• AT Islington Council’s budget meeting last Thursday, Labour councillors spoke in favour of a budget that is continuing to protect frontline services.

For the first time after 10 years of stringent Tory austerity measures it is investing some new money in the borough, including in sustainable energy, moving HGVs off residential streets onto main roads, investing in our parks, replacing damaged water features, making a new full size hybrid all weather pitch in Tufnell Park Playing Fields, repairing council homes and investing in building new council homes, modernising and repairing our schools and early years and children’s centres, replacing buildings on some adventure playground sites and modernising our libraries.

Unfortunately the Green Party opposed this budget and therefore rejected the projects named above and many others including the council tax support scheme and resident support scheme which protect the most financially vulnerable in the borough.

The Green Party also rejected the first liveable neighbourhood scheme in the borough in Mildmay and Highbury East wards – where the Green Party have a councillor.

This is irresponsible behaviour on the part of the Green Party and a negative position to take on such a bold budget which in such hard times will help improve the lives of our residents.

CLLR TRICIA CLARKE
Labour Member for St George’s Ward