Departments and services

The council’s management team is led by Chief Executive Victoria Lawson, who began the role in January 2024. The Chief Executive has eight direct reports.

The eight directorates are:

Children and Young People

Corporate Director, Jon Abbey

We aim to provide the best start in life, promote life-long learning, skills and culture so that every young person thrives. We are committed to reducing inequalities in access and education, and endeavour to work with our partners and families to safeguard children and young people through Bright Start and children's social care. This also includes support for Looked After Children as a corporate parent, and the promotion of youth safety and violence against women and girls.

Adult Social Care

Director, John Everson

We work with health, the voluntary sector, community, and other partners to provide support and services to: 

• older or disabled adults
• adults with learning disabilities
• those experiencing mental health issues
• family carers.

We proactively take all opportunities to build on people’s strengths, maximise their independence, connect them with their community, and ensure equality and fairness throughout.

Our vision is for Islington to be a place made up of strong, inclusive and connected communities, where regardless of their background, they have fair and equal access to ASC support that enables them to live healthy, fulfilling and independent lives.

Environment and Climate Change 

This directorate leads the vital work to tackle the climate emergency and deliver our Zero Carbon strategy. As well as keeping Islington’s streets and greenspaces clean and green and managing our leisure service, it administers the regulatory services our residents rely on, including licensing and trading standards. The cemeteries team and Registrars teams are also part of this directorate.

Homes and Neighbourhoods

Corporate Director, Jed Young

The council is a landlord to over 40 per cent of Islington’s population who live in social housing. This directorate works to create a sense of neighbourhood and ultimately improve the lives of our residents. We aim to work effectively with our residents, create stronger, more resilience communities, where local priorities are highlighted and addressed together.

Resources

Corporate Director, David Hodgkinson

We act as the enabling corporate centre of the organisation with responsibility for: 

• business support 
• democratic services 
• digital services 
• elections 
• finance 
• HR 
• information governance 
• legal. 

We aim to enable, protect and inspire. 

Public Health

Director, Jonathan O’Sullivan

The directorate is responsible for health intelligence, public health advice and health protection which includes playing a role in surveillance and control of infectious diseases and they have played a pivotal role in our response to Covid-19. Wider responsibilities include commissioning NHS Health checks, sexual health services, reducing obesity, smoking and alcohol and drug misuse.

Communities, Strategy and Change

Corporate Director, Raj Chand

We lead strategy, communications, transformation, community engagement and help and support for residents through Access Islington, in support of our Islington Together vision for a more equal future for our borough.

Community Wealth Building

Corporate Director, Stephen Biggs

Community Wealth Building is a way of: 

• tackling economic inequality
• creating an economy that works for everyone
• maximising the role of the council (and other key local organisations) as an economic agent
• using our physical asset base and planning and development powers to reduce inequality and deliver benefits for our communities.

This directorate brings together a range of key functions that enables us to do this. Within this directorate, there is our Inclusive Economy and Jobs service, Planning and Development, New Build Homes and Corporate Landlord Services, Community Financial Resilience, and Strategic Procurement.

We have a focus on social value, economic wellbeing, and we manage major capital programmes, including building new council homes, corporate asset and property management, and strategic planning, development management and building control.

Our vision

Our vision is for Islington to be a place made up of strong, inclusive and connected communities, where regardless of background, people have fair and equal access to the right support, at the right time, in the right place, supported by the right networks, that enable them to lead healthy, fulfilling and independent lives.

Services include information advice and guidance, supported employment, Reablement and Occupational Therapy support, day opportunities, home care, supported living, residential and nursing care, whist always ensuring that we protect and safeguard those adults who are the most vulnerable within our communities.