Islington Tribune by - ED CUMMING Published: 28 December 2007
Pictured: from left, commission members Robin Latimer, Hugh Dale, Lab councillor Janet Burgess, Helen Valley, Lib Dem councillor Greg Foxsmith and Lab councillor Phil Kelly.
Their mission: to make growing up safer
GUNS, knives, drugs and growing pains were just some of the controversial topics confronted by an independent commission on young people and safety. Its meeting, at Islington Arts and Media School in Finsbury Park, invited local groups to share their experiences of gang culture within the borough to establish its extent and discuss the best way to confront it.
Lib Dem councillor Greg Foxsmith, who chairs the commission, said afterwards: “We’ve heard from some truly inspiration people – people who are working hard day in and day out to give some of the most vulnerable people better chances in life.”
The commission will spend the next few months gathering evidence from members of the community, including teachers, police, parents and at-risk youngsters, to build a profile of gang culture in the area.
The commission is calling on anyone concerned about young people’s safety to email democracy@islington.gov.uk
It is pledged to consider all the evidence it is sent.