Councillor Diarmaid Ward

Employment and Appointments Committee - Thursday, 27th March, 2025 10.00 am

The Employment and Appointments Committee met to consider shortlisting candidates for the position of Director of Education and Achievement. The agenda also included the minutes of previous meetings for review.

Pensions Committee - Monday, 10th March, 2025 7.00 pm

This meeting was about the Islington Pension Fund, how it is performing and how it should be invested. The meeting considered whether the Fund should change its investments to reduce their impact on climate change and to better reflect the council's goal of building a more inclusive economy in the borough.

Budget Meeting, Council - Thursday, 27th February, 2025 7.15 pm

Islington Council agreed a balanced budget for 2025/26, set the level of council tax, and discussed the provision of public toilets in the borough.

Executive - Thursday, 13th February, 2025 7.00 pm

At this meeting, the Executive voted to move to formal consultation on the possible closure of St. Jude and St Paul's CofE Primary School. It also voted to move to formal consultation on the possible closure of Highbury Quadrant Primary School. The Executive also approved the 2025/26 budget, a Corporate Performance report, a report on admissions arrangements for community schools, an extension of the Parking Enforcement Services contract, and the appropriation of land at the Finsbury Leisure Centre for planning purposes.

Executive - Thursday, 16th January, 2025 7.00 pm

The Executive agreed to adopt the draft 2025-26 budget as presented by Councillor Diarmaid Ward, including Housing Revenue Account (HRA) rents, which will increase by an average of 2.7%, and other HRA fees and charges, as outlined in the report. Councillor Ward also introduced the Council's Strategic Asset Management Plan (SAMP). The Executive agreed to adopt the SAMP, including the proposed governance arrangements. A procurement strategy was agreed for the supply, installation and maintenance of CCTV equipment across the borough, including a one-year extension to the existing contract. A strategy was also approved for procurement of a contractor to carry out a programme of retrofitting works to four high-rise blocks on the Harvist Estate. The final item on the agenda was a report setting out the Council’s response to the recommendations of the recent Cost of Living Scrutiny review. This was agreed, and the Executive noted that a refreshed strategy for tackling longer term poverty is being developed and will be presented in 2025.