneyProject Project Board
0.00 0.00 209.44
4,350.00 0.001,000.00
0.00Project expenses (4,350.00) (280,00)AGMBalance Clfwd 0,00 1 720.00 1 209,44
4. Steering and Administration CostsSteering and administration costs relate to admin support to the charity.The trustees give all their time free of charge.
5, Cash and Bank DepositsAll cash and bank deposits are held in the unrestricted general funds.
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