Latest news with #IslingtonCouncil
BBC News
11 hours ago
- BBC News
London councils' window repair delays criticised by watchdog
Several London councils have been accused of "indefensible" failures to fix broken windows in social housing by a watchdog, with some families waiting up to five Housing Ombudsman said more than half the cases involved children, warning delays had put health and safety at one case described as "inexcusable", Harrow Council took more than two years to fix a faulty window in a baby's bedroom, despite knowing about the issue before the family moved including Harrow, Lambeth and Islington apologised, saying they had since improved repairs systems. The watchdog's investigation found landlords were failing to consider the individual circumstances of residents, with some tenants left in unsafe or unhealthy conditions for Richard Blakeway said some councils allowed repairs to "drag on" because of planned major works, but argued the conditions endured by residents were "impossible to justify"."Crucially, we repeatedly see a failure to connect the circumstances of the household to the condition of the property," he said. "Reports of the risk of falling, fire safety, and exposure to cold and damp and mould are not always heeded." The report highlighted several cases:Lambeth Council took three years to address windows it knew were unfit, while the tenant was not told why the work was delayedLewisham Council left a boarded-up bedroom window in a high-rise flat for four years, despite repeated concerns from a father about his children's safety and lack of natural lightHammersmith and Fulham Council was criticised for poor record-keeping and twice wrongly marking repairs as completeIn Islington, a mother said her son's health was made worse because none of the flat's windows could close properly during winter and there was "no evidence the landlord assessed this risk", the Ombudsman said. The findings were published in the same week the National Child Mortality Database reported 13 deaths of children who fell from social housing windows in the past six years. In some cases, families had previously reported problems with broken councillor John Woolf, executive member for homes and communities, apologised for delays which he said were linked to major works. He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS) the council was improving reporting systems and had shared changes with the Council also apologised, saying it had compensated residents, completed the necessary work, and carried out reviews to learn lessons. A spokesperson added that window restrictors were now fitted in all empty properties above ground councils said they were investing in improvements. Hammersmith and Fulham, Harrow and Lambeth councils highlighted hundreds of millions of pounds spent on maintaining homes. Lewisham said it was hiring more repairs staff and strengthening record-keeping, while Islington said it would use "more robust" temporary fixes where full replacement was not LDRS said it had approached the other councils named for further comment.
Sky News
6 days ago
- Climate
- Sky News
Dozens evacuated after burst water main floods streets in north London
Around 30 residents have been evacuated from their homes in north London after a water main burst, leaving roads under 44cm (17in) of water. Seventy firefighters were dispatched by London Fire Brigade to the area around Canonbury Street in Islington just after 10pm on Sunday. People have been urged to avoid the area including Essex Road, Elmore Street, Halliford Street and Ecclesbourne Road - and warned against driving through floodwater. Fire crews used flood barriers and sandbags to divert floodwater away from homes as they warned disruption was likely to continue into Monday afternoon. Islington council also warned at 9am on Monday that Canonbury Street was closed from Essex Road up to Arran Walk. A Thames Water spokesperson said: "We have now managed to stop the flow of water and ensure that the site is safe. We have also been able to move parked cars which were over another critical water main. "We have a specialist team on site for those impacted by the incident, at Cedar Place on Essex Road, and are supporting customers who have been affected. "To keep the public and our team safe, we've arranged equipment to help manage the traffic while we work in the road. We are sorry for the impact this may have on traffic in the area."
Metro
07-07-2025
- Politics
- Metro
Council could be sued over trans flag zebra crossings
A London council has been threatened with legal action over four zebra crossings painted in the colours of the transgender flag. The pink, blue and white crossings in Bloomsbury were introduced by Islington Council in November 2021 to celebrate trans awareness and serve as a reminder of the LGBTQ+ history in the area. Now an evangelical Christian resident, Blessing Olubanjo, claims she will sue the local authority if they fail to remove them. Ms Olubanjo said she shouldn't be made to 'feel excluded or marginalised by political symbols in public spaces' and that public spaces should not 'advance divisive agendas' and 'alienate people of faith'. She has been backed by the Christian Legal Centre, who called the crossings 'a visual endorsement of a contested ideology'. The crossings, at Tavistock Place and Marchmont Street, faced criticism even before they were installed, with The Royal National Institute for the Blind warning they could be hazardous for visually impaired people. Transport for London's Independent Disability Advisory Group, meanwhile, said individuals with disabilities, dementia or sensory sensitivity could become anxious by the colours or find it difficult to interpret the abstract shapes. Ms Olubanjo, 57, said she brought this case because she believes in 'fairness, freedom of belief, and the proper role of public institutions'. With thousands of members from all over the world, our vibrant LGBTQ+ WhatsApp channel is a hub for all the latest news and important issues that face the LGBTQ+ community. Simply click on this link, select 'Join Chat' and you're in! Don't forget to turn on notifications! She added: 'As a Christian and a taxpayer, I should not be made to feel excluded or marginalised by political symbols in public spaces. 'This crossing sends a message that only one viewpoint is welcome, and that's not right in a truly democratic society. 'I'm standing up not just for myself, but for everyone who feels silenced or sidelined by discredited, harmful activism forced on the public by ideologically captured local authorities.' Ms Olubanjo argues that the crossings breach political neutrality rules under the Local Government Act 1986. She also says they infringe on freedom of belief and expression under the Human Rights Act 1998. The Christian Legal Centre's chief executive, Andrea Williams, said: 'The crossing is a visual endorsement of a contested ideology, installed by a public authority in breach of its legal duties. More Trending 'This is not the role of local government. Public spaces should be able to be used by everyone, not to advance divisive agendas that alienate people of faith and those who hold to biological reality. 'The council needs to remove or redesign the crossing and apologise to its residents and local businesses.' At the official opening of the crossings, then-councillor for Islington, Abdul Hai said: 'Camden is renowned for being 'no place for hate' and a borough that has a strong and continuing history of respect and support for everyone. 'These amazing crossings are not only an impressive visual statement to help celebrate transgender awareness, but also act as a reminder of the rich LGBT+ history and daily life currently in the Bloomsbury area and across Camden and should prove to be a popular draw to this vibrant area.' Metro has contacted Islington Council for comment. Get in touch with our news team by emailing us at webnews@ For more stories like this, check our news page. MORE: Posh London restaurant fined £31,000 after dead mouse found in kitchen MORE: Eurostar delays and 'café car raids': what to do if your cross-channel train is disrupted MORE: Mum hits back at TfL for 'blaming her' for losing arm and leg under Tube trains
BBC News
21-06-2025
- General
- BBC News
London Councils praised for work in tackling climate change
Islington Council has been been ranked as the best single-tier local authority in the country for efforts to tackle climate change, with the Greater London Authority (GLA) being awarded best for combined Emergency UK's "climate scorecard" rankings were based on actions taken by councils towards becoming net a statement, Islington Council's environment chief, Rowena Champion said the news marked a "recognition of all our efforts".So far, the council said it had taken steps such as decarbonising Islington's waste recycling centre, electrifying and shrinking the size of its vehicle fleet, and "working hard" to retrofit its social housing stock. 'Climate emergency' Champion added: "We know that people in Islington care deeply about the environment, so we are working hard to empower local people and businesses to take steps to help lower carbon and make Islington greener and healthier."She said Islington was one of six London boroughs "most susceptible" to climate change, and as such, there was a "large potential impact" for residents. Following Islington's declaration of a climate emergency in 2019, the local authority said it had set "ambitious targets" to tackle climate Emergency UK's assessment of the council was carried out between July 2024 and March 2025. Top 10 local authorities in the Climate Scorecard:Islington CouncilHammersmith and Fulham CouncilMerton CouncilSouthwark CouncilWandsworth CouncilCamden CouncilLambeth CouncilBristol City CouncilLewisham CouncilCity of Edinburgh CouncilSource: Climate Emergency UK Reacting to the rankings, Isaac Beevor, partnerships director of Climate Emergency UK, said the organisation was "pleased to see councils using scorecards to improve".However, he called on the government to make climate action a fully-funded legal Emergency UK said that overall, UK councils' net zero progress had been "slow"."The 2025 highest scores are mostly seen in London council where the [GLA] already has a legal duty to act on climate action," it added.
Scottish Sun
14-05-2025
- Sport
- Scottish Sun
All the free classes your kids can do this summer including football coaching and circus lessons
Keep reading to find out what financial help parents can claim CHILD'S PLAY All the free classes your kids can do this summer including football coaching and circus lessons PARENTS know all too well that keeping kids entertained over the summer holidays can be pricey. The cost of childcare alone can cost around £1,039 for the six weeks of the break, and that is not to mention days out and other activities. Advertisement 1 The cost of summer holidays can be expensive for parents Credit: Getty And many activity camps for children can be costly too, but that does not mean your child has to miss out. There are loads of free classes available for families across countless areas in the UK. Below we round up the best classes for kids this summer that cost nothing at all. FREE FOOTBALL COACHING McDonald's runs free football classes for children aged 5 to 11 years old. Advertisement The programme lasts for 10 weeks and usually runs for an hour. The event is hosted at local stadiums across the UK. The sessions, which are open to all abilities, are running from March to July. They are delivered by FA-qualified coaches at more than 1,600 locations nationwide. Advertisement You can find out more by visiting FREE COURSES FOR TEENAGERS Islington Council runs a number of free courses for teenagers and young adults through its Summerversity scheme. Freebies for parents worth £2,900 In the past, classes have included archery, football camp and photography lessons. You can book a maximum of eight courses to keep your teenager entertained over the holidays. Advertisement You can sign up by visiting Of course you will need to live in the London borough to get access to the scheme. But if you don't it may be worth ringing up your local council to see if it runs a similar event. FREE BOXING CAMP Sporting Aid in Waltham is running a free boxing camp for those aged 10-16. Advertisement The event is run every Saturday at 12:00pm at the Waltham Cross Playing Fields Car Park. No prior experience is required so it may be a great way for your little one to be introduced to the sport. You can sign up for the event by visiting FREE SUMMER CAMP Music charity Vache Baroque runs a completely free summer camp for children in St Giles. Advertisement The event runs from Monday 18 – Friday August 22 and includes a hot meal. It is for children aged 9–14. Children will participate in a number of activities including singing, arts and crafts and circus skills They can also take part in an optional performance with professional orchestra in its summer circus-opera on Sunday September 7. You can find out more by visiting, Advertisement
