Kajima Community has developed a website for Hackney Council, making it the first local authority in the country to offer an online tool for people to take virtual tours of its community halls and make bookings.

The streamlined process powered by Kajima Community’s BookingsPlus software means thousands of residents, small businesses and organisations in Hackney looking to hire a venue can easily access information on the 37 community halls across the borough and make a booking.

Hackney Council’s community halls are used regularly by a wide range of groups, including lunch clubs, martial arts groups, holiday playschemes, parties, conferences and church groups. They offer a low-cost option for groups looking for space, with discounted rates for community use.

Currently, anyone booking space must make an individual booking and pay by cash at the Council’s self-cheque. The new website will shortly allow users to see and book all available spaces in all halls across the borough and, crucially, to be able to pay online.

The new website is accessed via a page on the Council’s website and is badged in line with Hackney corporate design standards to ensure a seamless experience for users.

View the website here: https://communityhalls.hackney.gov.uk/

Kajima has extensive experience in online lettable solutions for the public sectorOver 400 community organisations use its BookingsPlus platform, which currently consists of schools hiring its sports and classroom facilities to the local community.

Kajima has also helped NHS Property Services, which owns more than 10 per cent of the entire NHS estate comprising more than 3,000 properties with 7,000 tenants, to develop NHS Open Space, a platform designed to increase utilisation and deliver better patient care. The platform allows a community of 4,500 users to book facilities and deliver much-needed NHS services, with over 230,000 bookings processed through the system – accounting for over one and a half million hours of vital patient service delivery.

Chris Smith, Head of Kajima Community, said: “We’re excited to support Hackney to become the first local authority in the country to automate its booking system. We hope it will drive other councils to also think about offering a customer-friendly way for their community to access under-used facilities whilst securing vital public asset reinvestment.

“Kajima’s bookings software already helps a large number of public sector bodies to significantly decrease the time spent administering bookings, increase public confidence in the bookings process, streamline administration, and make community assets more accessible to those who need them.

Hackney Council Cabinet Member for Housing Services and Resident Participation, Councillor Clayeon McKenzie, said: “Our halls are hugely popular venues and play a vital role in helping bring local communities together.

“They are used for social events, helping people develop new hobbies and skills, get fit, or to find out how they can get involved in initiatives and plans to enhance their local area.

“We are always looking at ways to make it easier for our residents to use our services. I am delighted that we will be the first Council in the country to provide a fully automated system for people to see everything our halls offer and book the most appropriate one for them.

“I am sure it will bring immense benefits to residents and local organisations and help our community spaces continue to go from strength to strength.”