The shop is now closed, the signs are removed and the interior has been refitted for normal trade

The last unlicensed sex shop in Kings Cross has been closed down after prosecution by Islington Council. On 19^th January, Highbury Magistrates Court handed down a sentence to shop operator, David Darbo, ordering him to pay almost £5,000 in fines and costs.

The verdict was delivered after Islington Council had raided DJD Retail Ltd in May 2011. The shop trading as “Pirate Books” was at 4 York Way. The Council seized almost 400 tapes and DVDs of which all except one was rated as “unclassified” by the British Board of Film Classification. The shop’s operator had previously been visited and was told to obtain a license and to comply with provisions in the Video Recordings Act 2010. This did not happen.

Cllr Paul Convery added “As a result of our Council’s tough enforcement action, the shop has now closed. There are no longer any unlicensed sex shops in Kings Cross or anywhere else in Islington. Despite this we need to remain vigilant. Many other forms of sleaze and vice persist in our neighbourhood and we must act against them too”.

Even mounted officers have been drafted-in to patrol the neighbourhood

Scores of police officers have been patrolling Caledonian Road since early December as part of an operation to clampdown on anti-social behaviour, gang-related activity and to stop the recent spate of smartphone-related snatch robberies and assaults.

As a result, the Cally Road, Bemerton and adjoining estates have seen a sharp decline in the number of youths (usually from outside the area) loitering and causing trouble.

The Borough’s police say the special operation – which will continue for several more weeks – is designed to “overwhelm suspected criminals on target days by disrupting, deterring and detaining those involved.”

The police are employing a number of tactics using officers on pedal cycles, motorcycles, foot patrol and marked police vehicles. Some officers have also been equipped with a handheld screening devices that detect electronic tags in bicycle frames to establish if a cycle has been stolen.

As a direct result of the operation, arrests have been made for a variety of offences including handling stolen goods, drug related offences, offensive weapons and money laundering. The police have also undertaken dozens of stop and searches on suspects believed to be involved in this sort of activity.

Councillor Paul Convery said “The dramatic increase in police presence has made a real improvement in the area over the past month and public reaction has been very positive indeed. One afternoon recently, I watched as one well-known teenager being arrested on the street as part of this operation. Whilst he was being searched by the arresting officers, other police had to restrain his mother who vehemently protested his innocence. Arrested for handling stolen goods he was also found to be in possession of Class B drugs concealed in his underwear. This teenager is no longer causing trouble on the Cally.”

GLA member Jennette Arnold and Cllr Paul Convery at the danger junction

Transport for London has caved-in to intense pressure and agreed to take the first steps to remove the “gyratory” roads that blight Kings Cross. The concession follows a top-level meeting where Islington’s City Hall representative Jennette Arnold and Cllr Paul Convery pressed the case for short-term safety measures and long-term removal of the one-way system.

TfL has now announced they are “looking at options for radical change up to and including removal (and) discussions are commencing with Islington and Camden to scope out and undertake such a review in the New Year.” Representatives from the two Boroughs are expected to meet TfL officials on January 12^th.

Widespread public concern about pedestrian and cycle safety at Kings Cross reached a peak following the tragic death of Min Joo Lee on October 3^rd at the junction of Grays Inn Rd and Euston Rd/Pentonville Rd. Because TfL had been warned of the dangers at this junction, campaigners and local politicians have called for a corporate manslaughter investigation against TfL.

The key cross-party meeting on November 25^th was convened by Jenette Arnold (Labour) and attended by City Hall representatives Val Shawcross (Labour), Jenny Jones (Green) and Mike Tuffrey (Lib Dem). TfL have plans to restructure the Grays Inn Rd junction in time for the 2012 Olympic Games to deal with increased pedestrian footfall during the Games. But the officials agreed to look again at the plan to consider greater safety and enforcement measures particularly for cyclists at the Grays Inn Road approach.

The Kings Cross one-way system actually consists of two separate gyratories: a northern triangle – York Way, Wharfedale Rd, Caledonian Rd; and a southern section – Pentonville Rd, Penton Rise, Kings Cross Rd, Swinton Street/Acton Street and Grays Inn Rd. Around this road system are a number of very dangerous junctions and crossing points.

TfL has now conceded that, following from the extensive debate about cycle deaths around the one-way system, the entire road system needs to be reviewed.

Local Councillor Paul Convery who is also Islington’s Executive Member for transport says “I am delighted that pressure has made TfL change its position so fundamentally. It is bizarre that only a fortnight ago, London Mayor Boris Johnson, told the London Assembly in a debate about London’s worst 10 spots for road deaths that it was “not feasible to remove the one-way system” at Kings Cross. Well, his own transport agency has now acknowledged that it could indeed be feasible … but no-one has yet thought how to do it. This latest announcement starts the process of figuring this out. It is the start of a long struggle but at least it’s a start.”

Bride Young, seated centre, is given a special send-off by local residents and Islington Council staff following 37 years of service in the borough

Bride Young, park keeper at Thornhill Square, has now retired after almost 40 years working with Islington Council.

She says she will greatly miss the job and, in turn, she will be missed by all the children and adults who love Thornhill Square.  She was bid a fond farewell by colleagues and local residents on her final day, October 30^th.

Bride said the biggest change she’d seen over her time in Islington was the improvement in children’s play equipment. She added: “I’ve really enjoyed the job and the interaction it has brought with children and local residents.”

As well as her friendliness, Bride could be tough when the job required, including tackling anti-social behaviour.

Cllr Paul Smith, Islington Council’s executive member for environment, said: “For many years Bride has been out in all weathers to serve the people of Islington. Bride is a shining example of the hard work that keeps Islington’s parks in good shape for our residents and I wish her all the best for her well-earned retirement.”

Once known as “Prowler”, the owners sought a license in early 2007 and a vigorous campaign by local residents and Councillors forced a strict condition on its license. This required it to look like a regular book shop – all the sex related material was at the rear of the premises and its owners were prohibited from displaying any signs.

Over the intervening years the owners have periodically tried to “bend” this rule but regular enforcement by Islington Council required them to comply.

All this changed a fortnight ago. Now the shop has frosted windows with advertisements for sex materials and products like Viagra and poppers. The front door is permanently open with hanging strips of plastic – just like a “classic” 1970s-style porn shop in a red light district.

Incredibly it appears that Council licensing officers recently nodded-through a revision to the license to allow this change.

Cllr Paul Convery says “Local residents are infuriated that this very significant change to the license conditions was made without public consultation. Even local Councillors were not alerted to this major change. We are investigating how this has happened and what can be done to reinstate the original condition.”

The accident scene photographed by local resident Daniel Zylbersztajn who gave a witness statement

Cally Councillors have supported calls for corporate manslaughter charges to be brought against Transport for London (TfL) after a young woman was killed whilst cycling through the Kings Cross gyratory.

TfL was warned in a 2008 Street Safety audit that “casualties were inevitable” at the junction of Grays Inn Rd/York Way and Pentonville Rd. The audit report, which was commissioned by TfL, called for significant safety improvements.

Despite this TfL has still not begun work to re-engineer the junction to reduce vehicle speeds and improve safety for cyclists and pedestrians. The volume of pedestrians – particularly at the south end of York Way – has increased very sharply in the last two to three years.

The tragic death of Min Joo Lee, a 24 year old fashion design student at the newly opened University of the Arts, was a shocking casualty that has highlighted the exceptionally dangerous highway environment around Kings Cross.

Local councillor, Paul Convery, who is also Islington’s Executive Member responsible for transport, has condemned TfL’s sluggish attitude to remodelling the road system around Kings Cross.

He says “we have called repeatedly for the removal of the two gyratory systems at Kings Cross and urged TfL to speed-up junction improvements designed to give pedestrians greater safety at the intersections.

“The entire Kings Cross road system is the legacy of a time when decision-takers thought it was simply a drive-through-and-forget place. Well it isn’t anymore. Many thousands of people live here. Hundreds of growing businesses are located here. It’s becoming a whole new entertainment district with scores of pubs, clubs and restaurants. And it now has the largest single public transport interchange in Europe.

“TfL is under a Tory Mayor’s control and – despite his cycle-clowning persona – he has pursued a brutal pro-traffic agenda. The alternative is clear. People must take priority. Vehicle traffic has to be slowed-down; pavements should be widened; crossing times extended; cycle safety zones created.

“We believe TfL has to wake-up: Kings Cross roads are a death trap. TfL was warned of the dangers 3 years ago and has done almost nothing in response. That’s why we support police enquiries to test whether TfL is guilty of corporate manslaughter.”

With over 700 homes, the Bemerton estate's TMO is the largest in Islington

Over a hundred Bemerton residents turned out last night (September 27^th) for the AGM of the estate’s Tenant Management Organisation (“BVMO”).

They marked the tenth anniversary of the TMO’s establishment by voting unanimously to transfer a range of further service responsibilities to the TMO from the Council’s home management organisation, Homes for Islington (“HfI”). These include communal heating, lumber collection, estate parking and estate lighting.

The TMO already manages a wide range of estate services – like caretaking, refurbishing void properties and lift maintenance. In return, the Council (through HfI) provides an annual grant to the TMO. As the TMO takes-on new services, HfI increases the amount of grant given to the TMO. This way, more of the rents and service charges stay within the estate’s control.

Over the past 3 years, the local ward Councillors have encouraged and assisted the TMO to take-on new services from HfI. The TMO is the largest of its kind in Islington and has built-up a solid record of estate management.

But the TMO does more than simply manage the estate and its services. BVMO has adopted the strapline “improving the quality of life on the Bemerton” and this reflects residents’ desire to see their TMO deal with many aspects of life on the estate: anti-social behaviour, improving the general environment and helping young unemployed residents get into work.

The TMO is also the host body for the new Ward Partnership “Team Cally”. BVMO employs the Neighbourhood Coordinator for the area and played a big role in running the annual Cally Festival this year.

Cllr Paul Convery says “the residents have given the TMO a big vote of confidence this year. Last night’s AGM had an exceptionally upbeat atmosphere and was undoubtedly the most successful that I have attended. As local councillors we are doing whatever we can to support greater self management to the Bemerton.”

The garden is a fine remembrance of Jessie

The Jessie Wright Memorial Garden was officially opened on Sunday afternoon, September 25^th. The ribbon was cut by her friends and pink balloons were launched.

The garden was created by a group of young women from the Bemerton with the support of All Change Arts, Team Cally, BVMO and Islington Council. It is located next to Kinross House, just outside the home where Jessie lived on the estate. The young women say it is a lovely memorial for their friend so tragically murdered last year.

Suzanne Lee, Artistic Director for All Change said “This has been a hugely positive project, led by the young women themselves, to create a beautiful garden to remember Jessie, and to provide a positive contribution to their community. The garden includes plant pots and a trellis designed and made by the young women, working with All Change artists and supported by local volunteers and youth workers.”

In developing the garden, the girls chose colours and a style to reflect Jessie’s, and will be a lasting memorial to someone who died so young.

Digging through a foot of reinforced concrete to unearth multiple fractures in this 1960s era cast iron water main

Around two hundred Bemerton homes had their water supplies cut-off for 12 hours following a mains burst on the estate yesterday, September 5^th.

The burst pipe occurred outside the block at 1-12 Stranraer Way and flooded a number of garages under Stranraer Way and Tayport Close. Basement flats in the controversial Choudhury Mansion were also inundated.

Normally a burst water main is the responsibility of Thames Water but this pipe is laid under the estate grounds and so Homes for Islington brought-in a contractor to fix the problem.

Meanwhile hundreds of packs of bottled water were delivered to Perth House, Stranraer Way, Tayport Close whilst a gang of HfI contractors tackled the fifty-year old pipe buried deep beneath reinforced concrete. During the excavations several breaks were revealed where the pipe broke several times and contractors made two permanent repairs.

Cllr Paul Convery commented “Full marks to our housing management’s technical people. They don’t have to handle burst water mains that often. But they got the pipe fixed and water turned back on to houses by 6.30pm which is a lot quicker than it typically takes Thames Water to do the same thing. A number of people suffered some flood damage to possessions stored in garages and we need to look at whether they can be compensated for loss.”

The venue is located on a shopping parade in a densely residential part of Caledonian Road

Co-ordinated by Islington Council, the police, fire brigade, licensing and planning authorities have acted together to close-down the controversial venue at 169 Caledonian Road.

Warnings by the Council earlier this month were disregarded by the club operators and, on the night of Saturday 13^th August, a club night was held which – at 4am – descended into mayhem with scores of drunk patrons fighting in the main road outside.

Prompted by the further risk of an unlicensed all-night “DJ face-off” gig tonight (Friday 26^th August), the agencies have issued a raft of legal orders against the venue’s owners to cease operating as a nightclub. A squad of police has been put-on stand-by to ensure the club operators do not attempt to open tonight. They are equipped with powers to close-down any unlicensed event.

In June 2010, the venue secured a license for music, dance and alcohol, but the owners have not been given a planning permission for use as a nightclub. Nor do they have a permit to open later than midnight on Mondays to Saturdays or to operate at all on Sundays and Bank Holidays.

Earlier this week, senior staff from the Council’s Public Protection Division visited the club operators and issued a series of warnings and served legal orders. The combined actions by the authorities include:

• The fire brigade visited the venue and issued the owner with a revised fire certificate limiting the safe capacity to just 100 people
• A planning Enforcement Notice and associated Stop Notice requiring the premises to be only used between 8am and midnight Mon-Sat and to be closed entirely on Sundays and Bank Holidays.
• A second planning Enforcement Notice and Stop Notice to prevent the use of the premises as a club, wine and cocktail bar and music and dance hall.
• Noise abatement orders have been served under powers in the Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003 and the Noise Act 1996

The venue does not have planning permission to operate as a nightclub or to open beyond midnight Monday to Saturday. It sought a planning permission for longer hours which was refused by the Council in December 2010. Although the club could appeal against the latest enforcement orders, it will have to comply by 5^th October and theoretically could stay open. But beyond that date, failure to do this could lead to a prosecution. Similarly, the club owners could be prosecuted by the fire authorities if more than 100 people are admitted to the club.

Cllr Paul Convery adds “Islington Council is also considering a formal review of the venue’s drink, dancing and music licence. The Labour majority on the Council’s licensing committee has abandoned the previous Lib Dem administration’s soft policies and has recently begun to apply much stricter decisions. On review, it has recently struck-down several previously granted licences.”