The Council has been audited under a new scheme designed to give an overall picture of how it is doing.  How does it feel for you on the ground in Kings Cross? Do you agree or disagree with this?  Let us know in the comments.  Click for the web page or the full report. For me eight years campainging with many other local people for cleaner streets, better buildings, safer communities, street lights that work etc Kings Cross has got better.  But you have to keep up constant vigilance to ensure standards don't slip. 

The auditors say, in relatively plain English:

Islington Council performs well. The Council manages its performance and uses its resources well and has scored 3 out of 4 in these areas. Improvements have been made in priority areas including adult social care, housing, regeneration and children's services. The Council works well in partnership to tackle cross-cutting issues such as crime and the provision of housing in the borough. Where further improvements are needed, such as in improving educational attainment, and reducing the differences in how healthy people are, the Council has plans in place to tackle these. The Council is well placed to continue to deliver service improvements for the people of Islington.

Islington's streets are getting cleaner and improvements have been made to parks. More waste is being recycled but the target was not met. More families have been helped to find a home they can afford, and the quality of homes in the area has been improved. Overall crime rates have fallen for the last five years. For example, homes burgled have fallen considerably. Challenges remain in reducing the number of children and young people entering the youth justice system and the impact that a few individuals, responsible for a disproportionate number of crimes, are still having on the community.

Adult social care services are performing well. The quality of life for older people has improved through the work of the Council. Service users are actively involved in shaping the services they receive on the frontline. Examples include: the accommodation strategy for people with learning disabilities, the review of mental health day services and substance misuse projects. Adult social care services are being modernised. The move towards community services has resulted in fewer residential placements. 83 per cent of older people are satisfied with both their home and neighbourhood which is higher than the London average.

Children's services perform well. A higher than average proportion of nursery, primary, secondary and special schools and pupil referral units is good or outstanding.No schools are in Ofsted categories of concern. Provision for children and young people whose circumstances make them vulnerable is generally good.