Zoë Garbett has become the first Mayor of Hackney to make her official diary publicly available, a move the council says is designed to increase openness about who represents the borough meets as part of official duties. The diary will be published online every three months and lists formal external meetings and engagements related to mayoral responsibilities.
What’s being published and why it matters
The quarterly diary will include formal, external appointments tied to the office of the Mayor. The council says the change is intended to deliver one of Ms Garbett’s manifesto promises made at the local election in May 2026 and to give residents a clearer picture of the mayor’s schedule and contacts.
“Across all forms of government, too much decision-making happens behind closed doors, where the influence of unaccountable lobbyists and interest groups is unseen. I want Hackney to be different. That’s why I’m the first Mayor of Hackney to publish a public diary record, so that people in the borough can see who I’m meeting and hold me to account.” — Zoë Garbett, Mayor of Hackney
How this will affect local accountability
Publishing the diary is a straightforward transparency measure but one with practical consequences. Residents, local campaigners and journalists will be able to check whether the Mayor’s external meetings align with publicly stated priorities and spot any unusual patterns of contact with private interests or lobby groups. It also provides a documented timeline of engagements that can be cross-checked against council decisions.
- Frequency: diary updated online every three months
- Scope: formal external meetings and mayoral engagements
- Purpose: to fulfil a manifesto commitment and increase transparency
What the diary won’t show
The council’s announcement specifies that the record covers formal external meetings connected to official duties. It does not say the diary will include informal conversations, private correspondence or internal council discussions. Those distinctions are likely to be important for campaigners pressing for broader transparency.
For residents who want immediate access, the diary is now live on the council’s website and will be refreshed on the stated quarterly schedule. The publication is a small but concrete step in opening up local government business; whether it prompts further transparency measures will depend on public scrutiny and how the diary is used by journalists, councillors and community groups.
