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Islington Council is "fatally undermining" local shops, according to local MP Emily Thornberry in a letter to the council criticising its decision to sell off £45million worth of local retail and voluntary sector premises.
In a meeting on 11 January, Islington's Lib Dem Council Executive decided to sell off a large property portfolio including local shops on streets including Amwell Street, St John's Street, and Essex Road. Voluntary sector premises including Islington Bangladeshi Association and the Somali Speakers Association are also up for sale.
The decision was called in to the Council's Overview Committee by the group of Islington Labour Councillors - but the call-in was last night rejected on the casting vote of Liberal Democrat Councillor Laura Willoughby.
Following last night's committee, Emily has written to the Council urging them to honour their commitment in the borough's UDP to "take positive action to support the provision of local shopping in the borough" (Islington UDP: 8.3 S22). She has demanded they offer the freeholds of the properties to the existing leaseholders first - to give local shop-owners a fighting chance against the property developers.
Emily said:
"This Council talks about supporting local shops - but then does the exact opposite. The Council admits the reason they won't give local shop-keepers first chance to buy their shops is that this would not maximise profit. But the Council should be about more than profit. They have a duty to protect the character and community of Islington."
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