InfoIslington - Islington Reference Library

Coping with the Cuts

Coping with the Cuts from the Demos Trust  reveals the nature of how cuts to social care budgets are affecting disabled people up and down the country and which local councils are best managing budgetary changes. It has been compiled using freedom of information (FOI) requests sent to all local authorities in England and Wales.

London's creative industries 2011 update

The data in this note are an update to the GLA’s creative industry employment and firm count statistics.

The sector which employed the most creative workers in 2010 was Advertising with 73,000.

The London Plan

The London Plan is the overall strategic plan for London, and it sets out a fully integrated economic, environmental, transport and social framework for the development of the capital to 2031. It forms part of the development plan for Greater London. London boroughs’ local plans need to be in general conformity with the London Plan, and its policies guide decisions on planning applications by councils and the Mayor.

Labour Market Flows in London

This analysis published in September 2011 uses longitudinal data from the Labour Force Survey (LFS) to show the movement, or flow, between employment, unemployment and inactivity from one quarter to the next in  London.

These flows show the underlying movements which sit behind published headline labour market rates which, in contrast, take a snapshot of the Labour Market at a point in time.

Flows are also used to calculate the probability that an individual will change labour market status over the quarter.

Underlying flows are large, over the latest quarter:

• 152,000 people became unemployed in London
  • 61,000 moved from employment to unemployment and
  • 91,000 moved from inactive to unemployed.
• 79,000 people moved from unemployment to employment.
• 76,000 people moved from inactivity to employment.

London Health Inequalities Strategy

London can and should be a place where everyone is able to lead a healthy and fulfilling life. However, Londoners experience stark and unacceptable differences in their wellbeing and longevity.

The latest life expectancy and infant mortality figures show that while London is ahead of New York, we are behind other great cities including Paris, Sydney and Tokyo.

The first London Health Inequalities Strategy is a statutory requirement under the GLA Act 2007. In setting out  health inequalities in London, the strategy has five core objectives:

• Empower individuals and communities to improve health and well-being.
• Improve access to high quality health and social care services particularly for Londoners who have poor health outcomes.
• Reduce income inequality and the negative consequences of relative poverty.
• Increase the opportunities for people to access the potential benefits of good work and other meaningful activity.
• Develop and promote London as a healthy place for all.

The first yearly review of the strategy is now out.

State of the Environment Report for London

This report looks at how London's environment has changed over the last 10 years, and what challenges the city still faces.

This is the first joint State of the Environment report for London, produced by the Greater London Authority, Environment Agency, Natural England and Forestry Commission.

The report looks at how the environment has changed over the last decade using a series of environmental indicators, highlighting the improvements that have been made and the challenges we still face.

This environmental health check has shown that despite a rising population and challenges from climate change, the quality of London's environmental is improving. In particular, there have been significant improvements in waste and recycling, public transport, wildlife habitats and urban greening.

For the first time, the evidence base used to determine change over time has been published alongside the report.

Supporting People Strategy 2010-15

Supporting People is a working partnership between

• Islington Council
• The Probation Service
• Islington Primary Care Trust (PCT)

Provider organisations, service users and their carers are also involved in the partnership. The aim of this partnership is to deliver locally relevant housing related support services to help vulnerable people live independently in the community.

The Department for Communities and Local Government (CLG) directs many elements of the programme, but the services that each programme provides reflect the local needs of the communities they serve.

Supporting People offers vulnerable people the opportunity to improve their quality of life through greater independence. This is achieved by providing housing related support to prevent problems that can often lead to tenancy failure, hospitalisation, institutional care or homelessness. It can also help smooth the transition from accommodation based residential support to independent living .

The stategy can be downloaded here.

Islington Local Economic Assessment

Islington’s dynamic and diverse economy provides a vital function within the borough, and has far reaching connections within London and beyond. Understanding the structure of the economy and recent trends helps to determine what measures can be taken to support business and how a successful economy can benefit residents and the borough as a whole. The LEA brings together and updates existing economic evidence combined with analysis of new information and data.

Towards a Fairer Islington: Corporate Plan 2011 – 2014

The Corporate Plan gives the  key aims and objectives for improving the lives of all residents and for making Islington a fairer place. It sets out progress to date and what they plan to achieve in future. See here.

Islington Council Annual Report 2010/11

The Council's annual report is grouped under the Council's six priorities which are linked by its priority of fairness. These priorities are:

• Decent, suitable and affordable homes.
• Lower crime and anti-social behaviour.
• Cycle of poverty broken.
• Best start in life for children.
• Healthy, active and independent lives.
• Delivering the basics efficiently and well.

It can be found in the Council Reports page here. The Annual Report is Appendix C of the Published Agenda Items.