(Islington North Parliamentary Constituency)
1 Hillrise
2 Junction
3 Tollington
4 St Georges
5 Finsbury Park
7 Highbury West
8 Highbury East
9 Mildmay
(Islington South Parliamentary Constituency)
6 Holloway
10 Caledonian
11 Barnsbury
12 St Mary's
13 Canonbury
14 St Peter's
15 Clerkenwell
16 Bunhill
Each ward elects one or more councillors to represent local residents on Islington Council. The number of council seats for each ward depends on how many people live there.
Whichever party holds the majority of seats on the council is able to make the decisions on many local matters such as giving planning permission for buildings, or how refuse is collected and recycled. Council decisions have a bearing on how much council tax you have to pay and how it is spent.
However, many services such as education and health are paid for by central government (i.e. parliament). The council may have a role in delivering some of these services, but it is the General Election - which chooses Members of Parliament and determines who forms the Government - which has most effect on these services.
Your councillor may be able to help you with problems to do with local government services and councillors hold regular surgeries to meet constituents.
There are now twenty three Labour Councillors serving local people on Islington Council. They were elected on the 4th of May 2006 and will serve for four years. You can see more information about the Councillors and how to contact them for assistance or advice, or where they hold their surgeries, from the contacts page.
Although Councillors primarily take up cases on behalf of the people who live in their ward, they can also help people who live elsewhere in Islington.
The Labour Group is lead by Cllr Catherine West, who in addition to her role as Leader of the Labour Group, is also Leader of the Opposition within the Council.