Council Leader on Finsbury Leisure Centre and primary schools' decisions

When I became Council Leader in November, I committed to meeting head-on the tough challenges that Islington – like councils across the country – is facing.  

That commitment has been at the forefront of my mind as myself and my Executive have grappled with these two incredibly difficult decisions.  

No-one goes into politics to pause the construction of affordable homes or to close much-loved primary schools. These are decisions that have been taken after a huge amount of consideration and are choices that I believe are best for our borough.  

When we put forward proposals to re-build Finsbury Leisure Centre, expand the medical centre, and build around 200 new homes, we did so because we felt the plans could be transformative. 

But the situation has changed since then. We’ve had feedback from across the borough, and the financial picture has worsened.  

While the council is on a strong financial footing, moving forward with this project could have jeopardised that and could have impacted on our ability to deliver the vital services our residents rely on. That’s a risk I simply wasn’t willing to take.  

Instead, we’re modernising the leisure centre, retaining and improving the pitches – including the much-loved football pitches – and working on a potential new neighbourhood health hub.  

Our commitment to affordable housing remains as strong as ever, and we’ll be working on building the 200 homes in other parts of Islington, on top of the 112 homes already under construction.  

Across London, schools are facing challenges. Pupil numbers are falling, and budgets are being squeezed. 

We’re not exempt from that here in Islington. While we’d have loved to have kept both schools open, the sad reality is that St Jude & St Paul’s has the lowest pupil numbers of any of our primary schools, while Highbury Quadrant has a significant vacancy rate.  

Closure is always an absolute last resort, and we’ve listened really carefully to all of the feedback and suggestions from teachers, parents, carers, and children to save these schools.  

Now, our priority is supporting parents, carers, and children through the transition to new schools. We’re guaranteeing that every single child at these schools will be offered a place in a good or outstanding school, and we'll be helping them through this change.  

These decisions will have a significant impact on our community, and we do not take them lightly. We’re as determined as ever to make our borough a more equal place for everyone, and we will continue to work with our residents to achieve that goal.