Download Islington - Issue 7 - Islington Council

www.islington.gov.uk Issue 7, 2002
Nursery
schools
outstanding
Two nursery schools have
been singled out for an extra special
mention by schools inspectors
OFSTED.
In his annual report for 2000-01, Mike
Tomlinson, the chief inspector of schools,
recognises both as being among the 220
outstanding schools in the country from the
3,500 primary and nursery schools OFSTED
inspected last year.
The success of North Islington nursery school
North Islington nursery school
is a particularly remarkable achievement. The
school went through a transformation
between 1998 and 2000, expanding from 70
to 95 places. The nursery now offers daycare
and education 48 weeks of the year.
particularly pleased with the way the
children’s skills and talents were celebrated in
the report. We are delighted that the
inspectors valued the hard work and team
effort from staff, governors and parents.”
The headteacher of North Islington Nursery
School, Ian Senior said “I am proud of the
achievements of our team and the children
themselves, particularly in such a short period
of time and during a significant period of
change.”
Council tax down,
third year running
Margaret McMillan nursery school
Margaret McMillan nursery school has already
been awarded ‘Beacon’ status by the
Department for Education and Skills as a
national model of excellence.
The school offers over 150 places for babies
to five year olds.
Headteacher Mary Hart said “We were
Your council tax bill has dropped by
£10 this year despite a big increase in
the amount residents have to pay for
Londonwide services such as the
police and fire brigade.
This follows a similar cut last year and £25
the year before. Islington council tax is now
below the London average.
Look inside for more about what’s happening in and around Islington…
lollipops changing rooms aquaterra leisure greener borough recycling

Welcome
Welcome to Issue
7 of Islington
From Leisha Fullick, Chief Executive
of Islington Council
The severe drop in turnout for the 2001
general election (from 71.4% in 1997 to
54.9%) meant that fewer than 6 out of
10 eligible voters took part in the
democratic process.
Local elections will be held in all
London boroughs on 2 May. If we fail
to vote, we miss out on an important
opportunity to shape the future of our
community.
Remember you must be registered to
be able to vote. It is too late to register
now. You can check if you are already
on the register by calling 020 7527 3110.
If you are on the electoral register, you
will receive your poll card approximately
two to three weeks before the election.
In this election, Islington will be divided
into 16 areas called wards. Electors will
be asked to vote for up to three
councillors per ward. Ward boundaries
have changed for this election so you may
not be voting in the same ward or the
same polling station as you have before.
Look at your polling card carefully.
Please don't miss out on this valuable
opportunity - it only comes around
once every four years.
You can get more information about
active citizenship by looking at the
following websites.
www.citizen.org.uk
Institute for Citizenship
www.obv.org.uk
Operation Black Vote
www.islington.gov.uk
Islington Council's website
Golden Jubilee
Community groups are
invited to apply for a share of
£50,000 made available for
Golden Jubilee celebrations.
Applications should be made
to the Cripplegate Foundation,
76 Central Street, London
EC1V 8AG.
Telephone 020 7336 8062, or
e-mail rachel@cripplegate.org.uk
The keenly-awaited decision from the Secretary of State, Stephen
Byers, on the Arsenal planning application proposals has now
been received.
He has decided he is satisfied with the council’s handling of the three
applications at Ashburton Grove, Lough Road and Highbury.
The Mayor for London has already indicated his approval
of the scheme which was approved by the council on 10 December.
English Heritage have also approved the
proposals. Pending further “fine-tuning”
negotiations, the council will
grant planning permission.
The decision has been
reached after lengthy, thorough
and comprehensive
consideration of all the relevant
issues.
The council believes its decision will
benefit both the people of Islington
and Arsenal FC as well as delivering
regeneration benefits to the local
community and the wider London area.
Please apply before 12 April 2002.
Applicants are also advised to
contact the borough's licensing
office to check whether they
need a music and dancing
licence and whether any road
closure is necessary.
Please call Terrie Lane on
020 7527 3047/3052 or 3879.
Arsenal update
Barnsbury Area
Traffic reduction scheme
After a major consultation earlier this year, the council has
listened to what people had to say and agreed to implement
measures aimed at reducing through traffic by 30% during peak
hours in the Barnsbury area.
There will be no road closures, but instead a mix of 20mph speed limits, new
traffic signals and chicanes will be completed in time for the implementation
of the London Mayor's congestion charge in 2003.
Over 16,000 people were consulted in one of the largest traffic schemes
proposed for the borough in the last decade.
Your Shout
Below are some of the letters, e-mails and phone calls we received in response to the last issue
Cleaner Islington @
I have lived in Whitehall Park for 24 years
and I love my street and this area. Thank
you for having the blitz on the abandoned
cars always blocking the pedestrian
crossings between Cressida Road and
Gladsmuir Road - they were an eyesore. I
walk to the bus stop every morning
through the awful graffiti covered
underpass. Is there any scheme afoot to
make the open spaces less threatening
and more friendly?
Islington Council is committed to the
removal of abandoned vehicles as part
of improving the appearance of
Islington's streets. Owners whose
vehicles have come to the end of their
lives should call 020 7527 4814 and the
council will take them away for free.
The council wants more people to
report the presence of abandoned
vehicles on the streets. You can do this
by sending an e-mail to
abandoned.cars@islington.gov.uk or
calling 020 7527 4814.
Graffiti is another key target for the
council's environmental team. A three
month blitz on graffiti along the route
of the A1 is taking place. Estate and
park wardens are also tasked with
responding to graffiti. And as part of
the council’s commitment to making
the borough a nicer place to live, we
have also planted 250 new trees in this
planting season alone.
Distribution ✆
I have lived in Islington for many years.
This is the first copy of Islington I have
received - why have I not received it
before?
Our apologies, Islington was first
introduced in March 2001 as a way of
telling you more about the council, its
services and what is happening in the
borough. This is our seventh issue. We
aim to deliver Islington free of charge
to all the residents and businesses in
the borough. Anyone who is not
receiving it on a regular basis should
please contact communications on
020 7527 3028 or send an e-mail to
residents.news@islington.gov.uk
Islington ✆
I am a disabled person and I think that
Islington is very good - it gave me
lots of useful information about what is
going on in the borough and the
services that are available to me.
Thank you for your kind comments
about Islington. We try to make sure
that each edition contains something
of interest to everyone in the borough
and we are pleased to hear that you
find it informative.
Quality of council services @
I have just received a copy of Islington and
I am taking up your invitation to
air views on services. I do think that the
repairs service has gone downhill.
Can I suggest that tenants are given
evaluation sheets?
One of my main concerns which has never
been addressed is the amount of illegally
parked and dumped cars. I don't know
why we don't have enforced restrictions on
parking. This would make the estate a
nicer place to live, instead of a car park. I
don't know if this is something you could
look into but I would be very grateful if you
could.
The council wants to make sure that
tenant’s repairs are carried out quickly
and efficiently so we carry out regular
monitoring of the performance of
Repairline. Its published figures show
that telephone answering standards
are improving. Similarly, figures
indicate that the performance of those
the council employ to carry out repairs
is also improving. There is always room
for further improvement.
You will be pleased to hear that the
council proposes to introduce tenant
evaluation forms in the second half of
this year.
If you contact the housing officer in
your housing office, staff will arrange
to consult with residents of the estate
about the introduction of parking
restrictions.
Incorrect phone numbers ✆
The number for the tree service is
incorrect on handy numbers. Could you let
me know what the correct number is?
We are sorry that we included an
incorrect number for handy numbers
on the back page of the last edition.
The number which accompanied the
article was correct but unfortunately,
we included the wrong prefix on the
handy numbers section on the back
page. The number for the tree service
should have read 020 7527 4946. We
apologise for any inconvenience this
may have caused.
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
E-mail: residents.news@islington.gov.uk
Write to: Leisha Fullick, 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.
2 3

Islington’s Performance Plan
Welcome to this summary of Islington Council’s best value
performance plan for 2002-2003.
Operation lollipop
Your school crossing
Our performance plan is intended to help local people gain
a better understanding of what the council does and hold
us to account for our performance. It sets out what the
council has achieved over the last year and outlines our
priorities for the year ahead.
The full performance plan will be published on 30 June and
will be available on the council’s website
www.islington.gov.uk or from Debra Nicholls, Room G04,
Town Hall, Upper Street, N1 2UD. Phone 0207 527 3321.
● an artist’s
impression of the
plans for Finsbury
Park Station:
Islington Council
is working in
partnership with
a wide range of
organisations and
local people to
renovate the area
Many of us have fond memories of our own
lollipop ladies and men helping us across
the road to school. These unsung heroes of
road safety perform a terrific job, working
outdoors in all weathers.
needs YOU!
Today, they have to go on a special training and
development programme. Lollipops are often
the first on the scene at a road traffic accident
so they learn street safety and first aid.
Modern lollipops earn over £6 per hour, with
a uniform allowance and further opportunities
for training and development. Islington has
vacancies for 11 lollipops.
Says lollipop Mrs Margaret Lonergan “I
started at the Mackenzie Road crossing in
September 1975 at the beginning of the
school term. And 27 years later I am still there
at the same crossing enjoying my work.”
Keep your eyes peeled
● lollipops can’t be licked
“Some of the children I saw across the road
now have children of their own and it
gives me great satisfaction to see them all
getting on.”
✆
Could
you be a lollipop?
Please contact Liz Wathen
on 020 7527 2612.
This summary focuses on the council’s progress in meeting
its four top priorities. These are:
● improving performance
● regenerating Islington
● making Islington greener
● putting people first
The summary shows that Islington is making progress in
social services and education. Both of these services had
previously been criticised by independent inspection
agencies, which now recognise their recent improvement.
While we are pleased that our progress in these areas has
been recognised, we know that there is still some way to
go. We are determined that all our services will continue to
improve over the coming year.
Working together for a better Islington
● a safer, more inclusive Islington
● learning Islington
● a place to work and do business
When asked, local people agreed strongly with these
priorities and put forward many ideas and suggestions for
how to make the community strategy a success.
We are committed to making the vision of the community
strategy a reality. Better council services will play a major
part in this. The performance plan enables the council to
monitor its progress year on year and helps us to make our
services more effective in meeting local needs.
Improving performance
The full performance plan will contain information on over
100 indicators of council performance. It is not possible to
include details of all these in this summary.
"A host of eyes on Islington's streets,
letting the council know exactly where the
problems are so we can fix them."
That's how the council's environment team
is describing "Eyes for Islington" an exciting
project,starting now, to recruit a team of
volunteers to help improve Islington's
environment.
Their mission will be to help the council keep
streets in order, reporting everything from
broken pavements, abandoned vehicles, and
flytipping to defective street lights.
The council is looking for anyone living or
working in Islington to take part. School
children who are prepared to keep their eyes
open and spend a few minutes every week
reporting any problems they see are welcome
to join in.
Direct access to key council staff via a hotline
number or e-mail will help the "eyes" to report
problems promptly.
Islington aims to recruit 200 "eyes" to hit the
streets this summer and have 1,500 looking
out for Islington within two years.
✆
If
you want to find out
more about becoming one
of Islington's "eyes",
please contact Pat or Tia
on 020 7527 2023.
The council recognises that one organisation acting alone
cannot deal successfully with the issues that matter most
to local people - crime, health, education, housing and
jobs. Because of this, other organisations working in the
borough have joined with the council to create the Islington
Strategic Partnership.
Although the strategic partnership is concerned with
improving local services in the present, it is also looking to
the future. After consultation with local people, a long term
community strategy has been agreed.
The community strategy sets out issues and priorities for
action under six main themes:
● affordable quality homes
● a cleaner, greener Islington
● healthier Islington
The council takes performance improvement very seriously.
Councillors and senior managers closely monitor whether
we are meeting our performance targets. Regular
meetings are held with service providers to discuss the
progress they have made. Leading councillors meet on a
monthly basis to consider the progress of the top 50
performance indicators, while senior managers monitor the
performance of all council services through quarterly
review meetings.
The council also seeks to improve the standard of its
services through an annual programme of reviews. Every
review compares Islington’s performance with other
service providers to see where improvements can be
made. We consult local people to ensure that our services
do what people want and are convenient to use. Finally,
each service reviewed is required to demonstrate that it is
competitive with those provided elsewhere.
4 5

PERFORMANCE PLAN SUMMARY
PERFORMANCE PLAN SUMMARY
To ensure that our reviews are carried out thoroughly they
are examined by external inspectors. In 2001-02, 13
services were inspected. Over 75% of these were found to
be likely to improve in the coming year.
to address the issues identified by the inspectors.
Overall, the inspectors found that Islington “is clear about
what it is aiming to do. It has made rapid progress in the
last two or three years… The extent of change represents a
very significant achievement”.
meadows in at least three more areas (Caledonian Park,
Elthorne Park and St Jude’s and St Paul’s open space).
● Islington's
review of its
Greenspace
services was
praised by the
Best Value
Inspectorate
While there is still a way to go, the council aims to build on
its recent achievements in the year ahead.
Regenerating Islington
Islington has a thriving local economy and a vibrant,
multicultural community. It is a place where people want to
live and work.
● the Business
Design Centre is
a symbol of the
regeneration of
the borough
Making Islington greener
● Islington
Council is
cracking down
on abandoned
vehicles
Making progress in education
The findings of the OFSTED inspection team which
reviewed Islington’s school service were published in
March 2001. Among the main conclusions OFSTED found
that the council was working well with its main service
provider, CEA@Islington.
Islington’s first OFSTED inspection report was critical of
many aspects of our schools service. In late 2000, OFSTED
began a further inspection. This inspection concentrated
on our effectiveness in raising standards in schools.
The inspection team noted that “the task facing the local
education authority has been a formidable one, but, to a
remarkable extent, it has been successfully accomplished”.
While acknowledging that much work still needs to be
done, it also concluded that “the tide has turned in
Islington”.
Making progress in social services
During 2001, the Audit Commission and the Social Services
Inspectorate jointly carried out a review of Islington’s social
services.
The inspectors noted that the borough’s social services
have been poor in the past, but that the council has made
substantial progress in recent years.
The report also identified a number of areas where further
improvement can be made. These include improving
customer care and tackling outstanding gaps in provision.
The council has now produced a detailed work programme
But alongside the signs of wealth, government figures
show that Islington has some of the most deprived
neighbourhoods in the country.
Crime, health, employment, jobs, housing and the
environment are concerns for everyone. Regeneration is
therefore a high priority for Islington Council.
The council is working successfully in a diverse range of
partnerships to invest millions of pounds to improve
different areas of the borough - for example, King’s Cross,
Finsbury Park and the area of the borough bordering the
City of London. A further major development is the
proposal by Arsenal FC to build a new stadium in the
borough.
Other partnerships address a specific theme, such as the
Islington Crime Reduction Partnership, the Camden and
Islington health action zone and the Connexions
partnership, which works to improve the life chances of
young people.
The local partnerships are working together in the Islington
Strategic Partnership to improve the borough and support
local people. For example, in 2001-02, the council and its
partners enabled 580 people to gain new qualifications to
help them find work. Another 490 people were helped to
get jobs.
In 2001, Islington also received £14.1m of neighbourhood
renewal funding from the government. The council is now
developing a comprehensive neighbourhood renewal
strategy for the borough, designed to ensure that local
services are more efficient and easier to use.
During 2001-02, we continued to work towards a greener
borough. Among our main achievements, we:
● piloted the extension of a recycling scheme to
estate properties
● planted over 250 new trees in the borough
● removed between 300 and 400 abandoned
vehicles per month
● in conjunction with Groundwork, introduced the
Islington community environmental scheme, which
gives small grants to local projects
● opened a new park at Royal Northern Gardens
● refurbished St Mary’s Church gardens and Wray
Crescent open space
● established composting facilities in twenty parks
● created wildflower meadows in three parks – Royal
Northern, Whittington Rosemary Gardens and
Barnard Park
● recycled over 3,500 Christmas trees
● spent over £60,000 on the removal of fly posters
and graffiti along the route of the A1 between the
Angel and Archway
● introduced five popular park rangers to patrol
Islington’s open spaces
During 2002-03, the council intends to strengthen its work
on illegal rubbish dumping and graffiti clearance, and
recruit a team of volunteer ‘street watchers’ to inform the
council about local environmental problems. We also want
to reduce pollution from council vehicles by introducing
emission filters, and explore the potential of electric
vehicles by purchasing an electric van for use on a trial
basis. We will introduce a more sustainable planting policy
in the borough that will promote wildlife habitats and
involve less chemical weed control and introduce wildflower
Putting people first
Islington Council wants to make it as easy as possible for
local residents and businesses to know what is happening
in the borough and how to contact council services.
A borough newsletter, Islington was introduced in March
2001 and seven issues full of information about council
services have been delivered to all local households and
businesses.
We also improved and relaunched our website
www.islington.gov.uk in July 2001. Many services can now
be accessed on-line, including complaints and job
applications. And a new service for paying council tax bills
on-line is planned for the near future.
The council has asked residents for their views on a wide
range of issues this year, including parking and traffic
management schemes and crime prevention priorities. We
have also asked local people for their view on Arsenal
football club redevelopment proposals which will bring
about major regeneration in their area.
The council also carries out a survey of residents’ attitudes
every year. This tells us what people think of local services.
In 2001, the most important issues for people in Islington
were:
● rising crime
● quality of the health service
● traffic congestion
● the level of council tax
6
7

PERFORMANCE PLAN SUMMARY
Who’s line is it anyway?
Trees count
TV presenter Clive Anderson joined talented
Islington musicians, local residents and
community representatives from all over the
borough to launch Islington’s community plan
in January.
We are acting on these concerns. Crime and health
issues are being addressed through the wake of a wide
range of partnerships. The council has implemented a
number of traffic management and speed reduction
schemes and a programme of controlled parking zones. It
promotes safer routes to schools, measures to improve
walking and cycling, and bus priority and travel awareness
initiatives. The council has also reduced the level of council
tax in each of the last three years.
Another major consultation process was the democracy
referendum, held in May 2001. This gave local people their
say on what new political arrangements the council should
introduce and as a result we will be operating a “leader and
executive” system.
After the local elections in May 2002, an executive of
elected councillors will meet in public to take important
decisions in the council. This should help us deal better
with issues that cut across traditional departmental
boundaries, such as crime and regeneration, and take an
integrated approach to services to particular groups in the
community, such as young people and the elderly.
Other councillors will play an important role in scrutinising
the executive. Where they think the executive is wrong,
they will be able to ask it to reconsider its decisions. There
will also be three review committees, covering regeneration,
sustainability and performance. These will be responsible
for ensuring that local services provide value for money and
are achieving their objectives. The full council will meet to
set the budget.
Talking at the launch Clive Anderson said:
“Islington is a challenging borough to live in,
as any borough in a big city has to be. There
are people living on top of and alongside
each other. Islington in particular draws its
strength from the fact that there are all sorts
of people living cheek by jowl. I’m going to
throw my weight behind all the enterprise
here to make Islington a brighter and even
better place. Let’s go forward with making
Islington better.”
The community plan is the work of the
Islington Partnership – a group of
organisations who have come together to
work towards making Islington a better place
to live, learn, work and do business. The
partners include the police, NHS, the council,
Did you know that the council is
introducing a range of discounts for
vehicle owners in the borough?
Drivers with engines below 1400 cc and
those powered by a recognised greener
fuel such as electric, LPG or hybrid, will
be entitled to a discount of £20 on their
residents’ parking fees – normally £95.
People who don't own their own car but
do hire one can apply for a yearly parking
permit costing £10 a year.
● banging the drum for Islington
User friendly parking
local businesses, housing associations,
educational bodies, the voluntary sector and
community based regeneration projects.
Permits and vouchers are also available
for carers visiting disabled people or
those receiving disability living allowance
or attendance allowance at a
concessionary rate of of 30p per hour.
Discretionary permits are available for
teachers to use CPZs and for extra bays
for doctors.
For further information please contact the
parking service on 020 7527 2287.
Islington has not only a surprisingly high
number of street trees but it has them in
amazing diversity. This becomes
particularly evident as they burst into leaf
each spring.
There are currently 9,700 street trees in
Islington. And they are only part of the
picture. From our estimates, there are
probably another 9,000 trees on housing
estates, 4,000 in parks and goodness
knows how many in private gardens.
One Islington tree has received special
recognition: the magnificent mature beech
in Barnsbury Park has been designated a
“Great Tree of London”.
We would be very pleased to hear from
you about your favourite tree. Our tree
officers would be happy to nominate more
“Great Trees of London”.
✆
Have you any proposals
for Islington’s “great
trees”? If so please
contact Gavin Rees on
020 7527 4946.
On Monday 11 March at Laycock
Street open space, a golden ash was
planted in honour of the Queen’s
Golden Jubilee. This is the 500th new
tree the council has planted since
January 2000.
Four area committees are planned. These will enable local
people to have their say on matters that concern or interest
them.
Changing rooms!
The council has earmarked £200,000 to redecorate the rooms of
eligible elderly or disabled council tenants.
Tenants choose two new look rooms from a selection of paints and
wallpapers in a range of colours and patterns. By the end of March it is
expected that over 250 homes will have had their makeover.
Delighted tenant Mrs Elsa Topping, said “I’m really happy with the work
that has been done, my kitchen is beautiful, I’m delighted with it. And,
the workmen were good, really considerate.”
● the council
is making more
of its services
accessible
on-line
● Elsa’s
delighted with
her free home
makeover
The council will consider applications from tenants aged 70 or over or a
disabled person in receipt of a recognised disability allowance with no
other able bodied person under 60 living in their household.
Please contact your area housing office if you are interested.
8 9

Saturday University provides creative spark
Finsbury Town Hall to be opened!
Islington’s young and aspiring photographers,
web designers, video makers and music
programmers are taking part in the council’s
exciting new multimedia classes which are
being held on Saturday mornings at the
University of North London. 35 students from
five Islington secondary schools are grasping
the opportunity to learn new skills in a
university environment with the latest
technology and professional tutors.
The 10 week course gives the students an
insight into the skills needed to be successful
in the world of multimedia, including the
importance of teamwork.
✆
For
● learning on Saturday mornings
further information, please contact the Saturday University Office
on 020 7527 5558. Courses are restricted to students aged 14-18
who either live in Islington, or attend Islington schools.
Finsbury Town Hall will be refurbished and available
for community use after 12 years of closure.
Following consultation, the council has decided that
Berkeley Homes will redevelop the building. The
dilapidated building will be refurbished into flats.
There will be a restaurant bar and coffee shop on the
ground floor and the Great Hall and historic Council
Chamber will be handed over to a community trust.
The trust will be made up of local community
representatives and it will manage the space to give
access to community events.
The proposals need planning permission, paying
particular attention to disability access; and
Secretary of State's consent. Planning permission
will be sought in June and we expect work to reopen
the building will begin next year.
Recycling
For over a year, people on Upper Hilldrop
estate, N7, have been able to recycle paper,
glass and food and drinks cans.
This successful initiative is thanks to the
commitment of the tenants and residents’
association.
The council aims to extend the service to an
additional 50 estates or blocks in the next
year so more people can “do their bit” for the
environment.
A day out at
seven leisure
centres for
£3.20 or less...
For the ninth year running, Islington’s leisure
centres are throwing open their doors on
Monday 6 May for a cut price open day. For
the bargain price of £3.20 for adults and
£1.70 for children you can visit any of the
seven centres and try any or all of the
activities. Coaches will be on hand to give
advice and equipment is free.
Sobell Leisure Centre offers the widest variety
of sports including trampolining, ice skating,
badminton, squash and exercise classes. The
four pools are offering a combination of fun
sessions, lane swimming and taster
swimming lessons. All the gyms will be open
to non members for the day with instructors
showing people how to use gym equipment.
Special offers will be available to those
thinking of joining.
To join in, just turn up on the day at your local
leisure centre to buy a ticket. Programmes are
available at the centres from April. Free buses
will transport customers between the centres
from 10am.
✆
Visit
the website
www.aquaterra.org or
phone 020 7253 5365
for more information.
● try out our leisure centres on our bargain open day
FREE if you are over 60 – the Izz Card!
This card gets you big reductions at our leisure centres including free swimming from
9am - 4pm weekdays and all day weekends. You can also use saunas, exercise
classes and gyms for only £1 at any time. Just turn up at any of the borough’s seven
leisure centres with proof of your age to get your free card.
Coming soon to an
open space near you…
A lot of green improvements are taking
place as a result of the Islington
Community Environmental Scheme.
A panel of local representatives select
beneficiaries from 15 Islington schools,
youth clubs and community organisations to
receive a share of the £50,000 fund.
Some of the successful projects
include:
Martineau Community Nursery - £4,865 for
landscaping of a neglected garden into
a seaside themed area, transformed by
timber decking, shells and a sandy beach
in resplendent pastel colours.
Rose Bowl Youth Club - £4,035 to repeat a
very successful cycling project that they ran
last summer. The project involves
recycling old and broken bikes, teaching
young people about cycle maintenance and
road safety as well as giving participants the
chance to own their own bike.
Centre 404 - £4,800 for an environment
project to develop a green space for people
with learning difficulties and their families. The
area will be used for gardening and horticulture,
social events, sports and play.
● Louis Zanetti of Martineau Nursery
St Mark’s School - £1,500 to celebrate
black history. The project involves the pupils
designing a bench made out of mosaic
depicting inventions by black people. The
school intends to use recycled materials
where possible and install the bench
in the playground.
New Orleans Walk Tenants & Residents
Association - £698 for a gardening
equipment “lending library” for people to
borrow basic tools to work in their gardens
and on communal green spaces.
Scoop Doggy Dog
There are increased enforcement
powers to tackle the nuisance of
dog mess.
The council has announced that
any owner who fails to clean up
after their pet is now liable for an
on the spot fine of £25.
Clerkenwell
Green toiletswhat
happens next
Following an extensive programme of
public consultation, Islington Council
will not sell the disused toilets at
Clerkenwell Green.
The council had proposed that the sale of the
underground toilets block which have been
unused for 12 years would contribute funds
for extensive environmental improvements in
the locality.
Over 5,000 questionnaires were distributed in
Clerkenwell and 395 respondents voted two
to one against any sale. The derelict toilets
will now be capped, cleaning up work
undertaken and the historic railings repainted.
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Handy numbers in
this issue
Abandoned cars 020 7527 4814
Aquaterra Leisure 020 7253 5365
Community Safety 020 7527 3180
Cripplegate Foundation 020 7336 8062
Electoral Registration 020 7527 3110
Eyes for Islington 020 7527 2023
Great Trees 020 7527 4946
Licensing 020 7527 3047/52
Lollipop 020 7527 2612
Parking service 020 7527 2287
Performance Plan 020 7527 3321
Saturday University 020 7527 5558
Your Views 020 7527 3416
Crimefighting
boost
The fight against crime has been boosted by
the announcement that Islington has won
£33,000 to help cash strapped shopkeepers
tackle crime and disorder. The plan was put
together by the council's community safety and
regeneration teams.
The shops at the north end of Essex Road have
been suffering from a number of criminal
activities in recent years, including racial
harassment, burglary, threats and theft.
Mr Durak of the family owned restaurant Sultan
Ahmet said: "My business has suffered from
vandalism and burglary. This money means that
I can replace locks and install new doors and
windows." The council's repairs contractor,
Caxton Islington are doing the security works.
North End Essex Road Business Association
spokesperson Saro commented: "Our
members are delighted and we will continue to
work with the council, the police and the
community to improve the area."
Funding has been allocated for a radiolink
scheme in Junction Road. Small shopkeepers
will be given 30 radios so they can stay in touch
and warn each other of criminal activity.
Junction Road residents and traders
association chair Chris Roche also welcomed
the initiative: "I am delighted with the news, as
are the traders I have spoken to. There has
been an unprecedented level of crime and
police activity in recent weeks making this news
all the more welcome."
Normal collection day
EASTER HOLIDAY
Revised collection day
Friday 29 March 2002 Tuesday 2 April 2002
Monday 1 April 2002 Wednesday 3 April 2002
Tuesday 2 April 2002 Thursday 4 April 2002
Wednesday 3 April 2002 Friday 5 April 2002
Thursday 4 April 2002 Saturday 6 April 2002
Friday 5 April 2002 Monday 8 April 2002
Monday 8 April 2002 Tuesday 9 April 2002
Tuesday 9 April 2002 Wednesday 10 April 2002
Wednesday 10 April 2002 Thursday 11 April 2002
Thursday 11 April 2002 Friday 12 April 2002
Friday 12 April 2002 Saturday 13 April 2002
Normal collection services resume on Monday 15 April 2002
Normal collection day
Refuse Collection
MAY DAY
Revised collection day
Monday 6 May 2002 Tuesday 7 May 2002
Tuesday 7 May 2002 Wednesday 8 May 2002
Wednesday 8 May 2002 Thursday 9 May 2002
Thursday 9 May 2002 Friday 10 May 2002
Friday 10 May 2002 Saturday 11 May 2002
Normal collection services resume on Monday 13 May 2002
Crime concerns
Elizabeth Townend wins £75 in the crime questionnaire prize draw
The community safety team sent out 6,000 crime concern questionnaires to people
who live and work in the borough. Street crime emerged as the primary concern
followed by violence, burglary and youth disorder. Many people commented that
there were insufficient police on the beat and that street lighting needed to be
improved.
The responses will form a key part of the community safety strategy to reduce crime
and disorder over the next three years. It will be published and available on the
community safety section of the council’s website from 1 April 2002 or available
from Community Safety, Room G15, Town Hall, Upper Street, N1 2UD.
Phone 020 7527 3180.
The community safety
audit has just been
published. This gives a
detailed analysis of crime
and disorder issues in
Islington between 1998
and 2001. The audit can be
seen on the community
safety page of the council
website
www.islington.gov.uk. or
is available from
Community Safety,
Room G15, Town Hall,
Upper Street, N1 2UD.
Phone 020 7527 3180.
● Elizabeth
Townend pictured
here with Chief
Superintendant
Ron Hope
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