Overview Committee backs Lib Dem plans for Islington

12.00.00am GMT Tue 26th Nov 2002

Islington's Overview Committee last night gave the go-ahead for plans by the Executive to tackle housing benefit fraud, improve mental health care for older people and plug the hole in the councils pension fund. Labour councillors had tried to stop these plans going ahead by 'calling them in'. The committee questioned the Executive members responsible and then voted overwhelmingly to proceed with the plans. ? The mental health care plans will improve the standard of services for older people in Islington, looking at fresh ways to meet their needs more effectively. ? The housing benefit plans will tackle the growing problem of housing benefit fraud which wastes thousands of pounds every year and was a plan strongly recommended by the Government. ? Plugging the pension fund hole is also a way of cutting out waste and using the Council's money more efficiently in order that more can be invested into providing better services for the people of Islington. Councillor Ed Featherstone said: "We looked at all the plans in great detail and decided that they would be in the best interest for this borough, so the call-ins were overturned. "The call-in process is a serious opportunity for Councillors to grill the Executive over the decisions they are making. It is not just an opportunity for Labour to score party political points. We take our scrutiny work very seriously and call-ins are just one part of it. It's still early days but we hope to carry out some more constructive and meaningful work on developing Council policies with a view to improving this borough."