Lib Dems to give more power to local communities in Islington

12.00.00am GMT Thu 25th Mar 2004

Islington's Liberal Democrat councillors are giving the borough's four area committees more areas of responsibility and individual budgets in the next phase of handing power down to local communities. Area Committees were set up by the Liberal Democrats after the May 2002 council elections. The meetings are open to all residents in the community to have their say on local and borough-wide issues. The area's councillors then make decisions based on resident comments. Area Committees also have responsibility for all local planning and licensing issues. Islington also launched an innovative web-based message forum - 'Areas Online' - to ensure the maximum level of community involvement. This allows residents who can't attend meetings to give their views to other residents and councillors and discuss issues in their local area. Islington Lib Dems are proposing to devolve two new areas of responsibility down to the Area Committees. From 1st April Area Committees will make decisions on local parks or any other Greenspace projects involving more than £75,000 expenditure. 'Area Transport Strategies' will also come to each Area Committee and residents will have a chance to comment on planned local traffic and transport schemes as well as put forward any schemes they want. Each Area Committee will also get new delegated spending powers of £50,000 to spend on local environmental and transport improvements. In a significant increase in powers, the Lib Dem plans will also mean a new role for Area Committees in monitoring how services are delivered. In future all new council contracts will be drawn up on the Area Committee boundaries so that residents and councillors can better monitor performance. Area Committee comments will have a direct impact on the council's performance payments to contractors and will also highlight performance issues for the council to raise with contractors. The performance of the council's street cleaning contractor, ICSL, will also be another new function of the Area Committees. ICSL will now attend Area Committees regularly to hear directly residents' views on the services they provide and how they could be improved. The Council's sustainability agenda will be another key part of the Area Committees' new work and they will act as the focal point for community participation with sustainability. The Leader of the Council will also be attending the first of a new 'Question & Answer' session with residents at each Area Committee to show the Lib Dem commitment to listening to local views. Liberal Democrat Executive Member for Communities, Councillor Laura Willoughby, said: "The Area Committees and 'Areas Online' set up by Islington Liberal Democrats have been a big success in taking power and decision-making away from the town hall and handing it back to the community. "These new plans will further enhance and strengthen the role of Area Committees and ensure that local people's views on council services and their local areas continue to be heard loud and clear by councillors." The Facts Issues which could be considered as part of the council's sustainability agenda by area committees are: Feedback on council ideas and campaigns being developed for action on sustainability such as energy efficiency and increasing recycling rates Community ideas to improve the environment and local ideas to contribute to the big issues like climate change Resident ideas on how the community can be better involved in environmental issuesUsing the planning and licensing powers to ensure consistent application of sustainability Labour proposed reducing the amount of council spending on resident consultation, including Area Committees, in their amendment to the Council's budget proposals this year. The proposals have been discussed by all the four Area Committees for their comments and endorsement. The changes to Area Committee powers are due to be agreed by the Council's Executive on 15th April and then by Council on 11th May at its annual meeting.