Departments and services

The council's management team is led by Chief Executive Victoria Lawson. The Chief Executive has seven direct reports each managing a directorate. Each directorate is made up of several teams and services. 

Children and Young People

Corporate Director, Jon Abbey

This directorate aims to provide the best start in life, promote life-long learning, skills and culture so that every young person thrives. They are committed to reducing inequalities in access and education, and endeavour to work with 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.

Communities, Strategy and Change

Corporate Director, Raj Chand

This directorate leads the 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 the borough.

Community Wealth Building

Corporate Director, Stephen Biggs

The Community Wealth Building directorate works to: 

• tackle economic inequality
• create an economy that works for everyone
• maximise the role of the council (and other key local organisations) as an economic agent
• use the council's physical asset base and planning and development powers to reduce inequality and deliver benefits for communities.

This directorate brings together a range of key functions that enables us to do this. Within this directorate, there is the inclusive economy and jobs service, planning and development, new build homes and corporate landlord services, community financial resilience, and strategic procurement.

It has a focus on social value, economic wellbeing, and managing major capital programmes, including building new council homes, corporate asset and property management, and strategic planning, development management and building control.

Environment and Climate Change 

This directorate leads the vital work to tackle the climate emergency and deliver the Zero Carbon strategy. It is also responsible for maintaining and improving streets, low traffic neighbourhoods, parking, leisure services, parks and trees, address management, recycling and reducing waste, as well as providing essential community services like energy advice, cemeteries and registrars.

Health and Social Care

Corporate Director, John Everson

The Health and Social Care directorate 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

They build on people's strengths, maximise their independence, connect them with their community, and ensure equality and fairness throughout.

The directorate is also responsible for health intelligence, public health advice and health protection in Islington. This includes playing a role in the surveillance and control of infectious diseases. Wider responsibilities include commissioning NHS Health Checks, sexual health services, reducing obesity, and smoking, alcohol and drug misuse.

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 residents. They aim to work effectively with residents, and create stronger, more resilient communities, where local priorities are highlighted and addressed together.

Resources

Corporate Director, David Hodgkinson

They are the enabling corporate centre of the organisation with responsibility for business support, democratic services, digital services, elections, finance, HR, information governance, and legal services.