The Islington Council Executive met to discuss financial strategies, budget monitoring, and community initiatives, with a focus on sustainability and resident well-being, and agreed to increase building control charges from 5 October 2025. The Executive approved recommendations related to financial monitoring, capital budget adjustments and the implementation of Awaab's Law. They also designated the Poets Road Conservation Area and adopted the Climate Action Supplementary Planning Document and Retrofitting Handbook.

Here's a more detailed look at the key topics discussed:

Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) Update

Councillor Flora Williamson, Executive Member for Finance and Performance, presented an update on the council's Medium Term Financial Strategy, highlighting a potential £75 million budget gap over five years. Key variables included an £8 million negative movement due to pay award increases and a £4 million positive movement from pension contributions.

A significant point of discussion was the government's Fair Funding Review consultation. Councillor Williamson explained that while supportive of the additional £5 billion grant funding for local government, there were concerns about the oversimplification of the formula, the removal of urban weighting, and the introduction of an untested remoteness factor. The consultation assumes every council has a council tax D¹ of £2,000 a year, while in Islington, it is just over £1,500. If the proposals were to go ahead without changes, it could add an additional £45 million to the budget gap.

Councillor Williamson stated:

In June, the government launched a consultation into the way local government is funded. Local government funding is unbelievably complex and has not been updated since 2013-14. So, a review is very much due.

In response to a question from an opposition member about mitigating a potential £14.6 million budget cut, Councillor Williamson emphasised the council's strong financial management and ability to weather storms, but stressed that it was too speculative to comment on a consultation.

The Executive approved recommendations 1.1 to 1.4 on page 5 of the agenda pack.

Budget Monitoring and Performance Reports

The Executive reviewed several budget monitoring reports:

• Budget Monitoring Report 2025-26, Quarter One: Councillor Williamson noted a forecast overspend of £1.5 million in the general fund, which is considered normal at this stage of the year. The Executive approved recommendations 1.1 to 1.6 on page 33 of the agenda pack.
• Capital Budget Monitoring Report, Quarter One: Councillor Williamson reported a 15% reduction in capital spend due to project slippage, which is also considered normal. The Executive approved recommendations 1.1 to 1.4 on page 79 of the agenda pack.
• Corporate Progress and Performance Update, Quarter One: Councillor Williamson highlighted positive performance across all missions, including securing £2.1 million in additional benefits for low-income households and planting 953 trees. The Executive agreed to the recommendations on page 103 of the Agenda Item Pack.

Procurement for General Banking Services

Councillor Williamson introduced the Banking Procurement Strategy, emphasising the strengthening of ethical banking questions within the procurement documents. The strategy gives more weight to selecting a bank with a better track record on environmental sustainability, corporate risk management, and human rights.

Councillor Ilkay Cinko-Oner asked about the consultant's expertise in ethical procurement. Councillor Williamson clarified that the consultant is an expert in local authority banking procurement, and ethical considerations are a huge issue for the banking sector.

Esme Waterfield, a resident, asked if the environmental implications assessment could be made public, to which Councillor Williamson agreed.

The Executive approved recommendations 1.1 and 1.2 on page 143 of the agenda.

Report of the Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee - Attendance

Councillor Michelline Safi-Ngongo, Executive Member for Children, Young People & Families, introduced a report on attendance. The Executive noted the report and its recommendations, and agreed that a response from the Executive would follow in due course.

Implementation of Awaab's Law

Councillor John Woolf, Executive Member for Homes and Neighbourhoods, introduced a report on the implementation of Awaab's Law², which addresses damp and mould issues in social housing. Councillor Woolf noted that it was a tragedy that someone had to die before the law was made. He thanked Jed Young for mapping damp and mould cases.

Councillor Woolf stated:

I know my predecessor now leader of the council did a hell of a lot of work making sure that we improved our damp and mould response services for tenants making it easier to report ensuring our partners knew how to report have an in-house team and funds to support those changes too

The Executive agreed to recommendations 1.1 to 1.4 on pages 265 to 266 of the agenda pack.

Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee - Adult Social Care Accommodation

Councillor Dr Sara Hyde, Executive Member for Health and Social Care, introduced the report of the Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee on Adult Social Care Accommodation. The Executive agreed to note the report and its recommendations, and extended thanks to Councillor Chowdhury, former Chair of the Committee, and all involved in the production of the report.

Report of the Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee - Community Centres in Islington

Councillor Sheila Chapman, Executive Member for Equalities, Communities & Inclusion, introduced the report of the Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee on Community Centres in Islington. The Executive agreed to note the scrutiny recommendations and thanked the committee for their work.

Adoption of Climate Action Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) and Retrofitting Handbook

Councillor Santiago Bell-Bradford, Deputy Leader and Executive Member for Inclusive Economy, Culture & Jobs, introduced the adoption of the Climate Action Supplementary Planning Document and Retrofitting Handbook. He said that the documents summarise that net zero is not achievable without the collaboration of the community and residents.

Councillor Bell-Bradford stated:

all these two documents do is allow our residents those who own homes those who live in rental properties landlords business owners to be able to make informed decisions about how they can make their properties net zero

The Executive agreed to the four recommendations of 378 of the agenda pack.

Designation of the Poets Road Conservation Area

Councillor Bell-Bradford introduced the designation of the Poets Road Conservation Area. He noted that this was the first new conservation area in two decades.

Councillor Bell-Bradford stated:

I think this is we haven't actually designated a new conservation area I think in two decades maybe more or less and for the area which we picked to kind of restart this process it was somewhere that was an outlier everywhere that abuts this area is a conservation area and when you look on the map of conservation areas of which it covers much of Islington this area is just a square hole

The Executive agreed to recommendations 1.1 to 1.4 on pages 870 and 871 of the agenda pack.

Report of the Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee - Cleaner, Greener, More Inclusive Streets

Councillor Rowena Champion, Executive Member for Environment, Air Quality & Transport, was not present for this item. The Executive agreed to note the recommendations made by the scrutiny committee and thanked them for the work.

Procurement Strategy for the Pan-London sexual health e-service

Councillor Dr Sara Hyde, Executive Member for Health and Social Care, introduced the report to seek approval for the procurement and award of the sexual health e-service, which will be undertaken by the City of London on behalf of Islington Council.

Councillor Hyde stated:

it's a really effective way for the council to provide quite a volume of routine STI testing so that we can make sure that we keep up with demand and keep people safe and keep people well

The Executive agreed to recommendations 1.1 to 1.3 on pages 1095 of the agenda pack.

Approval of North London Waste Authority (NLWA) Joint Waste Strategy

Councillor Champion introduced the report, noting that it had already been approved by the North London Waste Authority board.

Councillor Champion stated:

it's essentially kind of almost the umbrella strategy that the councils themselves individually will then make more precise plans which suit the circumstances of their own borough

The Executive agreed to recommendations 1.1 and 1.2 on pages 1131 of the agenda pack.