Community worker and school teacher prepare to take on the main parties in Islington election

Finsbury Park candidate Sadia Ali. Photograph: Sadia Ali

Community worker Sadia Ali wants more done to tackle drugs in Finsbury Park.

The Independent candidate said she is also standing to challenge the “dominance” of one party.

Labour has controlled the council since 2010  and she wants to be an alternative voice on the council.

“I want positive change,” she said.

She is a founder of Minority Matters, a charity based on the Andover Estate to help children from isolated communities succeed through education and access to jobs.

The charity works to help ensure children do not miss out on their schooling.

She believes “there needs to be cohesive action” involving residents, business and the council to come up with a plan to combat drugs and help young people with jobs.

When it comes to Low Traffic Neighbourhoods (LTNs), she said: “I want to see them gone.”

She believes that people who can’t ride a bike, older people and vulnerable residents have been affected by the scheme, which bans cars on certain roads in a bid to cut car use.

“I do not think it should be at the expense of the residents,” she said, and explained that journeys are taking longer as drivers have to avoid the closed roads.

She also wants to see services such as repairs to council homes improved.

Communist Party hopeful Robin Talbot. Photograph: Robin Talbot

The Communist Party of Great Britain is fielding a candidate in Arsenal who wants to see better wages and more affordable homes to help struggling families.

Secondary school teacher and National Education Union workplace rep Robin Talbot said he was standing “to fight for our community, quality public services and good living standards”, adding: “Communists believe in a Socialist form of society where working people have control, but we also believe that workers have to get organised to change society for the better, to defeat exploitation and create a more equal and just world.”

The Highbury resident said Islington was “one of the most unequal local authorities in the UK”.

He said he would “focus on fighting for better wages for Islington people, more affordable housing and cracking down on debt and exploitation in our communities”.

“I want to stand up for young people’s futures and the most vulnerable in our society, and push for emergency reform of the institutionally racist and sexist Met Police,” he added.

The full list of candidates for Finsbury Park is:

Sadia Ali, Independent; Heather Eggins, Liberal Democrats; William Fitzalan Howard, Conservative; Timothy Fry, Green; Gary Heather, Labour; Natalie Koffman, Green; Helena McKeown, Green; Henry Mitson, Conservative; Katherine Mulhern, Conservative; Mick O’Sullivan, Labour Party; Asima Shaikh, Labour; Keith Sharp, Liberal Democrats; Paul Smith, Liberal Democrat.

The full list of candidates for Arsenal is :

Nicola Baird, Green; Ebu Cetinkaya, Conservative; Fin Craig, Labour; Mary De Cinque, Green; Jeremy Drew, Green; Mark Flynn, Conservative; Rachael Henry, Conservative; Bashir Ibrahim, Labour; Roulin Khondoker, Labour; Gabby Mann, Liberal Democrats; Philip David Middleton, Liberal Democrats; Barbara Smith, Liberal Democrats; Robin Talbot, Communist Party of Britain.