Islington's Environment, Climate and Transport Scrutiny Committee met on Tuesday to finalise the 2024-5 Scrutiny Review: Cleaner, Greener, more accessible Streets. The agenda for the meeting indicated that this report was a key discussion item.

The committee, chaired by Councillor Ruth Hayes, also discussed their membership and terms of reference for the municipal year 2025-26, selected a new scrutiny topic, and agreed on a work plan for the upcoming year.

According to the minutes from the previous meeting on 13 May 2025, the committee had previously discussed draft recommendations for the report. At that meeting, Councillor Tricia Clarke, who was the Chair at the time, presented the recommendations.

The May meeting saw the committee largely agree on the Greener Streets recommendations. For Cleaner Streets, there was a discussion about fines, particularly for those from outside the borough who dump rubbish and persistent offenders. Some members proposed removing fines altogether, or reducing them, and focusing enforcement on individuals from outside the borough who dump rubbish and persistent offenders. However, after discussion, it was ultimately decided to keep the original wording as it stood. This was because some members proposed removing fines altogether rather than just considering their removal.

Regarding Accessible Streets, discussions focused on monitoring dockless bike usage and ensuring the effectiveness of new infrastructure. A memorandum of understanding between the council and dockless bike companies, outlining user rules and safety measures, was highlighted.

The committee membership for 2025-26 includes Councillor Ruth Hayes (Chair), Councillor James Potts (Reading Champion), Councillor Tricia Clarke, Councillor Troy Gallagher (Small Business, Co-ops & Social Enterprise Champion), Councillor Satnam Gill OBE, Councillor Clare Jeapes (Recycling Champion), Councillor Phil Graham, and Councillor Caroline Russell (Business Manager, Independent and Green Group).

The draft workplan for 2025-26 includes several key dates and topics:

  • 11 September 2025: Scrutiny Topic Scrutiny Initiation Document and a bi-yearly report on Net Zero Carbon and Climate Action.
  • 6 October 2025: Scrutiny Topic Witness Evidence and the Executive Member for Environment and Transport Annual Report.
  • 25 November 2025: Scrutiny Topic Witness Evidence and a 12-month update on the Scrutiny Review of 2023-4: Active Travel.
  • 8 January 2026: Scrutiny Topic – Witness Evidence.
  • 10 February 2026: Scrutiny Review: Draft Recommendations and North London Waste Authority Annual Update.
  • 10 March 2026: Special Climate Emergency Public Meeting.
  • 13 April 2026: Scrutiny Review: Final Report and a bi-yearly report on Net Zero Carbon and Climate Action.

The committee's terms of reference, as detailed in Appendix 1, include reviewing service performance, scrutinising decisions, contributing to policy development, and making recommendations to improve service delivery for residents in areas such as Net Zero Carbon, waste management, cleaner neighbourhoods, transport, and active travel.