Tackling anti-social behaviour on Boston and Nailour Estate
Action is now being taken against a group of teenage boys causing trouble on Boston and Nailour. The two estates (just off Caledonian Road opposite Pentonville Prison) have experienced persistent anti-social behaviour over recent months. The worst offenders have already been identified and action taken against them. Extra patrols by the police and “Park Guard” have been allocated to the estates and Councillors have backed the police request for extra resource for covert surveillance and “professional witness” action.
The Labour Councillor team encountered these lads a couple of weeks ago when door-knocking on the estate on a wet evening. A dozen were “amusing” themselves in the lobby of Skegness House before moving on to the ground floor at Kelby House. They got into the estate because the security system had failed and street level doors were permanently unlocked.
The Councillors identified some of the youths and asked the police team and Homes for Islington (HfI) staff to quickly get on the case. Now HfI has confirmed that a couple of the youths are from Camden and that Acceptable Behaviour Contracts (“ABC”) will be enforced there. Two other identified teenagers live with their parents as tenants of a Housing Association which will now consider issuing a notice to repossess if their behaviour does not improve. Parents of a fifth identified youth are due a visit from police and Council officers to draw-up an ABC. ** HfI also responded quickly to fix the defective door-entry system and the main doors to each block are now secure.
Councillor Rupert Perry said “we personally witnessed the yobbish behaviour of these teenagers the other evening and we promised residents on the estates that action will be taken against them. We also ended-up having a vigorous ‘debate’ with these lads about their intimidation, vandalism and other criminal behaviour. We challenged them why they act the way they do. Once you scratch the surface, it’s clear they are frustrated about the difficulties faced in getting a job; and they are fed-up because there are so few organised activities for them. That’s why we are determined to get firm action where necessary backed-up by making sure that kids in this area get a good range of youth facilities.”
** Acceptable Behaviour Contracts are voluntary agreements between parents of offending youths and the Council. They set out behavioural standards that the parents agree to enforce. Failure to stick to an ABC can result in further criminal action or proceedings for an ASBO.
Jobless numbers in Cally fall again
Unemployment has gone down for the 4th consecutive month in Caledonian Ward, according to figures released by the Office for National Statistics today. We first mentioned this a few weeks ago and the latest figures show this trend is continuing.
The number of people on Jobseeker’s Allowance has now fallen from a peak of 550 in October 2009. That represents an unemployment rate of 5.8% and is slightly above the Islington average. That means about 1 in 17 people of working age are claiming Jobseeker’s Allowance.
The latest couple of monthly figures are particularly significant because unemployment usually goes up in January and February. But in Caledonian ward – and most other parts of Islington – unemployment in these months has gone down.
Is this a surprise? Yes. It’s normal to see a jump in unemployment (even when the economy is going well) because temporary seasonal jobs drop-away in the early New Year. That’s because employers lay-off Xmas workers or people doing outdoor jobs in parks or building sites. On the flip-side, temporary jobs tend to surge as Summer arrives and firms hire people to work, for example, in tourist related employment.
We’ll now try your patience and mention seasonal adjustment … and many thanks if you’re still reading at this point. This is a statistical technique that irons-out the seasonal factors so that month-by-month figures can be judged on a properly comparable basis.
The statistics for small areas – like individual wards – are “raw” figures which are not subjected to seasonal adjustment. So we would have expected to see some increase in the unemployment figures for Caledonian ward. But the opposite has happened.
Even in the parts of the ward where unemployment has traditionally been most concentrated, the number of unemployed people has begun to decline. Figures for the area covering the Bemerton, Naish Court and Delhi Outram estates in the middle part of the ward show there are now just under 150 people claiming JSA. More significantly the evidence shows that, in the same area, unemployment during the last recession peaked at 3 times its current level.
Free school meals for all primary pupils in Cally
One of the nicest pre-election leaflets you've seen. Handed out at schools last week, it pictures some of the children of Labour councillors, including Paul's 3 year old, on the right (that caused some excitement at nursery, the next day).
Caledonian Ward’s five primary schools took a major leap forward earlier this month. Every child now gets a free school meal. More kids than ever are now taking school meals and benefit from a balanced, nutritious hot meal in the middle of each school day. But this innovation remains under some threat if the Lib Dems manage to form a new administration after the Town Hall elections on May 6th.
In February last year, a Labour budget was passed which mandated the Town Hall to introduce free school meals for all primary pupils in the Borough. The budget was agreed with the help of a rebel Lib Dem Councillor which resulted in a 24 to 22 votes margin. Despite stalling tactics by the Lib Dems, the scheme was piloted in 6 schools last Autumn and was extended to every primary school this month.
There were some complications to overcome. For example, the demand for school meals was expected to increase – and this has proved to be true. So, additional kitchen equipment has been installed in many schools.
Another glitch was identified because the “old” definition of free school meal eligibility is used by the Government to determine school funding levels. Put simply, this measure is used nationwide to identify the kids from households on low and very low incomes. Our MP, Emily Thornberry stepped-in and the Government agreed to use a “proxy” indicator based on voluntary, confidential income declarations provided by parents. At first, there was some anxiety that some parents might not do this.
But the response has been almost 100%. At Copenhagen School, for example, the Governors learned that every single parent had submitted their income declaration form weeks in advance of the free meals roll-out.
Free school meals has turned out to be a fierce contest between Labour and Liberal Democrats on the Council. We’re for it. They are against. Even more curious, last time we looked, the Conservatives in Islington were on our side … although we may have to check that again!
The very latest annual Council budget was voted on just 3 weeks ago. It increased the funding to make sure that free school meals are guaranteed in 2010-11. The Liberals admitted they didn’t have the votes to defeat this budget. Times like this makes us wonder who is running the Council (but that’s another story).
Charlynne Pullen says “The Lib Dems want free school meals to be ‘targeted’ using a means test. But that has already proven divisive in our schools. We believe all children should eat together equally, without discrimination. It’s an important part of the school day. And it make sure that kids eat well and can concentrate on learning throughout the day.”
“Free school meals have become a ‘universal’ benefit, just like London’s Freedom Pass. We have not heard the Liberals argue that free London-wide travel for the 60+ should be means tested. Nor access to most of the Council’s widely used services like libraries or parks. These are shared benefits which bind together a community and make sure that everyone has a stake”.
Does Islington really have such a lot of student housing?
Labour Councillors recently turned down a planning application for 360 new student rooms at 465 Caledonian Road. In the past few days, we have been asked to explain the evidence showing that Islington has an over-concentration of student housing.
The "Nido" building on Pentonville Road
During the public submission stage of the Local Development Framework Core Strategy, our analysis showed that, by mid 2008, there were almost 4,000 students living in purpose-built accommodation in the Borough. Since then, another 1,000 student rooms have actually been built according to the latest figures supplied by Islington’s planning department. Another 2,100 student places are in the pipeline – they have planning permission or are already under construction.
That means almost 30% of of the entire population aged 18 to 24 in the Borough will be students living in purpose built accommodation. Compare this to the average elsewhere in London which is only about 5% of that age group. That means Islington has the 2nd highest concentration of student accommodation anywhere in the Capital – only Camden is higher (just).
The largest single development of student housing is in Caledonian Ward (at 200 Pentonville Road – the old twin towers formerly used by NatWest). That development alone accommodates 840 students and represents a sixth of the Borough’s entire stock of purpose-built student accommodation. The vast majority of student accomodation is concentrated in just three spots in the borough – Pentonville Road, Holloway Road (near Nags Head) and Caledonian Road (around the tube station).
Schemes that have either been recently completed or under construction are:
- SOAS, University of London Vernon Square, Penton Rise (additional 103 bedrooms)
- James Leicester Hall, 34, Market Road (expanded from 220 to almost 600 bedrooms)
- 301-315, Holloway Road (316 bedrooms)
Sites where there is planning permission to build:
- 117-119, Seven Sisters Road (185 bedrooms)
- 29-30 Wakley Street & 312-330 Goswell Road (136 bedrooms)
- North Star House, 556-564, Holloway Road (125 bedrooms)
- 189-219, Isledon Road (400 bedrooms)
Two schemes that West Area Planning committee has recently refused:
- 65-70 White Lion Street – 103 student “studios” – awaiting an appeal decision (P090892)
- 465 and 465A Caledonian Road (378 bedspaces) – which might also go to appeal (P091813)
Three further schemes are in the pipeline (still at application stage):
- Morris Place and John Jones Building (at Finsbury Park) – 475 bedrooms (P100197)
- Land and Railway Arches including 45 Hornsey Road and 252 Holloway Road – 450 bedrooms (P092305)
- North Star House 556-564 Holloway Road – 149 bedrooms (P092642)
The Labour Councillors representing Caledonian Ward and the adjoining 3 wards in West Area are strong supporters of London’s higher education presence. Paul Convery says: “The Mayor’s London Plan emphasises that Higher Education is an important part of the London economy – especially the foreign earnings generated by HE institutions. London’s economy depends on high productivity businesses and upon innovation especially in science, ICT, technology and medicine. And our fantastic arts and cultural life in London is enriched by world class humanities, performance and visual arts teaching. London’s HE institutions help underpin the Capital’s competitive advantage in these fields and undergraduates are a necessary part of the mix that makes higher education thrive.
However, a well balanced community should not have a disproportionate number of undergraduate students. Over-concentration worsens the existing high levels of population transcience and can result in a range of services especially clubs, bars and takeaway food establishments displacing conventional services and businesses. Evidence from cities such as Leeds, Nottingham and Leicester shows that a very high concentrations of students has an adverse impact on communities. We just want to get the balance right.”
Kate Greenaway nursery celebrates 50 years
The grown-ups pose for a picture with the Gruffalo and some of the children. Headteacher Julian Grenier is pictured, right.
Kate Greenway nursery school and children’s centre – in the very heart our ward – celebrated its 50th anniversary at the weekend. There was a lovely day of fun and learning in which over 300 families participated.
The centre has been a pioneering nursery in Islington located amidst the Council’s housing estates at Treaty Street and Tiber Gardens. Its inspiring headteacher over the past 7 years has been Julian Grenier who will be departing the school at the end of next term. Under his leadership the school has achieved an outstanding recognition by Ofsted.
On Saturday, youngsters enjoyed meeting popular children’s book character The Gruffalo, listening to African storytelling, joining in with singing sessions, having their faces painted and watching puppet shows along with a host of other activities.
Julian said “Kate Greenaway’s 50th birthday party was a huge success. Working with Lewis Carroll Library, local primary schools and Elizabeth Garrett Anderson Secondary School, we had a week-long celebration of children’s literature in honour of Kate Greenaway. Fifty years of early years education really is something for the nursery school to celebrate – and now we are a children’s centre too. With the huge range of services on offer here for children and families, we are well set for the next half century.”
Councillor Paul Convery attended Saturday’s opening and said “this is a superb nursery school that reflects a commitment in this Borough over several decades to achieve the best start in life for youngsters in this area. Everyone is very proud of Kate Greenaway and congratulates Julian, the governors and staff on achieving so much for these children”.
Kate Greenway has received two Ofsted reports which have judged the nursery school and children’s centre to be “outstanding”. The most recent inspection found that “high quality resources are well selected and used by the staff” who were judged by Ofsted to be “knowledgeable and well trained.” The Ofsted report prasied several aspects of best practice, in particular, children and babies that attend the centre progress exceptionally well and benefit from the outdoor environment, which the Ofsted report describes as ‘wonderful’.
For more about Kate Greenway go to http://www.kategreenaway.ik.org/
Praise where it’s due
The Council’s rules mean that Councillors can not publicly criticise individual Council officers. But there’s a loophole. It’s OK to praise people doing great work. This month, we nominate a guy called Chris Demetriou who is the Street Environment Manager covering the four West Area wards (Cally, Holloway, Barnsbury and St Mary’s). He spends a lot of time on our ward. Whenever we ask him to sort out something he gets it done very quickly.
But one marathon problem took him (and us) about two years to fix. And we were reminded of it last week.
The dump site in 2006. Note the rosette that Rupert is wearing ... we were not Councillors then. It was neglect like this that prompted us to stand for election.
Four years ago, we promised to remove a terrible eyesore that was just under the “Ferodo” Bridge on Caledonian Road. Right next to the bus stop and the entrance into Kings Court, it was a small patch of land that used to fill-up with tipped rubbish. Everything got dumped there – from black bin bags to fridges and other items of lumber. There had once been a chain-link fence cordoning it off but this was pushed over long ago.
No-one really knew who owned this tiny bit of land – although most people reckoned it must be Network Rail. So we asked Chris Demetriou to investigate and get them to sort it out. It all became rather complicated. Not surprisingly, Network Rail were not terribly bothered; and it also turned out there were some shallow-buried BT cables. Chris got the Borough’s Highways Team on the case and, during the long hiatus getting things sorted, Chris made sure the Borough’s cleansing service regularly cleared the site of garbage.
The brick wall that Network Rail built ... eventually. Please don't mention that Rupert seems to be wearing the same leather jacket!
Rupert and Paul wrote repeatedly to Network Rail urging them to acknowledge their ownership and responsibility for the land. Then in December 2007, we got a breakthrough. The BT cables were moved – we had actually persuaded them it was risky having wires so near the surface. Network Rail sent a gang of bricklayers who put up a fine new wall – in just one day. Then, Chris Demetriou got the Borough’s Highways team to paint an anti-graffiti coating onto the brick surface. It’s looked pretty good ever since.
The Kings Cross Environment website blogged the history of this location regularly from 2006 onwards.
www.kingscrossenvironment.com/2006/07/trash_gloryhole.html www.kingscrossenvironment.com/2006/09/caledonian_road.html www.kingscrossenvironment.com/2006/12/cally_road_glor.html
Wharfedale Road is included in Caledonian Ward’s 20mph zone
Wharfdale Road – traffic speeds should reduce on this mainly residential street
Every single road and side street in this ward – with the exception of two main roads, Caledonian Road and York Way – will now be included in a groundbreaking 20 mph Zone. And that includes Wharfdale Road.
The Council has just issued the formal statutory notices which will lead to the Zone being introduced just weeks from now.
There was all-party support to introduce 20mph limits on Islington roads when this was debated at a full meeting of Islington Council last year. A consultation exercise was completed across the Borough and the outcome for the 4 western wards was reported to the West Area Committee in September.
However, the Council came under great pressure from Transport for London not to include Wharfdale Road because it forms part of the (much hated) gyratory around the north side of Kings Cross.
So, Caledonian Councillors moved an amendment to a scheme that was drawn-up by the Council’s transport planners. The vote went our way (actually it was unanimous) and Wharfdale Road is included in the zone.
Even on the 20 mph limits, Islington’s traffic engineers are still trying to sabotage the policy arguing that, as the limits are not self-enforcing (i.e. no physical measures like speed bumps) they are either costly (you need cameras or police etc to enforce) or ineffective. There is a significant distinction between 20 mph “Zones” and roads that have 20mph “limits”. For a “Zone” you need to implement physical speed reduction measures; but roads that have “limits” do not.
On the Camden side of the border there is growing pressure to introduce a 20mph zone too. And many local people would like it to include parts of the southern KX gyratory which includes dense residential streets.
But everyone knows that TfL and Camden’s officials seem to adore these gyratories. They are fixated by a belief that their life mission is to protect vehicle flow by maintaining traffic speeds. Pedestrian safety and a good living environment don’t seem terribly important to TfL and Camden’s highway planners.
97 Caledonian Road – building blights the neighbourhood
Propped-up by scaffolding, the building is almost collapsing
It isn’t unusual to hear passers-by mutter “what a bloody disgrace” when they look at 97 Caledonian Road. And it’s all made worse because the Council has repeatedly failed to use any of its available powers to take-over the site. They could serve a compulsory purchase order (CPO) or use the new law which lets Councils commandeer empty housing. But nothing has happened.
The site is at the junction of Wharfedale Road with Killick Street and Caledonian Road. It’s been derelict for years.
Two years ago, the owners let an outdoor advertising company put a huge ‘wraparound’ advert covering the entire building. They did so without planning permission. Paul and Rupert got that nipped in the bud sharpish – although it did have the advantage of hiding the sadly decrepit building behind.
Even during the property boom, no-one seemed prepared to take-on this crumbling building. Incredibly, the site has a “for sale” notice which claims there is a planning permission for redevelopment. Not true.
Here’s one part of the problem: Islington’s planners keep telling potential purchasers that the building’s facade would have to be retained. Well that’s a nightmare for anyone thinking of buying the site because it’s almost falling down. That’s why its been shrouded in scaffolding for so long. So a “conservation” principle is keeping this site blighted.
What to do then? Councillor Paul Convery says that one of his first acts, if Labour forms an administration after the May elections, is to instruct planners to un-blight the site and get the Council’s legal people to start CPO proceedings. The building should be returned to its former uses with housing on the upper floors and a shop or offices at street level.
Paul says “people often say this corner has one of Islington’s ‘gateway’ buildings and it tells a dreadful story of neglect in this busy part of our neighbourhood. We’ve spent 4 years trying to get this fixed. Each time we’ve been rebuffed by bureaucrats wielding excuses and by a Town Hall political leadership that simply isn’t interested”.
Plan for 350 student rooms on Caledonian Road rejected
The 'Mallet & Porter' building and the old plumbing supply shop next door
There’s nothing wrong with students! But there is a growing consensus that too much student housing may disrupt the balance of our communities and take development sites which have greater potential for ordinary housing – especially affordable homes.
Additional purpose-built student housing does not release any existing homes that are occupied by students. That’s why Councillors have unanimously rejected plans for a huge student development next to Caledonian Road station.
The south of Islington has seen a sharp increase in purpose-built student housing. It’s not terribly surprising though. The Borough is home to two universities (London Met and City) and we are quite near to Bloomsbury which is dominated by the University of London precinct. But Islington now has the second highest concentration of student housing anywhere in London.
The Council has an “emerging” planning policy known as the Local Development Framework Core Strategy. This explicitly rules-out any more purpose-built student housing anywhere other than the campus areas surrounding the Borough’s two universities. But the law requires Islington to take its time in adopting the new Core Strategy. So, it will not be finally adopted until later this year after a Government appointed inspector has conducted an “Examination in Public”.
In the meantime, applications to develop student housing have flooded in. The latest scheme would have meant a huge new building of between 6 and 8 storeys built into the façade of the historic “Mallet and Porter” warehouse building. Behind this would have been an 11 storey tower block rising above the neighbourhood. There are already 300 student places at Piccadilly Court next door to this site and a further 600 places in a development almost adjacent on Market Road. Within a tight triangular site, there would therefore be around 1,250 student rooms built.
The scheme was rejected because its bulk, mass and height were unacceptable, because on-street servicing would be inadequate and because the height of the 11 storey tower would have meant insufficient daylight reaching some rooms in the development.
Paul Convery, chair of the West Area planning committee said “There is no doubt that London benefits from Higher Education and that University College London (which would have taken-on the development) is an outstanding institution. Redevelopment of this site – to also include some retail and office space – would provide a welcome revitalisation of this stretch of Caledonian Road. However, this building was too large. And, although Councillors could not rely on the emerging policy towards student housing, we were clear in our minds that this development would represent an excessive concentration of students in a very small area.”
Rupert Perry added that “All 6 members of the planning committee were students at some time in our lives. So we certainly aren’t anti-student. What we want to avoid is excessive concentrations of purpose-built student housing. Our neighbourhoods need a more stable population and, for obvious reasons, this type of accomodation has the opposite effect.”
See also: http://www.islingtontribune.com/news/2010/mar/make-flats-affordable-notting-hill-housing-trust-told
Local youth charged with murder of Jessie Wright
The police have charged a local youth, Zakk Sackett, with the murder of Jessie Wright whose body was found behind the flats at 21-36 Outram Place on Thursday afternoon, March 5th. Jessie, aged 16, lived on the Bemerton estate and had attended Copenhagen Primary School and Maria Fidelis secondary school.
Sackett appeared at Highbury Magistrates Court on Monday morning, March 8th. He was remanded in custody and to appear at the Old Bailey on March 10th. The identity of Sackett was already known to many people locally.
Friends of Jessie have organised a mass candlelit vigil from 7pm to 8pm on the Delhi Outram Estate, on Wednesday evening, 10th March.
Cllr Paul Convery says: “The announcement that the police have charged a local youth is a further and awful shock to residents. We have had a long-running, serious problem with anti-social behaviour in this neighbourhood. This has to be vigorously tackled – at an early and ‘low-level’ stage – by the police and community working together. Otherwise it can lead to awful and violent escalation. If there is one positive thing we can do in Jessie Wright’s memory, it is to redouble our efforts to stop the anti-social behaviour in this neighbourhood.
UPDATED 10th March 2010
A preliminary hearing at the Old Bailey this morning remanded Zakk Sackett in custody. No application was made for bail. A plea and case management hearing will take place on June 14th. Sackett did not appear at the hearing.
Labour Councillors representing the Cally neighbourhood in Islington 