Committee back down on consultation plans

By Jes Salter

LABOUR councillors have taken a u-turn over earlier proposals to spend up to £20,000 of community grants on consultations.

The West Area Committee met last night to discuss the progress of the Community Chest scheme that has already attracted criticism for delays and wasted money. They also proposed to raise the limit of individual grants, which currently stands at £5,000, to avoid having money left in the pot at the end of the financial year.

Emily Fieran-Reed, a Liberal Democrat councillor for St Mary’s ward, said: “The pressure is really on now because we’ve delayed it quite a bit. It’s very much our responsibility to promote this. We know the need is out there and if the money’s not spent, it will be a failure of this committee.”

Fieran-Reed raised worries about the criteria the committee would use for choosing between local groups, but other councillors seemed less concerned.

Rupert Perry, Labour councillor for Caledonian ward, said: “How do you compare between football shirts for a kids team and an old person’s tea party? It’s apples and pears, we’ll just have to decide when we see the applications.”

To keep costs down, the application scheme will be advertised in Islington council's residents' magazine, which reaches 20,000 households. The publication only comes out on November 22 and the deadline for applications is December 8.