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www.islington.gov.uk Issue 16, 2003
Well done!
Islington kids are improving
A much better improvement rate
than the national average saw
39% of students getting five or
more A* to C grades in their
GCSEs. This is a 6.1% increase
on last year.
Best ever GCSEs
These are Islington’s best ever GCSE
results and though there is still a
great deal more work to be done,
everyone has confidence that our
schools will continue to improve.
Congratulations to all students, staff
and school governors for their
efforts. Keep it up!
Street crime
wardens
Find out about
Islington’s new street
crime wardens – your
eyes and ears.
See page 5…
Look inside for more about what’s happening in and around Islington…
Your
chance
to win
£50
Areas online
Street crime wardens
Creating success
Your chance to win £50
Premier pitch

Welcome
Welcome to
Issue 16
of Islington
From Helen Bailey,
Chief Executive
Welcome to the latest edition of
Islington. Along with our record
breaking long hot summer came our
best ever GCSE results. A great deal of
hard work goes into this achievement
so in the immortal words of many a
school report “well done Islington, let’s
keep it up”.
Islington’s summer university goes
from strength to strength and for the
sixth year running 10 to 19 year olds
were able to enjoy an active August
with a wide variety of classes from
cookery to Shakespeare and
computers to street dancing. If you
had a quieter time and bought a
paperback to read on your holidays,
don’t throw it away. Please hand it in at
our libraries so that others can read it.
It’s good to see our new street crime
wardens on patrol. They are a key part
of the borough’s strategy to tackle
crime and the fear of crime, a
reassuring presence and a deterrent,
already welcomed by many residents.
In addition the first new street lights
are up as part of our project to replace
8,500 lights and traffic signs over the
next 5 years, another contribution to a
safer, brighter borough - and they use
green electricity.
Can I please encourage you to fill in
our reader’s survey on page 9. Many of
you take the trouble to write in or email
with your views, so please tell us more.
Best of luck with the £50 prize draw!
What’s happening on
the Packington estate?
Following extensive investigations it has
been confirmed that the six-storey high
housing blocks, built from 1968 to 1971,
do not meet current building regulations.
Islington Council is discussing three
options with residents – redeveloping the
entire estate, strengthening the
construction and reducing the height.
Doing nothing is not an option, the blocks
are not unsafe but the council must take
action now.
Options
Current building requirements for blocks of more
than five storeys with a gas supply must be
satisfied. This means buildings on the
Packington would have to be strengthened with
steel pins in the walls and floors. To retain gas
central heating and cooking in people’s homes,
the blocks need additional strengthening. This
From April until
September 2003 the
group of 7 to 11 yearolds
attended family
reading group
sessions. Each child
came along with a
family member who
also took part in the
discussions around
the books
recommended by 20
premier league
footballers.
Sam O’Donnell, 10 from
Montem school said: "I
really enjoyed the Reading
Stars project. The books
from the library were great
and it was fantastic to
visit Arsenal and see the
players."
would cause considerable disruption and people
would have to move out of their homes. The
same applies if the height was reduced. Because
of the scale of the works necessary Islington
Council believes that it maybe better to build
modern, new homes and redevelop the estate.
Under this option, residents would be
progressively re-housed during the works. The
whole programme would take a number of
years. Everyone would be re-housed elsewhere
and given a choice about whether to return to
the estate in the future. People who have bought
their homes would be compensated at the
current market rate or could be offered a new
home on the rebuilt estate.
In the picture
The council has held three open meetings with
residents and is visiting all 530 homes on the
estate – putting everyone in the picture and
giving people the opportunity to decide what
they want to do following this news.
Taking precautions
All gas cookers are being removed and replaced
with electric ones. Gas detectors are being
installed and more frequent boiler servicing and
gas checks being carried out in each home. The
council is working closely with the Health &
Safety Executive and gas experts CORGI.
The council is working with all groups in the local
community including tenants, leaseholders and
commercial leaseholders so everyone is involved
in the discussions about the options facing the
estate.
Reading stars
Islington’s reading stars went to Highbury to receive their certificates and a
selection of books from Arsenal’s Dennis Bergkamp and Sylvain Wiltord.
2

Your Shout
Below are some of the letters, e-mails and phone calls we received in response to the last issue
Complaints @
Why are you lot obsessed with complaints
about the council? Actually I just want my
problem solved and I don’t want to fill in
forms but I keep hearing about the ‘formal
procedure’.
The council is also keen to sort out
customers’ problems as quickly as
possible with the minimum of fuss. In
order to provide you with high quality
services, complaints are treated very
seriously.
If you are unhappy about a particular
service or wish to make a suggestion,
you should first talk to the relevant
local office or staff in that department.
They will try to sort out the problem
without you having to make a formal
complaint.
If you are not happy with the response
you get, then you can make a formal
complaint. The formal complaints
procedure has three stages:
1 Complain to the local service
manager of the department concerned.
The department will acknowledge your
complaint within three working days
and a full written reply will normally be
sent within 10 working days.
2 If you are not satisfied with the
manager’s investigation, you can
contact the department’s complaints
officer. They will send you an
acknowledgement within three working
days and will consider your complaint
again. If your complaint is to be
investigated again a full written reply
will normally be sent to you within 10
working days.
3 If you believe your complaint has not
been dealt with properly at Stage 2 of
the complaints process, you can appeal
to:
Chief Executive’s Central Complaints Unit,
Town Hall
Upper Street
N1 2UD.
Email:
central.complaints@islington.gov.uk
Tel: 020 7527 3007
Parking
I called in to drop off a book for my friend,
I parked on your estate for 5 minutes and
when I came back I’d been clamped.
What’s going on?
We have parking restrictions on our
estates so that residents are able to
park, people – especially children and
the elderly – are safe and emergency
vehicles have clear access. To park
legally on a council housing estate you
must have a residents parking permit.
Look out for the signs at the estate’s
entrance and on the roadside for
details of parking restrictions.
If you want to appeal against an estate
clamping call 020 7527 8669 or write
to the estates parking section, POBox
14055, N5 1WD.
Abandoned
Vehicle Update
If you are an Islington resident and
own a car you no longer need,
Islington Council will scrap it for
you for free
✆Phone hotline
020 7527 4814
or email
abandoned.vehicles@islington.gov.uk
Proof of ownership is required.
Your Views…
Do you think we are doing the
right things?
Is there anything you think we
have done well?
How could we improve our service
to you?
What do you want to see in this
newsletter?
We want to hear what you have to say.
So, if you want to make a comment
about any aspect or the services we
provide, please:
Phone: 020 7527 3416
Email: residents.news@islington.gov.uk
Write to: Helen Bailey, Chief Executive
Islington Council, Town Hall,
Upper Street, N1 2UD
Tell us what you think. After all, if you
don’t tell us something is wrong we can’t
do anything about it…
We look forward to your feedback.
You can also contact your local
councillor. To find out their details
phone 020 7527 2000 or go on to
our website www.islington.gov.uk
3

Caretaker
of the year
Caretakers play a vital role
keeping council housing in
good repair, clean and safe.
Many of them work hard
above and beyond the call of
duty so congratulations are
due to….
Tony Hinton from the Marquess
Estate shared first place with
Jeremy Pulley from the Packington
Estate. Max Paltrinieri from New
Orleans Walk was highly
commended.
Jeremy Pulley said: “I am happy
that the tenants on my estate
recognise that I work my best at all
times.”
Tony Hinton added: “Doing my job
well means a lot to me and I know
it makes a real difference for
everyone on the estate. It’s not just
the routine things; it’s the little ways
of helping people.”
Claim pension credit
Pension Credit is a new social
security benefit for people aged 60
or over. It is being introduced from
October 2003. It guarantees
everyone aged 60 and over of an
income, called a Guarantee Credit,
of at least:
£102.10 a week if you are single; or
£155.80 a week if you have a partner.
If you already get the Minimum Income
Guarantee, do nothing. You will be
automatically transferred to the Guarantee
Credit.
For the first time, people aged 65 and
over will be rewarded for some of their
savings and income they have for their
retirement. This will be known as the
Savings Credit. You can get up to:
£14.79 if you are single
£19.20 if you have a partner.
✆To claim or for more
information, phone 0800
99 1234. If you have
speech or hearing difficulties, the
textphone number is 0800 169
0133. Don’t wait, claim now.
Green electricity,
did you know?…
Council tax
refuseniks
bankrupted
As a result of a council
crackdown on the hardcore
of people who wilfully don’t
pay council tax or business
rates two people have been
declared bankrupt.
Mrs A owes more than £9,000
and Mr B owes £11,000. They
didn’t pay a penny towards their
council tax, despite extensive
recovery action being taken
against them. They both now face
the possibility of having their
homes sold to pay their
outstanding debt to the council.
Their action deprives the council of
much needed cash to spend on
services and so has a direct effect
on all Islington residents and
businesses.
…that most of Islington’s streetlighting
is being supplied with greener
electricity rather than power from
fossil fuel sources.
And that some of Islington’s major public
buildings, including the Municipal Offices, the
Town Hall, Highbury House, Central Library
and all of its leisure centres are supplied by
‘greener’ electricity.
Buying these green supplies (some
14,000,000 kWh per year) makes Islington the
8th largest public sector buyer of greener
electricity in the country.
This means that Islington is saving some
4,800 tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) from
being released into the atmosphere over the
coming year, this would fill 27,500 doubledecker
buses.
CO2 is the major greenhouse gas responsible
for climate change.
Green electricity comes from landfill gas, small
scale hydro-electric, wind, solar, anaerobic
digestion and good quality combined heat
and power. Since this form of electricity
generation is exempt from the climate change
levy (a tax on the commercial use of energy),
this also saves money.
For further information
contact Jane Wildblood on
✆020 7527 3517
4

Street crime wardens
Cracking
down on
underage
drinking
A trail blazing initiative has seen a
crack team of wardens sent into
Islington’s busiest streets.
The 11 street crime wardens are focussing on
four crime hot spots in the Archway, the Nags
Head, the Angel and Finsbury Park.
These new street patrols will be the eyes and
ears of the community and help police identify
crack houses, search for missing people and
track down vehicles used in robberies and
burglaries. They will also report anti-social
behaviour, graffitti and fly tipping and form a
vital part of plans to reduce crime and the fear
of crime as well as improve the street
environment.
Adama, one of the wardens said: “I’ve grown
up in Finsbury Park and so I know the
dangers on the streets. I can help reassure
people and reduce the fear of crime just by
being a presence on the street.”
Islington’s new street crime wardens had a
month’s intensive training which included
human rights law, conflict management and
dealing with people. They then shadowed the
waste enforcement team dealing with
abandoned vehicles and graffiti removal and
worked with trading standards on illegal street
trading.
“Islington is a diverse and friendly borough
and I wanted a job where I felt I was doing
something worthwhile.” said 33 year old Anil.
“The public’s reaction has been very positive,
lots of people stop us in the street to
encourage us and tell us how much they
support the scheme.”
In a recent exercise carried out by
Islington Council, a 14 year old girl
was able to buy alcohol in 14 out of
20 shops visited.
All the shops were in the Holloway Road
area – the volunteer teenager who was
working with council officers was able to
buy wine, lager and ‘alcopops’.
Retailer information packs are being sent
out so that sellers are fully aware of the
consequences of selling alcohol to people
who are underage. Future monitoring will
also take place.
Breakfast
clubs boom
Brighter safer streets
The first new street lights under the
council’s £25m private finance
initiative have been installed in Anson
Road, Tuffnell Park.
Under the five year scheme, 8,500 lamp
columns, traffic signs and pedestrian crossing
lights will be replaced with equipment
meeting modern standards. The work is
being carried out by the council’s contractors,
Seeboard.
The upgrade is being phased on a street-bystreet
basis to minimise parking disruption to
residents. Not all street lights or streets
are affected. If work is planned for your
street, you will receive a letter.
From April this year, all the council’s
power for street lights now comes from
greener sources such as wind, solar
and hydroelectric.
For information on the
lighting replacement
schedule until May 2004, ✆please call 020 7527 5000
Thanks to cash from the New
Opportunities Fund (NOF)
breakfast clubs are booming in
the borough. There are 400 new
affordable early morning
childcare places for children
aged 5-14 in sixteen Islington
schools, twelve primary and four
secondary.
This is a boon for working parents and
those who are training or seeking work.
Providing a calm and safe environment
in which children can start the day
helps them to learn more effectively.
For more information contact
Sophie Blume on
✆020 7527 5196
5

Council nobbles
nuisances
Helen Crowley and her partner
Ronald Garwood will be evicted
from their three bedroom property
on the Margery Street Estate in
Clerkenwell by Islington Council.
The council was granted a possession
order for their property at the Mayor’s
and City County Court on Wednesday
30 July 2003 as a result of their
sustained anti-social behaviour towards
their neighbours.
In October 2002 Helen Crowley was
arrested for racially aggravated
harassment and received a 12 month
prison sentance after pleading guilty to
the offence at Snaresbrook Crown
Court on 20 July 2003.
His Honour Judge Marr-Johnson
commented that “Both the defendant
and her partner were guilty of nuisance
and annoyance by way of excessive
noise and in particular by way of a long
campaign of harassment against their
neighbour”.
PC Barry Leach the local community
contact officer said “This result proves
that the courts will not tolerate anti
social behaviour and residents willing to
work with the council and the police can
make a huge difference in these matters
when they come forward and give
evidence as this tenant has today.”
Read a good paperback on your holidays?
Why not give other readers the chance to
share the pleasure by donating it to the library
service? We are looking for new and exciting
paperbacks to add to the library. We are
always happy to receive donations of popular
and interesting new paperbacks to extend
choice and encourage wider reading.
For more information please
phone 020 7527 6900 or log
on to www.islington.gov.uk/ ✆libraries
Children’s parliament
summit
22 Children’s Parliament members
(aged between 7-14 years, 12 boys, 10
girls) put their heads together at
Cardfields environmental study centre
in Essex.
The trip was a mix of having fun and working
together to look at issues of concern and
putting together action points and key
messages to take back to Islington Council.
The information gathered will be given to all
council heads of service and it will be used to
shape some of the service planning for the
council’s young people’s service. The
Summer university success
Islington’s sixth summer university had
a wonderful array of activities
throughout the month of August, with
54 classes in IT, languages, maths and
computers, visual arts and performing
arts. They were attended by young
people aged 10 to 19 who live, study or
work in Islington.
This year there were more IT and football
workshops at the Red Zone, a first ever cookery
course hosted by Shillibeers restaurant, and
digital technology workshops run by Actiondog
Productions. Classes on offer included junior
summer uni drama, street dance, photography,
DJ skills, gospel singing, Shakespeare for kidz,
‘brain gym’, girls only football, canoeing and
water sports and GCSE subjects such as
maths, science, art and languages and much
much more.
“
The students and staff were friendly
and I have learnt a lot of new skills
Advanced photography student.
”
information will also be presented to the
Islington Children’s Fund board.
Main issues
The three main issues identified were crime,
bullying and education. The young people
used group discussions, video, drama and art
to look at the underlying issues as well as
coming up with some of the ideas of how
things could be improved.
Nine year old Jordan who really enjoyed the
weekend said: “The best thing about the
weekend was just being here.”
And Madeleine, aged ten who also had a
great time said: “I liked making friends and
getting up to mischief.”
For more information about
the Children’s Parliament
please ring Lesley Kellard ✆on 020 7833 1388
“
I enjoyed the film and art work and found
out so many black people invented things
Black history student.
For more information please call the hotline on 020 7527 5558 or
✆email summeruniversity@islington.gov.uk
”
6

Creating success
It all kicked off with fantastic and free
performances by children and young
people from our schools on Islington
Green. There were also lunchtime and
evening musical performances on
Islington Green startling passers by as
100’s of children and young people
sang and danced. The performances of
Carmen and Guys and Dolls were
particularly praised, receiving four
stars in a local newspaper review for
their “highly enjoyable production”.
Celebrations
The week long celebration included a fantastic
carnival of colour in Whittington Park, which
attracted about 1,000 children and adults, a
carnival parade by the children of William
Tyndale School and a bell boat regatta on the
canal. The over 55’s got the chance to turn
their memories of Islington into a booklet and
parents were invited to an adult play day at
Crumbles Castle.
Exhibitions
As well as all that there were the numerous
workshops, exhibitions, open days and award
ceremonies that took place in venues like
Freightliners Farm, Holloway Odeon,
Whittington Hospital and playcentres
throughout the borough.
Activities
The Cape Play and Youth Project opened up its
doors every evening offering ‘taster’ sessions of
some of the new activities to children and
young people in the community. There was
plenty to do, including a bike ride along the
Parkland Walk, pottery and fun dance lessons
in one of the four new studios. Young people
were also able to use the internet suite and
health and fitness studio. The most popular
activity by far, though, was the chance to try
out the new bikes and go karts.
For more information about how you can get involved in Education Week
2004 and make it even bigger and better than this year, email:
✆educationweek@islington.gov.uk or call 020 7527 5909
7

Paper
recycling bins
The papers and magazines that litter the
tube can soon find a home in conveniently
sited recycling bins. Look out for them at
Archway, Arsenal, Caledonian Road,
Farringdon, Finsbury Park, Highbury &
Islington, Holloway Road, Old Street and
Tufnell Park tube stations. The plans also
include a bin outside Sainsbury’s on
Liverpool Road.
The distinctive 4ft high bins will be emptied
daily to prevent them overflowing. Islington
residents presently recycle a total of 3,250
tonnes of paper waste a year.
Convenient
Street properties are served by the green
box scheme which collects paper, glass and
aluminium. Mini recycling centres on estates
means it is easier than ever to give your
rubbish a ‘second chance’.
The borough is on target to meet recycling
rates of 10% by the end of the financial year.
For more information on the
council's recycling programme,
call Caroline Brimblecombe on ✆020 7527 4744
National childcare award
Islington’s own children’s information
service (CIS), received a top quality
award from the national association of
children’s information services (NACIS).
The award is because of the high standards
achieved in providing “a quality service to
users” and because there are “sound
business policies and practices in place”.
Since 2000 CIS has developed up-to-date
and accurate information about childcare on
a database and on the council’s website
www.islington.gov.uk/
childrensinformationservice
A survey of CIS users in spring 2003
showed how highly they regard the service.
✆
The CIS helpline –
020 7527 5959 is open 9am
to 5pm, Monday to Friday
The CIS will mailout lists of nurseries, childminders, other childcare provision, and the
job-sheet of vacancies in childcare work free of charge. These can also be found at
www.islington.gov.uk/childrensinformationservice
Homes you like
An Arms Length Management
Organisation (ALMO) could open the door
to £156m to improve Islington’s council
homes.
Tenant William McGarvie is convinced of the
benefits and has become an unpaid tenant
representative on the shadow ALMO board.
“Our sole purpose is to serve tenants and
leaseholders.” he said. “An ALMO would be
responsible for the day to day management
of the homes but the council would remain
the landlord and tenants would keep their
current rights including their secure council
tenancy. The council would also continue
to own the buildings and set rents. Islington
Council housing needs a lot of money
spent on it and the best opportunity to get
this money is an Islington ALMO. Where
else is the money going to come from?”
Islington Council currently owns 30,564
tenanted homes and 8,690 leasehold properties.
All council homes have to reach the government
set ‘decent homes standard’ by 2010. This
requires that the council make improvements to
the inside of tenants homes, particularly by
upgrading kitchens and bathrooms. 61% of
council homes currently fail to reach that
standard. A recent survey shows that 97% of
“
I believe that having an ALMO in Islington is crucial to the process if we are to meet the
decent home standard by 2010. Tenants of this borough have a democratic right to live in a
decent home, having elected tenant reps on the board will not only enhance the board but
make sure that tenants views are fundemental in driving the whole process forward. As an
elected tenant rep I see my role of making the tenants views heard and implemented
through the day to day running of the ALMO
”
Theresa Coyle
tenants think that their home needs some repair.
Over the next 10 years £179m needs to be
spent to ensure Islington tenants have decent
homes. This figure rises to £450 million over the
next 30 years.
Fellow board member Barbara Coventry
commented: “I’ve lived in Islington all my life,
I was born in a council flat and brought my
two children up on a council estate. I
believe that an Islington ALMO is the best
possible option to get the top quality social
housing Islington tenants deserve.”
An ALMO is able to raise extra money needed
to carry out repairs and improvements to council
homes.
The Islington ALMO would be run by a
management board that would be made up of
tenants and leaseholders, councillors and
independent people. They would oversee the
management of all council housing in the
borough and take all major decisions. The
ALMO money will be released providing a ‘twostar’
rating is achieved when the ALMO is
inspected in 2004.
All tenants can visit a showflat to see what
their kitchens and bathrooms could be like.
They can also see what designs and styles
they could choose from.
The council is writing to each tenant saying
where the nearest show flat is.
✆For more information please
contact your local housing
office. Council tenants and
leaseholders can look out for
their ALMO newsletter. And there is
information on our website
www.islington.gov.uk
email almo.team@islington.gov.uk
8

✁
What do you think of
Islington?
Your
chance
to win
£50
Style and contents
We try to make sure that Islington has a wide range
of interesting stories. Tell us what you think...
1. Do you prefer short news stories (such as
Paper recycling, page 8) or more detailed
articles (such as the Packington estate, page 2)
(Please tick ✓ one box only)
more short news stories
more detailed articles
the current balance is about right
2. Do you find the following features in
Islington useful?
(Please tick ✓ as appropriate)
‘Your Shout’ (page 2) yes no
Handy numbers (page 11) yes no
3. Has Islington been helpful in giving you
information about the council and its services?
(Please tick ✓ one box only)
yes
4. Do you get your copy of Islington
delivered every two months?
(Please tick ✓ one box only)
yes
5. Do you have access to the Internet?
(Please tick ✓ as many as apply)
at home
at work
at school/college
elsewhere
no
no
no
6. How do you prefer to contact the council?
(Please ✓ tick as many as apply)
telephone
email
internet
in person
in writing
7. Are there any recent articles or stories
which you particularly liked or found
useful? Please tell us which:
8. Are there any recent articles or stories which
you particularly disliked or were not
interested in? Please tell us which:
9. What subjects would you like to see more
of in Islington?
(Please tick ✓ as many as apply)
community news
crime/crime prevention
education/children
environmental issues
factual information about
council services
healthy living
information about how the
council is run
leisure opportunities
local celebrities
puzzles/competitions
regenerating the borough
other (please give details)
About you
You do not have to fill in this
part of the questionnaire but
the information would help us
to understand our readers and
plan the content of future editions.
Age
under 18 18-24 25-34
35-44 45-54 55-64
over 65
Gender
Male
Female
Ethnic origin
White Black/Black British
Asian/Asian British Mixed
Other
If you selected the ‘other’ categories, please
could you specify how you would further
describe yourself below:
.......................................................................
.......................................................................
Do you consider yourself to have a disability?
Yes
No
Thank you for taking the time
to complete this survey.
Please cut or tear out and send your
completed survey form to:
Islington Council Communications
FREEPOST LON18606
LONDON N1 2BR
I have completed the Islington readers’
survey and would like to enter the free
prize draw.
My name
My address
You can also complete and submit this survey
online at www.islington.gov.uk/newslettersurvey
My postcode
✁
Completed surveys must arrive by 1 November to be entered into the free prize draw to win £50.
Your name and address will remain confidential and will only be used to contact the prize winner. The prize draw is only open to residents of Islington.
Terms and conditions apply.
9

Aquaterra Leisure is a charity that runs the seven leisure centres
in Islington with financial assistance from Islington Council.
✆
Visit
the website
www.aquaterra.org or
call 020 7253 5365
for more information
New premier pitch for
Islington
Young people in Islington now have the
chance to play football on premiership
quality pitches at Market Road, N7.
Archway fitness
boost
Fitness fans in the north of the borough
are about to benefit from a £500,000
investment in Archway leisure centre.
The substantial refurbishment includes a new
mezzanine floor installed over the existing
gym. This light and airy new floor will have
views overlooking the leisure pool and will
house an extra 35 exercise stations. Both
levels will have a cardio-theatre with up to 16
TVs in total. There will be extra floor space for
stretching sessions and an additional free
weights area. There will also be additional new
changing rooms.
The pitches were the first Astroturf to be laid
in the UK back in 1972. Now they are state of
the art ‘natural feel’ grass pitches suitable for
playing top class football all year round,
whatever the weather. The new surfaces are
softer to land on and have a more natural
bounce. Transforming the pitches cost £340k
and is the first major investment coming from
the 15-year leisure contract between
Aquaterra Leisure and Islington Council.
Football Development Manager, Michael
MacNeill said: “Islington will have one of the
best full-size, public, artificial pitches not just
in North London, but the whole region. It’s a
‘new generation’ pitch for a new generation
of players.”
✆
For more information call
020 7700 1370
The leisure pool and sauna will be open
throughout the refurbishment but the current
gym is closed until the end of November. Liz
Penny, gym manager says: “The new gym will
be a great benefit to the community giving top
quality leisure provision at a price everyone
can afford.”
Archway Pool was opened back in 1991 by
the top British athlete Tessa Sanderson. It was
an instant success and a gym and sauna were
added a year later. It was one of the first
centres in the country to offer exercise on
prescription from local GPs and health
professionals. The cash injection was agreed
by Islington Council as part of the new 15 year
contract with Aquaterra Leisure.
Your personal trainer
• our new personal trainers can help you
achieve your goals faster and offer
constant motivation, at Islington’s leisure
centres this autumn.
• all our personal trainers hold the top
internationally recognised qualification.
They will also provide the highest level of
advice and attention - at a price everyone
can afford.
• Craig McIntyre, Highbury Pool’s gym
manager says: “You won’t see our trainers
standing with a clipboard while you sweat it
out on a treadmill. Instead they will be
actively involved in your training sessions
and eager to ensure you reach your goals.”
• sessions are £20 and you can split the cost
by working out with a friend. If you have a
concessionary membership the sessions
are £15.
✆
For further information,
please contact Craig
McIntyre at Highbury Pool's
gym on 020 7690 1588 or e-mail
craig.mcintyre@aquaterra.org
10

A “fantastic way of serving
the community”
Islington’s website has been awarded the crystal mark for plain English.
This is awarded by the Plain English campaign, and shows that we are committed to using plain
English throughout our site, www.islington.gov.uk
The Plain English campaign is an independent
organisation, which promotes the use of plain
English, stamping out the use of small print and
bureaucratic language in all sorts of
organisations including many local authorities.
Islington
business online
Handy contacts
in this issue
Abandoned vehicle hotline
020 7527 4814
abandoned.vehicles@islington.gov.uk
ALMO
almo.team@islington.gov.uk
Aquaterra
020 7253 5365
www.aquaterra.org
Areas online
www.islington.gov.uk/areasonline
Plain English founder and director, Chrissie
Maher, said:
“
Islington’s crystal-clear website is a
fantastic way of serving the community. The
webmaster has organised the site logically,
and avoided confusing jargon. This means
local residents can usually find the
information they need quickly and effectively,
without having to phone or visit the council.
We were particularly impressed by the way
many of the pages have relevant contact
details for anyone who needs more
information
”
For more information, visit:
www.plainenglish.co.uk/
✆index.html
A new website,
www.islingtonbusiness.info
aims to help local
businesses navigate
through the many
different web sites
that offer them help
and support. This one
stop shop for local
companies is specially
designed to be a quick
and easy way to find
information on the web.
For further information
contact Tony Swash on
020 7527 3496 or email ✆tswash@urban.islington.gov.uk
Breakfast clubs
020 7527 5197
Business information
020 7527 3496
tswash@urban.islington.gov.uk
Business partnership
020 7527 3185
businesspartnership@islington.gov.uk
Central complaints unit
020 7527 3007
central.complaints@islington.gov.uk
Children’s parliament
020 7833 1388
CIS helpline
020 7527 5959
www.islington.gov.uk/
childrensinformationservice
Education week
020 7527 5909
educationweek@islington.gov.uk
Calling all businesses
council wants to hear from businesses in
Islington on how things can be improved and
for them to feel they can approach the council
at any time for advice or to air any of their
concerns.
Co-ordinator Dave Quinton says: “We
have been out and about talking to
businesses and their support organisations,
finding out what businesses need from us and
what problems they face every day. This
partnership will help the council provide a
better service to local businesses.”
Estates parking section
020 7527 8669
Green electricity
020 7527 3517
Islington central library
020 7527 6900
www.islington.gov.uk/libraries
Lighting replacement schedule
020 7527 5000
Local councillor information
020 7527 2000
Pension service
0800 99 1234
textphone: 0800 169 0133
Personal training
020 7690 1588
craig.mcintyre@aquaterra.org
Plain English campaign
www.plainenglish.co.uk/index.html
Islington’s businesses, big and small,
are being invited to join a new
business partnership being set up by
Islington Council. Businesses are
invited to join a steering group to help
shape the way forward.
The business regulation partnership is aiming
to help streamline the regulatory maze faced
by almost every business in the borough as
well as looking at other local issues. The
New web pages are now online at
www.islington.gov.uk/
businessregulationpartnership and these
contain guidance notes, frequently asked
questions, news and the opportunity to
register at no charge.
✆Businesses can contact the
co-ordinator Dave Quinton on
020 7527 3185 or by e-mail at
businesspartnership@islington.gov.uk
Premier pitch
020 7700 1370
Recycling programme
020 7527 4744
Summer university
020 7527 5558
summeruniversity@islington.gov.uk
Your Views
020 7527 3416
residents.news@islington.gov.uk
11