Transcript

This meeting is being webcast to enable those who cannot attend in person to follow proceedings. Please could I ask all attendees to turn on your microphone when you're invited to speak and remember to turn off your microphone when you have finished. Please note that this is a council meeting being held in public and not a public meeting. All remarks should be addressed through me as chair. Please note that we are not expecting a fire alarm this evening so if a fire alarm is sounded please follow my instructions at that time to evacuate the building. As usual each item will be introduced by the relevant executive member followed by an opportunity for members to ask questions and then an opportunity for members of the public to ask questions and the questions must be related to the agenda item being deliberated. When the questions on each item are completed we will then move that item to a vote and once that vote has been taken there will be no further discussions on that item. I would like to reassure everyone that the executive members have read all the reports and dependencies supplied to them for this meeting. Please note that two of the agenda items this evening are exempt, both of which require formal approval. I would ask members to ensure that they do not make reference to or ask any questions about any information in the exempt items until we have excluded press and public from this meeting and entered the confidential part of the meeting. We will exclude press and public at the appropriate stage of the meeting, thank you. We now move on to formal matters of the agenda. Item 1, apologies. I have received apologies from Councillor Chapman and Walks. Declarations of interest, does anyone have any declarations of interest? No? Okay. Item A3, non-exempt minutes from the previous meeting held on the 5th of September. Can we agree the non-exempt minutes of the last meeting? All agreed. Thank you very much. We then move on to the first item, item B4, corporate performance update quarter 1, 2004/2005, April to June 2004. Councillor Ward, will you please introduce? Thanks, Chair. Chair, there's a lot of talk these days about mission-based government. Well, Islington were doing mission-based government a long time before this became something that was talked about in the news and our five missions are so all-important to our residents to make sure that residents and their families can survive and thrive here in this borough and have all those opportunities that they need. At the end, but the question is how do we measure that? How do we quantify that? How do we check in against all of our five missions? And the bottom line is what gets measured gets done. And that's why we're doing performance a little bit differently. It's much clearer on all these delivery plans. Some of it's going really well and there's other things where we definitely need to improve. But the important thing is that this is a very clear way of measuring how we're doing against all of our five missions. This can be used here, it can be used at Corporate Resources and Economy Committee and it can be used right across the council at the different scrutiny committees to have a look in a very, very clear and concise way about how we're doing on each mission. Very happy to take questions, Chair. Thank you. Do we have any questions from members of the Executive? No. Do we have any questions from other members present? Councillor Nestor. Thank you, Chair, and just also say thank you and it's been a pleasure to work with you all the last few years. I think this might be my opportunity to do say that today. Just going back to the item itself, these metrics are really well welcomed. I think that change has been needed for some time. But I do note that the child-friendly Islington hasn't got any green metrics so far. And I think what would be really sort of note is timescales within these, not just the colour coding. So is there any way to get that inserted as well? I'm sure we can have a look at that, Councillor. We're always looking for ways to improve this. I think it is much clearer, but if there's other ways that we can improve it, put in timelines, different things like that about the actions, very, very happy to take that away. Councillor Safi and Gumbay, you want to start? Thank you for your question. I know it's Children's Services and Tanya, she's present here. We are putting a clear timetable across the priorities. And because we just launched in September, as you are aware, and there is quite the details, we are working with each executive member for us to meet what really we agree. And we are happy to share at the due time when we're going to finish the planning. Thank you very much. OK, we move on to item B5, the Resident Experience Programme Phase 3 funding. Councillor Ward. Thank you very much, Chair. Chair, if we're honest with ourselves, the most important thing that we can do as a council is make sure that vital services are easily accessible at the right time for everybody, and particularly the most vulnerable residents. And let's be honest, we haven't always got that right. But that's what the Resident Experience Programme is all about. Making sure that residents can access the right services at the right time. And there is nothing more important around challenging inequality and promoting opportunity than making sure you can access the right services at the right time. We've made huge progress on our telephone service, which is much, much more improved. But we do need to work very, very hard on our digital programme. And at the end of the day, if we can get more and more of our simple transactional services done digitally, then we have an awful lot more time to help residents with more complex casework in person. And I know that our accesses at LinkedIn Hubs are working very, very hard on that. But if we take it that one of the big reasons behind this is just to make sure those simple transactional services can be done online. MyEslington and what's been ruled out by MyEslington so far shows what can be achieved. But we can achieve a lot more. Thanks, Jo. Thank you very much. Do you have any questions? Councillor Hallard? Well, it's not really a question. It's just a comment. This is so needed. And I know for a couple of years we've all been looking at it. And it is about investment. We want to make life simple for those that want to just do transactions online. But there's always going to be face-to-face as well. We've just engaged today with leaseholders. And there's been hundreds of people in and out of the building up to 7 o'clock tonight. And we're taking feedback from them. And I really welcome this. I think this is a game changer. Thank you very much, Councillor Hallard. Are there any other questions from executive members? No? Councillor Nesta? Thank you, Chair. And I completely agree with the sentiment. The change was needed. I think things are being implemented in the right direction. Again, just to flag up, some of the most vulnerable people find it rather challenging to even initiate making a phone call. So I know we have a target of 90 per cent of calls answered. But we're currently still hitting 84 per cent. I think surely we must get that bit right of answering a phone call that's made. Couldn't agree more. And the figures do speak for themselves. Call weighting is down. Call abandonment is down. And we're getting fewer calls because we're actually getting it right the first time. We've done so much work on this. It's so much better than it was. But as you say, Councillor, there's always more to do. And you're absolutely right. Some people will have trouble accessing phone services. Some people will have trouble accessing digital services. But someone like me who never wants to speak to anybody and just wants to do all my transactions on my phone. If we can get people like me doing those simple transactions on the phone or digitally, we have so much more resource to help those vulnerable people who do need face-to-face contact and face-to-face resolution of their issues. But absolutely right. We need to have a laser focus on those figures, get them up to the right level. A lot done, but a lot to do. Thank you. Are there any questions from members of the public? No? Okay. In which case is that item agreed? Thank you very much. We now move on to item B6, the report of the Children's Services Scrutiny Committee. Children's Workforce, Recruiting, Retaining and Growing Talent in Islington. I know that Councillor Chapman led this really important scrutiny topic. I think it's at a time that we all know that the education and child's workforce has been through a hell of a lot after 14 years of austerity. So I know how passionate the committee was to make sure they heard the lived experience of the workforce in Islington. But Councillor Sapien-Gongo, would you like to add anything? Thank you very much, Chair. Just I want to echo what you said about scrutiny to look on our workforce. It's a very important topic. If we want really to put our children first, we have to make sure we keep an eye about the workforce. Recommendation noted will come with the response in due course, because we need to work in full collaboration with adult social care executive member and also the executive member of housing, because some recommendation is gross portfolio, but we're going to bring the response from the recommendation in due course. Thank you. Thank you very much. Is there any members questions from executive members? Members of Councillors? Thank you, Chair. It was brilliant to sit on this committee and to be part of producing this amazing document. And one of the underlying things was the importance of valuing the amazing workforce that we have. And one of the recommendations as part of that is obviously to make sure that they get paid the right amount of time. Sorry, the right amount of money. Very recently, we had an issue come up with the instantaneous play workforce. And I just want to make sure that the issues that they have been bringing up are also included as part of this, that they feel valued. Councillor Zafi-Nounger, do you want to respond? Yes. As I said, we're going to come with the response because all of us, we believe the more we look after our pay for a workforce is the more we are serving our children. That means we have to take everything in consideration. Thank you. Thank you very much. Okay. Is there any questions on this item from members of the public? No. In which case, is that item agreed or noted? Great. Thank you very much. We now move on to item B7, the Islington Sanctuary Grant Program, which I'll be introducing instead of Councillor Chapman. I have to say that this is such a brilliant thing that we are going to undertake. So we've, from the government, been given half a million pound from the Sanctuary Grants Program that we're going to give to local projects to support refugees and migrants and residents who are seeking asylum in the borough. We've decided to build on our work on community power and use this money through a participatory grant-making approach, which means that experts by experience, so people from the refugee and migrant community, will help us shape and deliver this grant program. I just couldn't be, it's such an honour that we're going to be able to do this with our borough, and I really hope it's going to, you know, I think it will give us a wealth of information about what our community needs, but also, you know, really shape how we can support them. And it's just a brilliant thing for a Labour government to give us this funding and for us to, as a Labour council, enact. Is there any questions on this item? No? Okay, question. Yes. Thank you, Chair. And as an asylum seeker and migrant, this is incredibly welcomed, the fact that Islington is welcome to asylum seekers, and that message is very strong and clear. I really love the participatory grant approach, and hopefully the council will learn from that approach and try to disseminate that in other council services. So hopefully there's some aspect of that learning that will take place with this. But my question also is, we know there isn't much money going around, so where will we do get, will you just stretch it out for as long as possible? So what kind of sustainability measures will be put in place to make sure that there's a legacy but also sustainability for the work that will happen? Thank you. What I will say is this is far from the first participatory budget thing that we've done. We've had a great pilot on the Naylor estate, but also obviously for our work in thriving neighbourhoods and the greener fund, you know, this is all part of building on that approach. The NRPF team will be intrinsic in setting up how this fund is administered and taking the learning from the project, and we'll definitely think about the legacy of the work that we'll be doing and supporting through that. So, thank you. Please go ahead. Can you put your microphone on? Hi. I have a three-part question for your liberty to discard any of the parts. I, in regards to this agenda, wanted to know how this budget will be distributed in terms of practical plans, what you guys have in mind to do, what the time scale of each would be, and if you could tell me any kind of organisation that you have, like you said, experts to collaborate with on the project. Thank you. In terms of how the project will be delivered, I mean, I think that's partly why we're doing it with people from that community, so they can be intrinsic in shaping how it will be delivered. And in terms of time scales, Rolos, do you know what the time scales are? No, I don't, but I can get an answer on that and send that through for information. Sorry, your final part of the question? Working with experts on financials. Not only will we work with, you know, we host the country's NRPF network, No Recourse to Public Funds network, but also have our own No Recourse to Public Funds team in the council. We've done a lot of work in settling Afghan refugees, Ukrainian refugees, Syrian refugees within the borough, but also working with U.S. children, unaccompanied asylum seeker children, and others. So we have already quite a strong network of communities that we've supported, so we have those links. But also intrinsically in this, in Islington, we have a real strong wealth of voluntary sector organizations. As it says in the paper, we'll also partner alongside them so that we get the widest reach in terms of administering this grant. Thank you. And if I just draw your attention to section nine in the report that outlines some of the first three phases of the timelines. Three phases of the timeline, section nine. Thank you very much. Okay, with that up, you have another question. Hi, sorry, I also had a question. So I know the applications have closed for the Sanctuary Grants Community Panel. I was wondering if it's been selected yet and how many applications were received? No, we're agreeing with paper tonight so that all of that work can be undertaken. Sure. Thank you. Any other questions? No? Okay, so I agree. Thank you. Okay, we'll move on to item B8, the report of the housing through to the committee, new build homes, the performance today and meeting future challenges. I understand that Councillor Jackson couldn't make it this evening but Councillor Halloran, is there anything you want to say about this report or this thing? No, just to welcome the report and note it and thanks the committee for all the work they've done on this. Brilliant, thank you. Is there any questions on this report? Councillor Lesters? Thank you, Chair. Again, it was great to sit on this committee and support the work that happened in terms of coming up with the recommendations. Obviously, it's so crucial that we build more council homes and making sure that we get off, I think, the current zero as soon as possible. Do we know how many council homes we've built towards the 750 target? Do you want to clarify what you mean by zero? I think we currently have a 750 council homes target. I think we're currently on zero towards the target. I'm happy to be clarified. Now, Councillor Wood? I mean, I'm not sure that's a correct characterisation. It was in the 2022 manifesto. It's now 2024. We can't build council homes overnight. We've currently got Finsbury Leisure Centre, which is 100 council homes that are about to make a planning application. In the Leader's Ward, Varley Road, that's also well underway and is post-planning. So, we can't kind of magic up homes overnight, but we are well underway. There's also Dixon Cloud Court. Dixon Cloud Court is part of the previous targets. Thank you. Councillor Helen, do you want to add anything? I think that anyone knows that this council is about build, build, build. Some things have stopped us with money. We've got the biggest buy-back scheme as well, and we will continue to build. And we're hoping now we have a Labour government who will do all we can to keep building. Thank you very much. Is there a Councillor champion? I think just to pick up on what Councillor Hanlon said about the buy-back programme, I don't think we can underestimate the amazing work that the team has done to achieve what it has. So, it's over three, I think, a very, very significant number of homes for people. It's around to 150 now, isn't it? Yeah, yeah, yeah. It's really important that we look at all aspects. Okay. Is there any questions from members of the public? No? In which case is that item agreed? Thank you. We move on to item B9, the procurement strategy for the repair and maintenance of communal mechanical systems and installation works. Councillor Hanlon, please introduce yourself. It's probably easier if I say that when we go out for procurement, this is the GEM contract, so it's coming to its end and with the recommendation, and this is to go out to the proposal, is to have two maintenance contracts, north and south of the borough, in consistence with the gas safety, because we have two gas contracts, and also we'll be bringing the communal ventilation contract separately. Okay. Is there any questions from other members on this item? No? Any questions from members of the public? No? In which case is that item agreed? Agreed. Great. We move on to item B10, communal heating service standards. Councillor Hanlon, please introduce yourself. Thank you. As you know, this is again to do with our heating. We went out for consultation. This is about the communal heating, which we went out and we're keeping it at 13 hours, as well as like a medium flow in the day. We're listening to people and we'll be monitoring this as we go along. Brilliant. Is there any questions from any other executive members? No? Any other councillors? No? Any other members of the public? No? In which case is this item agreed? Agreed. Thank you. We move on to item B11, the procurement strategy for testing, repairs, servicing works for the door entry and access control, vehicle access barrier and security shutter systems. Councillor Hanlon, please introduce yourself. Again, this is where we're going out for procurement again. So it's just really a matter of, this is another approval for us to go out for procurement. Happy to take questions. Thank you. Any questions from executive members? No? Other councillors? No? Members of the public? No? In which case is that item agreed? Agreed. Thank you. Move on to item B12, the adult social care accommodation strategy. Councillor Williamson, will you introduce? Yeah, well, I'm going to be brief, but please don't assume my briefness is any reflection of the work, because I think this is a really important piece of work. So this council's ambition by 2030 is to have, to create a more equal future for us and to where everyone who lives here can thrive. And this adult social care accommodation strategy really is part of that. Ultimately, the strategy is about supporting people so that they can remain as independent as possible by living in their own home. And where that isn't possible is to try as much as possible to keep them near their home and bespoke really high quality accommodation, which also can recognise if there's any cultural sensitivities, care and support that they may need. The strategy lays out four really clear priorities and I'm really pleased to see it's got some really clear, tangible outcomes of what good looks like so that we can hold ourselves accountable in the future. Thank you very much. Is there any other question from your secretary? Councillor Hallard. It's not a question, just congratulations everyone involved in this. It really, really is positive. Very well said, Councillor Hallard. Councillor Annesner's question. Thank you, Chair. Just passing on this, so don't shoot the messenger. My understanding is that this strategy is currently being scrutinised by the committee. So will the committee still be able to influence the strategy? So the committee's looking, it's a bit more specific, so it's looking at the cost of the accommodation and what exactly the different sorts of accommodation to meet the strategy will be. So it very much complements it and fits in with it, opposed to being two totally different separate pieces of work. Okay, thank you. Any questions from members of the public? No? In which case is that item agreed? Agreed. Thank you. We move on to item B13, the Household Support Fund. Number 6, Distribution Strategy. Councillor Hallard, will you please introduce? Thank you, Chair. The Household Support Fund is a vital lifeline for our most vulnerable residents. We have had a decade of austerity here in Islington and the worst cost of living crisis on record. During the previous Tory government it was always touch and go whether the Household Support Fund would continue and that was a very, very difficult time if you combine that with the fact we were only getting yearly budget settlements. It was just very difficult to plan and very difficult to know how we were going to get to the end of a very, very long tunnel. I'm very, very pleased that the Household Support Fund is continuing. We've set out in the paper how we're going to spend this but we'll be helping the least financially resilient low-income households, low-income pensioner households, low-income disabled households, care leavers and we'll also be supporting food aid providers, warm spaces and also an IMAX officer. Our IMAX team do such brilliant work every day helping people in difficult situations. I'm also pleased that as part of our round tables on combating poverty we'll also be using some of the funds for more long term projects to end poverty in the borough. Thanks, Chair. Thank you so much, Councillor Ward. Councillor Sophie Ngonge. Thank you, Chair. I would like just to say thank you to the IMAX for the piece of work they put together, especially including care leavers support because they are very vulnerable. Any help from us as their corporate parenting? Your mic? Yeah, any help they are receiving from us as their corporate parenting? That is big volume. Thank you very much for you to think about them and to support them. Really, we appreciate your help and support on this for our behalf of our care leavers. Thank you. Councillor Hammond. And I'd also like to put on my record the thanks and the work you've done across the VCS with the warm spaces, everything else and just give a big plug to our IMAX team, the work they do and when they go into places and people that are not getting pension credits, they do so much work on the ground. So thank you and I'm really proud that we're still doing this. Thank you so much. Any other questions from members of the public? No? In which case is that item warmly agreed? Agreed. Great. We now move on to item B14, the policy for the use of vacant premises, managers and caretaker houses. Councillor Ward will you please introduce? Thanks, Chair. We all know the cause of Islington is the cause of housing and that just makes it so absolutely vital that we make best use of our own estate and each of our own properties in cooperation with partners. And so it's very, very important that we have a very, very clear policy for these vacant schoolhouses. The policy makes very, very clear that the council will always first seek to identify whether the home is suitable for repurposing or reuse by the council and this could include key worker housing, it could include care-leaver housing, we're very, very proud that we're working on care-leaver housing as well and it could include traditional council housing as well. But we are not short of options, but we need to work really hard to make the best use of these really, really valuable homes. Thank you so much, Councillor Ward. Is there any questions from executive members? No? Council is having a comment? Once again, just thank you and we are prepared to work in full collaboration to get use of this opportunity. We know housing is not just its link to our problems across the country, it's very difficult to find any house, but let's get use on this really. Thank you very much. Questions from members of the public? No? In which case, is another brilliant item agreed? Agreed. Thank you. Now we move on to item B15, the update of the Care UK residential home contract. This is the non-exempt report and is for noting only. The recommendations are contained in the exempt appendix for later on in the agenda, but please, Councillor Ward, please give a brief introduction. Chair, this is an update on a contractual dispute with Care UK. As you can see, most of the contents are exempt, but should the committee wish to discuss that, I'm sure we can do so at a later stage in the meeting. Thank you very much. Is there any questions at this stage from executive members, from all councils, from members of the public? No? In which case, is that agreed? Agreed. Thank you very much. Item B16, the report of the Environment and Regeneration Committee, the review of net zero carbon 2030 and active travel. Councillor Champion, will you please respond? I know that Councillor Clark has sadly had to give apologies, but if there's anything you'd like to add at this stage. Yes, I just wanted to thank the committee for the work they did and actually for choosing this topic. I'm incredibly proud of the work that we've done to make it safer for people to walk wheel and cycle in Islington. And as we know, fourth year running, we were the top inner London borough in the healthy street scorecard, which is a real testament to the work that's been done. But I think at the heart of what we're doing really is our fairness agenda, but also to improve health and wellbeing, making it easier for children and adults to increase their activity because we know what a tremendous benefit that is to people, not just now, but actually going through into later life. We're trying to bake into how we change the infrastructure, how we design the schemes to make it child friendly, make it more accessible for older people, particularly people with limited mobility and disabilities. And I would really like to thank the teams across the council, including the public health team, children's services for working with us to do that. However, there is also a job of work to do to try and broaden access to encourage and enable more people to walk, cycle and wheel. And that sometimes needs more than just changing the infrastructure. And what this is about and this act of travel scrutiny is about looking at that incredibly important piece of work. And as I said, I look forward to coming back to executive with our response in due course. Great. Thank you very much. Is there any questions at this stage? Thank you, chair. It was really great that the scorecard was mentioned. They have the street scorecard, but it should also be noted that Islington came 13 for the proportion of roads that have protected cycle lanes. And in fact, I think the report only mentioned the cycle lanes once and nothing in relation to protections on main roads. So again, in the response, if we can pay some attention to make sure that we improve the safety and with significant injuries and deaths on main roads, too. Sorry, was there a question in there? Can the report back on that one also have a bit more emphasis on cycle lanes and how we're going to make sure that major roads are made safe for cycling? I mean, what I will say is that should have been agreed by the committee. The committee holds the recommendations of that report. So it feels unfair that you're adding on a recommendation at this later stage. However, I understand it helps the champion would like to come back on that. So I think, you know, we have as a council, we have limited resources during covid. We we put in low traffic neighbourhoods which cover 25 per cent of the borough, and that in itself makes it easier for people to cycle. But also, in particular, I think it was important for me also benefiting people walking, wheeling and also living in the area. So it's a really it's a whole area of benefit to many, many people. It supports children's independence. What we're trying to do is green those areas, quiet the streets so people can get out. Social isolation is tackled. Encourage people, elder people, people with limited mobility to walk the streets. And while I completely accept that cycle lanes are important in some circumstances, they absolutely are. We worked with TFL on C50, we put in cycleway 38 and we will continue to work to improve cycling down the main roads. It does have to be recognised that actually the interventions that we have made do go a long way to improving cycling. And actually, you know, if you're a nervous cyclist, it may be probably better for you. You may find it safer and more relaxing for you to go into a neighbourhood that has much less traffic, which gives space for people to pass you, whether they're, you know, whether they're people driving or whether they're cycling faster than you. Because cycle lanes, absolutely they have their place, but they do have limitations and particularly for those people perhaps who feel, who can't cycle as quickly. So while I completely accept that we are doing that, you know, we will do that, but I think we just do need to look at what actually what we've done and how we're proceeding with the schemes that we are at the moment. Thank you very much. Councillor Lester, do you have another question? Just a clarification. I'm not recommending any new recommendation. I'm just asking that the report that comes back from the executive member does elaborate a bit more on cycle lanes. As we've just heard, there's a lot to say what has been done, but obviously there's still a lot more to do. Noted. Is there any questions from members of the public? No? In which case is that item agreed? We now move on to the last formal item on the public agenda, the procurement strategy and contract award for external legal advice from barristers and solicitors. Councillor Ward, will you introduce? Chair, we do have a very able in-house legal team, but there will always be times when we need specialist services from outside law firms and barristers' chambers. This procurement strategy sets out how we're going to arrange those services. I would draw the committee's particular attention to section 3.4.5, which talks about additional benefits. The one additional benefit that I would highlight is we're looking at whether an external barristers' chambers or law firm could provide work experience to state school children and those from BME backgrounds. At least two of us in the room have been through that system. I know that a solicitors' training contract and a pupilage at a barristers' chambers these days, they were like gold dust 20 years ago. These days they're very, very, very, very fine gold dust, so we need to make sure that local children have those opportunities. I'm very pleased that this procurement strategy makes reference to that and I look forward to it progressing. Thank you very much. Do we have any questions from the executive members? I think this is so good to give young people an opportunity and I'd imagine, because we've got a woman who's here, that she's very much in favour of this, so well done. I know that it was something that she had delivered elsewhere. Not surprised. Thank you, chair. I wasn't actually going to ask the question, but prompted by the executive member, I guess the question is do our in-house legal team provide work experience to children? I believe so, but I'll defer to Alice Institute. Thank you, chair. Yes, we do provide that work experience. Lovely. Brilliant. Any questions from members of the public? No. In which case is that another lovely thing agreed? Agreed. Agreed. Okay. That now ends the public part of the meeting. Can I just check, is there any request from executive members or other members to discuss the exemplars? No. In which case, can I please put on record my thanks to all of the staff at Islington Council. This is my last meeting as a leader of Islington Council and a councillor after 11 years of service. I am going to miss you all so much and you're all brilliant and councillors and officers alike do amazing things every day for our residents and I couldn't have been prouder to be part of the little part of the journey that we've been on. And I know, you know, I was born here, I will probably, as councillor Halloran said, be carried out in a box here. I did not tell the leader of this, you know. I joke and say I've lived and been buried in Islington in Bunhill. You wouldn't be, it would be up in Pinchley. But just to say it's been a real honour to serve with you all and I know you'll carry on doing amazing things for Islington. Thank you very much. In a final piece of business, could I move a sincere and heartfelt vote of thanks to my friend, Councillor Kaya Comer Schwartz. Kaya and I have been on the executive together for more years than I care to admit at this point. She has been my friend and confidant for many, many years. Some of us around this table remember the first Children's Services Scrutiny Committee of 2013, when a brand new chair was in place called Councillor Kaya Macquarie Schwartz chaired that meeting. And as I recall, I was 15 minutes late for that meeting and was severely berated for this. But, you know, it was it was 11 years ago, so I'm sure we can forget that by now. A lot first starting off with Children's Services Scrutiny Committee, then on to the executive in 2016, executive for the voluntary community sector, then on to executive member for Children and Young People and then on to leader of the council. Kaya has steered us through many, many difficult times in a just a very calm and collected way, always just keeping the residents of Islington first. And as an Islingtoner through and through, we just always see that with Kaya that the residents of Islington always come first. And she has steered us so successfully through the last three, three, three plus years. We know that Islington's loss is going to be London's gain. Thank you so much, Kaya. I'm second in this forum and you won't miss his bad jokes, but we wish you all the best. We know. We'll watch out for you. And just remember when we want things, we're going to get them. We know where you are. Thank you very much, everyone. Good luck, Jenny Ho. [BLANK_AUDIO]