I reported this obstruction to Islington Council but was told that because it was residential, there could be problems dealing with it, writes Philip Davies, Mariott Road, Islington.

In my day – I’m 63 now – people could be threatened with obstructing the highway and with improvements to the disability laws. The woman three doors down cannot get past in her mobility vehicle!

[ed’s note: The Gazette asked Islington Council about the hedge and was told letters had been sent to two houses giving them a fortnight to prune it. If this isn’t done, the council will cut it themselves]

The centre of Archway is being transformed with a new road layout and refurbished office blocks, writes Kate Calvert, chairman, Better Archway Forum, full address supplied.

But at the same time we are seeing a haemorrhaging of key services.

The area has now lost all its banks, and only the TSB remains of the original three building societies.

Now even the Post Office may go, despite offering not just vital postal services but also banking, a payment point for utilities and council tax, and handling documentation like passport applications, ID, and DVLA licensing.

The reason for the threatened closure is that Bode, which is refurbishing the large central office block to create small flats for sale, is also planning to redevelop the Archway Post Office building.

Bode says it is having problems posting its latest consultation online but nothing it showed at its drop-in event suggested the Post Office being re-provided. The Bode representatives thought it might go on the first floor of a new building along with another user, but a shared first floor space would hardly serve the thousands of us who use the Archway PO services. Not for nothing is Archway designated a Crown Post Office, with the nearest alternatives in Seven Sisters Road or Kentish Town.

Those who did not attend the consultation should write to Bode at consult@hillhouse-archway.com copying in the Islington executive member on janet.burgess@islington.gov.uk to say we need to keep the Post Office of a workable size, in a place everyone can get to.

Points to make are that:

(1) If the developers want to redevelop its current building, they must provide an alternative Post Office, accessible to all and with delivery space at the rear.

(2) The new office needs to be ready before the old one closes or we’ll never get the Post Office back.

(3) If the developers don’t do that, Islington should not give them planning permission for the housing they want to build behind Hill House and even out on to the Islington-owned bus stand.

I’d like to reassure Newington Green Road residents there have been no changes to scheduled recycling bin collections, writes James Gilchrist, head of green space and leisure services, Islington Council in response to last week’s letter by Alison Barlow, “Rethink bin collections” (Gazette, June 7).

This area, like others, should be getting regular collections and we will check to see how often these are happening.

Residents can help us to keep Islington clean and tidy by using the Clean Islington app, available from the council website, to report any overflowing bins.

Does Islington Borough enforce noise checks on weekends? asks an Islington resident, full name and address supplied.

General construction work should be restricted to the following hours: Monday to Friday 8am to 6pm; Saturdays 8am to 1pm.

Noisy work is prohibited on Sundays and bank holidays.

Some people seem to be unaware of this legislation; maybe the council need to do a few patrols and tighten up a bit.

Islington residents face numerous challenges, from poorly paid jobs and insecure and expensive housing, through to lack of youth services and the health impacts of poor air quality – all in a context of extreme local government cuts, writes Simon Izod, Drummond Way, Islington.

Local people need an effective council to stand up for them, particularly in these times of uncertainty, and all councils need the balance of being challenged by an active opposition. In Islington’s current “one party state” (46 Labour, 1 Green), Cllr Caroline Russell is working heroically as the only opposition councillor but would be the first to admit there is more that could be done.

The people of Barnsbury have an opportunity to improve the situation in today’s by-election. Electing Ernestas Jegorovas as our second Green councillor would allow us to be even more effective at holding the council to account.