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

Demolition of the derilict old works depot in the north west corner of Highbury Fields near Framfield Road is now scheduled for the spring, which will add 300 square metres of park space for residents to enjoy.  After consultation with local residents about how they would like the new area to look, the council has produced an artist’s impression of the corner, which is reproduced above.  There will be landscaped areas with new planting and shrubs, a path to join onto the existing footways, new lighting (in the same style as the existing Victorian-style lamps on Highbury Terrace) and a secure fence to protect the back gardens of houses on the north side of Framfield Road.

Local Highbury East councillors Terry Stacy, John Gilbert and Laura Willoughby are proud that the LibDem-run council has brought about this extension to the useable area of the Fields, a significant step towards implementing the community backed “Vision for Highbury Fields” and towards investing the £1million programme of improvements for the area.

The campaign is gaining pace to save the Accident and Emergency Department from the Government’s proposals to axe it.  Locally Julie, John and Terry have been calling on residents asking them to sign our petition to stop the A&E department being moved to the Royal Free Hospital in Hampstead. 

Meanwhile, the wider the campaign organised by the Defend the Whittington Hospital Coalition is also gathering steam.  A demonstration to show people’s anger at the closure plans is being organised on Saturday 27 February starting at noon on Highbury Fields and marching up the Holloway Road past the hospital and on to  a rally in Whittington Park.  Julie, Terry and John will be supporting the demonstration: further details and a flyer can be found here and more information on the Coalition and the events it is organising can be accessed from their homepage here.

If you would like to sign our petition and haven’t already done so, you can sign online by clicking here

Highbury Fields – the borough’s largest open space – is set to become even bigger with the demolition of a derelict works depot in the park.  Highbury Fields is the latest green space to benefit from the Liberal Democrat council’s £7million investment in parks and open spaces. An extra 300 square metres will be added to Highbury Fields.  Council officers are currently drawing up plans for the corner and, after consultation, demolition of the old depot should start early next spring.  The old depot is one of three rundown or derelict buildings that the Council plans to knock down.  The others are a former toilet block and rundown changing rooms which will also be added to the green space in the park.   The new park space follow feedback from the newly-established Highbury Fields Management Group, which is implementing the community-backed “Vision for Highbury Fields”, and over £1million worth of improvements are planned. 

Councillor Terry Stacy, who represents Highbury East, commented:“Liberal Democrat councillors have been determined to find new green space for Islington residents wherever we can, as we have the smallest amount of open space of any London borough.   “Liberal Democrats have brought over a hectare of extra green space into public use since 2005, including brand new extensions to Gillespie Park, Arundel Square, and Caledonian Park. As one of the local councillors, I’m pleased that now it’s Highbury Fields’ turn.” 

Islington Council’s leader took local resident Julie Horten to Highbury Fields recently to look at plans for the park extension.  She added:“It was such a waste that these run-down sheds were sitting at the corner of Highbury Fields going to wrack and ruin, and providing a hiding place for people to loiter.    “Opening up this corner of the park will not only provide valuable new green space for Highbury residents, but help make this entire side of the Fields safer.  I’ve asked the council to make sure they put in new lighting as well as new trees.” 

The Council has installed 350 new cycle racks in the last year – putting Islington streets ahead of other London Boroughs in providing safe places for people to lock their bikes. Locally, new stands have been put in on Highbury Crescent, Leigh Road, Northolme Road, Ronalds Road, and at Highbury Fields.

In August 2007 there were 420 racks in Islington. By August 2008 the council had doubled that number to 880. Today there are over 1230 cycle racks on roads all around Islington – more than double the number than in neighbouring Labour-run Hackney.

A June 2009 report by the London Assembly found that 45% of people would cycle more if there was better cycle parking. Research conducted by TfL showed that the availability of cycle parking and the security of parked bikes remain the two biggest cycling-related concerns.

Councillor Greg Foxsmith, Islington’s Liberal Democrat councillor responsible for transport and the environment, said:

“I cycle, and would recommend it as a great way to get around Islington. The Liberal Democrats want to support people to take up cycling, and people need to know that they have somewhere secure to park their bike when they visit the shops, the doctor, church, or while they’re at work.

“That’s why this Liberal Democrat council has tripled the number of cycle racks on our streets in the last two years. We’re committed to making Islington one of the most cycle-friendly boroughs in London.”

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.”

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

There was complete astonishment in a report in the  Islington Tribune, at the meeting of Islington Council’s North Area Committee on 7 July when the Labour Party leader, Catherine West, suggested that Highbury Fields should be put forward as a site for Travellers during discussions of the Council’s Core Planning Strategy and that ‘no greenspace should be ruled out’.

Highbury East Liberal Democrat councillors Laura Willoughby, Terry Stacy and John Gilbert were united in condemning the suggestion.  ”Accommodating Travellers is a serious issue, especially in a densely populated borough like Islington, and the Mayor of London does require us to give serious consideration to it in our Core Strategy,” said John “but this suggestion of using Highbury Fields just shows that lunacy is never far from the surface in Islington’s Labour Party.  It defies belief that the leader of the Labour Party on Islington Council should be so out of touch with the views of residents as to put forward one of our best parks for use of anything other than sport and recreation.

The best construction that can be put on Cllr West’s remark is that it was intended as a joke but we don’t think that the preservation of Highbury Fields is a joking matter.  Cllr West has been reprimanded and forced to make a public apology by the Council’s Standards Committee after a homophobic “joke” she made in another public meeting.

We have just issued a core strategy document saying we will identify sites for travellers,  but we
don’t think parks are suitable sites, as we have the smallest amount of greenspace in London.

With less than a year to the local council elections this is a timely reminder of just how incompetent Labour are and what a disaster they would be if they won control of the council.  Local LibDem councillor Terry added “With no Tories and only one Green on the council, the elections will be a straight fight between the LibDems and Labour in Islington: voting for the Conservatives or Greens will let Labour’s hard-line supporters elect a Labour council which will take us straight back to the mess the LibDems have worked so hard to clear up over the past 9 years.  Labour’s idea of using Highbury Fields as a Travellers’ camp site shows just what a disaster that would be.”

Highbury East has burst into bloom in June with the floral displays set to last all summer.  Your local councillors have been helping with the the gardening effort with Terry officiating at the Olden Gardens Grand Opening ceremony on 24 June.  John (pictured left) has been helping out planting the new flower beds at the bottom of Fieldway Cresent outside Central Library.

Meanwhile, elsewhere in Highbury, hanging baskets have gone up on Highbury Grove, Highbury Park and Blackstock Road.  Work has also just started on a new planting scheme around the Boer War Memorial at the bottom of Highbury Fields.

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 :

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 …..

We all know that good lighting in our streets and open spaces is important in fighting crime and making us feel safe.

Already the street lighting in many roads around Highbury Fields has been improved. Now it is the time to improve the lighting on Highbury Fields itself. 37 new lampposts have been installed at key locations across the Fields including the area outside Highbury pool on Highbury Crescent, on Queen’s Path between Highbury Place and Highbury Crescent, and on the walkway between Highbury Terrace and Church Path. These are of the traditional style in keeping with the area.

Cllr. Terry Stacy, pictured right, said, “Residents told us what they wanted to see improved on the fields, and we listened and delivered. Along with many streets in the area, lighting on the Fields is to be improved.”

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

Come along to Logs, Stag Beetles and Nettles on May 24th on Highbury Fields.  From 11am - 1 pm.

The council’s tree service has just bought a new piece of equipment which will make themanagement of trees an easier task by being able to assess tree disease and decay.

The equipment has already saved a tree on Highbury Fields. The ‘picus’ machine can work out the extent of decay inside a tree using sound waves, a bit like an ultra sound machine used for checking unborn babies. 

Information gained from a picus test enables a tree officer to make a much more informed diagnosis of the condition of a tree. In the past the unknown extent of decay in a tree often left no safe option but to fell. This equipment can’t be used to assess every type of disease that affects trees, but it will be invaluable to Islington’s tree service in assessing the condition of trees with external signs of trunk decay, and will allow a wider range of management options in many cases.

Islington is also one of only a handful of local authorities with this equipment.  See below an example of a scan, the colours indicating the different consistencies of wood, and attached, a photo of tree officer Sheridan Sayer using the picus at Highbury Fields. 

For more information please contact James Chambers on ext 4572 or e-mail james.chambers@islington.gov.uk.

The Greener, Cleaner Safer day took place on the 7th in Highbury Fields and was a big success. The weather helped, there was plenty of sunshine many more people were in the park. Street Environment officers were present throughout the day. There were displays by Street Environment and Greenspace offering advice and information On the day the Graffiti team carried out proactive work and all graffiti was removed from all bins in the area and the bins were also washed by the ART team.The highways department repaired footway potholes in the park and Street Wardens were in attendance as were the Safer Neighbourhood Team, who made regular patrols in the park and surrounding area. Parkguard attended between 3pm and 7pm offering advice etc. with regards to dogs and several young people took up the offer of training advice and the free grooming kits that were available. 40 cubic metres of compost from Edmonton was delivered at 9am and a steady stream of residents collected it free of charge throughout the day. All the Islington staff in attendance assisted residents in loading their bags, boxes or whatever containers they brought. As this had been publicised across the borough in ‘Islington Now’ residents from across the borough took advantage of the free compost.During the course of the day approx 800 people spoke to staff asking for advice or taking information leaflets.

As many of you have just received your council tax bills again it is worth looking at the projects that have been agreed in this area as a result of your donations to the climate change fund.  As you will remember, along with £3m from the council, residents were able to donate their council tax discount of £20 to the fund.  The aim of the Climate Change Fund is to fund individuals and projects to improve the environment.  Residents can bid for help with projects in their own home (for more information click here. ) and community and public buildings can apply for match funding.  In Highbury the following projects have been approved:

• Highbury Pool - over £100,000 towards solar thermal energy
• New Park Day Centre - nearly £20,000 towards solar thermal energy
• The Ecology Centre had over £20,000 for a biomass boiler
• Residents in Birchmore Walk on the Highbury Quadrant Estate will get  solar thermal energy

And there are lots more projects to come.  If you run a community building or have ideas for a project do let us know.

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.

Islington Council has won an award from Transport for London for the Transport Team/Partnership of the Year.  The award recognises the groundbreaking partnership between the Council and  Streetcar - the pay-as-you-go car club scheme. lt has the most number of cars in the country due to the Lib Dem council developing a pro-active relationship with the scheme - setting aside residents bays across the borough for the cars and 2 vans!

There are 7 cars in Highbury East alone - two at Highbury Fields, and others parked at Baalbec Road, Highbury New Park North and South, Highbury Grove and Riversdale Road as well as may others within easy reach.  

Cllr Laura Willoughby who uses the scheme said “It is worth joining, there is always a car available not far from my home and it is great for shopping and picking up my Lib Dem leaflets!”

Laura did an interview about the car club for the Guardian - you can see the article by clicking here. You can join the car club for free by clicking here .  And do say Laura recommended the club to you - thay way both you and Laura will get some free hours of driving!