Islington Lib Dems have launched a survey to get residents’ views about what the priorities for Islington should be.

With local elections this May it is time for residents to decide who they want to run the council - the Lib Dems who have a record of success in making Islington better or Labour, whose shameful record includes:

• plans to cut the Whittington Hospital
• voting against Lib Dem plans to put more police on our streets
• and the Iraq war

The Lib Dem have launched 4 pledges. We want you to tell us which of our pledges are most important to you or add your own. You can do this on-line here.
1. We will cut crime

Everyone has the right to live in a safe, clean environment. That’s why local Lib Dems are pledging to cut crime. We will provide more late-night policing on top of regular police patrols provided by the Mayor of London. We will crack down on late licences for bars and clubs. Tougher action will be taken against those who do not clear up after their dogs. Vote now.

2. A better start for our young people
Local Lib Dems on the Council have worked hard to help deliver the best ever school exam results in Islington.
We pledge to build on this success and get better exam results this year too. We also pledge to give local young people more housing points. We will deliver more apprenticeships for our young people to ensure they get the best start in life. Vote now.

3. A greener Islington
Combating climate change and global warming is the single biggest challenge we face. Local Lib Dems are pledging to make Islington greener. One of the ways we will do this is through more local energy generation. This will lower people’s energy bills and create new green, local jobs. Vote now.

4. We will lower taxes
Gordon Brown’s recession means that everyone’s had to tighten their belts. Local Lib Dems believe that money is better off in your pocket rather than in council coffers. Labour councillors voted to raise council tax this year. We’re pledging to keep your council tax among the lowest 10 councils in all of London. Vote now.

5. Or add your own - we want your views too. You can do that by clicking here.

Click here to tell us your priorities for Islington

As your local councillors its important we know what you think, so as well as telling you what’s going on in Highbury, we would like you to tell us what you want changed or what could be done better. So here you will find our Highbury East Residents Survey.

This survey is just one way of communicating with your ward councillors. By filling it in you will help us make Highbury East a better place and help set us some priorities to improve things for you.

To fill it in just CLICK HERE

The Boer War memorial at Highbury Fields has been given a spruce up by council gardeners - with the turf replaced by plants themed around the South African landscape where the war was fought.

The bronze art nouveau statue of Victory was erected in 1905 to commemorate the 98 Islingtonians who did in the South African war between 1898 and 1903.

The new Plants include Euphorbia, African Lilies, and Red Hot Pokers, native to South Africa.

Highbury East councillor John Gilbert said:

“This war memorial is a real landmark at Highbury Corner, so it’s important that it looks great.  The Council is investing over £10 million in parks, planting, and greenery in Islington – and I think Islington is looking better all the time.  Having a South African theme to the planting is a really fitting commemoration.”

Highbury needs more number 4 buses say Islington Liberal Democrats.  Local Lib Dem Councillors and residents are joining their colleagues along the route in lobbying Transport for London to improve this service.
“The buses are really few and far between  and I know it puts a lot of people off using them”, said local Councillor John Gilbert.Liberal Democrat Councillors are asking Transport for London to put more buses on the route. 

A resident on the route, Arthur Graves (pictured), says “It is a hopelessly sporadic service which local people cannot rely on.  If the Mayor wants to get more people out of cars and on to public transport, Transport for London needs to do better than this.”

If you think the no 4 needs more buses and would like to join our campaign, please click here to sign our petition

You voted for more trees - now tell us where to put them

You voted overwhelmingly in our on-line poll for more trees in Highbury East. Now you decide where you would like to see new trees in your patch. Tell us your locations by email: Laura, Terry and John by clicking here or in the form below. You can also tell us where you want to see new bins!

You can complete the locations you want to see by clicking here and completing the locations here

The owner of the Garage music venue at the bottom of Holloway Road near Highbury Corner has applied to the Council for permission to put 6 tables and 10 chairs on the pavement outside the venue.  The Council is obliged to consult on this proposal.

We think it is a crazy idea: the pavement here is quite narrow, it is a very busy location and there is a heavily used bus stop nearby.  As your local councillors we are therefore minded to oppose the application, but please tell us what you think by posting a comment on this site or by emailing us on councillors@highburyeast.org.uk.

Cllr Terry Stacy joined angry traders protesting outside Network Rail offices against a decision to evict them from their kiosks at Highbury and Islington station.

Network Rail made a decision to evict local traders from their pitches outside Highbury and Islington station and rent the sites to the highest bidder. The News kiosk, creperie, florist, and coffee stand are all under threat of closure. The traders collected a petition with more than 2,700 signatures, which they took their petition to the Network Rail HQ at Kings Cross this week. Terry Stacy, leader of Islington Council, has backed their calls to be treated fairly by the railway company, and joined the protest on the street.

Terry said:

“Network Rail bosses have a responsibility to the traders at Highbury and Islington. These local businesses have worked hard to build up their custom - they are trusted and valued local traders. The station needs improving, but it’s stupid to get rid of the good, unique things that are already here, like these kiosks. We simply don’t need another Starbucks here.”

Work has now started on upgrading the North London Line through Highbury & Islington station.  When it is finished in 2011/12, faster, more spacious trains (see picture) will run direct from Highbury to Stratford (for the Olympic Park and also for the DLR to Canary Wharf) and to South London.  Details of the new service can be found by clicking here

Until then there will be a lot of disruption and inconvenience.  Your local Highbury East councillors, Terry, John and Laura, are particularly concerned about noise while works take place at night and at weekends from now until this December and then full time from December until next summer. We have written individually to the residents most likely to be affected in Highbury Place, Corsica Street and Calabria Road.  If you are badly affected there is a helpline on 0845 711 41 41.  Alternatively, you can email us on councillors@highburyeast.org.uk and we will take it up with Network Rail and their contractors.

There will be disruption too due to rail services being suspended and replaced by buses.  This will occur at weekends until December and then full time until next summer.  Details of the replacement bus services can be found by clicking here.

Your local councillors and Bridget Fox are campaigning against Tory Mayor Boris Johnson’s threat to cut pedestrian crossing times on major roads in the borough.

Boris has announced proposals to cut up to 6 seconds of the time pedestrians have to cross major roads at crossings controlled by traffic lights - this would mean a reduction from 18 seconds to just 12 seconds at the busy crossing on Holloway Road between Highbury Fields and Highbury and Islington Station.

Boris’ plan would make it particularly difficult for elderly people, people with disabilities and people with young children or heavy baggage to cross the road to the post office and station.

Sign the petition by by clicking here

As you know, every year each councillor in Islington is allocated £6,666 to spend on projects in their ward. Here in Highbury East we pool ours, making a £20,000 fund to maximise the benefit to our neighbourhood and the local community.

So far we have supported a wide range of projects across the area, which have included:

New bike stands installed across the neighbourhood and secure bike parking at Taverner Sq & Peckett Sq

We have provided equipment for youth and OAP clubs in Highbury, including a new bingo machine for the Highbury Roundhouse OAP club and new sports equipment for the Roundhouse Youth Club. The Sotheby Mews Day Centre also benefited from new equipment.

But we need to to help us decide what to spend it on this year. Suggestions are listed below, but we are up for any idea you may have - so vote by using the poll to the left of this story or emailing by clicking here :

The campaign to improve Highbury Corner has been a long-standing political goal for the LibDems.  Although former mayor Ken Livingstone was signed up to the plans, Boris wasn’t convinced and your local councillors have been fighting since May to get the scheme back on the drawing board.  There has been a delay of almost a year since the public consultation.  So it’s a big success to get Boris behind the scheme.

After much propbing the Mayor tells is ‘they are compliant’ so will not listen to residents concerns about the crossing time at this busy junction. - but they will look again and have promised to get back to us.  the full text of the question and answer are below.

Question - Will you ask TfL to review the pedestrian waiting times and crossing times at the crossings outside Highbury & Islington station and at the junction of Upper Street and Islington Park Street, as both are too long and pedestrians are taking risks to save time?

Answer - The pedestrian wait and crossing times at the pelican crossing at Highbury & Islington Station are compliant with the guidelines set by the Department for Transport (DfT). Decreasing this would have serious implications for traffic operations at Highbury Corner Gyratory. The timings at this site are reviewed on a regular basis and TfL believe the current timings provide the appropriate balance between the competing demands.  

The signal timings at the junction of Upper Street with Islington Park Street, similarly, are designed to achieve the optimal balance for traffic on all approaches while keeping pedestrian wait times to a minimum. The timings at this junction again, are compliant with guidelines set by the DfT.

Notwithstanding the above, given your specific concerns, I have asked TfL to look again at these two locations to determine if they are able to make any further adjustments for pedestrians without imposing undue delay on traffic operations.  TfL will update you on their findings

Local Lib Dems are fighting plans for TfL to extend the Red Route restrictions on Holloway Road to Sundays. Lib Dem objections have meant the process has been suspended for now but the threat of the extension is still very real.

Cllr Laura Willoughby said: “We are very concerned that the proposal to extend operation of the A1 red route had been decided with no consultation with local traders and residents. The impact on local businesses (especially Camden Passage Market at the Angel) could be significant - we must protect our local shops. TfL are using Arsenal match day traffic flow figures as the reason - but we all know that matches rarely happen on Sundays.”

Sign the petition by clicking here

TfL have been quite since we requested that they stop this mad scheme so we have tabled questions to the Mayor of London for his September Question Time. The questions are as follows:

We have all moaned about it for so long, and once again local Lib Dems are taking the battle of the pedestrian Crossing outside Highbury and Islington tube to City Hall - along with concerns about the crossing times at Islington Park Street/Upper Street/Canonbury Lane.

Cllr John Gilbert said “We have tried many times before to get the timing of these crossings changed - there is just not long enough to cross! We hope a new, local Mayor, will listen this time!”

The question, which will be asked at the September Mayors Question time asks:

Will you ask TfL to review the pedestrian waiting times and crossing times at the crossings outside Highbury & Islington station and at the junction of Upper Street and Islington Park Street, as both are too short and pedestrians are taking risks to save time ?

You can sign a petition that we will be presenting at City Hall at …..

Over 50 new bike racks have been installed across Highbury as a result of your Liberal Democrat Councillors. Using money from their Area Committee allocation, Terry, Laura and John put forward sites for new bike racks in our area. These include additional bike racks outside Central Library on Fieldway Crescent, around Highbury & Islington Station, on Highbury Place and Highbury Crescent, along Highbury Park, at Highbury Barn and at the Blackstock Road/Riversdale Road junction. Cllr. John Gilbert, who is a keen cyclist himself, said,“These cycle racks will make a big differene to local cyclists. If anyone has any further suggestions for cycle rack locations, let us know.“

Your local Liberal Democrat Councillors are committed to improving and protecting this unique and well-used open space for local residents and visitors alike.

Record amounts of funding have been secured by your Councillors. Spending on facilities on and around Highbury Fields has begun, and more is planned.

Already we have seen:

- Over £1 million spent on the extension to Highbury Pool to improve the gym and sauna, and to build new fitness rooms;

- The installation of solar panels on the roof of Highbury Pool to reduce its energy costs;

- New fencing and gates at the Childrens’ Play Area;

- New benches and litter bins installed, with more on the way;

- Repairs to fencing around the park;

- Soil and turf repairs underway and new planting coming shortly.

Cllr. Terry Stacy, who has been leading the campaign to get Highbury Fields improved, said, “Working with local residents, the Council has developed a clear vision for this great open space. These are just a few of the improvements people told us they want to see.”

He was joined by fellow Highbury East Cllr. Laura Willoughby, who said, “We hope this is just the beginning. There is still a lot to do, so watch this space!”

As many of you know, after a long consultation process with the community a vision was agreed for Highbury Fields that is helping us make the Fields better for everyone.If you want to see a full copy of the vision click here: click here

What has happened to the fields since the vision document?

• new metal, bow top fencing around the play area new benches
• installed the installation of a 20mph zone around the fields and adjoining roads
• new and improved road crossings (near Ronalds Road) to make access to the park easier

Below are details of what is to come:

Improvements to the Fields Soil and Turf

To deal with large numbers of Arsenal Fans and now summer sun seekers the grass is showing signs of wear and tear. In some areas the grass has been worn away to bare soil which is heavily compacted and increasingly susceptible to water logging. The permanent damage that could result from this is a real concern – it would create real eyesores and water problems. So the grass is going to be re-sown starting next week and up until early July, this will means some areas of the fields will be cordoned off to give the grass a chance to grow. There will also be some changes to prevent future damage. This will mean:

North West end

• The path to the West of the ranger’s hut will be removed and grass reinstated in its place.
• The first set of steps will be removed, and cobble stone reinstated in its place in character with the surrounding area.
• The post and rail fencing will be extended, down Highbury Crescent, to the second set of steps, again in character with the existing post and rail.
• A gap in the fencing will be created opposite the Ronald’s Road crossing. This gap will have an inbuilt, extendable tube, to allow for it to be closed on Arsenal match days.
•  Existing damaged post and rail fencing will be rebuilt

South East end – Highbury Pool

The area between the Highbury Place path to the playground (roughly opposite Calabria Road) and the edge of the fence to Highbury Pool is also heavily used by pedestrians and in shade for the greatest part of the year. Discussion with your councillors, residents and officers concluded that restoring grass in this area was unlikely to succeed creating a unusable space. So instead the council will fence off the area using black bow top fencing to match the playground and encourage pedestrians further up Highbury Place. There will also be planting of low growing, native shrub species to hide changes in styles of fencing. These works will be completed by the end of June 2008.

Development of a Tree Management Plan

By the summer of 2008, the council’s tree service will have the started consultation process for the tree management plan for Highbury Fields. This document will define the long term maintenance and planting objectives for the trees on the fields.

Development of a Management Group for the fields

As agreed with residents the councils is setting up a new management steering group for Highbury Fields, which will be chaired by Cllr Stacy. If you would like to be part of this group then please contact Laura Sanna, Greenspace Ranger, on 07825 098451 or laura.sanna@islington.gov.uk

Did you know Starbucks at Highbury Corner has ONE BAG A DAY STOLEN from its premises? Did you know they do very little about this and have no plans to help protect its customers? I think residents in Islington deserve better from its retailers, especially large profitable chains like Starbucks.  So I hope you will sign my petition calling for them to take action. You can find by clicking here  and do pass the link on to your friends. Cllr Laura Willoughby Liberal Democrat Councillor for Highbury East

Highbury East ward Councillors were proud to nomiante Maryse Lassartesse-Jones and Martin Jones for the Mayors Civic Award last week.  Martin and Maryse are treasurer and chairman of the Highbury Fields Association.

For ten years they have worked relentlessly for the conservation and improvement of the fields and surrounding area, including the new tennis courts, the children’s playground and the transformation of the Oasis Café.

Cllr John Gilbert in his nomination speech said “It is great to be able to recognise the hard work of martin and Maryse, they give so much of their time and to reward such dedication is fantastic.”

The Mayors Civic Awards recognise residents of the borough for their major and unique contribution to life in Islington. People like Martin and Maryse often go unnoticed, so the awards ceremony was a way to say a big ‘thank you’ to all of them.

If you know of someone who does a lot for the community here in Highbury do let us know and we can ensure they are nominated next year.