Agenda item

Question a) from Greg Foxsmith to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport:

How did the Council promote National Walking Month in May this year, and Walk to School Week in the same month?

Reply:

Greg Foxsmith was not present in the chamber and will therefore be sent a written reply.

Question b) from Paul Milican to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport

It is estimated that 100 Islington residents die each year from health effects that are exacerbated by poor air quality. Is it not your responsibility to ban barbecues so that the 8 out of 10 residents who do not have a back garden can enjoy fresh air on warm days rather than have serious health issues exacerbated by the pollutants that barbecues emit? You have stated that there is no public health risk from BBQs but given there is no level at which PM2.5 is deemed safe, what proof do you have?

Reply:

There is evidence that particulate matters impact on health where there is constant exposure, such as people living next to busy roads and gyratories, but Public Health have reviewed the impacts of air pollution and barbeques and concluded they are unlikely to exceed limits.  Given that we have lots of residents without a garden our outside space, the Council has decided to continue allow using barbeques but will we continue to monitor and manage and Parks Patrol will continue to ensure that smoke impacts are minimised.

Supplementary question:

In 2015 the Council commissioned a report.  The original report dated 1 October showed levels of PM2.5 even worse than some vehicle impacts, but the graphs and tables were removed before the report was made public, so it is impossible to compare barbeques with Marylebone Road traffic.  What reasons can you give for redacting the information.

Reply:

The Council commissioned a report from King’s College in which the pollution levels were collected over a weekend by people using personal monitors.  It provided a snapshot, but the monitors only recorded 5 minutes exposure and this is not a sufficient or accurate enough measure to provide data for a comparative analysis with the levels near a busy road over a period of 12 months, so I understand this was removed from the draft report.  The final report issued by King’s College gave an accurate assessment of the impact of barbeques.  The Public Health team have also reviewed the impacts and the number of times people have barbeques over a year will not have the same cumulative effect as the constant presence of particulate matter.  The report provides the public with a clear assessment of the impacts.


Question c) from Leyla Daybelge to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport

A monitoring report on barbecues commissioned by the council in 2015 indicated that PM2.5 pollution levels in Highbury Fields caused by widespread barbecue use were three times the level of one of London's busiest roads. These fine particles are known to cause heart and lung disease. Given that there is no level at which PM2.5 particles are deemed safe, should the council not take a precautionary approach and ban barbecues on its green spaces? 

Reply:

This is a very similar question.  The Council did commission a report from Kings College which included members of the public collecting readings over a weekend, but the data was not sufficient to be verified as scientifically accurate.  People were taking measurements standing in the vicinity of a lit barbeque, not on the street or in their homes.  The final report from King’s College reflects the reality, which is not comparable to a busy roadside site in London. The draft report failed to point out that the levels are not comparable, and showing the levels alongside readings for a busy roadside site gave a false impression; they do not equate by any standards so King’s College amended this in the final version of the report.

As barbeques are only used on a limited number of days, the impact of their use will not breach national standards and the Public Health team have undertaken their own review and concluded there is no risk.  The Council is therefore continuing it’s popular policy to allow barbeques on Highbury Fields.

Supplementary question:

I would like to dispute Councillor Webbe’s interpretation.  On warm days there are children who don’t have gardens playing on Highbury Fields and they inevitably breathe in PM2.5 known to stunt lung growth in children and the stunt the growth of foetus’ in their mother’s wombs.

Reply:

The policy to allow barbeques is one that residents wanted to see happen.  This is a borough of two halves and many residents don’t have room for children to run and play, or to have barbeques with family and friends.  Based on our understanding of particulate matter and the likely probabilities of impact, allowing residents to choose if they want to enjoy our parks by having barbeques with family and friends is the right thing to do.

The meeting was then opened to questions from the floor.

Question from Ernestas Jegorovas.  Can anyone from the Executive explain why there have been no Ward Partnership meetings in Caledonian and St Mary’s wards?

Reply from Councillor Watts, Leader of the Council:

The ward councillors in both wards hotly dispute that there have been no meetings.  I’ve been to a range of Cally Road meetings.  I haven’t been to a St Mary’s meeting, but I would be happy to go if invited.  As they hotly deny the accusation, I support my colleagues.

Question from a member of the public regarding plans for a cycle path on Brecknock Road.

Reply from Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport:

We clearly have an agenda to improve and expand the cycle networks across the borough.  Consultation is taking place now on proposals to join up the networks in the south of the borough.  We have implemented covered cycle storage in St. Georges Ward and have encouraged ward councillors to include measures to support cycling in their ward improvement plans.  I encourage you to look at the website and is there isn’t a request there already, to submit one.  We will look at it favourably.  All our cycling requests are there.  The Council doesn’t hold a budget for cycle routes, that rests with the Mayor of London and we have to fight hard to secure funds.  We are waiting to see what the new Mayor’s strategy, but we expect that cycling and walking will remain key priorities.

Question from a member of the public regarding Housing Associations.  I’ve been a resident for about 40 years.  Housing Associations have got completely out of control and have taken over council housing.  Is there a way Islington Council can get the Housing Associations to help relocate people rather than getting them to sell?

Reply from Councillor Diarmaid Ward, Executive Member for Housing and Development:

I am new in post, but I hope to build on James Murray’s legacy.  If there is a particular issue with a specific Housing Association please let me know and I will look into it.

Question from a member of the public regarding barbeques on Highbury Fields:  Without wanting to labour the issue, I would like to ask Councillor Webbe how she feels about people who’d like to come to open spaces to breathe clean air. On a good weekend over 1,000 people have barbeques on Highbury Fields.  I have tried to count them but you lose count when you walk around.  The air is choking.  I understand that the figures for particulate matter are averaged, but on a good day the figures are shocking.  I was one of the people who took measures.  Inside the house it is already the level of Marylebone Road and outside the level is worse.

Reply from Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport:

We are committed to clean air.  Barbeques only happen on a few days in the whole year and they don’t amount to annual levels of harm.  I would dispute that there are high levels inside the home.  The final report was signed off by King’s College themselves. Our own Public Heath team also carried out a review.  The reality is, as I’ve said before, we live in a borough with inequalities.  The same people who were opposed to this because they didn’t want people in their ‘back garden’ are now opposing it on pollution grounds. Highbury Fields belongs to us all.  Many other people turn up to enjoy the Fields with their children, family and friends and they say that they want barbeques.