Since 2010, Islington’s Labour-run Council has continued to doing more with less as Tory cuts to council budgets mean finding savings, while protecting vital services.
During that time, the Council has built over 2000 new council homes, helped thousands of local people into good jobs and protected vital youth services to give young people places to go and things to do.
But this is harder than ever before.
The Council has been forced to make more than £300 million of savings since 2010 andhave proposed nearly £11 million of further savings. This is all while protecting core services such as the youth offer, libraries, and weekly bin collections.
But this can’t go on, the Tory Government can’t continue underfunding local authorities while demand increases. Islington’s Labour-run Council is continuing to call for Government action with three asks:
- Fair funding –The council urges Government to reverse the cuts to Islington’s funding since 2010, and increase local government funding in real terms to help protect local services
- Help us maintain and build council homes – Funding cuts and restrictions have left Islington’s Housing Revenue Account with £1.7billion less in it over the next 30 years. This is money needed for new kitchens, bathrooms, to tackle damp and mould, for insulation and more. The council urges Government to help to tackle this shortage in funding, caused by Government policy. Also make it easier for councils to borrow money at affordable rates, and spend existing funds, to build much-needed new council homes
- Support for adult social care –In Islington alone, the cost of adult social care is currently increasing by about £20 million each year.. The current piecemeal approach to funding is not sustainable. The council urges Government to create an ongoing settlement to create a resilient adult social care system that’s fit for the future, and guarantees everyone the care they deserve
Back in November, Councillors Kaya Comer-Schwartz and Diarmaid Ward wrote to the Chancellor about these demands. You can read the full letter
Despite these cuts, the Council continues to deliver on local people’s priorities:
- A safe place to call home: continuing to build new genuinely affordable homes as part of the council’s commitment to deliver 750 new council homes by 2027
- Greener, healthier borough: continued investment of more than £10million for School Streets and Liveable Neighbourhoods to reduce air pollution, and make it easier to walk, cycle and scoot. This includes work on Living Neighbourhoods for Mildmay, The Cally, Barnsbury and Laycock, Bunhill and Dartmouth Park, and school streets across Islington including secondary schools. Almost £6million investment in electric vehicles for council services, and £1.8million to create more electric charging points
- A fairer local economy: continuing to support over 1,000 residents a year into work by protecting investment in our pioneering iWork services, plus delivering advice and support to over 1,500 businesses on our local high streets, as well as investing nearly £700,000 in a regeneration project at Chapel Market to secure the heritage of our street markets for generations to come
- Child-friendly Islington: protecting an extra £500,000 investment, first begun in 2019, to tackle serious youth violence
- Help and support where and when people need it: continuing to fund new Access Islington hubs that bring together help and support under one roof
Councillor Diarmaid Ward, the council’s Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Finance, Planning and Performance, said:
“Times are only getting harder for local people and the councils that serve them. The situation here in Islington is not unique.
“We are committed to continuing to support people however we can, and to continue to protect essential frontline services. I am proud that we have been able set another balanced budget and have found £11 million in savings whilst still prioritising frontline services.
“In the face of financial pressure, we are still successfully doing everything we can in our power to build a more equal Islington without taking away frontline services that our residents rely on.”
The budget proposals will go to the council’s Executive on Thursday, 11 January, before being debated by Full Council on Thursday, 29 February, when the Council’s budget for 2023/24 will be set.