Published: October 7, 2011
by ANDREW JOHNSON

A CRACKDOWN on loan sharks, forcing criminals to meet their victims and introducing a “fairness” kite mark for businesses are all part of the Town Hall’s plans to cut the gap between rich and poor in Islington following a groundbreaking report into inequality published earlier this year.

The Fairness Commission, which spent a year investigating social inequality in Islington published its report in June, and made 19 recommendations on how the Town Hall could tackle poverty, from health to housing improvements.

It was headed by Professor Richard Wilkinson of Nottingham University whose book The Spirit Level presented scientific evidence that more unequal societies suffer greater rates of crime, violence and ill health.

Yesterday (Thursday) the Town Hall responded with a plan of action. While there are some concrete proposals, such as introducing a single phone number to report anti-social behaviour, the Commission’s deputy chairman, Labour councillor Andy Hull, admitted that others were more “woolly”.

Under the headine Health Inequalities, for example, the Town Hall says it will: “Develop and implement a range of measures to address health inequalities in the borough.”

He said, however, that measures to persuade businesses to pay workers the minimum London living wage of £8.30 an hour were particularly important.

“I’m really committed personally to getting as close as we can so that anyone who works in Islington is paid the living wage,” he said.

Other measures outlined in the report that went to the meeting of the full council included:

• Meeting the 100 largest employers in Islington to encourage them to reduce the difference between the highest earners and the lowest earners
• Reducing debt by cracking down on loan sharks and increasing the number of people signed up to the Islington Credit Union
• Supporting 750 parents to move into work
• Launching a mentoring project for young people
• Developing a Fair Business kite mark to encourage businesses to support the community and pay the living wage
• identifying all the underused-public spaces in Islington to bring them back into use.

Cllr Hull added that another of the key points in the response was to reduce excessive debt caused by loan sharks.

“The Commission said we should take legal advice to see if we could outlaw loan companies who charge exorbitant interest. We can’t do that, so we’re dealing with the spirit of this recommendation, rather than the letter. We’ll be using trading standards to make sure that loan companies, as well as gold-buying and pawn brokers, are complying with regulations. If they’re not then we can fine them up to £50,000. The England Illegal Money Lending Team will also be operating in the borough.”

He admitted this was “less aspirational” than the Commission’s original report, but that he wanted to make “promises that could be delivered” in the current economic climate rather than “false promises”.

“It’s really a rallying cry to everyone in the borough to get on board,” he said. “The early signs are that it is an agenda that has a real resonance with our partners, especially in the voluntary sector. We want to make Islington a fairer place.”

Catherine West, the Labour Leader of Islington Council, said: “We’re on our residents’ side and determined to make Islington a fairer place for everyone who lives and works here.

“With huge divides between the haves and have-nots, this is no  easy task, but we’re committed to taking action now.

“This action plan lays out exactly what we’ll be doing and includes radical ideas that will make a real difference to our community.”

Professor Wilkinson, who is co-chairman of the Islington Fairness Commission, said: “Large differences in income and wealth put huge strains on society and damage us all. Islington is taking the lead in tackling inequality.”