Welcome At this time of year, the council is busily implementing the budget for the year ahead that was agreed at the end of February. As with all budgets since 2010, this year’s budget has been another difficult balancing act between protecting the essential services the council provides and making savings due to government cuts to the council’s funding.
Cllr Richard Watts Leader of the Council
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Despite these huge cuts, the council is committed to making a difference on the issues that matter to us all. The increase in serious youth violence in the past year has been extremely troubling. That is why this year’s budget is one that protects Islington and prioritises the future of young people in our borough. This budget will: • spend an extra £500,000 to support young people in the borough most at risk of turning to gangs and crime, and to offer them an alternative • protect existing budgets for youth work and maintain the Islington Bursary to help disadvantaged young people go to college • protect libraries, care for older people, and other vital services. We will also be maintaining our focus on finding local people jobs and building more council and genuinely affordable homes.
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By 2020, national government will have cut its funding to Islington by 70 percent, which is over £200 million. Along with other inner city areas, we are one of the hardest-hit boroughs in the country. This means we have had to take some difficult decisions, such as increasing council tax by 1.99 percent. This equates to a rise of 40p per week for an average (Band D) property in Islington. Islington’s council tax will still be one of the lowest in London. Protecting the services the council provides will allow us to carry on with the important work that the council does, such as helping young people achieve at school — you can read more in the news round-up on page 7. I’m really proud that our fantastic primary schools are among the best in the country for helping children from disadvantaged backgrounds achieve good results. In January I was delighted to join residents to officially open 20 new council homes on Lyon Street, N1. These homes have been prioritised for local residents aged 55 or over, which will help people to downsize and free-up larger council homes for others. We are committed to building 2,000 new affordable homes between 2015 and 2019, including 500 new council homes. Find out more on page 8.
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Cllr Richard Watts and executive member for housing Cllr James Murray were joined by happy residents to cut the ribbon on the new development on Lyon Street. 3