James Kempton's New Year Message to Islington

11.41.00am GMT Mon 1st Jan 2007

In 2006 residents elected a new Council to run Islington over the next four years. Support was very evenly divided between the two largest parties in Islington, and you elected 24 Liberal Democrat councillors, 23 Labour and one Green.

That made the Liberal Democrats - just - the largest group on the Council and so the first Council elected me Leader along with a Liberal Democrat Executive to implement the manifesto that we had set out to you at the elections.

We have heard the message from those elections loud and clear - which is why Listening to Islington is now the Council's top priority. Islington Council has been transformed for the better over the last few years - but I know sometimes it felt as though the voices of individual residents did not get the attention they deserved. I am determined to put the views of residents at the heart of what we do - going out of our way to share the tough choices all councils are called on to make and taking account of what you want. I'm delighted that residents have responded so actively - with more people than ever contributing to our recent consultation on what should be in the Council's 2007 Budget.

Despite our image in the national media, all of us who live here know that Islington is a real mixture of people; those who have money and all the opportunities in the world, and many more residents who are not so fortunate. Creating 'One Islington' drives the Council's ambition, so that everything that we do contributes to bringing the life-chances of everyone here up the level that some residents are already able to enjoy. We are striving hard to bring Islington more council flats to end overcrowding and long waiting lists, better schools, great childcare and more help to get people into work.

And because we know how vital improving these services are to you, we've also stepped up our joint working with both the health service and the police. In the recent consultation exercise on our 2007 Budget, you told us your top priority is tackling crime and making Islington safer. We have made a massive investment in CCTV cameras this year and there are more to be installed on housing estates across the borough in 2007. And we will also be working closely with the police on a major project to cut down the number of knives on our streets. Both these initiatives respond directly to the concerns you told us about.

I only have space to tell you in detail about the top three things we've been working on since May.

First housing. Under our new rules half of new housing developments must be affordable - either social rented housing or subsidised for key workers who couldn't otherwise afford to live in the Borough. But on its own this will not make up for the huge numbers of council homes that have been sold under the right to buy scheme. I want Islington Council to start to build its own council houses again so we can seriously cut the number of people on our housing waiting list. In 2007 we will be lobbying the government to allow us to do this and I am sure this is an area where we work constructively with all political parties on the Council.

Secondly, we have to get serious about climate change. I am pleased that many residents are taking the initiative in installing solar panels on their homes - generating energy without damaging the environment. The Council has already announced plans to put several wind turbines on Council buildings.

Together we've continued our massive effort to increase recycling in the borough. In 2000, Islington recycled just one of every twenty-five pieces of rubbish (3.6%). With recycling facilities now introduced across the borough - we have transformed this picture with one in every four pieces of rubbish now recycled. This is a massive achievement and exceeds the target that the Government has set for us - but our community cannot rest on its laurels and we must do even better in 2007.

Thirdly schools. If our 'One Islington' aspiration to bridge the divide between affluence and poverty means anything, it must ensure all our residents get the best start in life. Islington's secondary schools have improved massively since 2000 but there is still much more to do. I was so pleased to hear that local parents are backing the new St Mary Magdalene Academy which is heavily over-subscribed for its opening in September 2007. But the transformation of Islington's secondary education doesn't stop there, as we are about to sign a deal that will see all our other secondary schools either rebuilt, or very substantially refurbished in the years to come.

Looking ahead, 2007 will bring us plenty of other new and exciting things too - from the historic re-opening of Finsbury Town Hall - with the first public Council meetings for a generation taking place there in early January - to the ongoing huge effort throughout the year to bring our housing estates up to modern standards.

My new year's resolution is to redouble our efforts to listen to Islington - and to work with you to create a place that is greener, cleaner and safer for us all.

Happy New Year

Cllr James Kempton

Leader Islington Council

james.kempton@islington.gov.uk