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Agenda item

Leader's Announcements

Minutes:

Councillor Watts thanked the Mayor for her work in representing the borough at many events held over the summer.

 

Councillor Watts advised that the housing crisis was the most pressing issue affecting the borough, and a priority of the council was to build more genuinely affordable housing. Councillor Watts said that the housing crisis was ruining lives, and commented that residents at his most recent ward surgery had the worst set of housing cases he had ever known. Given that Islington had 10,000 residents in serious housing need, Councillor Watts was particularly concerned that the Mount Pleasant site had been sold for 565% of what the site was valued at when Royal Mail was privatised and expressed disappointed that a public asset could be undervalued so significantly, as the proceeds from a more accurate sale value could have been used to fund essential public services. Councillor Watts was also disappointed that the residents of Clerkenwell had been denied much needed new affordable housing at the site. Councillor Watts noted a study that indicated that the site could have included 75% more affordable housing and still be a viable commercial housing scheme. Councillor Watts said that the former Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, had denied hundreds of people a home by only agreeing to a minimal amount of affordable housing on the site.

 

Councillor Watts said that difficult conversations were needed about where to site genuinely affordable council housing, but was clear that developing more council housing was a priority. Councillor Watts said that the council would work to solve the housing crisis by tackling rogue private landlords, making sure people with disabilities and learning difficulties had access to secure sheltered housing, and building more council housing.

 

Councillor Watts was proud that in 2017/18 the council would deliver more new council homes than in any year over the previous 30 years. Councillor Watts emphasised that the current Labour administration was elected on a manifesto which prioritised delivering council housing and that is what the council would focus on.

 

Councillor Watts also spoke of the issues affecting EU citizens. Councillor Watts said that the government was playing politics with the lives of the 30,000 EU citizens residing in the borough. Councillor Watts thanked Councillor Comer-Schwartz for her work in supporting EU citizens, helping them to access legal advice and support. Councillor Watts said it was not good enough for the government negotiate with Brussels on the lives of our European neighbours and friends. Councillor Watts called on the government to act now to guarantee the rights of EU citizens after Brexit and said that the council would continue to campaign on this issue over the coming months and years.

 

Councillor Watts said that although he was a supporter of freedom of movement and cultural exchange, he recognised that 20,000 FC Köln fans arriving in the borough for the club’s Europa League fixture with Arsenal was problematic. Councillor Watts thanked council staff for quickly cleaning up Highbury Fields and other areas. Councillor Watts said that the vast majority of FC Köln fans were not violent, however there were some instances of anti-social behaviour which were not acceptable. Councillor Watts was very grateful to Arsenal FC for agreeing to meet the council’s additional costs associated with the clean-up.

 

Councillor Watts commented on the recent allegations of historic abuse of children in the care of Islington Council. Councillor Watts said that the abuse of children in the council’s care was the biggest single failing in the council’s history. Councillor Watts would re-iterate the council’s apology to the victims of the abuse at the next meeting of the Executive. There was no doubt that the abuse was real and that the victims of the abuse were still suffering as a result. Councillor Watts said that the Executive would also agree a partial re-opening of the White Report review in light of the allegations made in the Islington Gazette about a former Mayor of Islington. Councillor Watts said that it was important to the victims of abuse that justice is done and is seen to be done.