This summary is not available. Please click here to view the post.
Read More......
Showing posts with label Islington. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Islington. Show all posts
Thursday, 8 March 2007
Women's day fails to catch student imagination
By Alex Delaney
INTERNATIONAL Women’s Day is being celebrated at City University today and tomorrow.
Workshops will be held on women’s health in the workplace, and how to do business with the opposite sex. There will also be massages and Reiki on offer for those wanting to de-stress.
But some students felt that the event was under-publicised by a lethargic student union.
Sarah McGee, a student at City University said: “I don’t think the university is emphasising the importance of International Women’s Day.
“I hope that next year they try and raise the profile of the day and include subjects that are more relevant to our lives.”
Imogen Fluery, an organiser of the event, denied this accusation.
She said: “For the last two years we have marked International Women’s Day and it has been successful.
“We are booked up for the events this year and hope it will continue to grow.”
International Women’s Day is marked in 42 countries and began in the early twentieth century. In some countries the day is dignified with the status of an official holiday.
In Britain, however, the celebration goes largely unnoticed.
Last call for historic bingo hall
by Max Colchester
AFTER nearly 50 years Islington's historic Mecca bingo hall on Essex Road is to call its last number, leaving its 49,000 members in the lurch.
Rank, Mecca Bingo's parent company, has blamed the impending smoking ban for its decision to close the hall on March 25.
The company estimates that between 50 and 70 per cent of its customers smoke, and that the financial impact of the July 1 ban will result in a significant fall in business.
Already the company says that revenue has dropped 15 per cent in Scotland where the ban has been in place since last year.
Lesly Hughes, a spokesperson for Rank, said: " We don't want to have to close our bingo halls but we have no choice.
"Currently the government taxes our industry twice. This costs the industry £85m a year. Coupled with the smoking ban, this is reducing profits. As a result, we have to have to look at which areas are no longer commercially viable. The Essex Road Mecca was one of those."
But Labour Councillor Joan Coupland, said: "It's wrong for them to look at the effect the smoking ban has had on bingo halls in Scotland and say that just because people cannot smoke they are not going to come. I think they are just using that as an excuse."
Despite announcing an operating profit of £72m for its bingo enterprise, the company is still going ahead with its plans to cut 200 jobs and save £10m.
Rank explained that the Essex Road branch was chosen because of the close locality of another bingo hall at Hackney. Another issue was the fact that, as the hall is a grade two listed building and former cinema, it costs more to maintain.
The Islington hall is hoping to transfer its 30 staff to other halls.
Hughes said: "We will do everything we can to relocate them to different premises." One of the
managers at the Essex Road Mecca admitted he was worried about his future. He said: "At the moment I am not sure where we are going to go. It is all a bit uncertain."
BUSINESS - Traders vow to fight Upper Street sell-off
By Elena Egawhary
TRADERS on Upper Street whose shops are being sold by Islington Council have vowed to fight against the decision.
The parade of independent shops which runs between Islington Fire Station and Cross Street are just some of the 247 properties included in a portfolio about to be sold to a property developer for £45 million.
In a process that has been described by many of the Upper Street shop owners as unneccesarily complicated, traders have been given the option of buying their property from the council if they can match the price offered by the developer.
But, owners can only bid for their property based on an estimated value, and so do not know how much to offer to match the developer. Traders must also provide evidence of their financial standing if they wish to be successful in their bid.
Jason Delf, owner of the Chest of Drawers furniture shop in the parade, said: "We welcome the fact that the council has decided not to have sealed bids, but we really feel they should be doing more to ensure that the process is transparent and clear and not open to corruption.
"Evidence of our financial standing will go to the council as well as the company they have contracted to manage the site. We simply feel that this process cannot guarantee that our financial details will remain confidential from a future developer."
Traders believe that if they are not able to buy they will be forced out by a new landlord, and independent shops will be replaced by more profitable and financially reliable stores.
Mr Delf said: "One doesn't have to be a genius to work out that a developer is most interested in profit. The reality is that there is huge pressure to increase the rent and that chains such as Starbucks provide a better return and security then independent businesses like ours."
Danny Williams, of The Salvation Army charity shop, said: "It's sad that this is happening. there's a real community spirit amongst the shops here."
Many of the independent shops have been trading for over 20 years on Upper Street and have developed a loyal customer base.
Ben McManus, joint owner of Diverse Hair, said: "We're making our customers aware of the implications of the council's decision, and asking them to write to their councillor. We're in the lap of the gods at the moment.
"The council have got us over a barrel," he added. "The sale of these shops will affect a huge number of people and they should be informed of what is happening."
Wednesday, 7 March 2007
SPORT - Borough's boxing punching back
By Max Colchester
AFTER 20 years on the ropes, boxing in Islington is on the rocky road to return.
The Times Boxing Club has announced a gala fight night at the Business Design Centre(BDC) between an Islington select side and a Northern Irish team from Derry.
Big name boxing promoter Frank Warren may be attending this showcase event, which will raise money for Islington’s cash-strapped premier boxing club.
The club, which trains local fighters of all ages, is hosting the boxing gala at the Copenhagen Street venue in Angel, on Friday May 11.
Around 300 guests are hoping to be entertained by an uppercut spectacle of ten junior and senior bouts.
The BDC normally charges £10,000 a night for the Gallery Hall but the club will not have to pay a penny for the privilege and will be pocketing the proceeds from the event.
Dave Ryan, the head trainer at Times Boxing, said: “We going to put on a large pucker show. It looks like everyone wants to be a part of it. We have got some major boxing promoters and quite a few companies involved.
He added: "We should raise a considerable amount of money.”
A sell-out night of glamour has been promised, and the majority of the 25 tables have already been sold with tickets going at £60 a head.
Ryan said the idea came about thanks to members of staff at the BDC who train at the club.
“They decided to help us," he said. "They want to do something for boxing. I think that shows a change in attitude towards the sport. Until the last Olympics people were anti-boxing. Now they realise it’s a saver. It keeps the kids off the streets.”
Ryan hopes that the fight night will pave the way for future live matches. He said: “If it all goes well we hope to make this a regular thing.”
The club was originally formed as part of The Times newspaper in 1927. It has been widely credited with supporting young people from all backgrounds.
Windmills just hot air
By Cordelia O'Neill
ISLINGTON Council's plan to install a wind turbine on Upper Street are to go ahead in spite of criticism from energy experts.
Two consultants told a sustainability committee meeting last night that the council should invest in energy saving measures such as draft excluders and loft insulation instead of “gimmicks.”
Planning permission has been granted early for the turbine to be built above the municipal offices on Upper Street, as long as no complaints are received from residents.
Islington Council, currently London’s most polluting borough, has invested £3 million of their 2007 budget to a new climate change fund, in a bid to drive down carbon emissions.
But critics estimate that the turbine will generate just 5% of the energy needed to run the building, and will waste precious resources.
Labour councillor James Murray said: “It’s basically a waste of money. When you have finite resources you have to concentrate on what’s effective. There wouldn’t be a problem if the offices were just more energy efficient to start with."
He added: “A wind turbine would be the icing on the cake. But you need to bake the cake before you can ice it. It’s a drop in the ocean. The turbine won’t power more than a couple of light bulbs in a basement toilet.”
But council leader James Kempton said: “We can’t be complacent on this issue. The council may be the biggest polluter, but 95 per cent of the emissions in Islington come from other places. That's why it is so important we all work together.
"I look forward to seeing lots more renewable energy across the borough, from solar panels to wind turbines, to biomass boilers and ground source heat pumps.”
SPORT - Olympic hopefuls thrown a lifeline
By Andrew MacAskill
THE NEXT British stars at the Olympic games could come from Islington after a judo club in the borough received thousands of pounds in Lottery funding.
The Budokwai Club on Gilston Road, which has already produced two Olympic athletes, will receive more than £15,000 to help renovate the gym.
The money will be spent on building a dojo (a purpose built judo room), and buying desperately needed new equipment, including mats and pads.
Ken Atkinson, the head coach of the club, said: "With the new money and the right commitment from the lads there are two or three who I think could compete in London in 2012.
"But even if they don't get there it will still be of tremendous benefit to hundreds of children who will be able to get fitter."
Chris Hyland, who trains the juniors, has praised Atkinson for helping to secure the money for the club.
"The investment was made because they knew he had a proven track record of producing great athletes," he said.
"He is the best trainer in the buisiness and this grant is a tribute to his commitment and perseverance."
Other Islington clubs will also receive money from Sport England, which is responsible for distributing Lottery money to sports organisations. The Islington Lawn Tennis Association will get £7,000 to resurface its courts and replace old equipment.
Rob Achille, the tennis development officer for Islington, said he hoped the investment will pay off so "in years to come Highbury will be remembered for a budding tennis champion as well as its football connections."
The Islington boat club, Islington Cardinals, a disabled football team and Islington squash club were also given similar grants by Sports England to improve facilities.
Joanna Robinson, the director of Sport England London, said: "These are clearly projects that are going to make a significant difference to the local population of Islington."
Despite accusations from community groups that the London Olympics will drain lottery money away from grass root sports in Islington, Mrs Robinson said the grants were evidence the borough is not losing out.
“Sporting clubs in Islington will continue to be well funded by Sport England and they will not lose out because of the Olympics,” she said.
However, Debbie Blake from Islington Voluntary Action Council, said until the government rule out the possibility of using further lottery to make up for a shortfall in the soaring costs of the games, sports clubs in the borough could miss out on funding in the future.
YOUR VIEWS: Islington speaks out on sex shops
By Kevin Widdop
AS the debate over a new sex shop on Upper Street takes centre stage at this week's council meeting, Islington Now asked locals what they thought about the prospect of Adult World in their midst.
Michiela Hoholcova, 25, a nanny from St Paul's Street, said: "Kids can't go inside anyway, so I don't know why parents would have a problem. Sex shops are normal. I don't know why people would have a problem with it."
Esse Smith-Jones, 24, an employee of Cancer Research on Upper Street, said: "Why the hell not? Sex shops are usually in more subversive areas, like Old Street, but I think there is a kind of seedy vibe around here anyway. But I don't see anything wrong with it."
Ben Roberts, 27, who works in PR on Angel Street, said: "I don't have a problem with it. There are much worse problems in the world than worrying about the opening of a new sex shop. It is a business, after all."
Lucas Cardoso, 26, who works in Old Street, said: "Personally, I don't have a problem with it. It's up to the parents to tell them that such things exist in the world. I'm very open-minded, because I lived in Amsterdam for a while."
Disabled man faces eviction
By Kevin Widdop
A DISABLED actor and writer will be made homeless within days to make way for young people coming out of council care, Islington Now has learned.
Firdaus Kanga, 47, who suffers from osteoporosis, has been given an accelerated eviction order to leave the purpose-built two storey building on Purley Place, off Upper Street in Islington.
In place of his house, the council are planning to build ten self-contained one-bedroom flats for young people leaving local authority care. The Community Housing Group (CHG), who own the house, says there is currently no demand for more disabled housing in Islington.
"I have always said that I would never compete with someone on the basis of need," said Mr Kanga.
"I don���t want to revenge or embarrass CHG, but I have been living there for ten years now. It comes down to how one human being treats another and I don���t feel I���m being treated fairly.���
The planned move has caused controversy in the local community, and Islington Council has said that it is going to undertake an assessment of how disabled housing is allotted.
Mr Kanga says no plans have been made yet to provide him with alternative accommodation.
His neighbour of ten years, Ranjit Krishna, 47, said he was appalled at the eviction of Mr Kanga.
���This is about one little guy taking on the housing association," he said.
"The Community Housing Group want to decommission the house and then make an assessment about whether there is a need for disabled housing in Islington. Surely they���re doing it the wrong way round?���
A petition against Mr Kanga's eviction was signed by 50 people and presented to the council last year.
Council planning documents state that the site will be for ���supported accommodation for young people leaving local authority care". Night support officers will be based in the front facing office, "to provide security and support to residents.���
The hostel has not been welcomed. Late last year the Islington planning committee rejected the council���s application because of concerns about the potential threat to the safety, security and privacy that the proposed hostel would cause the community.
Retired Graham Clipsham, 60, who also lives on Purley Place, said: ���Why should potential criminals be put before the disabled? An organisation with the word ���community��� should surely be acting in the interests of the community.���
A spokesperson for CHG said: ���I can confirm that the plans at Purley Place are to create ten self contained units for young people with support requirements in the borough.
���CHG are committed to Mr Kanga���s welfare and will continue to work with him and Islington Council to find alternative accommodation that meets his needs."
Fair wage for Islington's carers
By Cordelia O'Neill
ISLINGTON Council last night unexpectedly apologised to its hard-pressed carers, as it announced an internal inquiry into the million-pound decision to privatise carers’ contracts in 2003.
In a change on the council’s previous position, Terry Stacy, the executive member for communities, said he “apologised for any distress caused” by the decision that left 83 carers on a minimum wage of £12,000 a year.
A task force headed by Andy Jennings, the deputy chief executive of the Liberal Democrat council, will investigate the circumstances that led to Islington Council paying £980,000 to Care UK to provide for the borough’s elderly people.
The council were accused of “paying to force people into poverty” and “employing people on the cheap” by Labour councillor Phil Kelly, after Care UK, who made nearly £200,000 profit last year, announced they were to cut carers’ wages in half in November 2006.
“Everything to do with this case has been kept secret,” said Andrew Berry, who is deputy branch secretary of Unison, the public sector workers’ union. “I very much hope that the review will help us.”
Councillor Natasha Chatterjee said the decision had created “huge problems” for the borough as it struggled to look after its elderly residents.
Figures from the Islington Carers Forum suggest that there are 5,000 elderly people in Islington who are dependent on home care provided by the Council, 3,000 of whom have been diagnosed as having ‘high support needs’.
Cllr Chatterjee said that the pay cut would “drastically reduce” the availability and quality of care for the most vulnerable people in the borough.
“I am deeply concerned we can’t get the same quality workforce,” she said. “Thirty per cent of the care workers we had have left the profession.
“We’re going to see huge problems with living costs and housing for care workers. Islington Council should never do business with a company that doesn’t give staff a fair wage.”
“They need almost constant care,” Councillor Chatterjee continued. “There are more elderly people than there are to look after them. I’m worried that the support just isn’t there for them.”
A Care UK spokeswoman said: “The proposed changes to the contract are driven by a desire to ensure the council receives best value for money. The changes will result in savings for the council and the borough’s council tax payers while at the same time ensuring there is no reduction in the quality of care for residents.
“Care UK’s proposed changes reflect standard terms and conditions within the care industry. Already the majority of staff employed on this contract are on these terms.”
The inquiry signals a turnabout in the council’s attitude to the crisis. In October Liberal Democrat Councillor George Allan said it would be “inappropriate” for the council to get involved and insisted the Liberal Democrat Executive had done nothing wrong.
“It is a private contract between Care UK and its staff,” he said then. “It isn’t a matter we could have intervened in.”
Tuesday, 6 March 2007
MP urges public to get up in arms about Trident
By Alex Delaney
PEOPLE need to do a better job of lobbying MPs against the replacement of Trident nuclear missiles, according to an Islington MP.
In a public meeting last weekend, Emily Thornberry, MP for Islington South and Finsbury, said that the debate in Parliament on March 14 would be crucial.
���We need to have support from the public, who need to realise that things are bit more subtle than just voting yes or no to the replacement of Trident,��� she said.
Ms Thornberry called on her constituents to write to her concerning Trident. ���I am immensely proud to be a Labour MP and I think we have done many good things," she said.
"But I have only received around 50 letters about Trident, which means it is hard for me to vote against its replacement on the 14 march.���
The government plans to replace the nuclear missiles based on submarines around the waters of Britain. The costs could rise to as much as ��15 billion, according to the Campaign for Nuclear Disarmament (CND).
Sophie Bolt, vice-chair of CND, said: ���Our spending priorities should be for children and social good. These weapons should not have any part in a so-called civilised society.��� Bolt went on say that a recent ICM poll showed that opposition to Trident has reached 59% of the British public.
Mary Edwards from Friends of the Earth argued that the problem of proliferation of nuclear weapons would continue if parliament voted to allow the replacement of Trident.
���Nuclear power is not a God-given right," she said. "We must learn to do without nuclear missiles and nuclear energy if we are to stop Iran and countries like it.���
'Outrageous' recyling charges dropped
By Cordelia O'Neill
ISLINGTON Council have abandoned plans to impose an extra charge for recycling in Holloway after a deluge of complaints from residents.
The proposals, branded “an outrageous attempt” by Holloway councillor Paul Smith, would have seen residents in the Vizion 7 development in Hornsey Road coughing up an extra £200 for recycling bins, while their neighbours continue to be given the service for free.
Cllr Smith said: “It’s outrageous. It’s outrageous to expect £200 from these people. As tax payers we object to paying for a service we have already paid for in council tax.”
But Islington councillors, who preside over the most polluting borough in London were forced into a U-turn after opposition from residents.
Roger Milburn, a lawyer and resident of the Vizion 7 complex said: “I’m delighted that they’ve dropped the idea. Haven’t we paid them enough already? It seems unfair. People want us to be greener, but no one’s going to bother trying to recycle when it’s so expensive.”
Councillor Lucy Watt called the charge “an anomaly that will be put right.”
“Easy recycling is one of the reasons why Islington has the fastest increasing recycling rates of any London borough,” she said.
“We are taking steps to ensure all our recycling is free for everyone, regardless of where they live. We’ll keep listening and are keen to hear how we can make it even better.”
Tuesday, 28 November 2006
Warming advice for the elderly
By Celia Paul
ELDERLY Barnsbury residents were given advice and help to get through the winter months this week.
The Warm and Well event, held in Chapel Market on Tuesday morning, hoped to get hundreds of residents the help they are entitled to this winter.
Audrey McDonnell, Strategic Projects Manager for Islington Council, said: “Winter debts have doubled over the past three years, and the most vulnerable group are the over 55’s."
Groups including Age Concern, the Pensions Service, the police and the fire brigade braved the weather to hand out leaflets, advice, blankets and free soup.
Marie McCormack, from the council’s joint visiting team, said: “A lot of people just don’t know what they are entitled to, in tax credits, fuel allowances and council tax rebates.
“I met a woman last month who had been paying council tax when she didn’t have to, and she got a rebate of £1800 just in time for Christmas. That makes a huge amount of difference to someone living on a state pension.”
Muriel Jackson, 78, said: “I knew I could get a fuel allowance, but there are lots of other things I didn’t know I could get from the council. I think these things might help a lot this year, and I’ll be much better off.”
Tuesday, 21 November 2006
Fury over office closures
By Helen Roxburgh
PLANS to close housing offices to save council money have provoked fury from tenants in Highbury.
The housing offices on Isledon Road, Highbury West, and Boleyn Road, Mildmay, are to be closed from March as part of a series of streamlining measures by Homes For Islington, who run the council’s housing. Funding to Homes For Islington, an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) has been reduced by £11.4 million due to less council housing in the borough, with many homes now privately owned.
The offices are places for residents to make rent payments, report maintenance work and receive advice and support, and the Iseldon office, which serves the residents of the Harvist estate, had recently been renovated to allow full disabled access.
However, the nearest office to the estate will now be on Upper Street.
Homes For Islington defended the closure by saying they are going to improve the Upper Street office to cope with the extra workload.
“We will be enlarging the reception area in the Upper Street Office, simply because more people will be going there,” said Jon Farrant, senior Area Housing manager.
“Hopefully with an improvement in the IT systems, people will soon be able to go into any office and access their own important details,” he added.
However, the impending closure of these offices has caused anger amongst tenants’ associations in Islington.
At the Upper Street Area Housing Panel meeting this week, members of the panel and tenants refused to vote on the reallocation of residents’ Housing Panels, in protest over their lack of consulation.
Homes For Islington had proposed three alternatives to be voted on at the meeting, regarding how many housing associations should now be set up in each ward of the borough.
“If we chose either, it means by default that we have been consulted,” said Brian Potter, chair of the Federation of Islington Tenants’ Association (FITA) and the Upper Street Housing Panel. “So we won’t choose any at all.”
At the meeting, Mr Potter said that some tenants would now have to take three or four bus routes to get to their nearest housing offices, which could prove impossible for the elderly, disabled or those with young children.
Theresa Debono, Labour councillor for Highbury West, has also opposed the office closures.
She said: “Here again we go back to how they [Islington Council] try to save money, even when that situation is not necessary, because there is a need for these housing offices.”
Homes For Islington defended the closures, and said they had sent out 16,000 letters to those who would be affected by the office closure.
“People can expect to be visited in their homes if getting to the offices proves too difficult,” said Farrant. “I believe this to be the correct thing to do in the long term, the way forward.”
But many tenants remain unconvinced.
“This is privatisation through the back door,” said Mr Potter. “I think that’s the problem with Islington – the residents don’t get a say.”
Friday, 17 November 2006
Development plans given to Argent
By Rosie Stewart
CONTROVERSIAL plans to grant planning permission to a development group were slammed by campaigners this week.
Camden Council granted planning permission to development organisation Argent at a meeting last night, despite the fears of local campaign groups over the legality of development proposals.
Councillor Andrew Marshall said: “We will be supporting all local Camden residents and businesses to seize the wealth of opportunity on offer and ensure that the regeneration of King’s Cross delivers benefits for everyone.”
However, Michael Edwards, spokesperson for the King’s Cross Think Again campaign, expressed his disappointment at the decision.
He said: “Camden gave permission finally for the Argent development proposals, despite
the representations of many objecting groups and despite many of the borough councillors saying that they would have voted against it if they felt they legally could.”
He added: “Good speeches were made [against the decision] but I think we all felt that they made no difference. The odds were stacked against us, so now we are sailing towards a full-scale judicial review. There has to be a better way of doing these things.”
Construction is due to begin at the end of 2007, when the Channel Tunnel Rail Link at King's Cross is finished.
Thursday, 16 November 2006
Water chaos in Highbury
By Helen Roxburgh
MORE than 50 residents in Highbury were left without water last week when a water main burst.
Water poured down Hamilton Park onto Highbury Grove last Saturday, causing traffic disruption and frustation.
Twenty-one houses on Hamilton Park had their water supply cut off by Thames Water engineers at midday, and it was not returned for more than six hours.
Slow-moving vehicles through the water along Highbury Grove lead to traffic conjestion, and Hamilton Park was closed while the pipe was repaired.
Rachel Fairbrother, a spokesperson for Thames Water, said it was not clear what had caused the pipe to burst.
“It could have been from the traffic overhead, or it could just have deteriorated over time,” she said. “But we would not rule out damage from a third party at this stage.”
She added that a resident had reported a leak and that Thames Water had attended the scene within forty minutes.
Eleven complaints have been made to Thames Water over the incident, which intends to investigate the causes of the leak.
“It’s ridiculous,” said mother of two Marni Achmed, who lives on Hamilton Park. “All this water draining away and we have no water all day on Saturday. I don’t know what we pay for.”
Thames Water are still enforcing a hosepipe ban for domestic use across London, due to a severe water shortage.
Wednesday, 15 November 2006
Investment for Monsell Road
By Josh Spero
A COUNCILLOR has secured £10,000 for the regeneration of a Highbury road, and plans to let the public decide how it should be spent.
Cllr Katie Dawson said a complaint about Monsell Road had inspired her to seek funding to redevelop it. She intended to arrange a public meeting in early December on the subject.
“I want to get the residents in there and say: ‘What do you want?’” said Ms Dawson.
Ms Dawson, councillor for Highbury West, said she did not want to impose her own ideas on the project but suggested “planted beds which residents could take ownership of” and “games such as concrete table tennis tables or giant chess sets” as possibilities.
Residents say the street, which is off Blackstock Road, is inhospitable at best, dangerous at worst.
One, who did not wish to be named, said: “I don’t really feel safe there after dark; the rest of the time it’s okay.”
Another resident, James Bennett, 34, said: “This road could do with a lot of improvement. If we can get people to spend time on it and not use it as a cut-through, it could be quite nice.”
Tuesday, 14 November 2006
Controversy over match day closures
by Helen Roxburgh
RESIDENTS in Highbury have attacked Islington council over handling of traffic and fans during the first five games at the new Arsenal stadium.
Controversy broke out at the East Area Committee meeting yesterday evening, with one local resident claiming that the road closures on match days were a breach of his human rights as they prevented him accessing his home.
The packed meeting included a report on traffic safety and accessibility arrangements during the first few months by Karen Sullivan, Head of Transport Planning Service at Islington Council.
Methods of controlling the thousands of football fans who flock to the Emirates stadium include closing roads two hours before a match, and for up to an hour afterwards, to allow access for emergency services and to prevent traffic being a danger to crowds of pedestrians.
However, Giles Newman, of Drayton Park Road, said that if he was even ten minutes late returning to his home, he was being forbidden access to the road his house is on by the police.
“There just needs to be a level of discretion,” he argued, giving the Committee pictures of his road on match days, which he said proved there was no threat to crowds.
“That this is a breach of the Human Rights Act is irrefutable – you’re not allowing us access to our own homes.”
He added: “We’re not talking about a motorway, it’s only a few cars.”
However, PC Richard Walker defended the road closure to the meeting on grounds of health and safety, particularly in case of a large-scale disaster within the stadium, which can hold up to 60,432 people.
“I totally, 100 per cent, stand by my point – those road closures simply must be in place,” he said.
The council’s Director of Corporate Resources David Daniels, said: “They [the police] have used discretion, and a few cars have been allowed to sneak through.”
Richard Greening, Liberal Democrat councillor for Highbury West ward, supported the measures that had been implemented.
“I’d like to record my personal thanks and congratulations to the police,” he said.
The report also added that through the last three Arsenal matches, a barrier system had been trialled on Highbury Fields to restrict crowds from walking over the fields. Concerns over this had been raised by the Highbury Fields Association, and the committee agreed to continue this method.
“This process is still going on. It’s a very steep learning curve for us all,” said Cllr Meral Ece, Chair of the Committee.
“Any adjustments put in place now will still continue to be monitored.”
Young women form 'urban' WI
By Jes Salter
THERE was no jam or Jerusalem but last night more than 50 young women gathered in a crowded pub to form Islington’s first Women’s Institute meeting.
Ali Budjanovcanin, 26, and Katie Best, 25, marketed their WI group, called WIN1, at other young women in London by blogging on internet message boards and handing out glossy flyers. As a result, there was standing room only at their first meeting in the upstairs of the Cedar Rooms on Upper Street.
Ms Best said: “We were really overwhelmed by the turnout – we thought it would be 15 of our friends who we’d dragged down, but this was brilliant.”
Traditionally Women’s Institutes are based in rural towns and WIN1 is only the second Women’s Institute to be set up in London. A group in Covent Garden was established in March, but Ms Budjanovcanin said she wanted something younger and with a “more urban feel”.
The girls said they wanted to be part of something that had a community feel.
“We wanted to do something different every month without having to join a different group or book club and we wanted to meet other people our age, which is something a lot of people feel in London," said Ms Best.
Sarah Norris, 34, agreed: “I live in Highbury and you never meet your neighbours. I just came along because it sounded like a fun group – I didn’t even realise it was a Women’s Institute.”
Among many suggestions put forward for future meetings, the group decided on cookery, DIY, self-defence lessons, ultimate Frisbee games, wine tasting, make-up demonstrations, and learning how to design and look after an inner city garden.
Ms Budjanovcanin said: “All the boys I know thought it was a secret girls club and they wanted to join.”
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.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)