Council meeting attendees reacted with horror as Cllr Smith admitted he intended to take no action over levels of air pollution in the Borough exceeding EU safe limits by up to 75%. In fact Cllr Smith went further saying that we just had to put up with dangerously high levels of air pollution as an inevitable consequence of “living in an Inner City Borough.”
In response to a Green Party question to Full Council on Air Pollution, Cllr Smith dismissed the issue, in spite of Islington’s residents telling Greens at a packed local meeting that they expected urgent action.
Research carried out by Islington Green Party and Mapping for Change showed dangerously high levels of NO2 on main roads in Islington, the levels were even worse at child height (Air Pollution is Emergency, Islington Tribune Nov 4th 2011). This scientific research was dismissed by Cllr Smith, in a way that suggested that he hadnt even bothered to read it. The levels measured in Islington could lead to respiratory disease, cardiovascular disease and early death and are proven to affect the development of children’s lungs.
Caroline Allen, Green Party candidate for Islington in the GLA elections asked Councillor Smith if he intended to stop the ‘Roamer’ parking scheme that encourages short car journeys within the borough. Caroline said ‘It was bad enough that Cllr Smith responded to this question with a straight ‘no’, but to then go on and actually ridicule us for our work showed an unbelievable arrogance and deep ignorance of the issue. We have supported this Council over its fairness agenda but have always said we expect action as well as words. This issue has serious health and equality implications and this council is condeming residents, especially more vulnerable ones, to ill health and shortened life’.
Islington Green, Caroline Russell added ‘There was a gasp in the Council Chamber from members of all parties, when Cllr Smith spoke. I’m not sure if it was disbelief at his bluntness or his clear lack of concern for the impact of vehicle related air pollution on the health of residents”.
Caroline Allen added ‘Cllr Smith’s response is also strange given that last November Catherine West, Leader of the Council stated her commitment to air quality at a special summit on this issue in Camden which she co-sponsored (Air Crisis but no Politicians Tribune 25th Nov 2011). Has Catherine West gone back on her commitment? Or is the Executive Member for the Environment misrepresenting the Council’s position? Concerned residents would like to know’.