Agenda item

Question a) from Cllr Convery to Cllr Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport:

Please will your team re-consider the location of communal recycling bins on the

Bemerton Estate?

Response:

Thank you for your question. As you know, we are absolutely committed to protecting our environment and I am pleased that our efforts have led to recycling rates in Islington being above those in other Inner London boroughs. We of course must continue to increase our recycling rates, and I would welcome your help, and that of other councillors as community champions, in achieving this. The changes to recycling on council estates in our borough, from door to door collections to communal recycling, were created and delivered by working very closely with residents; including our tenants, management organisations and associations. As a council, we routinely review our communal recycling bin locations and to consider any current issues and where necessary explore solutions to help make recycling easier and more convenient for local people. What I would ask you to do Councillor Convery is to send me details of your specific request about the recycling bins on the Bemerton Estate. I am sure that this can be considered as part of our review. I would want to ensure that before any changes are made to existing refuse infrastructure that ward councillors are consulted on any new arrangements. Thank you again for your question.

Question b) from Councillor Clarke to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport:

The Biodiversity action plan is a very welcome initiative by the council and a positive

move towards protecting wildlife and biodiversity in Islington. I am proud that most of

our parks and many estate green spaces are maintained by our wonderful Grounds

Maintenance Service and in some of our parks this is carried out by local residents. I

note that Croydon Council will end the use of glyphosate in all its public parks and green spaces as of February 2019. The council plan to train staff in new techniques and explore feasible non-chemical options. Would Cllr Webbe consider meeting with the relevant councillors on Croydon council with a view to finding out how they are managing this and investigating the possibility of moving Islington Council towards being pesticide free?

Response:

Thank you for your question. Can I start by echoing your comments about the fantastic work that Islington Council does with local residents to look after the green spaces in our borough. Islington Council is committed to reducing the use of pesticides wherever possible and practical. The council is constantly reviewing the market to identify and test alternative methods of weed control as they become available. We are already using new methods of weed control to reduce the amount of pesticide we use. However, there is not currently a cost effective and practical alternative to glyphosate that allows us to go completely pesticide free. However, this year Street Environment Services will use a new application method that applies herbicide using computer controlled spot weeding. The system consists of a shrouded spray head on a purpose built vehicle, and within the shrouded head are sensor units and the spray nozzle. The sensor units detect the presence of weeds and trigger the appropriate spray nozzles to accurately provide the correct amount of herbicide, just to those weeds. This results in very high levels of weed control coupled with reduced herbicide usage. We estimate a 60% reduction on previous years and this will offer greater safety to the operator and public alike. Our staff are working hard on an integrated pesticide reduction plan which provides a framework for how the borough will reduce its pesticide use. I will ensure that officers send this to you, and if necessary we can arrange a meeting, to work towards a pesticide free Islington.   

Question c) from Councillor Russell to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport:

Islington's current Local Implementation Plan 2011-2031 has a target to reduce the

number of people killed and seriously injured on the road in Islington by 21.6% by 2013, and by 38.4% by 2020 compared against the 2006-2008 average baseline.

In 2016 the police reporting system was changed to tackle previous inconsistency in

reporting and earlier data has been backcast to be comparable with current data. What is the back cast value for the 2006 - 2008 baseline of 89 people KSI?

Response:

Thank you for your question. Islington Council is committed to making Islington a safer place for pedestrians and cyclists. Over the last few years, we have taken significant steps to reduce the number of people killed and seriously injured on the road in Islington. As you know, are committed to the Vision Zero agenda, which aims to eliminate all deaths and serious injuries on the road. These steps include becoming the first borough to pioneer a blanket 20mph speed limit on its own road and prioritising the transformation of key transport intersections and junctions, like Archway Gyratory, and others to come at Highbury Corner and Old Street. Together with the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, we will continue to pursue pedestrian and public realm improvements to create safer space for pedestrians and cyclists. 

I welcome the Mayor’s Transport Strategy, published last year, and its ambitious policies and proposals for London, including, as I indicated, his commitment to achieve ‘Vision Zero’. In response to the Mayor’s strategy, the Council is preparing its own Transport Strategy, which will set the strategic transport vision for Islington for the period 2019-2041. A key objective of that strategy will, of course, be to reduce road dangers and ensure fewer people will be injured or killed on Islington’s streets. The revised baseline that you requested for 2006-8 data is 165 Killed and Seriously Injured on the road. Thank you for your question.

Question d) from Councillor Russell to Councillor Webbe, Executive Member for Environment and Transport: 

How did Islington perform against the Local Implementation Plan target of reducing the number of people killed and seriously injured on the road by 21.6% by 2013, and will you meet the 2020 target for a 38.4% reduction against the baseline?

Response:

Thank you again, I see this follows on from your first question. In 2013, Islington Council achieved a 20.2% reduction in the number of people killed or seriously injured on the road. In December 2017, that reduction stood at 24.2%. I therefore re-iterate Islington Labour’s commitment to continue to make our streets safer for everyone. We will continue our work to deliver on this commitment and meet the 2020 target. We don’t yet have figures for 2018, but I’m happy to pass that on to you when we have that data. Our commitment is to work towards zero, an elimination of all deaths on roads and streets in Islington. Thank you for the question.