Islington has a New Leadership Team

Islington Council last night voted for an Executive of eight Lib Dems to run the Council.

New Lib Dem leader James Kempton said

"It is a great honour to be Leader of Islington Council and to lead the ruling administration. I want to be judged by the way in which we build stronger communities, create a greener and more sustainable borough and improve the quality of life and life chances for everyone who lives here.

"I am ambitious for Islington and so are the fantastic Executive team who can't wait to get to work serving this Borough."

Leader - James Kempton

James was born in Islington and has served on Islington council for 12 years. For the last 6 years he has led Children's Services in the borough. Under his leadership Islington schools have seen our GCSE results rise dramatically and the government has returned control of schools back to the Council.

The changes he has made to education in Islington have built him a national reputation on the subject, and his advice is regularly sought by other Councils, the media and government. As part of this national role he has also been the Vice Chair of the Children and Young Peoples Board of the Local Government Association.

Before becoming a councillor James was Chief Executive of the Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health until he moved to become a history teacher at an East London comprehensive school.

Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Housing and Communities -Terry Stacy

Terry has been a councillor in Islington for four years. A key member of the executive throughout this time Terry has driven the improvement of Islington council. He played a key role in Audit Commission's recognition of Islington as "the fastest Improving Council in the country," leading on improvements such as faster clear up of graffiti, better quality street cleaning, and faster housing repairs.

Before becoming a councillor in Islington Terry worked as a housing and Regeneration consultant, chair of one of the fastest growing Registered Social Landlords (RSLs) in London and a tenant board member of Circle Anglia the fifth largest RSL in the country. Terry is also a tenant inspection advisor for the audit commission and has done a number of tenant housing inspections across the country.

Deputy Leader and Executive Member for the Environment - Lucy Watt.

Lucy was the youngest member of council when elected in 2002. At 28, she is now one of the youngest deputy council leaders in the country.

For the last two years Lucy has chaired the sustainability review committee, where she has worked to develop the council's policy relating to the environment and transport - such as the use of uPVC windows in council housing and investigated the council's relationship with local shops.

In her own ward Lucy has campaigned on transport issues such as against the introduction of bendy buses on route 38 and was successful in securing more parking spaces on and around Essex Road, to support the small shops. She also chaired the East Canonbury Traffic Calming Residents Group - helping mediate between neighbours who wanted different levels of traffic calming measures on their roads.

Professionally, Lucy has worked in government relations and policy development for Working Links (Employment) Ltd, an organisation that helps long-term unemployed people overcome their barriers and find work.

Executive Member for Finance - Andrew Cornwell

New Councillor for St George's ward, Andrew is a financial journalist and environmental campaigner. He has been a Board Member of the London Pensions Fund Authority for the past five years.

Andrew moved to Islington in 1988 and has been an active campaigner on local transport issues, particularly as Chair of the Management Committee of the Islington's Cyclists' Action Group for the past two years.

Andrew was a parliamentary candidate for the Green Party in 2001 and was later elected Chair of the Greens' National Executive. He joined the Liberal Democrats in 2004 and is now Vice-Chair of Green Liberal Democrats, the environmental group within the party.

Executive Member for Health and Adult Social Care - John Gilbert.

A new councillor with an outstanding record in his professional life, John has lived in Islington for 14 years with his family. He is a finance solicitor with an international law firm where he was a partner until 2006.

John is involved in three Islington charities as a Trustee of Manor Gardens Centre, which pioneers community healthcare projects, a governor of the Cripplegate foundation and involved in a night shelter scheme as an active member of Christ Church in Highbury. Through his connections at Christ Church he is also involved with Housing Justice, a national charity co-ordinating the response of churches to homelessness.

John wants to dedicate himself to making a difference to some of the most vulnerable residents in Islington.

Executive Member for Children - Ursula Woolley.

Ursula is another new councillor on the executive. She lives in Archway with her husband and three young children who are all at school in her ward.

Before moving to Islington at the end of 1999 Ursula spent 13 years with the British Council developing partnerships between the UK and Eastern Europe, in part in the field of education reform. With a family herself Ursula is passionate about local education and wants to continue to build on the success of Islington's secondary schools and of all its young people.

Executive Member for Customer Focus - George Allan.

George has been a councillor for 8 years and Executive member for Customer Focus for four years. In the last four years he has introduced the popular Contact Islington centre, and the new licensing regime. His portfolio has been extended to include leisure the Olympics and libraries.

George has been a solicitor with BT and has been a long term campaigner for conservation and the environment, passions that have stood him in good stead to be as chair of planning in South Area for the last two years.

Executive Member for Community Safety and Performance - Marisha Ray.

Marisha was first elected in 2002 and for the last two years she has chaired the council's Regeneration Review Committee. In this role she has developed the council's policy on CCTV as well as scrutinising health and environmental issues.

Marisha lives in Islington with her family. Until 2003 she was a business analyst with Marks and Spencer.