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Cllr Richard Watts, Leader of Islington Council, reports on the latest Leader’s Question Time meeting

Last night (5 December), I took questions from residents in a lively Leader’s Question Time session. When Islington Labour was re-elected to run the Council in 2014, I pledged to make the Council more open to the public. These events represent an important opportunity for residents to have their say on local issues and hold the Council to account.

At Leader’s Question Time, Islington residents are invited to join me and raise issues that are affecting them. The latest meeting, at the Half Moon Crescent Community Centre in Barnsbury Ward, was attended by over 40 Islington residents.

I took questions on the allocation of council housing, overcrowding and leaseholders’ fees. It is glaringly obvious that there is a severe housing crisis in London, which is why the Council has embarked on the largest house-building programme in 30 years. This will see 2,000 affordable homes, including 1,500 council homes, built by 2020.

However, residents raised questions and concerns about a wide range of other issues affecting Islington. I responded to questions on how the Council is tackling crime and pollution in the borough, as well as how it works with TfL on major transport projects, and employment opportunities for young people.

I am proud of the Council’s work on making Islington a fairer borough for all, but there is still much work left to be done, which is why Leader’s Question Time is so well-attended. The Tory Government’s vicious cuts and punitive legislation mean that more people are struggling to make ends meet and want to see better value for money from Council services.

I am determined to deliver on Islington Labour’s promise to make Islington somewhere where everyone can achieve their potential and enjoy a good quality of life.

 

Pictured – Cllr Richard Watts, Leader of Islington Council, and Councillors at Leader’s Question Time

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