Ms Zoe Garbett: “Councils don’t listen to people, they act top-down…”

16 April 2026

In the local elections to be held on 7 May 2026, Green Party Hackney mayoral candidate Ms Zoe Garbett (London Assembly Member) answered Mustafa Çetinkaya’s questions for Olay Newspaper:

“Councils don’t listen to people, they act in a top-down way… We will tackle the housing crisis. We will overturn austerity measures in favour of the public… We will focus on crime prevention: keeping young people in school, providing psychological support; policing alone is not enough… The rise in energy prices is a national issue, but we feel its impact locally; we will support community energy projects… In terms of governance, we are open to working with other parties to serve the public… People want change and they trust us, which is why our support is growing rapidly… Hackney is my home and I want to become its Mayor…”

Question 1: You have previously served as a councillor in Hackney and you are currently a member of the London Assembly. Now you are running for Mayor of Hackney. If elected, what are the three concrete decisions you will take within your first 100 days?

Hackney is a wonderful place to live and work, but I keep hearing from my constituents and when knocking on doors that people don’t feel heard and they’ve been let down by the local council. The Hackney Green Party wants to change the relationship between the Council and residents so it is less ‘top down’ and instead opens up the decision- making process so residents have their voices heard, knowing that the council is on their side.

We will act swiftly to review ‘Who Owns Hackney?’. This investigation will bring to light the reality of how our land and buildings are used, and in whose interests, and will inform our plan for how we give communities a say in the use of space in Hackney.

We also need to urgently address the housing crisis in our borough. We surveyed residents and found most aren’t very confident they will afford to live in Hackney in the next five years. Rents here are among the highest in London. The Greens plan to deliver the homes we need and fix the ones we’ve got. We will push for Hackney Council Pension funds to be used to purchase or buy-back hoes, increasing the council housing supply. Plus we need to get our council housing repairs service functioning properly. The sooner we start on this, the better.

I am going to be honest with you. Hackney Council is in a budget crisis caused by years of austerity and managed decline of our local services, started by the Tories in Westminster, implemented by the Labour council and continued by Labour in government. This isn’t going to be quick or easy, but we will change the approach and priorities of the council from day one to give a much stronger voice to residents’ concerns and fight for their interests. I will support an anti-austerity cuts campaign, working alongside unions and community groups, demanding that local council funding is fully restored, so that we can deliver the essential services.

Question 2: Knife crime and youth offending are serious issues in Hackney. A great deal has been said about this for years, yet the results have remained limited. What exactly will your approach do differently?

Everyone deserves to feel safe in Hackney. But the current approach to policing is not working. Tactics like stop and search are disproportionately used against Black communities and cause harm, and the roll-out of live facial recognition surveillance which also threatens our privacy rights. Over-policing affects racialised communities unfairly and damages trust. Our approach is to invest in services that actually prevent crime – like youth services, housing security and pushing for properly funded health, mental health and drug treatment services.

What I’ve heard from families is the need for proper special educational needs and disabilities (SEND) provision and to challenge unfair school exclusions. We need a wider system working properly – including timely access to speech and language therapy, mental health support, and strong coordination between education, health and care. When this breaks down, support comes too late and the impact is felt beyond the classroom. We will improve access to early, independent advice for families navigating school exclusions and education decisions, including through strengthening local advice services, so concerns can be addressed early and fairly without unnecessary escalation.

Question 3: Energy and water bills have reached unsustainable levels for many families. As Mayor, do you truly have the power to reduce these bills?

What will the Green Party do at both local and national levels on this issue? Our budgets are struggling to cope with ‘rip off Britain’ as our economy has privatised essential services then sell them back to people at a profit. This is a national problem and we feel the impact locally. As a Green mayor, I will advocate much more strongly on behalf of the council for more funding from the national government, and not accept so little like the council does now. We will also consult more genuinely with local residents to find practical, meaningful solutions within our collective power to address the growing cost of living crisis.

Meanwhile, we will tackle the cost of living at the local level. We will support and empower local community energy projects, which help lower energy bills for residents and businesses, as well as reducing carbon emissions. And we have a plan to address core aspects of the housing crisis in Hackney, which is the biggest driver for unaffordability in the borough. We want a Hackney that everyone can afford to stay in, not just the super-rich. We will address Hackney’s cost-of-living crisis at its root wherever possible by putting money back in the hands of Hackney residents through targeted council tax relief, targeted help with prescription costs, reviewing nursery fee structures, and supporting the growth of local food co-operatives and affordable credit unions. We will also stand with workers against exploitation, fighting for fair wages.

Question 4: If no single party secures a governing majority, which party would you be willing to work with?

We are open to working with other parties to best serve the people of Hackney. We won’t always agree on everything, but we’ll work together where we have common ground, and we will be open and honest with residents about where we differ. As a London Assembly member, I have worked cross-party with Assembly Members from other parties where we tackle challenges like leasehold arrangements and extortionate service charges. I have chaired the London Assembly Housing Committee this year and have led crossparty investigations, which have made recommendations to the Mayor of London regarding accessible homes, affordable homes and social home allocations.

The point is not who we’re working with but who we’re working for, and that’s the people or Hackney. In this current council, Labour councillors routinely vote against all the Green Party proposals, regardless of their merit. That kind of blanket opposition holds the council and our communities back. We think residents deserve better than that, and a council that focuses on solutions instead. Our focus has to be not on party lines and political point scoring but on what’s best for Hackney.

Question 5: For many years, the Green Party has ranked fourth or fifth in elections. Now, it is polling much higher. What is the reason for this?

Is it a change in the electorate, or has a change in leadership within the Green Party been influential? The Green Party came second in previous Hackney local elections. We got 25% of the last vote for Mayor and we won the last local councillor byelection. Now Greens are polling neck and neck with Labour, coming out ahead in many wards. When I knock on doors I hear people say “I didn’t leave Labour, but Labour left me”. People tell me how they feel let down. They feel that their government – both nationally and locally – has abandoned their principles. Now the Green Party looks like it can support them better. People want change and we won’t take that for granted. We are working hard to gain their trust.

Question 6: You previously ran for Mayor of London. If you achieve a result above expectations, it could lead you to a larger role in national politics. Do you have ambitions to take part in central government politics?

I’m really focused on local politics. I have over a decade of experience working in councils and the NHS. I see what’s broken here in Hackney and I know how to fix it. Hackney is my home and I am ready to step up and give everything I have to be the Mayor that we deserve.