Councillor Anjna Khurana was elected as Mayor of Islington for 2024/25, with Councillor Jason Jackson as her deputy. Outgoing Mayor, Councillor Gary Heather, was thanked for his service to the borough. Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz announced a refreshed Executive, with new responsibilities and some changes in personnel. The Council also approved a number of constitutional amendments relating to the operation of scrutiny, changes to the Members’ Allowances Scheme and procurement rules, and the membership and terms of reference for the Council’s committees.

Election of new Mayor and Deputy Mayor

Councillor Anjna Khurana was elected as the new Mayor of Islington for 2024/25, having been nominated by Councillor Una O'Halloran, who had acted as her mentor when she was first elected to the Council. Councillor Nurullah Turan seconded the nomination, highlighting Councillor Khurana's commitment to challenging inequality, her advocacy for accessible public toilets, and her role in the campaign to return the Hanley Primary Care Centre to NHS control.

Anjana always ensures that there's equality and inclusivity wherever she's present, advocating for disabled and disadvantaged groups. She will challenge inequalities wherever they may be present, trying to make Islington a better place. - Councillor Nurullah Turan, seconding the nomination for Councillor Khurana to be the new Mayor of Islington.

The new Mayor appointed Councillor Jason Jackson as her Deputy.

Councillor Gary Heather, the outgoing Mayor, and his Mayoress, Tricia Clarke, were thanked for their work over the previous year. Councillor O'Halloran particularly noted Councillor Heather's approachability and humility while in office.

You had time to listen, you had time to say thanks, you understood a Mayor it is a privilege to serve. You are a real community champion. - Councillor Una O'Halloran, moving the vote of thanks to Councillor Heather.

Councillor Heather thanked Council staff, particularly the staff in the Mayor's office and his chauffeur, Sir Tan, for their support. He also paid tribute to his chosen charity for the year, Voluntary Action Islington.

Volunteer Action Islington, I love you. - Councillor Gary Heather thanking his chosen charity for the year.

Councillor Heather recounted some of the engagements he had attended during his term as Mayor, including the opening of a new library at Moreland Primary School by Queen Camilla, an event at the Wasteland Recycling Centre at Cottage Road (praising the contractor, Vital Energy, for both their environmental work and charitable fundraising through the Cripplegate Foundation), a football tournament run by Vital Energy (where he had missed a penalty in goal, to the delight of the goalkeeper, who had let in a goal to the Mayor the previous year), and an event at Bigfield Park.

Councillor Heather also recounted being mistaken for the President during a visit to the Toy Project.

New Executive announced

Councillor Kaya Comer-Schwartz announced a refreshed Executive, with new responsibilities and some changes in personnel:

• Councillor Diarmaid Ward will continue as Deputy Leader, but now with responsibility for Finance & Performance.
• Councillor Santiago Bell-Bradford will now have responsibility for Inclusive Economy, Culture & Jobs. Councillor Comer-Schwartz noted that Islington has become a national leader in community wealth building and she felt that the cultural sector should now be incorporated into this work.
• Councillor Rowena Champion will continue with responsibility for Environment, Air Quality & Transport.
• Councillor Sheila Chapman joins the Executive as Executive Member for Equalities, Communities & Inclusion. Councillor Comer-Schwartz praised Councillor Chapman's work in the voluntary sector and her role as Chair of the Children's Services Scrutiny Committee.
• Councillor Una O'Halloran will now have responsibility for Homes & Neighbourhoods. Councillor Comer-Schwartz announced that new build planning would be brought together with housing maintenance in this portfolio to ensure a singular focus on management of housing finances .
• Councillor Michelline Safi Ngongo will continue with responsibility for Children, Young People & Families.
• Councillor Flora Williamson joins the Executive as Executive Member for Health & Social Care. Councillor Comer-Schwartz highlighted Councillor Williamson's experience of campaigning on health issues and noted that as Chair of the Policy & Performance Scrutiny Committee she had led scrutiny of the council's approach to funding challenges.
• Councillor John Woolf will continue with responsibility for Community Safety. He will now also be responsible for licensing and the night-time economy.

Approval of constitutional amendments

The Council approved a number of amendments to its Constitution.

Scrutiny

The Council agreed to the recommendations of the Scrutiny Review. These included:

• The creation of five new scrutiny committees, each with a specific focus. The new committees will replace the previous Housing, Children's Services, Health & Care, Environment & Regeneration, and Policy & Performance Scrutiny Committees.
• The introduction of a new Councillor Right to Refer procedure, replacing the previous Councillor Call for Action Protocol.

The new scrutiny committees are:

• Corporate Resources and Economy Scrutiny Committee. This committee will scrutinise the council’s corporate functions, including finance, procurement, resident voice, equalities, and corporate performance.
• Health, Wellbeing and Adult Social Care Scrutiny Committee. This committee will continue to act as the council's Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, scrutinising the council's and NHS's work on health and social care in the borough. It will also have specific responsibility for scrutinising the work of the Health and Wellbeing Board.
• Children and Young People Scrutiny Committee. This committee will continue to act as the council's Education Scrutiny Committee, scrutinising the council's work on children and young people in the borough. It will also have responsibility for scrutinising the council's corporate parenting functions.
• Homes and Communities Scrutiny Committee. This committee will continue to act as the council’s Crime and Disorder Committee, scrutinising the council's work on crime and community safety in the borough. It will also have specific responsibility for scrutinising the work of the Safer Neighbourhoods Boards.
• Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee. This committee will scrutinise the council's work on the environment, climate change and transport in the borough.

The new Councillor Right to Refer procedure gives all councillors the right to refer any local government matter in their ward that is of significant community concern to the relevant scrutiny committee. The procedure is intended to be a measure of last resort once other approaches have been exhausted.

Other constitutional amendments

The Council approved a number of other constitutional amendments, including:

• Amendments to the Members' Allowances Scheme.
• Amendments to the Procurement Rules.
• Amendments to the Terms of Reference of the Pensions Board.

The amendments to the Members' Allowances Scheme included increasing the allowance payable to the Independent Person appointed to the Standards Committee.

The amendments to the Procurement Rules updated the procurement thresholds in line with Procurement Policy Note 11/23.

The amendments to the Terms of Reference of the Pensions Board clarified the allowance arrangements for members of the Board.

Appointment of representatives to serve on outside organisations

The Council approved the appointment of councillors to a number of outside organisations, including the London Council, the Local Government Association, the Angel Business Improvement District, and the Archway Town Centre Management Board.