Agenda item

Question (a) Councillor Rupert Perry to Councillor Murray, Executive Member for Planning and Development.

Can the Executive Member for Housing and Development please tell me how many landlords the Council has taken action against for renting sub-standard accommodation?

Reply:

I won’t waste any time explaining to members what we have all experienced.  We do have an increasing problem with bad landlords; people are so desperate for somewhere to live they accept poor conditions.  We have limited powers but we do use them, we go out and proactively find sub-standard properties.  In the last 12 months we’ve

·         Served 231 notices or legal letters requiring landlords to take action

·         successful prosecuted 8 landlords where they failed to comply

·         settled 3 cases before proceedings commenced

That’s 166 substandard properties that have been improved over the last year. You’ll be aware of the HMO Licensing zone and once year end has passed we can enforce there too.

Supplementary question:

In view of this success would we consider using the councils powers to clamp down on people have B&Bs, sort of hotels on short term lets; it is depriving the borough of good quality housing.

Reply:

The government have recently deregulated how long properties can be let for, so they can now be rented out for very short term lets with no restrictions. When somewhere is routinely let out on short term lets, rather than just a week or two during holidays, it does concern us, but there are no relevant regulations to enforce. However, I can confirm we will go after bad landlords and you may have seen our recent success in the papers.

Question (b) Councillor Parker to Councillor Burgess, Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing.

Can the Executive Member for Health and Wellbeing advise what the council is doing to meet its obligations as set out in the Autism Act 2009 and subsequent statutory guidance?

Reply:

Since the implementation of the Autism Act, Islington has progressed its work on autism in a variety of key areas. The Autistic Spectrum Conditions diagnostic service (or NDD) is now well established and providing access to a service that was not previously available. This service aligns with the strategic objectives of the Autism Strategy and NICE guidelines on Autism. It offers full diagnostic assessments, some post diagnostic support, signposting, and interventions for adults. Autism awareness training and other advanced training for frontline professionals from Skills for Care has been undertaken since the Act was implemented. Work is currently being progressed to provide a comprehensive training plan from basic awareness training to advanced professionals training, which will be offered on a rolling basis. This training will also be offered to a variety of stakeholders including families\carers and shared lives’ workers. We have also just received confirmation that we have been successful in the bid for funding for training. An Asperger London Area Group (ALAG) has been established as a support group for adults/carers of people with Asperger syndrome. A scoping exercise has recently been undertaken by criminal justice colleagues in order to better understand the needs of people with autism or learning disabilities who come into the criminal justice system. The Family Carer’s reference group continues to work to a clear plan of action in ensuring that carers of people with learning disabilities and autism have a voice and are able to influence commissioning and service delivery. Carer involvement is now integral to Islington’s procurement process and evaluation of contracts and within disability awareness training. There has been an increase in supported living accommodation, and care and support available to those with autism. There are 3 planned new builds for purpose built accommodation with completion in 2017-18. This new accommodation will be available for those with autism (plus a learning disability) and is likely to provide a high numbers of places for people with autism.Spectrum, a new day centre for adults with autism and high needs, was opened last year. The National Autistic Society has an accreditation scheme which provides a quality mark for autism services. Those that have been awarded this seal of excellence have had to meet strict standards and prove they can deliver high quality autism services. Wray Court is a specialist residential home for those with autism and has been awarded this accreditation. Daylight Spectrum is a specialist day service that opened in 2014 and is specially designed for people with autism.  It is also accredited by the National Autistic Society and enables us to provide a local service. 

Question (c) Councillor Williamson to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport

Cllr Webbe will be aware that the much delayed plans for the introduction of the night tube on weekends also includes plans to cut back on the frequency of some night bus routes. Night buses provide a reliable and safe way for people to get home after an evening out. May I ask Cllr Webbe what contact TFL has had with the council on the proposals to reduce the frequency of the N20, 134, N29 and N91 service once the night tube is implemented?

Reply:

I met with TfL officials regarding the introduction of the night tube in the spring 2015 when they were planning to go out to the public on a consultation.  In response to the consultation I raised my concerns about the impact on Islington’s night time centres and low paid shift workers; cleaners, shop workers and night nurses.  These people keep the city working and moving.  Reductions in the frequency of Route N91, which runs through areas that are not well served by other night bus services and has the highest levels of deprivation in the borough – including along Caledonian Road and Hornsey Road where local residents would struggle to pay the higher tube fares.

I then wrote to TfL in October to reiterate my request to protect the frequency of the N91 bus service.  Following this letter and in response to my earlier consultation response, TfL has confirmed that it will NOT reduce the frequency of the N91 bus service and that it is not  proposing to decrease the weekend night bus frequency of any route to lower than the equivalent weeknight frequency.  Also, the weekend frequency of night buses in Angel (that will not be served by the Night Tube for the time being) will remain higher than the weeknight frequency, responding to the night time economy.

It remains unclear when the Night Tube will be introduced and I stand shoulder to shoulder with the NT workers who are trying to ensure safety.

Question (e) Councillor Russell to Councillor Watts, Leader of the Council.

Why has the Council cut the amount of time allowed for the Public to ask questions?

Reply:

The changes to the Constitution have, for the first time in history, secured time for public questions.  We took the decision to open up the Council to residents, so the time allowed is not at the Mayors discretion, but guaranteed.  We also took out the 20 minutes allowed for Youth Council questions and made it separate so it could not eat into the time allowed.  We are all quite familiar with the names of the members of the public asking questions today and anyone turning up to ask a question may have been prevented from doing so, so I ask the Green Party to reflect on their conduct.  We didn’t create the time allowed for public questions to create an opportunity for defeated candidates to ask questions instead.

Supplementary question:

Are there were plans to protect the Youth Services Budget when setting next year’s budget.

Reply:

We still don’t know how much money we will have, but we absolutely understand the importance of youth provision.  We are one of the few, if not the only council, to have not cut the budget already.  Priorities will have to be set in the light of government cuts, but we understand what a priority this is.

Question (f) Councillor Russell to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport

Given the positive support from the Council and Jeremy Corbyn for closing Sunnyside Rd, will the Council close Sunnyside Road for Car Free Day Day next year?

Reply:

Of course we wish to enable the road to be closed to create one stretch of green vibrant space for residents.  You are right to raise this and we are looking at how we could make it happen.  The notion of closing it for a car free day is under consideration.  We will talk to London Buses so services to residents are not disrupted.

Supplementary question:

Will you definitely try? If people are going to see the space and get the benefit of it, we need to close the road, can we please make it Sunnyside Road we close this year?

Reply:

I agree that sharing the love across the borough is important.  But we are not looking at it this year, we will look at it next year as part of what we want to do for Car Free day and if possible to enable it to be opened up for families and children.

Question (g) Councillor Poyser to Councillor Convery, Executive Member for Community Safety

Further to the earlier question from the Hillrise and Junction councillors on the Hornsey Lane (Archway) Bridge, please could Councillor Convery give an update on the work being done to prevent suicides from the bridge?

Reply:

As you know this is a long running and complex matter that crosses a number of boundaries, two highways authorities and English Heritage, but the efforts are coming very close to fruition.  Both Islington and Haringey planning committees have given permission for substantial measures and we will hopefully get TfL to implement them quickly.  Officers have done excellent across disciplines and the Samaritans are also putting up better signs.  This has been a long campaign but we are very close now. 

Supplementary question:

Is Councillor Convery aware that we have been proactive and others have done nothing?

Reply:

I think that’s absolutely right; we negotiated our way through with a little bit more vigour, but other councils worked with us.  It has been difficult, TfL don’t see this as their core businesses, but we’ve got the message through. The Rt Hon Jeremy Corbyn MP and Catherine West MP both worked exceptionally hard and showed considerable support for the scheme.