Agenda item

Councillor Richard Watts, Leader of the Council, was present for discussion of this item, and outlined the Executive priorities for 2019/20, and achievements in 2018/19

During discussion the following main points were made –

·         L..B.Islington is one of the highest providers of new homes

·         1000 vulnerable residents have been assisted back into work

·         Boroughwide transport improvements including extensive works at Highbury Corner, Old Street and Gillespie Road

·         10 school streets currently in operation, and the only LA to have an education hub

·         Negotiated 60% genuinely affordable homes on the Holloway Prison site and the effective use of the planning process to enable this

·         Continuation of the excellent work of the Integrated Gangs team and no reductions in youth facilities

·         Localities programme introduced

·         All the Council’s policies are driving the Fairness agenda, and assist the poorer members of the community

·         All these achievements made whilst at the same time having to reduce the budget by £250m over the last 9 years, because of Government budget reductions

·         Key priorities for 2019/20 include – the appointment of a Service Director for New Build should enable the Council to move forward more speedily on its new build programme, and enable it to be a major developer of new homes

·         Community Safety – concerned at the incidents of stabbings across London, and in the borough. Challenges remain and it is felt that the stabbings are mainly linked to the drug economy, which the Police are struggling to contain due to reductions in their funding. A number of services are linked in dealing with this issue and work is taking place with a number of agencies, including the Police and that it is felt that the work is having an impact

·         The Council has managed to retain its Adventure Playgrounds and evidence has shown that this has proved beneficial to children from troubled families

·         The Localities Programme assists in prevention/early intervention and a number of services are now working more effectively and more engagement is taking place with VCS/Youth services. Work is taking place with residents to enable them to take control of issues, and this is starting to make a difference

·         There is a climate emergency and the Council is set to announce that it will have net zero carbon emissions by 2030. It was pleasing to note that the Council’s current targets had been met 2 years early

·         The Council wanted a more inclusive borough, despite the Government’s austerity programme which mitigated against this.

·         The Council has lost a number of senior officers over the past few months, however there were strong candidates for the vacancies and it was felt that this could offer new opportunities for the Council to move forward with new ideas and delivery of excellent services

·         Excellent work has been achieved in the budget monitoring process, however there is a need to improve programming and project management, and to ensure IT is provided effectively

·         Concern was also expressed that a no deal BREXIT could have serious consequences for the borough and its residents

·         A Member stated that he welcomed the Localities programme, however he expressed concern that CCTV that had been introduced to deal with drug dealing and had proved to be effective had been taken away by the Police, and had led to an upturn in drug dealing again, and that a youth hostel in the area had increased the incidence of drug dealing.  It was stated that work is taking place with the Police to enable them to understand the wide extent of CCTV coverage that is available on Council CCTV cameras and that this needed to be used more effectively. It was also stated that the Council is endeavouring to provide a more integrated system of CCTV, in relation to CCTV traffic cameras and on housing estates

·         Concern was expressed about the selling off of street properties by Housing Associations, and that receipts were not being used to provide housing within the borough. It was stated that it is expected that if properties were sold off then Housing Associations should provide replacement properties within the borough

·         In response to a question it was stated that measures such as transport strategies, insulation of housing, electric vehicle charging points roll out, would be needed to implemented to get a net zero carbon emission policy by 2030, however this would mean substantial changes to housing stock and Government action would be needed as well. Offset carbon capture technology would also need to be looked at

·         Members also expressed concern that the Borough Commander has changed on a number of occasions in the last few years, and that this was not conducive to partnership working or effective policing in the borough. It was stated that this issue had been raised and there had been reassurances given that the new Borough Commander will remain in post for the next 3 years

·         Reference was made to anti-social behaviour on Housing Association properties and that there was no legal duty for Housing Associations to employ ASB officers. It was stated that Housing Associations needed to ensure that they provided support to residents, and discussions were taking place with Housing Associations on exchange of information re: tenants with mental health problems etc.

The Chair thanked Councillor Watts for attending