This week in Barnet:

• The Safer Communities Partnership Board met on Friday and discussed recent decreases in most crime categories in the borough, the work being done to tackle domestic abuse, and new initiatives to engage young people.
• The Council meeting on Tuesday saw the adoption of Barnet’s new Local Plan 2021-2036, the appointment of Cath Shaw as Chief Executive, and the approval of the 2025-2026 budget.
• Cabinet met on Monday and agreed to adopt the Fit and Active Barnet Strategy, award contracts for vehicles and containers for the new weekly food waste collection service, and noted reports on performance against the Council’s corporate plan, youth homelessness, and elective home education.

Safer Communities Partnership Board - Friday 07 March 2025

The Safer Communities Partnership Board provides strategic leadership and oversight of community safety in Barnet. It brings together representatives from the Council, the police, the fire brigade, health services, probation services, and the voluntary sector to work together to reduce crime and disorder, and to improve community safety.

At this meeting, the partnership received an update on crime performance in the borough. Superintendent Lorraine Busby-McVey of the Metropolitan Police reported that crime had decreased in most categories in recent months. She highlighted the success of two partnership initiatives in particular: Operation Woodson, a series of interventions designed to reduce crime in Burnt Oak, and Clear Hold Build, an ongoing programme to improve safety on the Grahame Park Estate.

Operation Woodson, which was launched in October 2024, has seen a significant increase in police presence in Burnt Oak, with 3,000 additional police hours in the area. The Board heard that this increased presence has led to significant decreases in crime, including burglary (down 63.7%), robbery (down 16%) and violence with injury (down 13%). The Board also heard that antisocial behaviour in the area has fallen by 65-70% since the operation began.

As we have seen in previous emails, crime and antisocial behaviour are perennial concerns for residents, so it is encouraging to see evidence of the positive impact that joint working between the police and other agencies can have in tackling these issues.

Clear Hold Build is a longer-term programme that is being implemented on a number of estates across London. It is designed to improve community safety by tackling crime and antisocial behaviour, improving the physical environment, and providing better opportunities for residents. The Board heard that the Grahame Park Estate had seen a significant reduction in crime and antisocial behaviour since the start of the programme, and that residents were reporting feeling safer in their homes.

The Board also received an update on the work being done to tackle domestic abuse in the borough. Karen Popely, Assistant Director of Children’s Safeguarding, reported that Barnet has the fourth lowest rate of domestic abuse offences in London. She also said that Barnet has a 9% positive outcome rate for domestic abuse offences, meaning that 9% of cases reported to the police result in a charge or summons. This rate is lower than some other boroughs, such as Southwark and Camden, where the rate is 12%. The Board discussed a number of initiatives that are being implemented to tackle domestic abuse, including:

• Operation Encompass, a joint project between the Metropolitan Police and Barnet Council that provides support to children who have experienced domestic abuse, and
• IRIS (Identification and Referral to Improve Safety), a programme that provides training and support to GPs to help them identify and respond to domestic abuse.

The meeting concluded with a discussion about the work of the Combating Drugs Partnership Board. Councillor Alison Moore, Cabinet Member for Health and Wellbeing, reported that the partnership had recently been awarded a grant of almost £1 million to fund its work, and was currently in the process of procuring a new substance misuse service provider.

Council - Tuesday 04 March 2025

The main item of business at the Council meeting was the adoption of Barnet’s new Local Plan 2021-2036, which sets out how land in the borough will be used over the next 15 years.

As we have seen in previous emails, for example the one covering the Cabinet meeting of 20 November 2024, the Local Plan has been through a lengthy process of consultation and examination in public. The plan will now be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval. Once approved, it will become the council’s main planning document and will be used to determine planning applications.

The adoption of the Local Plan was opposed by the Conservative group. Councillor Lucy Wakeley criticised the Labour administration for failing to address residents’ concerns about the plan, which had been raised during the consultation process. Councillor Schueter criticised the Labour group for going back on their 2022 manifesto pledge to “stand up to developers against tower block blight”.

The motion to adopt the plan was carried with 33 votes in favour and 18 against.

The Council also considered a deputation from Save Our Edgware, a residents’ group that is campaigning against the inclusion of Site 28 in the Local Plan. Site 28 includes the Edgeware Underground Station, bus station, bus garage, and the Deansbrook Nature Reserve.

Anuta Zack, the leader of Save Our Edgware, told the council that allocating the site for housing would require the construction of an underground electric bus garage, which she argued posed a significant fire risk due to the lack of building regulations for such structures. She also highlighted the presence of protected species on the site and the potential for breach of UK and EU conservation laws. Ms Zack also argued that the proposed allocation would not address existing and projected traffic congestion on Station Road and the A5.

In response, Councillor Dean Huston said that removing Site 28 from the Local Plan at this stage was not “practicable” and reassured residents that the Council would ensure that any redevelopment protects or re-provides bus operations and station functions. The council voted to take no further action on the deputation.

The Council also approved the administration's budget report for 2025-26. The budget includes a projected funding gap of £55.727m, which will be addressed through a combination of a 4.99% increase in Council Tax, efficiency savings, and asset sales.

The budget was opposed by the Conservative Group, who criticised the Labour administration for failing to manage the council’s finances responsibly. They argued that the Labour administration had squandered the council’s reserves and were failing to address the financial challenges facing the borough.

The budget was approved with 36 votes in favour and 18 against.

The council also appointed Cath Shaw as Chief Executive. The appointment was made on the recommendation of the Employment Sub-Committee, which had interviewed a number of candidates for the role. Councillor Whysall, Chair of the Employment Sub-Committee, said that Ms Shaw had been the “most outstanding candidate” for the role. Councillor Zinkin echoed these sentiments, stating that Ms Shaw was an “outstanding candidate” and that the council was “very lucky to have her”.

As we saw in my email covering the Employment Sub-Committee meeting of 26 February 2025, the post of Chief Executive has been vacant since June 2024, when the previous Chief Executive left the role. Ms Shaw had been in post as Interim Chief Executive since then.

Cabinet - Monday 03 March 2025

The Cabinet considered a report on the new weekly food waste collection service that is due to start in March 2026. The report set out the preferred approach for how the service will be delivered and recommendations for the award of contracts for the vehicles and containers needed.

As we have seen in previous emails, most recently the one covering the Resources and Contracts Scrutiny Committee meeting of 2025-01-09, the new service is being introduced to meet the requirements of the Environment Act 2021.

The report recommended that the food waste collection vehicle contract be awarded to Riverside Truck Rental Ltd, an approved supplier under the TPPL Contract Hire framework. The report also recommended that the contract for vehicle maintenance be awarded to Riverside Truck Rental.

The cabinet approved the award of the contracts.

The cabinet also considered a report on the Additional Licensing Scheme for Houses in Multiple Occupation (HMOs), which was introduced in October 2022.

The report set out the progress being made against the scheme’s objectives and noted that a recent audit had found that the service is now working effectively. However, the report also acknowledged that there was a backlog of HMO licensing visits and that this was flagged as a risk. As we have seen in previous emails, for example the one covering the Housing and Growth Committee meeting of 2024-11-26, the Council has struggled to implement the scheme, but is now making progress in tackling this important issue.

The Cabinet noted the report.

This week in Barnet:

• The Employment Sub-Committee met on Wednesday to discuss the appointment of a new Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service).
• The Barnet Children's Partnership Board meeting scheduled for Thursday was cancelled.
• The West Area Committee met on Monday and approved funding applications totalling £316,162 for eight local projects.

West Area Committee - Monday 24 February 2025

The West Area Committee met this week and made a number of key decisions about the allocation of funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL). As we have seen in previous emails, for example the one covering the East Area Committee meeting of 2025-01-21, Area Committees are responsible for allocating NCIL funds within their areas. NCIL funds are collected from developers and used to fund local infrastructure projects that support the development of the borough.

The committee considered eight applications for funding, approving a total of £316,162 in funding for local projects, including a new community food growing programme, a green shield around All Saints Primary School, the redevelopment of the play area and sandpit at Golders Hill Park, the replacement of the roof of the Emmanuel Centre, and a sports programme in Grahame Park.

Ravenscroft Avenue Speeding Issue

The committee discussed a request from local resident Mr Arthur Goldberg, to take action on a road safety issue in Ravenscroft Avenue. The junction of Ravenscroft Avenue and Templars Avenue is currently a yield junction. Mr Goldberg and other residents of Ravenscroft Avenue, Templars Avenue and Wentworth Road, who presented their concerns to the committee, requested that the junction be made a stop junction, that double yellow lines be painted, and that a mini-roundabout be installed. The residents argued that the current road layout is dangerous and that there have been a number of accidents at the junction in recent years.

As we saw in my email covering the East Area Committee meeting of 21 January 2025, road safety is a common topic of discussion at Area Committee meetings. This is because residents are often concerned about the safety of their local roads, and Area Committees have a responsibility to allocate funding for road safety improvements.

The residents also argued that the council had repeatedly missed statutory deadlines relating to the Freedom of Information Act 2000¹, and that the information provided to them by the council was often inconsistent.

An officer stated that the results of recent speed surveys did not identify a speeding issue at the location but that a consultation on a road safety scheme to address the speeding problem had taken place. The scheme will include the addition of an island at the junction of Ravenscroft Avenue and Wentworth Road, the addition of double yellow lines at the junctions of Ravenscroft Avenue with Templars Avenue and Wentworth Road, and the refreshing of road markings. Work on the scheme is scheduled to commence on 6 March 2025.

The committee voted to refer the matter to the Director of Highways.

Significant Negative Impacts of The Oren Development

The committee considered a request from Mr Freddy Cantor to intervene in a dispute with The Oren, a development at 114-120 West Heath Road. Mr Cantor stated that dust and debris from the building site had stained the painted surfaces of his property and requested that the developer pay to have the surfaces redecorated.

The committee voted to send a letter in response to Mr Cantor's concerns.

Neighbourhood Security & Fly Tipping

The committee discussed a request from Mr Searle Kochberg to improve the lighting under a bridge at the Hoop Lane end of Golders Green Crescent. Mr Kochberg argued that the area attracts groups of drug dealers/users as well as persons fly tipping and requested that the council install cameras and improved lighting to deter antisocial behaviour. An officer stated that the Community Safety team had reviewed the lighting and that it met legal requirements. The committee voted to send a letter in response to Mr Kochberg's concerns.

Community Food Growing – Leadership Programme

The committee approved a proposal for a community food growing programme. The programme, which will cost £63,480, will be run by the council's Greenspaces team, Public Health team and Incredible Edible Barnet. It will provide weekly training sessions in two locations in the west of the borough: Basing Hill and Montrose Park. The programme will also include a series of public events to be held in conjunction with other council departments, such as Streetscene.

Councillor Sara Conway explained that the funding would be used to double the growing space at both locations by adding more raised beds, to expand provision for residents with weekly drop-in community food growing, and to cover the cost of employing a leader to run the sessions.

Greening the Neighbourhood (Green Shield) – All Saints School

The committee approved a proposal to create a green shield around All Saints Primary School on Cricklewood Lane. The shield, which will cost £57,717, will consist of 38 square metres of hedging. The aim of the project is to improve air quality around the school and create a more welcoming entrance for pupils.

Councillor Giulia Innocenti explained that the group had received seed funding from the committee in 2023 and had used it to work with five primary schools in Childs Hill and with Clean Air Barnet and Middlesex University to capture air quality data around schools. The group had chosen All Saints School as the location for the green shield because it is located on one of the most polluted areas of the borough. She explained that a desktop survey had been carried out to locate underground utilities and that a road safety audit had been conducted.

Golders Hill Park

The committee approved a proposal to redevelop the play area and sandpit at Golders Hill Park, a park in Childs Hill that is owned and maintained by the City of London Corporation. The redevelopment will cost £130,000, with £64,965 being provided by the committee. Councillor Nigel Young explained that the park provides borough wide facilities such as a space for community events, a small zoo, deer park, tennis courts, play area and cafe. He stated that the sandpit had closed in 2023 and that the City of London Corporation was seeking funding to repair it and make additional improvements to the playground, including new accessible play equipment and additional seating.

Emmanuel Centre

The committee approved a proposal to replace the roof of the Emmanuel Centre, a community centre in Edgware. The works will be carried out in three phases and the first phase, which will cost £350,000, will be to replace the roof of the hall that was no longer in use. The committee voted to contribute £100,000 towards the cost of the works. Councillor Nick Mearing-Smith explained that the building had been constructed in 1978 and that a survey had identified Reinforced Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (RAAC)² in the roof of two of the building's halls. He explained that RAAC is a lightweight form of concrete that is prone to failure, and that engineers had advised the church to stop using one of the halls. He stated that the church had decided not to sell the building and had drawn up plans to replace the roof and make other improvements to the building. Councillor Mearing-Smith explained that the building is used by the local community for a range of activities, including a playgroup, a knitting club, and a table tennis club, and that the church is seeking to make it more widely available for community use.

Grahame Park Sports Programme

Finally, the committee approved a proposal for a sports programme in Grahame Park. The programme, which will cost £20,000, will provide football coaching and leadership development to 40-60 young people twice a week and will be delivered by Center of Excellence CIC. Councillor Andreas Ioannidis explained that the programme had been funded for the last two years by Nothing Hill Genesis and the Saracens Foundation.

Employment Sub-Committee - Wednesday 26 February 2025

The Employment Sub-Committee met on Wednesday to discuss the appointment of a new Chief Executive (Head of Paid Service).

This is the second time that the Sub-Committee has met to consider this appointment. As we saw in my email covering the Employment Sub-Committee meeting of 17 February 2025, the post of Chief Executive has been vacant since June 2024, when the previous Chief Executive left the role. An Interim Chief Executive, Cath Shaw, has been in post since then. The sub-committee noted that the post has been advertised on the Council’s website and in a leading industry publication and that a number of applications were received, and a shortlist of suitably-qualified candidates produced.

If the committee decides to recommend a candidate for the position, their recommendation will be considered at a future meeting of the full council.

The Employment Sub-Committee will make a recommendation on the appointment of the Head of Paid Service for approval by Full Council.

• The Employment Sub-Committee met on Monday to discuss the council’s draft Pay Policy Statement for 2025-26 and a proposed restructure of the senior management team.
• The Cabinet met on Tuesday and agreed to recommend that the Full Council approves the 2025-26 budget and a new, less generous Council Tax Support Scheme.
• The Planning Committee (New) met on Wednesday, refused permission to fell a protected oak tree in Hampstead Garden Suburb, and approved plans to build a new children's nursery on The Ridgeway in Mill Hill.

Employment Sub-Committee - Monday 17 February 2025

The Employment Sub-Committee met on Monday and discussed two reports: the council’s draft Pay Policy Statement for 2025-26, which sets out how the council determines the pay of its staff, and a report on a proposed restructure of the senior management team.

The Pay Policy Statement includes information about pay progression, recruitment and retention payments, severance payments, and the gender pay gap within the council's workforce. As at 31 March 2023, the average hourly rate of pay for female employees was higher than that for male employees in terms of both the mean (14.26%) and median (16.44%) averages. This may seem surprising, as we have seen in previous emails, for example the one covering the Employment Sub-Committee meeting of 11 October 2024, that the gender pay gap in most organisations favours men, however this is not always the case. The report explained that:

The difference can largely be attributed to the fact that Barnet Council has outsourced the work of certain specialist/professional functions (such as Information Technology) which traditionally attract a higher proportion of men and which other authorities continue to deliver internally.

The Sub-Committee noted that the Council has been working to measure its ethnicity pay gap. The report states that:

Within non-managerial roles, there was a 3.8% pay gap in favour of BAME staff. In managerial roles (J-M), BAME employees are paid 2.7% less than white staff. The ethnicity pay gap seems to be higher within the senior management cohort, where BAME managers are paid 12.5% less than their white colleagues.

The committee noted an error in the wording of the statement and requested that it be corrected before the statement was presented to Full Council. The committee also discussed the need for regular reviews of the Council’s policies on recruitment and retention payments. Jon Bell, Assistant Director of Human Resources and Organisational Development, said that these were reviewed regularly.

recruitment and retention were subject to regular reviews, particularly where there were changes to market conditions. The example was given on the recruitment and retention allowance for HGV drivers which had recently been withdrawn in response to changing market conditions.

The committee then went on to discuss the proposed restructure of the senior management team.

The report was presented by Cath Shaw, Interim Chief Executive, who told the Sub-Committee that a number of changes had been made to the proposals following a consultation. These included:

• a decision to retain the post of Director, Highways and Transportation,
• the Library Service, which had been proposed to report to the Assistant Director for Community and Performance, would instead be managed by the Assistant Director of Greenspaces, who would be retitled the Assistant Director of Greenspaces, Leisure and Libraries,
• a 'dotted line' reporting arrangement would be added to ensure a clear line of sight from the Executive Director, Children and Family Services to the retitled Shared Commissioning Unit,
• the job title and role profile for the new Assistant Director role would be adjusted to ensure that the requirements in respect of education services are adequately reflected.

The committee also discussed the vacant post of Deputy Chief Executive, with Councillor Beg questioning the wording used in the report, saying that it gave the impression that the post might be filled at some point in the future. Ms Shaw said that the post had to be retained for legal reasons, but that there was no budget for it and no current plans to fill it.

Based on legal advice at the point of recruitment of the Interim Chief Executive, the vacant post had to be retained, although savings were utilised and no budget was set aside for that post.

Councillor Zinkin suggested that the report should be amended to make it clear that there are no plans to fill the post in the near future. The sub-committee then approved the deletion of the posts of Assistant Director of Strategy, Communications & Engagement, Assistant Director for Education Strategy & Partnerships and Assistant Director for Commissioning & Business Improvement. The committee also approved the creation of a new post of Assistant Director for Education, Strategy and Business Improvement.

The Sub-Committee agreed that the revised structure should be presented to Full Council for approval.

Cabinet - Tuesday 18 February 2025

The Cabinet met on Tuesday this week to discuss a range of issues.

Barnet Council's Budget

The cabinet began by discussing the financial outlook for the Council. They noted that the Council is currently projecting an overspend of £25.694m against an approved budget of £389.58m for 2024/25. If this overspend crystallises, Barnet will have only £2.7m left in its useable reserves, which the Cabinet noted was unsustainable.

The cabinet also noted the high forecast overspends in both Adult Social Care (£6.2m) and Green Spaces and Leisure (£0.6m). Adult Social Care overspending is being driven by the rising costs of care packages, especially in the Supported Living and Daycare sectors. The overspend in Green Spaces and Leisure is largely due to underachievement in income from the Cemeteries and Crematoria service.

As we have seen in previous emails, most recently the one covering the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 12 December 2024, the council is facing a number of financial challenges, and these are inevitably having an impact on all areas of service delivery.

The cabinet went on to discuss the budget for 2025-26 and beyond. They considered a report that recommended the approval of a Medium Term Financial Strategy that includes a projected budget gap of £55.727m for 2025-26. They also considered a report that recommended the Full Council approves a 2.98% increase to the General element of Council Tax in 2025/26, and a 2% increase in the Social Care Precept¹, to help fund social care. The cabinet noted that the projected budget shortfall is primarily caused by several factors including:

• spiralling temporary accommodation costs driven by a combination of increased demand for temporary accommodation in the borough and a substantial rise in the cost of housing homeless people,
• an escalating social care bill for Adults and Children's services, driven by increases in both the amount of social care required in the borough and the unit cost of that social care,
• a historical hollowing-out of the budget by the Conservative Government,
• a recent rise in interest rates, which has increased the cost of capital projects, and
• constrained reserves.

To address these challenges, the cabinet agreed that the Council will implement a number of measures. These measures include:

• tighter controls on spending, which includes controls on recruitment, overtime, new contracts and discretionary spending,
• a series of recovery plans across all departments,
• further re-prioritising and re-profiling of projects in the capital programme to reduce borrowing requirements,
• the exploration of new revenue streams,
• increased engagement in partnerships with other local authorities and community groups, and
• increased lobbying of central government for increased funding and more flexibility in spending.

The cabinet also discussed a lack of precision in the budget report's forecast of the Council's expected overspend in future years. Councillor Peter Zinkin noted that the document:

does not explain what the impact of the 55 million budget gap, which is not resolved in 25-26, is on the rest of the MTFS.

Councillor Zinkin argued that the document lacked a sentence that explained:

this deficit assumes that during 25-26, the 55 million budget gap will be eliminated by one means or another. To the extent that it is not eliminated, that gap will flow through across the MTFS.

He finished by urging the cabinet to ensure this was taken into account during their budget discussions.

Barnet Council's Corporate Plan

The cabinet went on to consider a review of the Council's corporate plan, [Our Plan for Barnet](https://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/s76605/Barnet%20Corporate%20Plan%202023-26.pdf): Caring for People, our Places and the Planet.

The plan has three main pillars: Caring for People, Caring for our Places, and Caring for the Planet, which are supported by an Engaged and Effective Council pillar.

The cabinet agreed to recommend that the Full Council approves a set of updated priorities for each of the three 'pillars' of the plan. The updated plan emphasises the need for the Council to make difficult decisions in the coming year due to the financial pressures the Council is under. The cabinet also discussed the success of a number of the Council's current initiatives, including the Money Worries? campaign, the community skips programme, the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme, the new Edgware Construction and Green Skills Centre and the Fair Play Barnet playground in Victoria Recreation Ground.

Councillor Sara Conway praised the effectiveness of ward walks as a way to build relationships with residents and better understand their needs. As we have seen in previous emails, for example the one covering the East Area Committee meeting of 2025-01-21, ward walks are becoming increasingly common as a way for councillors to engage with residents and to understand the issues that are important to them. Councillor Conway said that:

Collindale North Ward walk today ... really showed the strength of everybody working together it completely underlined where we have been able to take a very difficult place for this borough over the past two and a half years

Council Tax Support Scheme

The cabinet considered the proposed adoption of a new Council Tax Support Scheme. The scheme is designed to help residents on low incomes pay their council tax.

The current scheme offers up to 72% of a resident's Council Tax liability. The proposed new scheme will:

• reduce the maximum level of support available to residents from 72% of their Council Tax liability to 70%,
• cap awards at the equivalent of a Band C property, regardless of the Council Tax banding of the resident's property,
• reduce the number of income bands from seven to five, and
• reduce the level of support available within the remaining five bands.

The cabinet noted that the scheme is expected to save the Council £1.3m after adjustments for collection. This saving is needed to help address the Council's budget gap. They also noted that the change would mean that 254 households in the borough would no longer be entitled to support.

The cabinet considered the results of a recent consultation on the proposed changes. Of the 418 people who responded to the consultation, 75.07% disagreed with the changes, and 74.66% of respondents felt the changes would have a negative impact on their household.

The cabinet also considered written responses to the consultation that had been received from the GLA, and Citizens Advice Barnet. Both organisations urged the Council to reconsider the proposals, but the cabinet acknowledged the negative impact that these changes are likely to have on residents but recommended that the Full Council approve the new scheme, alongside a £0.5m discretionary fund to support the most vulnerable households. They also recommended that the Full Council approves a £0.115m increase in the staffing budget for the Council Tax Support team to help them deal with the increased workload that the new scheme is likely to create.

Bishopswood Bowling Club Lease

The cabinet also discussed the renewal of the lease for the Bishopswood Bowling Club. In 2017 the Council agreed to offer all of the bowls clubs in the borough a 25-year lease at a peppercorn rent² in exchange for the clubs taking on full responsibility for the maintenance of their facilities. However, the report that was considered by the Environment Committee in 2017 did not refer to the Bishopswood Bowling Club as the club was already responsible for its own maintenance at that time and was paying a peppercorn rent.

The cabinet agreed to recommend that the Full Council approves the grant of a new 25-year lease to the club at a peppercorn rent, bringing the club into line with the other bowls clubs in the borough.

They also agreed to delegate authority to Mr Sal Waheed, the Head of Property and Portfolio Management, to (a) advertise the proposed lease if it is required under section 123 of the Local Government Act 1972, and to take account of any responses, and (b) to finalise the terms of the lease and to instruct the Council's legal advisors to prepare the necessary documentation to put the lease into effect.

Planning Committee (New) - Wednesday 19 February 2025

The Planning Committee (New) met this week and made a number of key decisions about planning applications in the borough. As we have seen in previous emails, planning decisions can be controversial, and can generate a great deal of public interest.

94 Kingsley Way

The committee considered an application to fell a protected oak tree at 94 Kingsley Way. The application was made on behalf of the owners of the property next door, 1-5 Abington House, who claimed that the tree was causing subsidence damage to their building. The applicant's agent, Property Risk Inspection, argued that the tree’s roots had been found beneath the foundations of Abington House, explaining that London clay shrinks in summer and expands in winter, and that the combination of the roots and the seasonal movement of the clay was causing subsidence. They told the committee that the insurance company had recommended the tree be felled and that the cost to the council of underpinning Abington House could be in the region of £150,000.

The officer explained that the tree was a mature oak, part of the Hampstead Garden Suburb and subject to a Tree Preservation Order (TPO)³

The loss of these trees of special amenity value is not justified as a remedy for the alleged subsidence damage on the basis of the information provided.

Members of the committee questioned the evidence submitted by the applicant. They questioned whether the tree was the primary cause of the subsidence, as other trees had been felled in the rear garden of the property before the application was made, and also noted that the roots found beneath the foundations were only 1mm in diameter.

The committee also heard from a local resident, who told them that the residents association were very keen to see the trees in the area retained. The committee voted to refuse the application.

Fir Island, The Ridgeway, Mill Hill

The committee went on to consider an application to change the use of Fir Island from residential use to a children’s nursery, including a single-storey extension to the existing building and associated landscaping. The site is located between Burton Hole Lane and The Ridgeway in Mill Hill.

The officer described the existing site as a large, detached, locally listed building, formerly in use as a dwelling. They explained that the building is within the Mill Hill Conservation Area and Metropolitan Green Belt⁴, but that it was previously developed land, surrounded by other development.

They explained that the applicant, Boys and Girls Nursery, had demonstrated that the site meets the definition of previously developed land in the green belt as set out in the National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) ⁵.

Two local residents, Liz Fitzgerald and Zoe Samuelson, both spoke against the application, raising concerns about the impact of the development on traffic and parking in the area. They argued that the applicant had not adequately demonstrated that there was a need for a nursery in the area, and they highlighted the impact that the development would have on the businesses along Burton Hole Lane.

The ward councillor, Councillor Val Lipshitz, also spoke against the application. She told the committee that the area was already heavily congested at peak times, due to the presence of five schools in the area and the new Ridgeway Views development, and highlighted the lack of parking in the area, which she argued was already causing problems for local residents and businesses.

…we have Belmont Junior School, the Grimsdale Nursery, Belmont Farm Nursery, Mill Hill School, St Vincent's Nursery and Primary School. We have five schools delivering and collecting pupils at peak times. And also, we have the Ridgeway Views development, we have Millbrook Park, and we're currently waiting for a major development for a retirement complex to start building. This may well be one of the busiest roads in the borough. [Councillor Val Lipshitz]

The agent for the applicant responded to the concerns raised by the objectors. He argued that the applicant had demonstrated a clear need for a nursery in the area, and that the development would provide much-needed childcare places for local families. He also addressed the concerns about traffic and parking, telling the committee that the applicant's transport consultants had carried out traffic surveys and capacity analyses, concluding that the development would have a negligible impact on traffic, and that the nursery would operate a flexible drop-off and pick-up system to avoid the peak-time congestion associated with local schools. The committee also heard from the applicant's transport consultant who explained that eight parking spaces were proposed and that this would be more than sufficient to meet the demand, based on surveys of similar nurseries.

The committee voted to approve the application.

138-142 High Road, East Finchley

The committee then considered two applications: an application for planning permission (Ref. 24/4221/FUL) and a linked application for advertising consent (Ref. 24/4222/ADV), for the installation of an electric vehicle charging point (EVCP) with advertising on a buildout in an existing parking bay outside 138-142 High Road in East Finchley.

The committee heard from two local residents, Mary Hogben and Roger Chapman, who both spoke against the applications, raising concerns about the impact of the development on the character and appearance of the area.

…the character of our compact town centre, a largely intact Edwardian development with many buildings of architectural merit, both nationally and locally listed, is slowly being harmed by these large advertising screens. We already have six and we cannot absorb any more. [Mary Hogben, Finchley Society]

The agent for the applicant, responded to the concerns raised by the objectors. He argued that JOLT, the applicant, had carefully assessed the suitability of the site and had worked with multiple council departments, including highways, town centres and streetscene, to ensure that the development was appropriate. He also addressed the concerns about road safety, telling the committee that the site had been reviewed three times by highways officers and that an independent road safety assessment had also been carried out.

During the discussion, the chair of the committee questioned whether JOLT had consulted with ward councillors about the proposed development. The agent responded that a Section 17 notice had been displayed on the site, which he said constituted a consultation process. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2025-01-21 covering the application for funding for CCTV at Pardes House Primary School, it is important that applicants for planning permission consult with ward councillors and local residents. The chair of the committee disagreed with the agent’s assertion that a Section 17 notice constitutes a consultation process, arguing that it was simply a notification of a planning application and not a consultation in itself.

Councillor consultation will be an email, face to face, telephone, physically talking. Am I incorrect in thinking that? [Councillor Claire Farrier, Planning Committee (New)]

The agent accepted that JOLT should have consulted more widely on the proposed location for the EVCP and promised that JOLT would directly engage with all councillors and local businesses in the future.

The committee voted to approve both applications.

1095-1097 Finchley Road, Golders Green

The committee went on to consider two further applications: an application for planning permission (Ref. OS 1095-1097 Finchley Road FUL) and a linked application for advertising consent (Ref. OS 1095-1097 Finchley Road ADV), for the installation of an EVCP with advertising outside 1095-1097 Finchley Road in Golders Green.

Two local residents, Barry Siltman and Michael Strom, spoke against the applications, raising concerns about the loss of parking that would result from the development.

The agent for the applicant, Patrick Thomas, responded to the concerns raised by the objectors. He argued that JOLT had carefully assessed the suitability of the site and had concluded that the location was appropriate. He explained that the application was for a charging unit only, and that there would be no loss of a parking bay. He said that any future bay demarcation would be subject to a separate traffic management order.

…this application is for a charging unit only. There is no loss of a parking bay as some objectors have claimed. Any future bay demarcation would be subject to a separate traffic management order, consultation and is not a part of this application. [Patrick Thomas, Agent for JOLT]

He also argued that the EVCP would bring economic benefits to the area and highlighted JOLT’s commitment to supporting local businesses through its free advertising initiative.

Councillor Dean Cohen, ward councillor for Golders Green, argued that the lack of consultation with local residents and businesses was a concern and that the installation of EVCPs in areas with limited parking could have a negative impact on local businesses.

The majority of… a large number of… the customers that go to this particular shop… are people with large families who are driving seven seaters plus… To get an electric seven seater plus… you’re talking 70-80 thousand pounds car… So as Mr Siltman said, I’m not sure they’re quite there yet… [Councillor Dean Cohen, Planning Committee (New)]

The agent accepted that JOLT should have consulted more widely on the proposed location for the EVCP and promised to consult with ward councillors and local businesses in future.

The committee voted to approve both applications.

23 Ravenshurst Avenue, Hendon

The final application considered by the committee was for a roof extension at 23 Ravenshurst Avenue in Hendon to provide new office accommodation and counselling rooms. The application had been called in by the ward councillor, Councillor Joshua Conway, who had raised concerns about the hours of use and parking at the site. The officer’s report recommended approval, subject to the completion of a Section 106 agreement⁶ to mitigate the highways impacts of the development.

The applicant was the Jewish charity JCounselling. The applicant’s agent, Emily Benedict, argued that the development would provide much-needed additional space for JCounselling, which provides vital services for the local Jewish community, highlighting the fact that the building had been in use as an office for a number of years without any complaints from neighbours.

She asked the committee to amend the conditions and the Section 106 agreement attached to the officer's recommendation, arguing that the proposed restrictions on the opening hours of the premises would make it difficult for JCounselling to provide its services, and that the proposed restriction on the number of parking permits available to the charity would make it difficult for staff and clients to access the building.

The officer explained that they had attached conditions to the officer’s recommendation to mitigate the impact of the development, explaining that Condition 11 restricted the opening hours of the premises to 8am to 6pm Monday to Friday, but allowed JCounselling to continue to operate at its existing hours, and that the Section 106 agreement sought to mitigate the highways impacts of the development by restricting future occupants of the building from obtaining parking permits.

Following a discussion, the committee voted to approve the application, subject to an amended Section 106 agreement and amended conditions. The amended Section 106 agreement did not include a restriction on the number of parking permits available to the charity, and the amended Condition 11 did not restrict JCounselling’s current opening hours.

This week in Barnet:

• The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met on Monday to discuss the council's Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2025/26 and the Treasury Management performance Update for the third quarter of 2024/25.
• The Local Pension Board met on Tuesday and was scheduled to discuss the compliance of the Barnet Pension Fund with The Pension Regulator's new Code of Practice, but the meeting has not yet been published.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Monday 10 February 2025

The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met on Monday and considered two reports relating to the council’s finances: the draft Treasury Management Strategy Statement 2025/26, which sets out the council’s planned borrowing and investment strategies for the coming financial year, and the Treasury Management performance Update Q3 2024/25, which provides an update on the council’s treasury management performance for the third quarter of 2024/25.

As we have seen in previous emails, for example the one covering the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 12 December 2024, the council is facing a number of financial challenges, and these are inevitably having an impact on all areas of service delivery.

The committee noted that the capital programme had reduced by £51.7 million since the previous quarter, reducing the council’s projected borrowing for the year by £24 million. However, the committee also heard that the council would need to borrow an additional £73 million to fund its capital programme in Quarter 4 of 2024/25, and that financing costs were projected to increase significantly.

Councillor Mearing-Smith asked a number of questions about the performance of the treasury management team, in particular asking whether, given the recent rise in interest rates, the council should have prioritised external borrowing at a lower rate, over using internal borrowing from its reserves. Mr Kevin Bartle, Interim Executive Director of Resources (S151 officer)¹, acknowledged that, with hindsight, the council should have borrowed more externally when interest rates were lower, but pointed out that the council does have a treasury strategy and a borrowing strategy in place.

Councillor McGuirk raised concerns about the Housing Revenue Account’s (HRA)² ability to support the council’s housing stock.

Mr Basra confirmed that the HRA Business Plan, which had recently been to cabinet, would be circulated to the committee.

Councillor McGuirk also enquired about the rate of return on the council’s planned investments. Mr Basra confirmed that the Treasury Management team would be providing this information to the committee as part of the Quarter Three update.

Local Pension Board - Tuesday 11 February 2025

The Local Pension Board was scheduled to meet on Tuesday to discuss a range of matters relating to the governance, administration, investment performance and accounts of the London Borough of Barnet Pension Fund, however the meeting has not yet been published.

This week in Barnet:

• The Licensing Sub-Committee met on Tuesday to consider an application for a new Adult Gaming Centre Premises Licence at 4-6 Cricklewood Lane.
• The Cabinet met on Wednesday and agreed to adopt the Barnet Local Plan 2021-2036, approve the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document, approve the 2025/26 budget for Improving Barnet's Roads, and enter into a new contract with Barnet Education & Learning Service Limited.
• The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Monday to discuss the state of the NHS workforce, the work of the Health Inequalities Fund, and the committee’s work programme.

Licensing Sub-Committee - Tuesday 04 February 2025

The Licensing Sub-Committee met this week to consider an application for a new Adult Gaming Centre Premises Licence¹ for Little Vegas, 4-6 Cricklewood Lane, London NW2 1EX, under section 159 of the Gambling Act 2005², submitted by Woods Whur³ on behalf of Chongie Entertainment UK Limited. The meeting was to be held in accordance with the council’s Licensing Sub-Committee Hearings Procedure.

As we have seen in previous emails, most recently my email of 2024-12-07 covering the application from Philippe Conticini UK Limited, applications for new premises licences, particularly those relating to the sale of alcohol, can often cause concern for local residents. This is because the sale of alcohol, and gambling, are often seen as having a negative impact on an area, leading to increased crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour, and in the case of gambling, to addiction and associated harm.

In this case the sub-committee received representations from the police, from a local ward councillor, Barnet Council’s Public Health department and from 36 local residents, most of whom made objections to the application.

The police agreed a number of conditions with the applicant, including the provision of CCTV, the presence of two members of staff at all times, and the use of Security Industry Authority (SIA)⁴ licensed door staff between the hours of 22:00 and 06:00 on Fridays and Saturdays, and at any other time when a risk assessment indicates that they are needed.

Barnet Council’s Public Health department objected on the grounds of protecting children and other vulnerable persons from being harmed or exploited by gambling. They highlighted that Cricklewood is the most deprived ward in Barnet with high levels of unemployment.

A number of the local residents raised similar objections, saying that Cricklewood already has too many gambling establishments, that the application would pose a risk to children and vulnerable adults, that it would lead to increased crime and disorder, and that it would undermine community efforts to improve the area. Some of the residents also said that the application would normalise gambling for children.

The minutes of this meeting have not yet been published.

Cabinet - Wednesday 05 February 2025

The Cabinet met on Wednesday to discuss a range of issues. The meeting saw decisions to approve the Barnet Local Plan 2021-2036, adopt the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document, approve the 2025/26 budget for Improving Barnet's Roads, and to enter into a new contract with Barnet Education & Learning Service Limited.

Barnet Local Plan 2021-2036

As we saw in my email covering the Cabinet meeting of 20 November 2024, the Cabinet had previously approved the publication of a revised Local Plan for Barnet, setting out the council’s vision for the borough’s future development over the next 15 years.

At this meeting, the Cabinet was asked to formally adopt the plan. The plan has been through a lengthy process of consultation and examination in public. The plan will now be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval. Once approved, the plan will become the council’s main planning document and will be used to determine planning applications.

The Cabinet approved the adoption of the plan.

Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document

The Cabinet approved the adoption of the Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD)⁵, which provides guidance on how the council will secure planning obligations⁶ from developers to mitigate the impact of development on the borough. It covers a range of issues, including:

• Affordable housing
• Employment and skills
• Open space and play space
• Trees and biodiversity
• Transport
• Community safety

During the statutory consultation on the draft SPD, developers raised concerns that the contributions required by the SPD could make development unviable. The Cabinet reassured developers that the SPD does not set new policy, but simply makes clear the implementation of existing policy. Further, they said that the obligations within the SPD would be prioritised using London Plan Policy DF1, which prioritises affordable housing and public transport improvements, and that the council would consider viability assessments where an applicant could demonstrate that a development would be unviable should the obligations within the SPD be fully implemented.

The Cabinet approved the adoption of the SPD.

Improving Barnet's Roads

The Cabinet approved the 2025/26 budget for Improving Barnet's Roads, which will see £16.968 million invested in the borough's roads and pavements over the next year.

The funding will come from a combination of sources, including the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)⁷, the 'Our Plan for Barnet' programme, and Department for Transport funding.

The Cabinet approved the 2025/26 budget for Improving Barnet's Roads.

Future Delivery of the Barnet Education and Learning Service

The Cabinet approved a proposal to enter into a new five year contract with Barnet Education & Learning Service Limited (BELS) for the delivery of the borough's education and skills service, with the option to extend it by three years.

BELS is a local authority-controlled company⁸ that was set up in 2020 to deliver the service after the council terminated its contract with Mott Macdonald (Cambridge Education). This option had been agreed by Cabinet in July 2020 after a consultation with schools, unions and parent and carer groups.

The decision was taken after a survey of staff, schools, parent carers and unions found that the current model of delivery was effective and that stakeholders were satisfied with the level of representation they had on the BELS board.

The trade unions would like the service to be brought back in-house. However, the Cabinet said that this option is not financially viable at present due to an increase in pension costs. The council will review the situation in four years’ time, when the financial position of the council may be different, to determine whether the service should be brought back in-house or re-procured.

The Cabinet approved a proposal to enter into a new five year contract with BELS.

Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Monday 03 February 2025

The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee met this week to discuss the state of the NHS workforce, the work of the Health Inequalities Fund, and the committee’s work programme. The committee is a joint committee of five local authorities: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington. It is responsible for scrutinising the work of the North Central London Integrated Care Board (NCL ICB)⁹.

The meeting has not yet been published.

This week in Barnet:

• The West Area Committee meeting scheduled for Monday was postponed.
• The Council met on Tuesday, paid tribute to two deceased former councillors, and considered reports about historic unlawful payments to the Barnet Pension Fund, transport improvements in the borough, and the impact of VAT on independent faith schools.
• The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting scheduled for Monday was postponed.
• The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met on Wednesday, received an update on the Council's high level risks, and noted that the 2023/24 accounts would be disclaimed by the external auditors.

Council - Tuesday 28 January 2025

The Council meeting began with tributes to two recently deceased former councillors, Councillor Eva Greenspan and Councillor Usha Chopra. Both Councillors served as Mayor of Barnet during their time on the council and were well-respected by members from across the political spectrum.

The council then considered a number of reports, beginning with a joint report of the Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer (Section 151 Officer) ¹ concerning historic unlawful payments to and from the Barnet Pension Fund. The report explained that in 2020, the council, acting as the scheme employer, made an unlawful one-off pre-payment of £20,477,000 to the fund. The pre-payment was deemed unlawful because, although lawful in principle, there was no documentation to show it had been properly authorised under the council’s scheme of delegation. The pre-payment was followed by three years of additional payments to the pension fund, which were also unlawful, and most of which were subsequently repaid to the council in three annual instalments. The third repayment of £7,804,000 has not been made and is currently being held by the fund pending the outcome of the investigation into the issue. The report set out a number of options for resolving the issue, and the council voted to delegate the decision of how to rectify the payments to the Pension Fund Committee.

Councillor Simon Radford, chair of the Pension Fund Committee, assured the council that a future Pension Fund Committee would make a decision about how best to unwind the payments. He said:

we need to learn the lessons of potentially what got us here in the first place um i haven't been pensions chair for all that long but i know that we've been gone through quite a journey um even previous to me about um the role of capita in terms of data on the administration side west yorkshire have made a great deal of improvement on that driving up the role that we're um successfully um getting the right data on getting the right pensions to the right people but equally i think what this is also thrown up is that we have um had to put in place much more robust governance and processes that we take a properly belt and braces approach to running the pension fund

As we saw in my email covering the Pension Fund Committee meeting of 2025-01-18, the unlawful payments first came to light when they were identified as a high-risk finding by Grant Thornton UK LLP, the council's external auditors. The auditors reported their interim findings to the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee on 27 November 2024 and the matter was then referred to the Pension Fund Committee, which considered the issue at its meeting of 14 January 2025. As reported in my email covering that meeting, the committee discussed the issue at length but was unable to come to a decision and adjourned the meeting to a closed session. The matter was then referred to the full Council, which has now delegated the issue back to the Pension Fund Committee.

The council then moved on to consider a motion proposed by Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Cabinet Member for Environment. The motion welcomed the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan,’s, commitment to transport improvements in the borough. Councillor Schneiderman highlighted the benefits of the new bus routes and the West London Orbital Railway, but Conservative councillors criticised the Labour administration for what they saw as hypocrisy in praising Khan while supporting the ULEZ expansion. Councillor Dean Cohen said:

the problem with the Labour run Barnet council is they are so infatuated with mayor khan they have forgotten that they elected to represent the residents of barnet these are not the residents of barnet that mayor khan is focused on i.e. the residents of inner london and that is being generous councillor scheiderman and his fellow labour colleagues so much want to follow the ways of mayor khan just look what they have just consulted on that is massively increasing parking charges across this borough this motion talks about choice mr mayor the the only thing that mayor khan and this labour-run administration here in barnet is doing is restricting choice

Councillor Cohen also drew attention to the proposed increase in parking charges across the borough, describing them as an attempt to price residents out of their cars. He said:

the consultation is consulting on up to a 300 increase in on-street parking charges in barnet to a minimum charge of three pound fifty more than doubling the cost of going by car to buy a loaf of bread the small parades of shops such as Mowbray Parade in edgebury wards that rely on people parking to a shop that used to be free for the first half an hour an hour now it will be three pound fifty removal of the town centre jewel 15-minute parking loading bays

As we saw in my email covering the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 30 January 2025, the council is currently consulting on a new transport strategy for the borough. The strategy has been in development for some time and is expected to be published in April. The strategy will include a commitment to a 'neighbourhood led 20 mph zone policy', but some residents are concerned that the strategy does not do enough to take into account the needs of car users.

The council voted to carry Councillor Schneiderman’s motion.

Finally, the council considered a motion proposed by Councillor David Longstaff expressing concern about the impact of VAT ² on independent faith schools. The motion stated that Labour’s decision to end the exemption of independent schools from VAT posed a significant threat to the financial viability of these schools, and that if they were forced to close due to rising costs, it would disrupt the education of pupils and increase pressure on the borough’s state school system. Labour councillors responded by arguing that the money raised through VAT would be used to improve standards in state schools, and that it was dishonest to suggest that there was no religious diversity in the state sector, highlighting the number of successful state-funded faith schools in the borough. The motion was subsequently lost.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Wednesday 29 January 2025

The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met on Wednesday to consider a range of issues relating to the council’s governance, audit, risk management and standards. The committee is responsible for overseeing the council’s financial management and for ensuring that the council is operating in a transparent and accountable way.

The committee received an update on the progress of the council’s 2023/24 accounts audit from Grant Thornton UK LLP. This is the first meeting the committee has had with Grant Thornton since their appointment in 2024. As we saw in my email covering the GARMS meeting of 12 December 2024, the previous auditors, BDO, were unable to complete the audits for the previous three years, citing concerns about the council’s financial management. BDO issued a disclaimed opinion on these accounts. A disclaimer of opinion is a statement by an auditor that they are unable to provide an opinion on the fairness of the financial statements. This is usually due to a lack of sufficient evidence. The committee expressed their frustration to Grant Thornton that the audits for these years had not yet been signed off, and enquired as to whether it was possible for Grant Thornton to issue an opinion on the 2023/24 accounts by the statutory deadline of 28 February 2025. Grant Thornton were unable to give a definitive answer, stating that it was dependent on a number of factors, including the resolution of an ongoing legal issue relating to the Teachers’ Pension Fund.

The committee then went on to review the council’s high-level risks. This is a regular item on the committee’s agenda and is an important part of the council’s risk management process. The council has a responsibility to identify and manage the risks it faces, and the high-level risks are those that have the potential to have the most significant impact on the council. The committee heard that the highest rated risk was ‘Financial Sustainability of the Council’, which had been given the highest possible risk rating. The committee discussed the reasons for this, noting the ongoing financial challenges the council is facing, as outlined in the report to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 12 December 2024.

The committee also received an update on the status of internal audit recommendations. Internal audit is an independent function that provides assurance to the council that its systems and processes are working effectively. The internal audit team carries out a range of audits each year, and the committee is responsible for monitoring the progress of the team’s work. The committee heard that the team had identified a number of high-risk findings in its recent audits, including issues relating to budget monitoring in schools and the pan-London Children’s Secure Home project. The committee discussed the findings of the Secure Home audit, noting that the council had been required to repay money to the DfE ³ as a result of the project’s closure. The committee asked why Barnet had not attempted to renegotiate the repayment with the DfE. In response, officers said that this may have been because Barnet’s Director of Children’s Services had been the lead director on the project. The committee also expressed its concerns about the high number of risks identified in the risk register, questioning how these risks were prioritised.

The committee concluded its meeting by agreeing to change the date of the next meeting from 10 February 2025 to 21 May 2025. This is in response to the difficulty the committee has experienced in scheduling meetings at short notice during the year.

This week in Barnet:

• The Children, Education and Safeguarding Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee discussed the implementation of the statutory SEND reforms in Barnet, and received an update from the Barnet Safeguarding Children Partnership.
• The Planning Committee (New) refused permission for the demolition of an interwar house to be replaced with a new building containing five flats, a decision that was appealed by the applicant, and agreed to defer an application to demolish a bungalow and build two new houses on the plot.
• The Cabinet met on Wednesday to approve a revised Local Plan for Barnet, the Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2030, and a new policy on rough sleeping.

Children, Education and Safeguarding Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Monday 18 November 2024

The Children, Education and Safeguarding Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met on Monday to discuss the implementation of the statutory SEND reforms in Barnet. The committee heard from officers from the Children’s Services department about the progress that had been made in implementing the reforms, which were introduced in 2014 and are designed to improve the support that is available to children and young people with special educational needs and disabilities (SEND).

The committee heard that Barnet has seen a significant increase in the number of children and young people with Education, Health and Care Plans (EHCPs)¹ in recent years. This is a common trend across the country and is putting pressure on councils’ budgets. The committee heard that Barnet is working to improve the efficiency of its SEND services and to reduce the number of children and young people who need EHCPs.

The committee also received an update from the Barnet Safeguarding Children Partnership, which is responsible for coordinating the work of different agencies to protect children from harm. The committee heard about the partnership’s work to raise awareness of child sexual exploitation, child criminal exploitation, and online safety.

Planning Committee (New) - Wednesday 20 November 2024

The Planning Committee (New) met this week to discuss a range of planning applications. The committee is responsible for determining planning applications in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In making their decisions, the committee must consider a wide range of factors, including local and national planning policies, the views of local people, and the advice of council officers.

1 & 1A Sussex Ring

The committee considered an application to demolish a semi-detached house at 1 & 1A Sussex Ring in East Finchley and build a new building containing five flats.

Officers recommended that the application be refused, citing concerns about the loss of the existing building, which they described as a “non-designated heritage asset of merit”, and the potential for the development to have a negative impact on the character of the area. The application generated a great deal of interest from local residents, many of whom objected to the proposal.

…this is part of a continuing trend of demolition of interwar houses. We object to this. This is an important street. [Robert Sutherland, local resident]

Despite the officers’ recommendation and the objections from local residents, the committee was minded to approve the application, however it was deferred to a future meeting because the applicant had not paid the requisite Community Infrastructure Levy ².

The applicant subsequently appealed the decision and a public inquiry has been scheduled for 2025.

112D Park Road

The committee also considered an application to demolish a bungalow at 112D Park Road in East Barnet and build two new houses.

Officers recommended refusal on the grounds that the proposed houses were out of character with the area, being too narrow and cramped. However, the committee agreed to defer the application to a future meeting to allow the applicant to address these concerns. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-10-28 covering the application to develop 118 Hale Lane, applications for new developments that are likely to have a negative impact on the character of the area are often refused or deferred to allow the applicant to address these concerns.

Cabinet - Wednesday 20 November 2024

The Cabinet met this week to discuss a range of issues. The meeting saw decisions to approve a revised Local Plan for Barnet, the Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2030, and a new policy on rough sleeping.

Barnet’s Local Plan

The Cabinet approved the publication of a revised Local Plan for Barnet. The plan sets out the council’s vision for the borough’s future development over the next 15 years and identifies sites that could be developed for housing, employment, and other uses.

The Local Plan sets out a blueprint for sustainable development, ensuring that Barnet continues to be a thriving place to live, work and visit. [Councillor Dean Huston]

The plan has been through a lengthy process of consultation and examination in public.

…it’s been through multiple iterations, including two rounds of public consultation, uh, numerous representations, uh, an examination in public by an independent planning inspector. [Dean, Head of Planning]

The plan will now be submitted to the Secretary of State for approval. Once approved, the plan will become the council’s main planning document and will be used to determine planning applications.

Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2030

The Cabinet approved the Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2030. This document sets out the council’s financial plans for the next six years and forecasts a budget gap of £28.535 million in 2025/26. The budget gap is the difference between the council’s forecast spending and its forecast income. The council is required to set a balanced budget each year, which means that it must find ways to close the budget gap.

The strategy sets out a number of measures the council is taking to address the budget gap, including:

• Increasing Council Tax: The council is proposing to increase Council Tax by 4.99% in 2025/26. This is the maximum increase allowed by the government without holding a local referendum. As you may recall from my previous emails, the council is required to raise a significant amount of its income through council tax. The level of council tax is set by the council each year, and the government sets a limit on how much councils can increase council tax each year. If a council wants to increase council tax by more than this limit, it must hold a local referendum. The council’s decision to increase council tax by the maximum amount allowed without a referendum highlights the financial challenges it is facing.
• Making Efficiency Savings: The council is planning to make efficiency savings of £36.2 million over the next six years. This will involve making changes to the way the council delivers its services, and will likely lead to job losses.
• Selling Assets: The council is planning to sell assets worth £20 million over the next six years. This will help to raise money to close the budget gap, but will also mean that the council will own fewer assets in the future.

The strategy also highlights a number of risks to the council’s financial position, including:

• Uncertainty about Government Funding: The council is uncertain about how much funding it will receive from the government in the future. This makes it difficult to plan for the future.
• Rising Demand for Services: The council is facing rising demand for its services, particularly in areas such as adult social care and children’s services. This is putting pressure on the council’s budget.
• Inflation: The current high rate of inflation is increasing the cost of providing council services. This is also putting pressure on the council’s budget.

The council is facing a challenging financial position, and the Medium Term Financial Strategy highlights the difficult decisions that the council will have to make in the years to come.

Rough Sleeping Policy

Finally, the Cabinet approved a new policy on rough sleeping. The policy sets out the council’s approach to preventing and addressing rough sleeping in Barnet, and is designed to be a comprehensive and ambitious policy, reflecting the council’s commitment to ending rough sleeping in the borough. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email covering the Health and Wellbeing Board meeting of 2024-10-31, the number of people sleeping rough in Barnet has been rising in recent years. This is a common trend across the country and is a cause for concern.

The new policy has a number of key objectives, including:

• Preventing rough sleeping: The council will work to prevent rough sleeping by providing early help and support to people who are at risk of becoming homeless.
• Providing accommodation and support: The council will provide accommodation and support to people who are sleeping rough.
• Working in partnership: The council will work in partnership with other organisations to tackle rough sleeping.

The new policy has been welcomed by charities and organisations that work with people who are homeless. They have praised the council’s commitment to ending rough sleeping, but have also called on the council to ensure that the policy is properly funded.

This week in Barnet:

• The Planning Committee refused permission to build a two-storey extension to a synagogue, but approved two applications relating to the development of 118 Hale Lane, including the demolition of existing buildings and the construction of two new buildings containing 142 new flats.
• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee received an update on the progress of the council's key priorities, and discussed the findings of a recent review of the council's governance arrangements.

Planning Committee - Monday 28 October 2024

The Planning Committee met on Monday this week and made a number of key decisions about planning applications in the borough. The committee is responsible for determining planning applications in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In making their decisions, the committee must consider a wide range of factors, including local and national planning policies, the views of local people, and the advice of council officers. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-10-12 covering the decision to refuse permission to build two detached houses on green belt land, planning decisions can be controversial, and can generate a great deal of public interest.

118 Hale Lane

The committee approved two applications relating to the development of 118 Hale Lane, including the demolition of the existing buildings and the construction of two new buildings containing a total of 142 new flats.

The applications had been deferred from the previous meeting to allow the applicant to address concerns about the height and massing of the proposed buildings, the provision of affordable housing, and the impact on the Edgware Growth Area. As we saw in my email covering the Planning Committee meeting of 14 October 2024, the first application requested permission for the construction of a seven to ten-storey building containing 83 flats, and the second for the construction of a nine-storey building containing 59 flats.

The committee voted to approve both applications, subject to conditions.

367-373 Hale Lane

The committee refused an application to build a part two, part three-storey extension to the rear of the existing synagogue at 367-373 Hale Lane. The committee agreed with the officers' recommendation that the proposed development would be too large and bulky for the site and would have an unacceptable impact on the character and appearance of the area.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 31 October 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday and discussed a wide range of issues, including the council's Corporate Delivery Plan 2024/25, the findings of a Local Government Association (LGA) Corporate Peer Challenge, the council’s performance in meeting its targets, and the governance of allotments in the borough.

The Corporate Delivery Plan sets out the council’s key priorities for the year and the Overview and Scrutiny Committee has a key role in scrutinising the council’s performance in delivering these priorities. The committee heard from the council’s Chief Executive, John Hooton, who reported that the council was making good progress against its priorities, however he acknowledged that there were some areas where more work was needed, highlighting in particular the importance of the council’s relationship with its partners.

The committee also discussed the findings of a recent Corporate Peer Challenge by the Local Government Association (LGA). This was a review of the council’s governance arrangements and performance. The peer team, made up of elected members and officers from other councils, visited Barnet for four days in September and spoke to a wide range of people, including councillors, officers, partners and residents. They found that the council had a number of strengths, including:

• A strong commitment to its values of working together, listening to residents and delivering excellent services.
• A well-developed corporate strategy and a clear understanding of the challenges facing the borough.
• A strong track record of partnership working.

However, they also identified a number of areas for improvement, including:

• The need to improve the council’s financial management. As we have seen in previous emails, the council is facing a significant budget gap, and the peer team recommended that the council should develop a more robust financial strategy.
• The need to improve the council’s engagement with residents. The peer team found that the council could do more to involve residents in decision-making.
• The need to improve the council’s performance management. The peer team found that the council could do more to monitor its performance and to hold itself to account.

The committee welcomed the findings of the peer challenge and agreed to work with the Cabinet to develop an action plan to address the areas for improvement.

• The East Area Committee rejected applications for funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy for the installation of CCTV at Pardes House Primary School and pavement renewal in Hayes Crescent, but approved an application for funding for improvements to New Southgate Recreation Ground.
• The Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee received an update on safeguarding children and young people, and considered reports on complaints made about Children's Services and the department's budget.
• The Health & Wellbeing Board agreed the four long-term priorities for the new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy and noted the progress to improve the health and wellbeing of residents on the Grahame Park Estate.
• The Planning Committee (New) approved applications for development at 96 Audley Road and 112D Park Road, both of which had been recommended for refusal by officers, and rejected applications for development of land adjacent to Hendon Hall Court and 10 Wentworth Avenue.

Planning Committee (New) - Monday 20 January 2025

The Planning Committee (New) met this week to discuss a range of planning applications. The committee is responsible for determining planning applications in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In making their decisions, the committee must consider a wide range of factors, including local and national planning policies, the views of local people, and the advice of council officers.

In this week's meeting, the committee controversially approved two applications that officers had recommended for refusal. This highlights the fact that the Planning Committee is not bound by the recommendations of officers, and is ultimately responsible for making the final decision.

96 Audley Road

The committee considered an application to demolish a detached house and build a new building containing seven flats at 96 Audley Road.

Officers recommended that the application be refused, citing concerns about overdevelopment, the loss of the existing building, and the potential for the development to have a negative impact on the character of the area. The committee disagreed with the officers' recommendation and voted to approve the application, subject to conditions. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-12-07 covering the application by Philippe Conticini UK Limited, applications for new premises licences can often cause concern for local residents. This is because new developments are often seen as having a negative impact on an area, leading to increased pressure on parking and local services.

112D Park Road

The committee also considered an application to demolish the bungalow at 112D Park Road in East Barnet and build two new houses. This application had been deferred from the previous meeting for further consideration.

Officers again recommended refusal on the grounds that the proposed houses were out of character with the area, being too narrow and cramped. The committee disagreed, however, and voted unanimously to approve the application, subject to conditions.

Land Adjacent to Hendon Hall Court

This application requested permission to build three detached houses on a plot of land adjacent to Hendon Hall Court.

A number of objections were received from local residents, including concerns about overdevelopment, the impact on the character and appearance of the area, and flood risk. Officers recommended refusal, stating that one of the proposed houses would be out of character with the area and because of a lack of information about flood risk. The committee agreed with the officers' recommendation and voted to refuse the application. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-11-23 covering the application to develop 1 & 1A Sussex Ring, applications for new developments that are likely to have a negative impact on the character of the area are often refused.

10 Wentworth Avenue

The final application considered by the committee was for alterations and extensions to a house at 10 Wentworth Avenue. Planning permission to convert the house into four flats had previously been granted on appeal after the committee refused a similar application. The new application proposed a number of changes to the approved scheme, including the removal of a basement level and the addition of a larger rear extension. The application generated a large amount of local opposition, with residents expressing concerns about overdevelopment, flood risk and the impact of the development on parking.

we've already had kind of run-ins about the trees that were cut down and there was liars told about that but the real kind of upset that we have is um about over development in in this lovely little area. [Nick Williams, local resident]

The committee disagreed, however, and voted to approve the application.

Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Wednesday 22 January 2025

The Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met this week to discuss a range of issues relating to children’s services. The committee is responsible for scrutinising the council’s children’s services department, and holding the cabinet member for education, children and families to account. As we have seen in previous emails, for example the one covering the Cabinet meeting of 05 December 2024, the council is facing a number of financial challenges, and these are inevitably having an impact on all areas of service delivery, including children's services.

Safeguarding Children and Young People

The committee first considered a report on safeguarding children and young people in Barnet. As we saw in previous emails, for example my email covering the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 2024-11-23, the state of safeguarding in Barnet has been a topic of some concern in recent months.

The committee heard from the new Interim Director of Children's Services (DCS), Chris Spencer, who is in post for six months. Mr Spencer explained to the committee that this report covered a six-month period and provided a summary of the work of the Barnet Children's Safeguarding Partnership (BCSP) which consists of a number of statutory partners including the local authority, the police and health.

This is a statutory report of our statutory partners that consist of health and increasingly education are going to be playing a more part, as you'll see from the report. [Chris Spencer, Interim Director of Children's Services]

The committee heard from Nikki Pace, one of three independent scrutineers commissioned by the BCSP to undertake regular reviews of the safeguarding arrangements in Barnet. Ms Pace explained that the scrutineers are responsible for:

...judging the effectiveness of multi agency arrangements to safeguard and promote the welfare of all children in the Barnet area, including the arrangements... to identify and review serious child safeguarding cases... [Nikki Pace, Independent Scrutineer]

Ms Pace reported that the Partnership continues to see very strong partnership arrangements in Barnet and some really close working.

The committee also heard from Detective Chief Inspector David LaRiviere and Detective Superintendent Andy O'Brien from the Metropolitan Police. The officers responded to the findings of the recent inspection by Her Majesty's Inspectorate of Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services (HMICFRS), which had identified two causes for concern:

• The police struggle to detect risk and respond appropriately when children are reported missing.
• The Met's response to children who go missing from care settings and the homes of their families frequently was inadequate.

DCI LaRiviere assured the committee that the Metropolitan Police had accepted the findings of the inspection and was taking action to address them. He explained that staffing levels for the Missing Persons Units had been increased, that a new design for the units had recently been signed off, and that a new pathway to avoid the criminalisation of children who go missing frequently had been implemented.

...it's the first, which is all part of the way we're taking on there, to change the pathway of criminalising these children and giving them opportunities, early intervention, because the earlier we do this, the better the outcome will always be. [DCI David LaRiviere, Metropolitan Police]

The committee heard that the BCSP had agreed the following three shared safeguarding priorities:

• Children Out of Sight
• Raising Awareness of Transgender Issues
• Safer Sleeping

The committee then discussed the arrangements for a visit to the Multi-Agency Safeguarding Hub (MASH) which had taken place prior to the meeting. Councillors who had taken part in the visit fed back on their experience, describing it as really useful and fruitful and a fascinating visit.

Complaints and Compliments Annual Report

The committee then considered a report on complaints and compliments made about Children's Services between 1 April 2023 and 31 March 2024. The report shows that the service received 103 compliments and 43 formal complaints in the year. The interim DCS noted that this was a positive result and described the report as an important part of the service’s quality assurance process.

this is part of our wider quality assurance process. It's one of the pipelines of intelligence that we use to target what we need to do better. [Chris Spencer, Interim Director of Children's Services]

The committee raised concerns about the number of complaints that were not responded to within the agreed timescale and the interim DCS acknowledged that this was “not all great news” and agreed to bring the matter back to a future meeting of the committee.

Budget Outturn Report

Finally, the committee considered a report on the Children's Services budget for the second quarter of the 2024/25 financial year. The report highlighted the challenges facing the service, including rising demand for services and increasing costs.

The committee heard that the council was facing a challenging financial position, with an overspend of £25.5 million reported against the General Fund at the end of quarter two. This was an increase of £20.5 million from the first quarter.

the council's reserves are being really reduced in order to support the difficult and challenging demand position that we're seeing across the council. [Dean, Head of Finance, Children's Services]

The committee heard that the service was on track to deliver 95% of the £3.4 million savings that had been built into its budget, but raised concerns about the impact of these savings on frontline services.

Health & Wellbeing Board - Thursday 23 January 2025

The Health & Wellbeing Board met this week to discuss a range of issues relating to health and wellbeing in the borough.

Grahame Park Estate

The meeting heard about the ongoing work to improve the health and wellbeing of residents on the Grahame Park Estate.

The board discussed the refreshed governance structures that bring together over 20 different organisations in seven sub-project groups to improve the lives of residents.

We brought together over 20 different active organisations that were working with and in support of the community. So these range from public health to organisations like GROW, like FUSE, like Collindale Community Trust, and a lot of different examples. So these range from public organisations, the BCS, to smaller community-led groups. [Vicky, Project Manager, Corporate Function]

The board heard from Jane Williams, from Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust (CLCH), who presented an overview of the organisation's work on the estate. 760 CLCH service users in the past year were Grahame Park residents, with the most common services used being 24-hour nursing, musculoskeletal physiotherapy and podiatry. The board heard about the challenges of managing long term conditions in the area, which are exacerbated by the high levels of deprivation found in Grahame Park.

…when patients, you haven't actually grasped the underlying problem for the patient, they will come back and back and back, and you'll do multiple referrals with different agencies. And that's when you see this pattern. And often it can be loneliness, depression, unemployment, housing issues. [Dr Nick Dattani, Clinical Director of Place for Barnet]

The board also heard from Ali Rahimi from GROW about the work being done at the Grahame Park Community Garden.

Together, many community members have helped create and maintain the space that is Graham Park Community Garden. And each share their names on the sign. In particular, community volunteer has been able to come on board as a garden assistant. Highlighting how the garden is not run just for the fun, but community. [Ali Rahimi, GROW]

The board praised the work of the project, highlighting its impact on the mental health and wellbeing of residents.

Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The board then moved on to discuss the next stage of the development of the Barnet Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The meeting heard from Claire O’Callaghan, Health and Wellbeing Policy Manager, about the progress that had been made in developing the strategy, before discussing the draft long-term priorities and short-term goals contained in the draft document.

Bryony, Peer Co-Production Engagement Leader at Inclusion Unlimited, explained the consultation process that had taken place on the draft priorities, saying:

…really demonstrated the value of genuine engagement and actions. The process really underscored the importance of collaborative and community-led approaches to health and wellbeing, addressing issues at neighbourhood level and developing local partnerships. [Bryony, Peer Co-Production Engagement Leader at Inclusion Unlimited]

The board discussed whether the strategy should include a focus on violence against women and girls, and agreed to look at how this might be incorporated into the strategy.

The board concluded the discussion by agreeing the four long-term priorities for the strategy:

• Start and Grow Well: ensuring children have the best start in life
• Live and Age Well: supporting adults to live healthier for longer
• Better Places: supporting places and wider society to improve health and wellbeing
• Better Health for All: ensuring services and systems work to improve health outcomes for all communities

The strategy document will now move to the final stage of public consultation before being formally adopted at the meeting in May 2025.

Communicable Diseases Update

The meeting concluded with a verbal update on communicable diseases in the borough from Janet Djomba, Director of Public Health. The board discussed the high rates of flu currently being seen in the borough and heard that whilst anecdotal reports of low vaccine availability in pharmacies had been received, there were currently sufficient flu vaccines available.

The board also heard about the recent launch of the Respiratory Syncytial Virus (RSV) vaccination programme, which is being offered to babies born during the peak RSV season (from September to March) as well as those under two years old who are at increased risk of severe illness from RSV. Dr Djomba also provided a brief update on the progress of Vaccination UK, the borough’s new school-age immunisation provider.

East Area Committee - Tuesday 21 January 2025

The East Area Committee met this week and made a number of key decisions about the allocation of funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL).

As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-12-14 covering the North Area Committee, Area Committees are responsible for allocating NCIL funds within their areas. NCIL funds are collected from developers and used to fund local infrastructure projects that support the development of the borough. Area Committees must ensure that applications for funding meet the legal tests set out in the Community Infrastructure Levy Regulations 2010. This is a complex area of law and there is often debate about whether particular projects are eligible for funding.

Pardes House Primary School CCTV

The committee considered an application from Councillor Grocock for £9,587.50 of NCIL funding for the installation of CCTV at Pardes House Primary School. The application had been deferred from the previous meeting to allow for further consideration by officers and to ensure it met the criteria for funding from the NCIL.

Councillor Grocock invited the headteacher of the school, Rabbi Joel Sake, to speak in favour of the application. Rabbi Sake argued that the CCTV was necessary to improve safeguarding at the school, and that it would help to keep pupils and staff safe. He highlighted that the school had doubled in size since his arrival in 2012 and that it was becoming increasingly difficult to monitor pupil behaviour without CCTV.

With more voices to monitor and more staff to monitor, the importance of installing CCTV throughout the school cannot and should not be underestimated. [Rabbi Joel Sake, Headteacher, Pardes House Primary School]

The committee heard from Mike Jones, a legal representative from the council’s legal department. Mr Jones explained that the legal test for NCIL funding is whether a project will contribute to the improvement, replacement, or operation of infrastructure in support of new development in the area, and that in his opinion, the installation of CCTV in a school did not meet this test.

The point is that in order for payment to qualify under the sill regulations, there must be an improvement, replacement, operation of infrastructure in order to support the development of the authorities area. [Mike Jones, Legal Representative, Barnet Council]

Several members of the committee challenged the legal advice, with Councillor Cohen arguing that it was inconsistent with previous decisions made by the committee, highlighting the fact that a number of applications relating to the installation of CCTV had been approved in the past.

...this application was approved the same criteria was used by legal to the other applications have approved but the other applications decided to take a blind eye of make a blind uh turn a blind eye to it as confirmed by the lawyers today and but for my application decided not to the blind eye... [Councillor Phil Cohen, East Area Committee]

The committee voted to reject the application.

Hayes Crescent Pavement Renewal

Councillor Cohen presented an application for £12,937.50 of NCIL funding for the renewal of a damaged pavement on Hayes Crescent.

Councillor Rich questioned why the application was being considered by the East Area Committee, given that his understanding was that road and pavement maintenance was the responsibility of a different committee.

The committee clerk explained that the application related specifically to the footway, and that funding for footway improvements was allocated by area committees.

Councillor Cohen argued that the committee should split the funding that remained in its budget between this application and the application relating to New Southgate Recreation Ground in order to ensure that it was allocating funds fairly. The committee disagreed, and voted to reject the application.

New Southgate Recreation Ground Improvements

Finally, Councillor Lemon presented an application for £180,573 of NCIL funding for improvements to New Southgate Recreation Ground.

The application was presented in partnership with Councillor Coakley-Webb, in whose ward the park is situated, and a council officer, Cat Carr, from the public health team. The committee heard that the project was part of a wider scheme to encourage families to spend more time in the park, and that it would include the installation of new play equipment and the refurbishment of a disused building that would become a cafe.

Ms Carr explained that the project would have a positive impact on the health and wellbeing of local residents. She also highlighted that the café would generate revenue that could be used to fund the maintenance of parks and open spaces across the borough.

...a financially successful cafe in the park will generate an annual rent that contributes towards the management maintenance of the boroughs parks and open spaces... [Councillor Sara Conway, East Area Committee]

The committee raised a number of questions about the application, including whether the inclusion of a budget for volunteer training complied with the legal guidance on the use of NCIL funds. The committee clerk advised that the application had been reviewed by the legal department and was deemed to be eligible for funding. The committee voted to approve the application.

This week in Barnet:

• The Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met on Monday, discussed a positive report from the Care Quality Commission on Adult Social Care Services in Barnet, and considered a range of public health issues, including vaccination uptake, the community equipment service, and the Public Health Grant.
• The Strategic Planning Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled.
• The Pension Fund Committee met on Tuesday and discussed a range of issues, including the Pension Fund’s external audit, administration performance, and investment strategy, but the meeting was adjourned before any decisions could be made about the prepayment of secondary contributions by Barnet Council.
• The North Area Committee approved three applications for funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy for community food growing, church accessibility improvements, and the Wellbeing Café.

Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Monday 13 January 2025

The Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met on Monday to consider a range of reports and issues, including a positive report from the Care Quality Commission (CQC) on Adult Social Care Services in Barnet. The CQC report gave the services an overall rating of “good” and praised the efforts of staff, noting in particular their commitment to strength-based assessments. As we saw in my email covering the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 2024-11-23, the state of Adult Social Care in Barnet has been a topic of some concern in recent months, and it is good to see that the CQC report is so positive.

The Sub-Committee also received the Adult Social Care Performance Report, which detailed performance for the year 2023/24 using data from the Adult Social Care Outcomes Framework (ASCOF) ¹.

Overall performance across all of the indicators was good, and Barnet is performing well in comparison to national and regional averages.

The committee heard that the council is working with its NHS partners to reduce pressure on the reablement service and to encourage more independence in residents before they leave hospital, by ensuring that they are more active and by being more robust in its assessments of who actually needs the service. The Sub-Committee also expressed concern about the relatively low satisfaction rates reported by carers in the ASCOF Survey of Adult Carers in England.

The Sub-Committee then went on to discuss two reports relating to immunisations in Barnet: the Barnet Vaccination Programmes Update, and the HPV Vaccination Programme in Schools. The Sub-Committee heard that the overall picture for vaccination uptake in Barnet is good, however there are a number of challenges.

The committee heard about the recent national increase in measles cases and the plan developed by Barnet Public Health to boost the uptake of the MMR vaccine. The committee also expressed concern about the recent decline in the uptake of the HPV vaccine. The committee heard that there are a number of factors that are likely to be contributing to this decline, including the disruption caused by the pandemic, an increase in vaccine hesitancy, and operational barriers such as “digital poverty”, lack of trust and lack of understanding.

The Sub-Committee concluded its meeting by noting the Cabinet Forward Plan and the Health and Wellbeing Board Forward Plan for 2024/25 and agreed to write to the Secretary of State for Health to request a review of the Public Health Grant funding allocated to Barnet.

Pension Fund Committee - Tuesday 14 January 2025

The Pension Fund Committee met this week to discuss a range of issues, including the Pension Fund’s external audit, administration performance and investment strategy, but was adjourned before any decisions could be made about the prepayment of secondary contributions by Barnet Council.

The committee received an update on the risk register, noting that the prepayment of secondary contributions by Barnet Council should now be considered an issue rather than a risk.

The committee also received an update on the progress of external audits of the Pension Fund, with the Pensions Finance Manager reporting that BDO, the previous external auditors, had been unable to complete the audits for 2020/21, 2021/22 and 2022/23 and would be issuing a ‘disclaimed opinion’ on the financial statements for the Fund. Councillor Mearing-Smith raised his concerns about the performance of external auditors in recent years, which was echoed by Councillor Radford, however he added that he was hopeful that Grant Thornton, the new external auditors, would make swifter progress in completing the 2023/24 audit.

The committee then went on to discuss training options available to members, noting the importance of ensuring that all members have the knowledge and understanding they need to effectively discharge their duties.

Councillor Radford, Chair of the committee, encouraged members to use the training modules from Hymans Robertson’s online training platform to further their knowledge. Councillor Hutton raised the issue of training for the members of the Local Pension Board, querying whether it was appropriate that members of the committee that is responsible for the Pension Fund should have less of a training requirement than the board that is tasked with scrutinising them. Councillor Radford agreed, stating that it would be a good idea for the committee to consider requesting that the board completes training, and for the committee to make use of training materials, such as the Regulator’s Toolkit, that are specifically for the use of the board.

The committee also discussed the Pension Fund’s investment strategy, receiving an update on the Fund’s recent investment activity and performance, and considering proposals for future activity in the context of pooling. The committee heard that the government had confirmed that all funds should have their ‘liquid assets’ pooled by 1 April 2025, and that a plan had been developed in conjunction with the London CIV to pool all such assets by this deadline. The committee also noted that, in line with the government’s recent announcement about the pooling of private market assets, the London CIV would need to assess whether there was sufficient interest in an Asset Backed Securities mandate across all 32 London Boroughs to justify creating such a product.

The committee then went on to discuss the prepayment of secondary contributions by Barnet Council into the Pension Fund, which was made in April 2020 to achieve a cashflow discount. Kevin Bartle, Interim Executive Director of Resources, outlined three options for rectifying the issue: to do nothing, to make a third outstanding payment, or to refund the original prepayment. He stated that he personally favours doing nothing.

Councillor Radford, in his role as Chair of the committee, praised the officer who initially brought the issue to the attention of management, and thanked all officers who have worked on this matter. He stated that all officers have worked thoroughly on this issue, and that the committee would be fully transparent in its decision-making process. He highlighted that the role of the committee is to ensure the best outcome for the Pension Fund and its beneficiaries, and that no other consideration should be taken into account when making decisions.

Councillor Meary raised the issue of Councillor Radford’s new role as Mayor, and queried whether this was a conflict of interest, given that the Council is also the adminstering authority for the Fund. Councillor Radford stated that he would be stepping down as Chair of the Committee to avoid this conflict of interest, and that decisions on this matter would be taken without him.

The meeting was then adjourned and moved to a closed session.

North Area Committee - Thursday 16 January 2025

The North Area Committee met this week and approved three bids for funding from the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL).

• Incredible Edible, an organisation promoting the growth and consumption of locally-produced food, was awarded £19,880 to run community food growing projects at Church Farm Open Space, Montrose Park, Basing Hill, and Freehold Community Centre. This project aims to train residents to lead community food growing projects and create new food growing sites across the borough.
• St. John's Church in Whetstone was awarded £30,000 to install ramps, disabled toilets and showers to improve the accessibility of the church building. The church has raised £2.5 million of a £2.6 million target to redevelop the building.
• Medium Wellbeing, a mental health and wellbeing charity, was awarded £26,356 to continue to run the Wellbeing Café at New Barnet Community Centre. The café provides a free space for residents to socialise and connect with others in the community.

The committee received an update on the NCIL and Road Safety and Parking Fund, and discussed a number of constituency issues, including the closure of a footpath in Barnet Vale Ward, and the provision of drinking water at committee meetings.

This week in Barnet:

• The Employment Sub-Committee considered a proposal to make changes to the Council's senior management team designed to reduce costs by £520,000, as well as proposed changes to the way the council pays its lowest paid employees.
• The Strategic Planning Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday was cancelled.
• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee discussed a range of financial issues facing the council, including an overspend of £25.5 million and the possibility of a 4.98% increase in council tax.

Employment Sub-Committee - Monday 09 December 2024

The Employment Sub-Committee met on Monday to discuss, amongst other things, a proposal to restructure the council's senior management team. As you'll likely recall from previous emails, most recently the one covering the Cabinet meeting of Thursday 05 December 2024, the council has been open about the financial challenges it is facing. In an effort to address these, the sub-committee was asked to consider a proposal to delete four senior management roles. The report suggests that a full consultation will be carried out with all senior managers and that trade unions will also be consulted and it will be interesting to see what impact, if any, this has on the final proposal.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 12 December 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met on Thursday and received a report from the Chief Finance Officer on the council’s financial position. This is a statutory requirement, and all councils are required to produce regular financial reports. These reports are important because they provide transparency and accountability, allowing councillors and members of the public to see how the council is managing its finances. They are usually quite technical documents, but they can provide valuable insights into the financial health of the council. The reports also often highlight the challenges the council is facing, as was the case with this week's report.

The Chief Finance Officer reported that the council is forecasting an overspend of £25.516m for the current financial year. This is a significant overspend and is a cause for concern. The overspend is largely being driven by increases in both the demand for and the cost of temporary accommodation and social care services. This is a common problem for councils across the country, as the cost of providing these services has been rising faster than the funding they receive from central government.

This is not the first time the council's finances have been a cause for concern. As you may recall, in my email covering the Cabinet meeting of 18 November 2024, I reported that the Cabinet had approved the Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2030, which forecasts a budget gap of £28.535 million in 2025/26.

The report set out a number of measures the council is taking to contain the overspend, including the re-introduction of spending controls, the development of recovery plans, a review of the capital programme, and lobbying of central government. The committee will continue to monitor the council’s financial position closely over the coming months.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Thursday 12 December 2024

The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met on Thursday to discuss the external audit reports for Barnet Council and the Barnet Pension Fund for three consecutive years, from 2020/21 to 2022/23. These reports, prepared by external auditors Grant Thornton UK LLP, are an important part of the council’s governance arrangements. They provide independent assurance to the council and to the public that the council’s finances are being properly managed. The reports can make a number of different findings, but the most serious is an “adverse opinion”. This means that the auditors have found serious problems with the council’s accounts, and that they are unable to give an unqualified opinion on them. In this case, the reports do not give an adverse opinion.

The committee will have the opportunity to question Grant Thornton UK LLP on their findings at the meeting. As well as reviewing the external audit reports, the committee will also be receiving any urgent items that the Chair deems necessary.

This week in Barnet:

• The Pension Fund Committee meeting scheduled for Wednesday was postponed.
• The Licensing Sub-Committee met on Thursday to consider an application for a new Premises Licence from Philippe Conticini UK Limited.
• The Cabinet met on Thursday to approve the Keeping Young People Safe: Tackling Child Exploitation Strategy 2025-28, a new approach to allocating community assets, and to consider the council's financial position.

Licensing Sub-Committee - Thursday 05 December 2024

The Licensing Sub-Committee met this week to consider an application for a new Premises Licence from Philippe Conticini UK Limited for 1 & 1A Sussex Ring London N12 7HY. The application is for the sale or supply of alcohol both on and off the premises, Monday to Sunday from 10:00hrs to 20:00hrs.

As we have seen in previous emails, most recently my email of 2024-11-23 covering the application by The Bohemia, applications for new premises licences can often cause concern for local residents. This is because the sale of alcohol is often seen as having a negative impact on an area, leading to increased crime, disorder and anti-social behaviour.

In this case the sub-committee received representations from the police and from two local residents expressing concern about the impact of the sale of alcohol from the premises. As is standard practice, the sub-committee also had the opportunity to consider the application in the context of the four licensing objectives:

• the prevention of crime and disorder
• public safety
• the prevention of public nuisance
• the protection of children from harm

The sub-committee has a range of options open to it. It can:

• Grant the licence in line with the application.
• Grant the licence but with reduced hours of operation.
• Grant the licence subject to the applicant agreeing to a number of conditions, for example, the provision of CCTV or the employment of door staff.
• Reject the application.

The minutes of this meeting have not yet been published.

Cabinet - Thursday 05 December 2024

The Cabinet met this week to discuss a range of issues. The meeting saw decisions to approve the Keeping Young People Safe: Tackling Child Exploitation Strategy 2025-28 (¹), a new approach to allocating community assets, and the publication of the Annual Equalities Report 2024. The Cabinet also noted the council's challenging financial position and agreed to a consultation on budget and council tax proposals.

Brent Cross Development

The Cabinet received an update on the Brent Cross development, noting the progress on the construction of new residential plots.

There's a lot of detail in the report. One of the things that's worth highlighting is the third phase proposals, we're going forward, and that's to bring forward a smaller number of plots. That's part of the third phase. So, there'll be a kind of third phase part two that will come forward subsequently. And that's just a matter of scheduling. [Councillor Ross Houston]

Councillors also discussed the future use of land on the Whitefield Estate.

I wanted to note, um, your section talking about the options for interim use for that, for that site. And in light of that previous discussion that, um, as you quote them, everything that you're looking at as possible interim uses, um, would have options, uh, but they would contribute to the council's, uh, budget, wider budget. And that's, so whether that's, um, looking at temporary accommodation or highways or depots, uh, highways depot space or whatever it might be, but that it's about, there is an opportunity for income generation or cost avoidance that would support the council's financial position. And I wondered how those options are, uh, progressing. [Councillor Alan Schneiderman]

Negotiations with Network Rail are ongoing and expected to continue in the new year.

I did have a quick question about, there's a reference there to disputes with network rail. And I just wondered if you could just say a little bit about what those. [Councillor Alan Schneiderman]

The Cabinet also discussed the Clifthouse Farm, and the importance of giving the tenants security.

I just wondered if you wanted to comment on my comment about the importance of securing the future of the farm within the community. [Councillor Alan Schneiderman]

Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group Report

Councillor Phil Cohen presented the Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group report ². The report identified Barnet's high number of hospital discharges and highlighted the need for improvements in support for informal carers, transport from hospitals, and information sharing between social care and NHS staff.

We consider this to be a very important issue. And while we don't think there's a magic bullet as a solution, we do think there are important lessons for both the Council and for the NHS. [Councillor Phil Cohen]

The report's recommendations, focusing on improving support for carers, transport, and information sharing, were noted by the Cabinet, with a full report to follow. As we enter the winter period, it is likely that the pressure on health and social care services will increase. This makes the work of the Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group especially timely. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email covering the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 2024-10-28, the council is facing significant budget challenges, and this is inevitably having an impact on service delivery.

Community Asset Allocation

A new approach to allocating community assets was approved, including the establishment of a Community Assets Panel. This change reflects Barnet Council’s commitment to supporting community groups in the borough.

I mean, I welcome this report. I think it's long overdue, and there's no doubt that this is an area where, historically, I think the council has not really managed a lot of these properties. [Councillor Barry Rawlings]

The panel will be responsible for considering applications for the use of council-owned community assets. The Cabinet also approved seeking authority from the full Council to amend the Constitution, enabling the Cabinet Member for Strategic Partnerships, Economy and Effective Council to approve leases for community assets at less than the best consideration reasonably obtainable, based on the social value offered.

Annual Equalities Report 2024

The Annual Equalities Report 2024 was presented and approved for publication on the council’s website. The report details the work the council is doing to promote equality and diversity in Barnet.

I think the thing that I would particularly like to praise and comment on is the very systematic approach using a whole range of data, quote, the joint strategic needs analysis. [Councillor Alison Moore]

The Cabinet commended the report for its data-driven approach and its focus on practical actions to address inequalities.

Business Planning 2024-2030

The Cabinet discussed the challenging financial position facing the council, with a projected budget gap of up to £36 million.

So this comes in the wake of the discussion we had in November, which sets out the context and the scene that we find ourselves in. The perfect storm spiraling temporary accommodation costs, adult social care costs, the inflation impacted costs of placements in children services. [Councillor Ammar Naqvi]

Factors contributing to the deficit include rising costs for adult social care, temporary accommodation, and children's services placements, as well as the impact of inflation. Councillors noted the significant pressures facing the council and expressed their commitment to finding solutions.

But in turning that page, we have been able to, as far as possible, protect a lot of frontline services. [Councillor Alan Schneiderman]

To address the budget gap, the Cabinet approved a number of measures, including a reduction in the Area Committee budget allocation and a review of the capital program. A consultation on budget and council tax proposals will be launched, including exploring options for raising General Council Tax and applying a Social Care Precept. This is a challenging time for local government finances, and we can expect to see similar pressures on budgets across London and the rest of the UK. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email covering the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of 2024-10-28, Barnet Council faces a number of financial challenges.

This week in Barnet:

• The Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee discussed updates to the management plans for the Welsh Harp.
• The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) received a concerning update on the council's Adult Social Care financial sustainability programme and heard from external auditors that the council's 2023/24 accounts would be disclaimed.
• The Safer Communities Partnership Board received updates on crime and anti-social behaviour in the borough, including a worrying increase in anti-Semitic incidents.

Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee - Monday 25 November 2024

The Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee met this week to discuss the ongoing management of the Welsh Harp reservoir.

The reservoir is jointly managed by Barnet Council and Brent Council and is a Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI) that is home to a diverse range of flora and fauna. The reservoir is also a popular spot for recreation and leisure activities, and the committee has a responsibility to balance the needs of wildlife with the needs of the local community. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-07-27, the management of the reservoir can be complex, and the committee often has to make difficult decisions.

The meeting received presentations from officers from both councils, the Environment Agency, and the Canal and River Trust, who are responsible for the day-to-day management of the reservoir.

The key issues discussed at the meeting were the management of invasive species, the control of litter, and the maintenance of the dam wall.

The committee also heard a presentation from a representative of the Welsh Harp Conservation Group¹, who provided an update on the group’s work to protect the reservoir.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Wednesday 27 November 2024

The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) received an update on the council’s financial sustainability programme. Councillor Dawn Wakeling, the Executive Director of Adults and Health, outlined the challenges facing the council, including rising demand for adult social care services, increasing costs, and a challenging national funding environment.

The committee was informed that the council had seen the highest growth in the number of people with learning disabilities supported by any London Borough, and that the rate of increase in the cost of adult social care services was continuing to grow.

The committee questioned the council’s statutory duty to set a balanced budget alongside its duty to meet the care needs of residents. Councillor Wakeling explained that the council was working to balance these two duties, but acknowledged that this was a complex and challenging task. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-11-23, the financial sustainability of adult social care is a national issue, and Barnet is not alone in facing these challenges.

The committee also heard from the council’s external auditors who presented their interim findings for 2023/24. The auditors explained that, due to a lack of external audits in recent years, the council’s opening balances would be disclaimed, leading to a disclaimer of opinion on the 2023-24 accounts. The auditors highlighted several high-risk findings relating to the council’s financial management, including:

• Valuation of Property, Plant and Equipment: The audit team found that the council's valuation process for property, plant and equipment lacked robust controls. This meant that the auditors were unable to verify the size of some land and buildings.
• Cash and Cash Equivalents: The auditors identified a discrepancy between the cash balance held in the council’s ledger and the cash held at schools.
• Pension Contributions: The auditors identified issues relating to transactions between the council and the pension fund.

The committee expressed concern about the disclaimer of opinion and the high-risk findings. Kevin Gibbs, the council's Director of Finance, acknowledged that these were serious matters that needed to be addressed and assured the committee that the council was committed to improving its financial management practices.

Safer Communities Partnership Board - Friday 29 November 2024

The Safer Communities Partnership Board met this week to discuss a range of issues relating to crime and community safety. The meeting received presentations from the police, the council, and other partners.

As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-09-28, the partnership board has a responsibility to coordinate the work of different agencies to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, and to make the borough a safer place for everyone.

The meeting received updates on the following issues:

• Crime and Anti-Social Behaviour: Superintendent Lorraine Busby-McVay, from the Barnet Metropolitan Police, reported a decrease in burglary, robbery, and violence with injury but an increase in knife crime and referrals to the Prevent scheme². She also reported on the success of Operation Woodson in Burnt Oak, which has seen a reduction in crime in the area.
• Family Services: Karen Pearson presented an update on family services in the borough. Ms Pearson reported that Barnet continues to have the fourth lowest rate of domestic abuse in London. She also reported on the success of the IRIS (Identification & Referral to Improve Safety) programme which supports GPs in responding to domestic abuse.
• Serious Violence Duty and Violence Reduction Plan: Christopher Kelly, Strategic Lead for Tackling Violence and Exploitation in Barnet's Children’s Services, presented an update on the work being done to tackle serious violence. Mr Kelly reported that there had been a decrease in the number of knife crime offences in the borough. He also reported on the success of the My Ends programme³ which is delivered in partnership with Art Against Knives.
• Modern Slavery: Romisa Yazdani Biouki, Strategy Manager, presented a brief update on the implementation of the Modern Slavery Strategy 2024-26.
  
• Safeguarding Adults Board: Fiona Bateman, Independent Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board, provided an update on the work of the Board. She highlighted the success of the Board's Access to Justice subgroup in securing funding from the Mayor's Office for Policing and Crime (MOPAC)⁴ to provide an appropriate adult service for adults with care and support needs who are taken into custody.

The board also received a statement from the leader of the council, Councillor Barry Rawlings, who condemned recent anti-Semitic incidents in the borough. Councillor Rawlings highlighted the council’s commitment to working with the Community Security Trust, SHOMRIN¹ and the police to tackle hate crime. This issue is of particular concern given that Barnet is home to Britain’s largest Jewish community. The board agreed to continue to monitor the situation and to take action where necessary.

This week in Barnet:

• The Cabinet approved the selection of Lovell Partnerships Limited as the preferred developer for the regeneration of Grahame Park North East, subject to contract, reviewed the GP Access Task and Finish Group report, and considered a report on the council's finances.
• The Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee held a themed meeting about Public Health and discussed the Public Health Grant, the Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2023-24, the Adult Social Care Annual Complaints Report, and the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy.
• The Barnet Children's Partnership Board met on Tuesday but no minutes or transcript of the meeting has been made available.
• The Planning Committee (New) approved applications for a mixed restaurant and takeaway at 97-101 The Broadway, Mill Hill, alterations and extensions at 310 Mays Lane, Underhill and 11 Hill Crescent, Totteridge & Woodside, and deferred an application to build two new homes at 112D Park Road, East Barnet.

Cabinet - Monday 18 November 2024

The Cabinet met this week and made several key decisions, including the appointment of Lovell Partnerships Limited as the preferred developer for the Grahame Park North East regeneration scheme, subject to contract. The regeneration of Grahame Park has been a long-running saga, and this latest decision marks a significant step forward.

The meeting also considered the council's finances and approved the Medium Term Financial Strategy to 2030, which forecasts a budget gap of £28.535 million in 2025/26 and a savings requirement of £81.586 million over the four years from 2026/27 to 2029/30. The Cabinet also agreed to extend the contracts for the remaining services delivered by Capita to 2026. These contracts relate primarily to IT, Revenues & Benefits and customer services. The council's relationship with Capita has been the subject of much debate, with the current administration blaming the previous administration for financial mismanagement and a lack of oversight.

Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Thursday 21 November 2024

The Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met this week to discuss a range of issues relating to public health. The committee is responsible for scrutinising health services across five boroughs: Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington.

The committee heard presentations from Dr Janet Djomba, the Director of Public Health for Barnet, on the Public Health Grant, the state of adult social care in the borough, the Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board Annual Report 2023-24, and the Adult Social Care Annual Complaints Report. The committee also received a verbal update on the Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group Report from Councillor Gill Sargeant and received a presentation from Dr Djomba on the Public Health Work Plan and the renewal of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy. The committee noted all of the reports it received.

Public Health Grant

There was some discussion about the Public Health Grant, which is allocated by the UK Government and is used to fund a range of public health services. Dr Djomba noted that Barnet’s per capita allocation is one of the lowest in London, and the committee resolved to write a letter to Wes Streeting MP, the Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, to lobby for a fairer allocation. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email of 2024-10-26, the council is facing significant budget challenges, and this is inevitably having an impact on service delivery.

Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group

Councillor Sargeant gave a verbal update on the progress of the Discharge to Assess Task and Finish Group. The group was set up earlier this year to look at the process for discharging patients from hospital. This is a complex issue, and there is no easy solution. However, the group has made a number of recommendations, including the need for better communication between hospitals and social care, and the need for more transport to take patients home from hospital. As we approach the winter, this will be a key issue for the council to address.

Safeguarding Adults

The committee also heard from Fiona Bateman, the outgoing Independent Chair of the Safeguarding Adults Board, about the work of the board over the past year. Ms Bateman highlighted the importance of the board’s work in protecting vulnerable adults from abuse and neglect, and the need for continued vigilance.

Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy

The committee also discussed the renewal of the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, which is a key document that sets out the council’s priorities for improving the health and wellbeing of residents. Dr Djomba outlined the proposed priorities for the new strategy, which include tackling health inequalities, promoting healthy lifestyles, and improving access to health and social care services. The committee will be providing feedback on the proposed strategy in the coming weeks.

Barnet Children's Partnership Board - Tuesday 19 November 2024

The Barnet Children's Partnership Board met this week. However, no transcript, recording or agenda has been made available. This Board is responsible for improving the lives of children in Barnet. It brings together a range of organisations, including the council, schools, health services, and voluntary organisations, to work together to address the needs of children and young people.

Planning Committee (New) - Wednesday 20 November 2024

The Planning Committee (New) met this week to discuss a range of planning applications. The committee is responsible for determining planning applications in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In making their decisions, the committee must consider a wide range of factors, including local and national planning policies, the views of local people, and the advice of council officers.

Of note this week was the committee's decision to approve the change of use of 97-101 The Broadway, Mill Hill, to a mixed restaurant and takeaway. The application had attracted a number of objections from local residents, who raised concerns about potential parking and traffic problems. However, the committee ultimately voted to approve the application.

The committee also approved applications for alterations and extensions to a community centre at 310 Mays Lane, Underhill and a house at 11 Hill Crescent in Totteridge & Woodside. Both of these applications were approved subject to conditions. The committee deferred a decision on the demolition of an existing dwelling and the erection of two new dwellings at 112D Park Road in East Barnet to the next meeting, to allow for conditions to be added and for any further objections to be considered.

This week in Barnet:

• The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to receive an overview of winter planning, including the Your Local Health Team campaign, an update on the collaboration between the Whittington Health NHS Trust and the UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, and a finance update.
• The Strategic Planning Committee approved, subject to conditions, an application to build student accommodation at Unit 7, Staples Corner Retail Park.

Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Monday 11 November 2024

The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet this week to discuss winter planning, the collaboration between the Whittington Health NHS Trust and the UCLH NHS Foundation Trust, and NCL finances. However, no transcript or recording of the meeting has been made available.

This committee has a responsibility to scrutinise health services across five boroughs (Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington) on behalf of the populations of those boroughs. The committee is a joint committee of five councils, and is made up of councillors from each of those councils.

The NHS in England is organised into Integrated Care Systems (ICSs). Each ICS is made up of a number of different organisations, including NHS trusts, local authorities, and other partners. The aim of ICSs is to improve the health and wellbeing of the local population, and to make sure that health and care services are joined up. The NCL ICS serves a population of 1.8 million people across the five boroughs.

As we enter the winter period, the NHS faces a challenging few months. High demand for services, combined with staff shortages and the ongoing challenge of recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic, has placed the NHS under strain.

Scrutiny committees play a vital role in holding local health services to account. The work of this committee is therefore particularly important, as it provides an opportunity for councillors to ask questions of NHS leaders and to ensure that they are taking the necessary steps to ensure that residents of Barnet receive the best possible care.

Strategic Planning Committee - Wednesday 13 November 2024

The Strategic Planning Committee met this week to consider a planning application for the demolition of existing buildings and structures at Unit 7, Staples Corner Retail Park to build student accommodation. The committee voted to approve the application.

The committee has a statutory duty to determine planning applications in accordance with the development plan, unless material considerations indicate otherwise. In making their decisions, the committee must consider a wide range of factors, including local and national planning policies, the views of local people, and the advice of council officers.

This application, for an 844-bed student accommodation block at Staples Corner, had also attracted a number of objections from local residents. The applicant had argued that there was a significant unmet demand for student accommodation in the area, and that the development would help to free up much-needed family homes. In their report, council officers acknowledged that there was a need for more student accommodation in Barnet, and that the site was in a sustainable location, close to public transport and other amenities. The development would also provide a number of benefits, including new jobs, investment in the local economy, and the provision of affordable housing.

The committee voted to approve the application, subject to conditions.

This week in Barnet:

• The Licensing and General Purposes Committee discussed a report on the Council's Health, Safety and Wellbeing targets for 2023/24, approved a new Licensing Policy for 2025 to 2030, agreed that there should be no changes to the borough's polling places and polling districts, and noted a review of the May 2024 and July 2024 elections.

Licensing and General Purposes Committee - Thursday 07 November 2024

The Licensing and General Purposes Committee met this week to discuss a range of issues, including the Council's health and safety performance in 2023/24, the adoption of a revised Licensing Policy, polling arrangements for future elections, and a review of the May 2024 and July 2024 elections.

Annual Health, Safety and Wellbeing Report 2023/24

The committee considered a report on the Council’s health and safety performance, which was presented by Mike Kumi, Head of the Safety, Health and Well-being service. As we saw in the last email, which covered the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting of Wednesday 18 September 2024, the council has faced significant budget challenges, and this has inevitably had an impact on service delivery. This was acknowledged in the report, which identified a number of areas where performance could be improved. However, it is important to note that the council has a legal duty to ensure the health, safety and wellbeing of its employees, and this includes providing a safe working environment, adequate training, and appropriate equipment.

The report highlighted an increase in the number of reported accidents and incidents, which Mr Kumi attributed to a campaign to encourage reporting, particularly of verbal assaults and near misses, which are often underreported. He argued that this increase in reporting was a positive sign, as it showed that staff were more confident in reporting incidents.

The report also identified stress and musculoskeletal injuries as the two most common causes of work-related ill health. These are common problems in many workplaces, and the council is not alone in facing these challenges. The report highlighted a number of external factors that may be contributing to these problems, including the cost of living crisis and the current armed conflicts. However, it also noted that the council was providing a range of support services to staff, including counselling and financial advice.

The report concluded by setting out a number of priorities for the next two years, including:

• A reduction of at least 10% in the number of days lost to stress-related and musculoskeletal injuries
• A review and improvement of statutory building compliance monitoring in community schools
• The implementation of a Workplace Wellbeing Action Plan

The committee noted the report and agreed the priorities for the next two years.

Revised Licensing Policy 2025 - 2030

The Licensing Act 2003 requires councils to prepare a Licensing Policy, setting out how they will carry out their licensing functions. These include licensing pubs and clubs, off-licenses, and late-night refreshment premises, as well as regulating taxi and private hire services. Councils are required to review their Licensing Policy every five years.

The committee considered a report on the proposed revised Licensing Policy 2025–2030. The revised policy had been subject to public consultation and 24 responses had been received. The committee discussed a number of issues relating to the policy, including:

• The low number of responses to the consultation
• The effectiveness of the cumulative impact zone (CIZ) in Burnt Oak
• The role of the Licensing Action Group, which was formed five months ago to combat the problem of male-dominated cafes in the borough, and their engagement with local councillors

The committee approved the revised policy and recommended that it be adopted at the next full meeting of the council.

Review of Polling Districts and Polling Places 2024

The committee received a report from John Bailey, the head of electoral services, on the compulsory five-yearly review of the borough’s polling places and polling districts. As you will recall from my previous emails, for example my email covering the Children, Education & Safeguarding Committee meeting of 2024-08-03, the way in which elections are run can have a significant impact on the outcome. This is particularly true in local elections, where turnout is often low and a small number of votes can make a big difference. Ensuring that polling stations are accessible to all voters is therefore essential to ensuring that elections are fair and democratic.

This review, however, recommended no changes be made to current arrangements.

The committee received representations from two councillors regarding problems with existing polling places:

• Councillor Stock highlighted parking problems at Millbrook Park School, which was used as a polling place in the last election, and proposed that polling be moved to Frith Manor School. Mr Bailey responded that this had been considered but rejected on the grounds that 89% of voters lived closer to Millbrook Park School.
  
• Whitings Hill Primary School in High Barnet had been used as a polling place in the last two elections. The Headteacher at Whitings Hill, Deepa Samani, explained that using the school as a polling place was very disruptive, particularly as the last two elections had taken place on consecutive years, and that she believed it would be better to use a venue that was not a school.
  

The committee agreed with the Returning Officer’s proposals and agreed that no changes should be made to the borough’s polling districts or polling places.

GLA Election May 2024 and UKPG Election July 2024 - Election Projects Review

The committee received a report from Cath Shaw, Barnet’s Interim Chief Executive, Returning Officer and Electoral Registration Officer, on the conduct of the Mayor of London and London Assembly elections in May 2024 and the UK Parliamentary General Election in July 2024.

The report provided a summary of the two election projects, including the turnout at both elections and the challenges posed by both the new requirements of the Elections Act 2022 and the close proximity of the two elections. The report also highlighted the impact of Voter ID and Postal Vote handling.

The Elections Act 2022 introduced a requirement for voters to show photo ID at polling stations. This was the most significant change to the way in which elections are run in the UK for many years, and it was opposed by many who argued that it would disenfranchise voters who do not have photo ID, such as older people and people from ethnic minority groups.

The close proximity of the two elections, just two months apart, also presented a challenge for the council, and for other local authorities across the UK, as it meant that staff had to work long hours to deliver both elections.

The committee noted the report.

This week in Barnet:

• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee debated the proposed increase to resident fees and charges for 2025/26, including parking charges, visitor permits, and bulky waste collection, and discussed the ongoing but slow transition away from reliance on Capita contracts.
• The Local Pension Board discussed updates on the administration and performance of the London Borough of Barnet Pension Fund.
• The Planning Committee (New) approved applications to build a new Church Hall at St Mary the Virgin Church of England and to change the use of 7 Northfield Road from a dwelling house to a Class C2 children's home¹.
• The Licensing and General Purposes Committee met on Thursday but no minutes or transcript of the meeting has been made available.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Monday 28 October 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee met this week to review the council's finances, including a forecast overspend, and proposed fees and charges for 2025/26. They also discussed the progress of bringing Capita services back in-house. As we have seen in previous emails, most recently my email of 2024-10-26, the council faces a number of financial challenges, and the performance of Capita contracts has been a recurring theme in these emails.

The committee agreed to set up an all-party reference group to oversee the transition of Capita contracts back in-house and to request that further investigations be undertaken by officers in relation to debt recovery, overpayments, and business rates collection.

Particular concerns were raised over the proposed 88% and 94% increases to the cost of visitor parking permits, the impact of increasing charges for bulky waste collection on fly-tipping and the impact of increasing charges on residents given the cost-of-living crisis.

Local Pension Board - Tuesday 29 October 2024

The Local Pension Board met to receive updates on the administration and performance of the London Borough of Barnet Pension Fund. The meeting also discussed the annual accounts and external audit, data improvement plan, and the board’s annual report.

This is a statutory committee that is responsible for assisting the administering authority (in this case, Barnet Council) in securing compliance with the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations, and for reviewing the administration of the pension fund. The Board is made up of councillors, scheme members and employer representatives.

The meeting discussed a number of issues, including:

• An overpayment of £20.477m to the pension fund in 2020/21 that was intended to cover employer contributions for the period 2020 to 2023.
• The need to improve the process for reconciling contributions made to the pension fund.
• The progress of a “historical leaver exercise” that is being undertaken by West Yorkshire Pension Fund² to correct historical member data.
• The performance of West Yorkshire Pension Fund in administering the Barnet Pension Fund, including a data breach that had occurred.
• A proposal to transfer assets from Enfield Pensions Fund to the Barnet fund.
• The Board’s forward work plan for 2024/25 and its communications and engagement strategy.

Planning Committee (New) - Wednesday 30 October 2024

The Planning Committee approved the demolition and replacement of St Mary the Virgin Church Hall in High Barnet, and the change the use of a house in 7 Northfield Road to a children’s home for up to three children. It rejected two residential alterations at Fenton House and 78 Kings Drive, and granted a partial approval for the removal of some trees in Farifield Oakeigh Park North.

Licensing and General Purposes Committee - Thursday 31 October 2024

The Licensing and General Purposes Committee met this week, but no minutes or transcript of the meeting has been made available. This committee is responsible for a range of licensing functions, including the licensing of taxis, gambling premises, and the sale of alcohol. It is also responsible for the council's constitution, and for overseeing the council's elections.

This week in Barnet:

• The Strategic Planning Committee debated the provision of affordable housing and approved an application to redevelop Intec House, 49 Moxon Street, Barnet.
• The Council marked the anniversary of the Hamas attack on Israel, noted the death of two former councillors, and discussed its achievements and finances.

Strategic Planning Committee - Monday 14 October 2024

The Strategic Planning Committee considered an application to demolish Intec House, 49 Moxon Street, and build a part 3 to part 8 storey building providing 113 homes and 332 square metres of employment space.

This was the third application the committee had considered for the site. The first application, for 92 homes, was approved by the committee in 2023 and included 35% affordable housing. The second application, for 98 homes, was considered by the committee in July 2024. The developer had appealed against non-determination of this application, and a public inquiry had been scheduled for November. That application provided no affordable housing. This third application was the result of negotiations between council officers and the developer. The new scheme would provide 17 social rented units, equating to 15% affordable housing.

The committee heard from a number of objectors to the scheme, many of whom were concerned about loss of daylight and sunlight to their properties. The developer acknowledged that there would be some impact on a number of properties, but argued that this was unavoidable if the scheme was to deliver the proposed level of affordable housing.

The developer also provided a Viability Assessment¹ arguing that the scheme would not be viable if it were required to provide more than 15% affordable housing. The council’s legal advisor informed the committee that the developer had indicated that they would withdraw their appeal against non-determination of the second application if this third application were approved.

The committee voted to approve the application subject to a Section 106² agreement and the listed conditions.

Council - Tuesday 15 October 2024

The full Council met this week. The meeting began with tributes to two former councillors, David Clarke and John Aptal, who had recently passed away. The council then stood for a minute's silence to mark the anniversary of the Hamas attack on southern Israel on 7 October 2023.

The meeting then debated two motions, one from the Labour administration celebrating their achievements in office and one from the Conservative opposition condemning the government’s decision to link the Winter Fuel Allowance to Pension Credit.

The Labour motion celebrated a number of achievements including a £97 million investment in the borough’s roads and pavements, exceeding Friends of the Earth’s target for electric vehicle charging points, and fixing the borough’s CCTV network.

In response, the Conservative group acknowledged some of the administration’s successes but warned that they were spending the council’s reserves at an unsustainable rate and that the council was heading for bankruptcy.

This disagreement over the council’s financial position echoed a similar disagreement during the debate on the Conservative motion that criticised the government’s decision to stop paying the Winter Fuel Allowance to all pensioners. The motion argued that this decision would push pensioners into fuel poverty.

The Labour administration defended the government’s decision, pointing out that it was necessary in the context of a national economic crisis. They argued that the decision to link the Winter Fuel Allowance to Pension Credit would ensure that it reached those most in need. They also highlighted the government's decision to maintain the triple lock on state pensions, which would see pensioners receive a 4% increase in their pensions in 2025.

The meeting also heard a number of questions from councillors to the leader of the council and to cabinet members. These questions covered a wide range of issues, including potholes, planning, and the provision of children’s services. The council also received reports on a number of other items, including Ofsted’s recent inspection of the council’s children’s services, which found that the service was “Good” overall.

This week in Barnet:

• The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) heard updates on corporate risks, treasury management performance, complaints and internal audit.
• The Cabinet voted to formally approve the sale of 213 West Hendon Broadway and to adopt a new Religious Education syllabus.
• The Planning Committee (New) deferred a decision on the demolition of St. Mary’s Church Hall and approved a number of applications for electric vehicle charging points.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Monday 07 October 2024

The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met this week to receive updates on a range of issues, including the council’s financial situation, the progress of external audits, and the risk of latent defects in the council’s Colindale office. This committee plays an important role in ensuring that the council is well-managed and that public money is being spent wisely. They provide independent oversight of the council's activities, and they are responsible for holding the council to account for its performance.

External Audits

The committee heard updates on the progress of the council's external audits. External audits are carried out by independent auditors, and they are designed to ensure that the council's accounts are accurate and that its financial management is sound. The committee expressed significant dissatisfaction with the lack of progress made by BDO on the 2020/21 external audit. The committee was particularly concerned about the number of “basic” queries that the auditors were still raising with the council four years after the end of the financial year.

The committee received a more positive update on the progress of the 2023/24 audit, which is being conducted by Grant Thornton.

The council’s external auditors are appointed by the council’s Audit Committee, which is a separate committee that is responsible for overseeing the council's audit function. The Audit Committee is made up of councillors and independent members. The external auditors report to the Audit Committee, and the Audit Committee reports to the full council.

Corporate Risk

The committee also heard an update on corporate risks (Quarterly Risks Report (Q1 2024/25)). The committee discussed the risk that the council may not be able to secure all of the funding required for its sustainability programme, and the risk of latent defects at the council's Colindale office. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email on 2024-09-28, the council faces a number of financial challenges.

The committee also expressed concern that the council had not undertaken a full tabletop exercise¹ to test its business continuity plans in the last six months. A tabletop exercise is a structured discussion of a simulated emergency situation. Participants review their roles and the effectiveness of their response plans during the emergency. Tabletop exercises can be used to identify gaps in existing plans or procedures.

The committee asked officers to report back on a number of issues, including the total amount of funding required for the sustainability programme, the measures that the council is taking to recover costs from the company who built the Colindale office, and whether the council has any plans to undertake a full tabletop exercise in the near future.

Treasury Management

The committee also received an update on treasury management. Treasury management is the process of managing the council's cash flow, investments, and borrowing. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email on 2024-09-28, the council's finances are under significant pressure. This is due to a number of factors, including rising inflation and interest rates, and the increasing cost of providing services. The committee expressed concern about the increasing level of debt that the council is carrying and asked officers to report back on the steps that the council is taking to manage this.

The committee asked officers to report back on a number of issues, including the impact that falling interest rates will have on the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration programme, the steps that the council is taking to bring its capital programme within budget, and the work of the Adults Financial Sustainability Board.

Complaints

The committee also received an update on complaints. The committee noted that the number of complaints received by the council had decreased in 2023/24, as had the number of complaints that were upheld. The committee heard that the council had undertaken a comprehensive review of its complaints process, and that this had led to a number of improvements. However, the committee also noted that the Local Government and Social Care Ombudsman (LGSCO) had been critical of the council's handling of complaints in the past, and that there was still room for improvement.

The committee asked officers to report back on the effectiveness of the new policy on managing unreasonable customer behaviour, and to provide further details of the case studies of partially upheld complaints relating to the Street Scene service.

Internal Audit

The committee also received an update on internal audit. Internal audit is a function that is carried out by the council's own staff. It is designed to provide independent assurance to the council that its systems and processes are working effectively. The committee heard that the internal audit team had completed six reviews during the quarter and that there were no high-priority findings. The committee also heard that the new Head of Internal Audit, Adam Karmson, will be in post on 4 November 2024.

The committee asked officers to report back on the work of PwC in reviewing the outstanding high-priority actions from the recent audit of the council’s Business Continuity Plan.

Cabinet - Tuesday 08 October 2024

The Cabinet met this week to discuss a range of issues, including the council's revenue budget for 2025/26, the sale of a former council office building, and a new Religious Education syllabus for schools in Barnet.

Revenue Budget 2025/26

The Cabinet approved the revenue budget for 2025/26, which included a proposal to increase fees and charges for a range of council services. This is something that is likely to affect many residents of Barnet, as it will mean that they will have to pay more for services such as parking, planning applications, and the use of council leisure facilities. The Cabinet argued that these increases were necessary to meet the financial challenges faced by the council, but this is likely to be unpopular with residents. The council is now required to consult on the proposals, and it will be interesting to see how residents respond.

Sale of 213 West Hendon Broadway

The Cabinet also approved the formal sale of the former council offices at 213 West Hendon Broadway to Barratt Metropolitan Limited Liability Partnership. The site is to be redeveloped to provide new homes, a GP surgery and commercial space. As we have seen in previous emails, this site was previously occupied by Barnet House, which was the council’s main office building until it was closed in 2022 and demolished in 2023.

Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education

The Cabinet also approved a new Agreed Syllabus for Religious Education (RE). This is a document that sets out the curriculum for RE in all community schools in Barnet. The new syllabus has been developed over the past two years, and it is designed to reflect the diversity of religious beliefs and worldviews in the borough.

In the words of one of the Councillors in attendance:

“The reason that we have used the approach that we've used is because of our absolute focus on religious education and the importance of religious education and the religious diversity of Barnet.”

This new syllabus will be introduced in schools from September 2025.

Planning Committee (New) - Wednesday 09 October 2024

The Planning Committee met this week to consider a number of applications for planning permission, including an application for the demolition of a locally listed church hall in High Barnet, an application to add a storey to a block of flats in Finchley, and a number of applications for electric vehicle charging points.

St. Mary’s Church Hall, Camlet Way

The committee considered an application to demolish and rebuild the locally listed[^4] church hall at St Mary the Virgin Church of England Church on Camlet Way in High Barnet. The church argued that the existing hall was in a poor structural condition, and that it was no longer fit for purpose. They proposed to build a new hall that would be larger and more accessible.

The Planning Officer recommended refusal of the application, on the grounds that it would result in the demolition of a non-designated heritage asset, would represent inappropriate development in the Green Belt, and would harm the character and appearance of the Monken Hadley Conservation Area. However, the committee voted against the officer's recommendation, and were minded to approve the application. They deferred their decision to the next meeting to allow the applicant to provide further information.

Marwood Court, Gruneisen Road

The committee also considered an application to add a storey to Marwood Court, a block of flats on Gruneisen Road in Finchley. The application had been approved at the previous meeting, but had been brought back to committee because the report to attendees had contained incorrect information about the height of the proposed building. The error was due to an officer incorrectly scaling the applicant's drawings, which the committee was assured were correct.

The new building would be 2.3 metres taller than the existing building, and the proposal attracted objections from local residents, who argued that it would be overbearing and would harm the character and appearance of the area. The committee voted to approve the application, despite the objections.

Electric Vehicle Charging Points

The committee also considered a number of applications for the installation of electric vehicle charging points. These applications are becoming increasingly common, as the government seeks to encourage the take-up of electric vehicles. As we have seen in previous emails, for example my email on 2024-08-25, the council is working to install more electric vehicle charging points across the borough.

The committee approved all of the applications, subject to conditions.

This week in Barnet:

• The East Area Committee met on Monday to discuss funding applications for improvements to Church Lane Community Garden, pavements in Hayes Crescent, and a new inclusive playground at New Southgate Recreation Ground.
• The Planning Committee (New) approved, subject to conditions, applications for floodlighting at East Barnet School, the conversion of a house into flats at 21 Hampstead Gardens, and the construction of additional flats at Marwood Court, 4 Woodside Avenue, and Torrington Court.

East Area Committee - Monday 23 September 2024

The East Area Committee is one of six Area Committees in Barnet. Area Committees play an important role in local government, bringing decision-making closer to the communities they serve. They are made up of councillors who represent the wards within the area, and they have delegated budgets to spend on local projects. This is similar to the role played by ward councillors in some other local authorities. You may recall that in Tower Hamlets, for example, each ward councillor has a devolved budget that they can use to fund small projects within their ward. Area Committees also have a role in scrutinising the work of the council and in representing the views of local people. They often hold public meetings to give residents the opportunity to raise issues and ask questions of councillors and council officers.

The East Area Committee met this week to consider a number of items, including:

• An update on a resident issue concerning pavement replacement works on Finchley Road in Temple Fortune
• An update on the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Road Safety & Parking fund budgets
• An application for £57,282 of CIL funding for Church Lane Community Garden in East Finchley
• An application for £138,767.48 of CIL funding to relay pavements on Hayes Crescent in Golders Green
• An application for £129,901.77 of CIL funding to part fund a new inclusive playground at New Southgate Recreation Ground in Brunswick Park

The committee approved the application for funding for improvements to Church Lane Community Garden, but deferred the applications for funding for the pavements in Hayes Crescent and the inclusive playground at New Southgate Recreation Ground to the next meeting. This is a common occurrence at Area Committee meetings, as committees often need more information or clarification before they can make a decision on an application.

There were robust discussions about the application for funding to relay the pavements on Hayes Crescent. The committee was concerned that funding this scheme from the CIL budget could set a precedent for other councillors to apply for funding for similar schemes, potentially undermining the council's existing pavement repair programme. As Councillor Alison Moore said:

Challenges, I think it does set a precedent and I hesitate to use the term jumping the queue because it sounds like I'm being aggressive and unpleasant and I don't mean it that way. But lots of us have challenging roads in our wards and we argue their case within that set of objective criteria.

The committee also expressed concern that approving an application for funding for a new inclusive playground at New Southgate Recreation Ground without having had the opportunity to see detailed designs for the playground would be an inappropriate use of public money. As Councillor Jennifer Grocock explained:

Basically, every application that's come forward, we always want to see more detail and idea of the equipment, albeit it might need to be slightly adjusted. But all we've got is an aerial shot. Thank you.

Planning Committee (New) - Thursday 26 September 2024

The Planning Committee is responsible for making decisions on planning applications. In making their decisions, the committee must consider a range of factors, including local and national planning policies, the views of local people and the advice of council officers.

This week the committee considered a number of planning applications from across the borough.

One of the applications was for the installation of floodlighting to the existing all-weather sports pitch at East Barnet School. Applications for floodlighting often attract objections from local residents who are concerned about noise and light pollution, as well as the potential for increased anti-social behaviour. You may recall that in a previous email I reported on a similar application for floodlighting at the Hendon Cricket Club, which was ultimately withdrawn by the applicant after residents raised concerns. In this case, a number of local residents attended the meeting to object to the application.

Mr Costas Nicola, a local resident, argued that the floodlights would create an intrusive green glow and would allow the pitch to be used later into the evening, exacerbating problems with noise pollution. However, the committee heard from other residents who were in favour of the application. Ms Emma Godley, who lives close to the pitch, explained that the sounds of people using the pitch were joyous, happy and enthusiastic sounds…delightful…not overly loud…just a happy, healthy, cheerful hum and argued that the benefits to the community of extending the hours of use of the pitch outweighed the potential downsides.

The committee voted to approve the application, subject to conditions. In making their decision, the committee heard from a planning officer that the floodlights would be fitted with maximum cut-off louvers and maximum nine degree tilt to reduce light spill and that their use would be restricted to 9pm on weekdays and 4pm on weekends.

The committee also considered an application for the conversion of a house into flats at 21 Hampstead Gardens. The application attracted objections from local residents who raised concerns about parking. The committee heard from two residents who explained that a number of houses in the area had already been converted into flats and that this had led to a parking shortage. However, a planning officer explained that the conversion of the house into flats would actually reduce the number of parking permits that would be available to residents of the property. This is because single family dwellings can apply for two permits, whereas flats are subject to a controlled parking zone (CPZ) agreement that restricts the number of permits available.

This illustrates the complex issues that must be considered when assessing planning applications.

The meeting also considered a number of other applications, including applications for extensions and alterations to Marwood Court, 4 Woodside Avenue, and Torrington Court, and an application for the installation of an electric vehicle charging point at 77-81 Russell Lane.

The committee also refused an application for the removal of a number of trees at The Thomas Watson Cottage Homes in Leecroft Road. This application had been submitted on the grounds that the trees were implicated in subsidence damage at two of the properties on the estate. You may recall that in a previous email I explained that trees are protected in Barnet under the council's Tree Preservation Orders. These orders are made by the council to protect trees that are considered to be of amenity value.

...no sooner was it done than the area in front of Dudley Court was dug up. When I asked workmen why, they said the were the wrong colour!

The committee was concerned about the loss of amenity if the trees were removed, and also about the financial implications of approving the application. This is because if the trees are removed and it is later found that they were not the cause of the damage, the council could be liable for compensation costs. In this case, the committee felt that the potential benefits of removing the trees did not outweigh the potential costs, and they voted to refuse the application.

This week in Barnet:

• The Cabinet discussed the council's financial situation, including a forecast overspend of £20 million, and approved a number of measures to address the situation.
• The Overview and Scrutiny Committee noted the Council Tax Support Scheme, approved the Youth Homelessness Task and Finish Group Report, and requested more detailed financial reporting from the Chief Finance Officer.
• The Strategic Planning Committee granted planning permission to St George North London Ltd and Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd for a mixed-use development, and debated fire safety and the mix of housing.
• The West Area Committee was scheduled to consider applications for Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy funding and to discuss road safety schemes.
• The Safer Communities Partnership Board reviewed crime statistics, the work of the Violence Against Women and Girls Delivery Group, and discussed safety in parks.
• The Health & Wellbeing Board discussed the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy, the Pharmaceutical Needs Assessment, the Suicide Prevention Strategy, and the Combating Drugs Partnership Board, and noted the increase in antisemitism and the success of Project ADDER.

Cabinet - Tuesday 17 September 2024

The Cabinet met this week to discuss a range of issues, including the council's financial situation, the outcome of an Ofsted inspection of Children’s Services, and the progress of regeneration schemes in the borough.

Council Finances

Councillor Ammar Naqvi, Cabinet Member for Financial Sustainability and Reducing Poverty, presented a report on the council's finances, highlighting a forecast overspend of £20 million, which he described as a serious situation. The report included details of the measures that the council was taking to address this, including a recovery plan to reduce spending and weekly control panel meetings to scrutinise all expenditure.

It is... a serious concern, and we've already undertaken a series of activities and measures to intervene to ensure that this particular situation doesn't end up being our end-of-year position.

Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader of the Council, highlighted the impact that rising interest rates were having on the council's ability to borrow money to fund capital projects. He also criticised the previous Conservative administration for their use of internal borrowing to fund projects, which he said had made it more difficult for the Labour administration to respond to the current financial challenges.

Councillor Ross Houston, Deputy Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Homes and Regeneration, outlined the challenges faced by the council in providing temporary accommodation for homeless families. He highlighted the unprecedented change in circumstances that had led to a significant increase in demand for temporary accommodation, as well as a rise in the cost of providing it. He said that the council was working to radically review its capital programme to identify ways to reduce spending.

The council’s financial situation is likely to be a recurring theme in future emails, as the council seeks to balance its budget.

Other Items

The Cabinet also discussed a number of other issues.

Councillor Pauline Coakley-Webb, Cabinet Member for Children, Young People and Families, presented a report on the outcome of an Ofsted inspection of the Children and Families service. The inspection found that the service was Good in all areas and Outstanding for the experiences and progress of children in care.

Councillor Rawlings presented the first quarter report on Our Plan for Barnet, which is the council’s Corporate Plan for 2023-26. The report highlighted progress on a range of initiatives, including work to tackle inequality and reduce poverty, the journey to net zero, and resident participation.

Councillor Rawlings also presented a report on the council’s Adult Residents' Perception Survey, which found generally positive results, especially when compared with regional and national trends. The survey found that the council’s reputation with residents had improved, with residents saying that they now trusted the council more.

The Cabinet also approved a report on Hampstead Garden Suburb Library. The library is run on the council’s behalf by the Garden Suburb Community Library Limited, a charitable group. The group is unable to pay a market rent and the council was seeking approval to continue to sublet the library to the group for a peppercorn rent. The cabinet was satisfied that this constituted best value, and approved the report.

Councillor Alan Schneiderman, Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change, presented a report on the council’s sustainability programme. He highlighted some of the progress that the council had made, including the installation of electric vehicle charging points and the retrofitting of council properties. He also explained that the council was working to produce a climate budget, which would identify measures within the existing budget that would contribute to reducing carbon emissions.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Wednesday 18 September 2024

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee is one of the most important committees of the council. It is responsible for scrutinising the decisions made by the Cabinet. The Committee can call in any decision made by the Cabinet for further scrutiny, and can make recommendations to the Cabinet on how services can be improved.

The Committee met this week to consider a number of reports, including the Youth Homelessness Task and Finish Group report, the Council Tax Support Scheme and the Chief Finance Officer’s report.

Youth Homelessness Task and Finish Group

The Committee agreed to pass the Youth Homelessness Task and Finish Group Report to the Cabinet with the request that the recommendations be converted into directions. The report was produced by a Task and Finish Group.

Task and Finish Groups are temporary groups that are set up by a council to consider a specific issue. They are made up of councillors and often include members of the public or representatives from other organisations. The groups meet for a set period of time and then produce a report with recommendations. The recommendations are then considered by the council or by one of its committees.

The report highlighted the growing problem of youth homelessness in the borough and made a number of recommendations for how the council could improve its response. These included better co-ordination between services, improved access to support for young people who are at risk of homelessness, and the provision of more suitable accommodation for young people. The Committee’s decision to request that the recommendations be converted into directions suggests that they felt that the issue was a particularly urgent one.

Financial Reporting

The Committee also considered the Chief Finance Officer Report - 2024/25 Quarter 1 Financial Forecast and 2024/25 Budget Management. Councillor Ammar Naqvi, Cabinet Member for Financial Sustainability and Reducing Poverty, described the overspend as serious but highlighted the range of actions being implemented to balance the budget.

It is serious. What we are faced with potentially... What we are facing is a 20 million pound overspend at a time when our budget position is already at a suboptimal level.

Councillor Peter Zinkin acknowledged the seriousness of the overspend but questioned whether the scale of the problem was being adequately communicated to residents, highlighting that the underlying deficit was closer to £50 million. Councillor Arjun Mittra challenged Councillor Zinkin's suggestion that budget pressures were simply down to demographics, arguing that government policy and council spending decisions over many years had created the financial challenges.

The Committee requested that a simplified summary be included in future reports from the Chief Finance Officer and asked that consideration be given to the possibility of including in the financial reporting the fundraising and volunteering undertaken by the Voluntary and Community Sector.

Strategic Planning Committee - Monday 16 September 2024

The Strategic Planning Committee is responsible for making decisions on planning applications. The committee considers a wide range of applications, from small-scale extensions to major developments. In making their decisions, the committee must consider a range of factors, including the impact of the development on the local environment, the character of the area, and the needs of local residents.

The committee met this week to consider a number of applications, including:

Silk Park, Unit 4 Hyde Estate Road London NW9 6JX - 24/1746/S73 (West Hendon)

The committee considered an application by St George North London Ltd and Sainsbury’s Supermarkets Ltd to make amendments to planning permission granted in 2020 for the Silk Park development. The development is a mixed-use development comprising a new Sainsbury’s, commercial space, and 1309 new homes. The committee voted to grant planning permission for the changes, which include the addition of second staircases to some of the residential blocks to improve fire safety. The original application attracted a number of objections, mostly related to the height and density of the development and its impact on traffic levels. The report to attendees included an assessment of the impact on local transport and traffic levels.

This application highlights the council's responsibility to ensure that new developments are safe and sustainable, and that they meet the needs of local residents.

Safer Communities Partnership Board - Friday 20 September 2024

The Safer Communities Partnership Board is a multi-agency group that is responsible for developing and implementing the council's community safety strategy. The board is made up of representatives from a range of organisations, including the council, the police, the fire service, the NHS and the voluntary sector.

The board met this week to review the progress of the community safety strategy.

The meeting heard about the positive impact of the council’s work to tackle crime and anti-social behaviour, including the work of the Community Safety Team and the partnership work with the police to target specific crime hotspots. However, the meeting also heard that there had been an increase in some types of crime, including residential burglary, robbery, and knife crime.

...there was just under 1,900 incidents recorded by CCTV just in that three month period, so an extremely useful tool and having had conversations with police colleagues, I think they're finding it extremely useful as well.

The board also discussed the council's plans to improve safety in parks, which included proposals for a new park locking regime and the introduction of Barnet Safer Parks Standards to guide future investment in parks. These proposals are likely to be welcomed by residents, who have consistently raised concerns about safety in parks.

The board also received an update on the work of the partnership in relation to the Serious Violence Duty, which requires the council and its partners to work together to prevent serious violence. The board heard about a number of initiatives that were underway to tackle knife crime and other forms of serious violence, including the detached youth outreach project and the Barnet Victim Care Hub.

The board also heard about the increase in antisemitism in the borough, with over a third of all antisemitic offences in London now taking place in Barnet. The board were told that the partnership was working to tackle hate crime and that a communications campaign would be launched during Hate Crime Awareness Week in October.

We've seen a rise of over 200% in anti-Semitism in Barnet alone since the October conflict that began last year, and one third of all anti-Semitism across London happens in Barnet as well...

The meeting also heard about the success of Project ADDER in tackling drug crime.

Health & Wellbeing Board - Thursday 19 September 2024

The Health & Wellbeing Board is responsible for developing and implementing the council’s joint health and wellbeing strategy. The board is made up of representatives from the council, the NHS, and other organisations.

The board met this week to review the progress of the strategy, receiving an update from Janet Djomba, Director of Public Health, on communicable diseases and discussing the development of the new Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy for 2025-30.

I think what we saw over COVID was that a lot of patients became deconditioned, and that deconditioning is now having long-term conditions impact.

There was also a discussion about the need for better access to pharmacies, and the importance of routine eye and hearing tests for children.

The board were told that an interactive map of pharmacy provision in Barnet had been published on the council’s website, and that the map and data were updated quarterly. The board also agreed to the suggested process for reviewing applications for changes in pharmacy provision, as set out in Appendix B of the report HWBB - pharmaceutical needs assessment update - for Sept 2024 HWBB_cleared

And therefore, are they taken? How do we make sure collectively we're getting that message out to all families? Both ends of the age range. We're looking at ensuring that people understand what is available. The benefits of that and the risks if they don't.

I think there's a missing link to say is that you can't predict when you're going to fall ill. And people generally fall ill on the weekend when things are shut. And so in the future, how can the farmers think about providing that provision on Saturday?

The meeting also heard about the successful launch of a fourth women’s refuge in the borough, run by the Iranian and Kurdish Women's Rights Organisation.

This week in Barnet:

• The North Area Committee approved funding for new facilities in Stonyfield Park, Mill Hill Town Square and the Underhill Children’s Centre.
• The Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee agreed recommendations on Elective Home Education, and discussed the impact of VAT on independent schools and the findings of the Young Residents Perception Survey.
• The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss proposed mergers between NHS Trusts in the borough and to note the Committee’s work programme.

North Area Committee - Wednesday 11 September 2024

The North Area Committee met this week to consider a number of applications for Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding. You may recall that the NCIL is a levy that can be charged by local authorities on new developments in their area. The funds raised by the levy are then used to fund infrastructure projects that support the new development.

Area Committees are responsible for allocating NCIL funds to projects within their area. As we have seen in previous emails, the North Area Committee has previously allocated funding to a wide range of projects, including the provision of new play equipment, the refurbishment of community centres and the installation of new street lighting.

This week the committee agreed to award funding to four projects:

• A new outdoor gym in Stonyfield Park
• The installation of a permanent Christmas tree and new seating in Mill Hill Town Square
• The refurbishment of toilets at the Underhill Children's Centre
• A new toddler’s play area and improved toilet facilities in Mill Hill Park (deferred)

The application for funding for a new toddler's play area and improved toilet facilities in Mill Hill Park was deferred to the next funding cycle, which will begin in April 2025. This decision was made after Councillor Weiser questioned why the application for the toddler's play area had been submitted just six months after the Committee had approved a separate application for funding to improve the older children's play area in the same park. As in previous meetings, for example the meeting of the Planning Committee on 4 September 2024, the committee was concerned to ensure that funding was distributed fairly across the borough.

There was a lively debate about the application for funding to install a permanent Christmas tree in Mill Hill Town Square. The Chair was concerned that the existing risk assessment for the Square would need to be updated to include the tree, but Councillor Duschinsky, who submitted the application, explained that the trees would be looked after by a group of local residents, and that Iceland Foods had agreed to cover the cost of lighting the tree each year.

The meeting also highlighted the important role that Friends groups play in maintaining and improving parks and green spaces in the borough. The application for funding for a new outdoor gym in Stonyfield Park was submitted by the Friends of Stonyfield Park. In his speech to the committee, Tony Sabini, Chair of the Friends group, explained that the group is a relatively new one, and that this was the first time they had applied for NCIL funding.

Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Thursday 12 September 2024

The Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee is a committee of the council that scrutinises the work of the council's Children's Services department. It is responsible for holding the department to account for its performance and for making recommendations to the Cabinet on how services can be improved.

The committee met this week to consider a range of issues, including:

• The impact of the planned removal of the VAT exemption for independent schools
• The findings of the Barnet Young Residents Perception Survey 2023/24
• The performance of Barnet's family services
• The findings of the Elective Home Education Task and Finish group

There was a detailed discussion about the potential impact of the removal of the VAT exemption for independent schools. The exemption is due to be removed in January 2025, and there are concerns that this could lead to an increase in the cost of independent school fees. This could force some parents to move their children to state schools, which could put pressure on the council to provide additional school places.

Neil Marlow, the Director of Education, explained that there is sufficient capacity in non-faith state schools to accommodate any influx of pupils from non-faith independent schools, but that there could be significant problems in the Jewish school sector. There are 17 Jewish independent schools in Barnet, and many of these schools cater for pupils from the strictly Orthodox or Haredi Orthodox communities. Mr Marlow explained that these families may find that none of the existing state schools meet their religious requirements. He suggested that the Sub-Committee may wish to lobby the Department for Education (DfE) to exempt independent faith schools from the planned removal of the VAT exemption. The committee agreed to send a letter to ministers setting out the council’s concerns.

The committee also received a presentation on the findings of the Barnet Young Residents Perception Survey 2023/24. The survey was conducted between December 2023 and March 2024, and asked young people aged 11 to 18 about their experiences of living in the borough. The results of the survey were generally positive, with young people expressing high levels of satisfaction with the borough as a place to live and with the council’s services. However, there were some concerns about knife crime, gangs, the safety of girls and hate crime. The committee asked officers to share the results of the survey with schools in the Burnt Oak, Colindale and Hendon wards, where young people reported feeling particularly unsafe.

The committee also considered a report on the performance of Barnet’s Family Services. The report noted that the service had recently been inspected by Ofsted, and that the inspectors had been impressed with the quality of the service. The inspectors found that the service was well-led and that staff were committed to providing high-quality support to children and families. The committee agreed to note the recommendations in the report.

Finally, the committee considered the findings of the Elective Home Education Task and Finish group. The group was set up in response to an increase in the number of children being educated at home in Barnet. The group made seven recommendations, which included creating a register of families who are electively home educating their children, working with schools to improve their understanding of EHE, and providing more support to families who are electively home educating their children. There was some debate about the cost of implementing the group’s recommendations, particularly the recommendation to provide funding for EHE children to take exams. The committee agreed to send the report and its recommendations to the Cabinet for consideration.

Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Monday 09 September 2024

The Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to meet this week to consider a number of important health issues affecting residents of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington. However, no minutes or video of the meeting has been made available.

This was a Joint Committee meeting. Joint Committees are committees that are made up of councillors from two or more local authorities. They are often set up to oversee services that are provided jointly by the authorities. In this case, the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee has a responsibility to scrutinise the work of the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB).

The committee was scheduled to receive a report on a proposal to merge the North Middlesex University Hospital NHS Trust with the Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust. The full business case for the merger has already been approved by both Trusts and submitted to NHS England, and the Trusts are hoping that the merger will take place on 1 January 2025. If it goes ahead, this will be the second recent merger between NHS Trusts in Barnet. You may recall that the Barnet, Enfield & Haringey Mental Health NHS Trust and the Camden & Islington NHS Foundation Trust are due to merge on 1 October 2024 to form the North London Mental Health Partnership.

The committee was also scheduled to receive an update on the North Central London Estates and Infrastructure Strategy 2024. This strategy sets out the ICB’s plans for the development of healthcare estates and infrastructure in the five boroughs.

Finally, the committee was scheduled to note its work programme for 2024-25. The work programme is a list of topics that a committee has agreed to discuss during the year. It helps the committee to plan its work and make sure that it is considering the most important issues. The work programme for this year includes items on health inequalities, smoking cessation and vaping, and the strategic role of GP Federations.

This week in Barnet:

• The Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee discussed the performance of adult social care services.
• The Planning Committee considered nine planning applications including two small childrens care homes, an 18-hole golf course and an extension to the Wellington Outpatient Centre on Golders Green Road.

Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Thursday 05 September 2024

The Adults and Health Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met to receive a presentation on the Children’s Oral Health Action Plan for Barnet, and noted the three draft Quality Accounts. In addition, they considered reports on NHS cancer screening programmes, Adult Social Care performance, and received the minutes of a meeting of the North Central London Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

Planning Committee (New) - Wednesday 04 September 2024

This meeting of the Planning Committee was scheduled to consider 10 planning applications from across the borough.

Two of the applications related to children's homes. The first was an application to change the use of 49 St James Avenue, originally submitted on 12 April 2024, to a children’s home for up to three children aged between 11 and 14 years old. The second was an application to change the use of Antian House, 4 Rundell Crescent, to a children’s care home, originally submitted on 19 January 2024. This home would also accommodate no more than 3 children.

Both applications attracted a significant number of objections from local people. In the case of 49 St James Avenue, the report to attendees stated that 150 objections had been received from local people, compared to only one letter of support. For Antian House, 34 objections were received.

The concerns raised about both applications were similar to those raised in previous emails about applications for children's homes, such as the application for 64 Church Road discussed in my email on 2024-07-14. Residents are often concerned about the impact of these homes on crime and anti-social behaviour, traffic levels, and property prices. However, as in the case of 64 Church Road, the council's highways and environmental health departments raised no objections to either of the applications.

It is important to note that there is a significant need for more children’s homes in Barnet. The report to attendees for the 49 St James Avenue application included a statement from the applicant, Brigitte Jordaan, stating:

“As of May 2024, Barnet have 324 looked after children, of which we currently have 39 children placed in external residential placements out of borough and 102 external foster placements out of borough…the property's proximity to public transport and local amenities, such as high streets, ensure that children can remain connected to the community and have access to essential resources without feeling isolated.”

The report prepared for the Antian House application also included a statement from the applicant referring to the need for more placements for looked after children.

The applications highlight the challenges faced by local authorities in balancing the need for more children's homes with the concerns of local residents.

The committee was also scheduled to consider a variation on an application to build an 18-hole golf course on Land West of Edgwarebury Farm. The application sought to alter levels at four of the holes, and included a request to alter the design of a pond, adding streams to the layout, and shortening the 18th hole.

This application has also attracted objections from local people. According to the report to attendees, these objections relate to a loss of green belt land and the impact of the development on traffic. The report states that 14 objections have been received from local people.

You may recall that the protection of the green belt is a key policy objective in the council's Local Plan.¹

The other applications scheduled to be considered by the committee related to a range of issues, including the redevelopment of Roman House, 296 Golders Green Road, to provide a new health centre and the conversion of 138 High Road to three self-contained flats.

The Employment Sub-Committee was scheduled to meet on Friday 30 August to discuss the appointment of a new Executive Director of Growth, and the minutes of the previous meeting of the sub-committee.

Employment Sub-Committee - Friday 30 August 2024

The Employment Sub-Committee was scheduled to meet on Friday 30 August 2024 to consider two items.

Appointment of the Executive Director of Growth

This was scheduled to be an exempt item, so the report pack is redacted. However, the publicly available agenda for the meeting suggests that the sub-committee were scheduled to consider a report on the appointment of a new Executive Director of Growth. The report was to be provided by the Interim Chief Executive, Cath Shaw.

The report requested that the committee appoint one of the candidates to the vacant position. The report explains that

The Sub-Committee are requested to consider the candidate information circulated in the exempt appendices and provided they are content that at least one of the candidates meets the criteria, to make an appointment to the vacant post.

The post of Executive Director Growth is a new role. According to the agenda for the meeting on 21 May 2024 at which the creation of the role was approved, the postholder would be responsible for Leading the regeneration, planning and development functions for the Council including planning policy; strategic planning and infrastructure; development management; regeneration and economic development; property and land management and housing strategy.

This continues a pattern observed in previous emails of senior management restructuring within Barnet Council. For example, in a previous email I reported on the council's decision to appoint a new Director of Public Health.

The report explains that the role was created following a decision of the council on 21 May 2024, to restructure the most senior management roles in the council. In the report this is described as

consequential changes to the senior management structure of the Council.

Minutes of the previous meeting

The sub-committee were also scheduled to approve the minutes of their previous meeting, which was held on 18 July 2024. This is a routine item that appears on the agenda of most council committees.

The Pension Fund Committee was scheduled to meet on Monday 29 July to discuss the performance of the Barnet Pension Fund, routine administration and a range of reports from advisors.

Pension Fund Committee - Monday 29 July 2024

The agenda for this meeting of the Pension Fund Committee included topics related to the performance of the investments held by the Barnet Pension Fund, routine administration and updates on the work of advisors. There was also a report on the previous year’s work by the Local Pension Board. Some of the topics were scheduled to be discussed in private session, and some of the documents that support the meeting agenda are redacted, so a full summary cannot be given.

Responsible Investment

A report by David Spreckley, Head of Pensions and Treasury at Barnet Council provided an update on the Fund’s plans for “Responsible Investment.”¹ The report focused on Nature-Based Solutions, in particular exploring an allocation towards the Nature-Based Solutions fund currently being developed by London CIV.²

Officers were scheduled to propose an allocation of 5% of the Fund's resources towards Nature-Based Capital, to be sourced from the existing allocation to Private Debt. However, the report notes that:

“This allocation will be reassessed once the form of the London CIV Fund has more clarity.”

The report also describes the work already completed to reduce the carbon footprint of the Fund’s core investments in equities, bonds and property.

Investment Strategy

A report on investment strategy covered the transactions undertaken by the Fund in the 4 months from March 2024 to June 2024. It also included proposals to increase the cash management limits for the Pemberton Trade Finance Fund and the Allianz Trade Finance Fund, to £50 million and £40 million respectively.

The report scheduled for discussion also included proposals to reallocate 6.5% of the Fund’s resources from the LGIM Future Worlds Fund to the LCIV PEPPA Fund, and proposals to transfer the LGIM RAFI Fund to the LGIM RAFI CTI fund. Both of these proposals were scheduled to be contingent on the production of product suitability and assurance notes by Hymans Robertson.³

Administration Performance Report and Update On Other Administration And Legislative Matters

The report pack included an update on the performance of the administrators, West Yorkshire Pension Fund.⁴ The update was scheduled to note that in May, West Yorkshire Pension Fund had processed 965 cases with 90.06% of cases being completed within the agreed service level agreements.

The report also contained information on:

• Data improvement.
• Annual Benefit Statements.
• The Pensions Dashboard programme.
• Finance updates.
• The Pensions Fund Engagement Strategy.
• The Pensions Regulator's new General Code of Practice.

Risk Management Review

This item included updates to the Pension Administration Risk Register and the Non-Administration Risk Register.

These registers record the perceived risks and levels of risk to the Barnet Pension Fund.

For example, one entry in the Pension Administration Risk Register states:

ADM18 - Failure to produce compliant annual report and accounts within deadline - “The Accounts and Audit Regulations 2015(2022 amendment) require audited accounts to be published on the 30th September after the year end. The risk of the Pension Fund Accounts not being published is that the Council Accounts will not be complete.”

The update to the Pension Administration Risk Register was scheduled to note that the risk score of this entry had been increased to 6.

The Non-Administration Risk Register update was scheduled to note that a new risk, “ESG Opportunity/Risk,” was to be added to the register.

Local Pension Board – Annual Report

This report contained an update on the work of the Local Pension Board⁵ during 2023-24.

The report contained details of the training that Board members had completed during the year, including:

• The Chartered Institute of Public Finance and Accountancy (CIPFA)⁶ Annual Local Pension Board Training – Autumn 2023.
• The Pensions Regulator – Knowledge and Understanding Duty Toolkit, Learning Resources and Refresh.
• Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS) Governance Conference Spring 2024 – LPB and SAB Update.
• LGPS Online Learning Academy – Spring 2024 LPB.

External Audit and Accounts Update

This report provided an update on the outstanding audit of the 2020/21 Pension Fund accounts and the plan for the 2021/22, 2022/23, and 2023/24 audits. The report notes that:

“BDO are the Pension Fund’s appointed external auditors for the 2020/21 and 2021/22 financial years. [...] Grant Thornton have now been appointed as external auditors and are to complete the 2023/24 audit.”

The report contains a proposed timetable for the completion of the outstanding audits.

Admissions, Cessations and Bond Status Update

This report provided an update on:

• Admission agreements.⁷
• Cessation valuations.⁸
• Bonds and bond renewals.

The report included a recommendation that the committee approve the admission of Olive Dining (Martin School) into the Barnet Pension Fund.

Pension Fund Investment Performance Report

This report provided an update on the performance of the Fund’s investments to 31 March 2024 with an updated estimated valuation to 30 June 2024.

It noted that the value of the Fund increased by an estimated £59.1 million between February and June 2024. This represents an increase of 3.7%. The report contains details of the best and worst performing investments over the period.

The report also included:

• Analysis of manager ratings.
• Details of strategic allocations.

Knowledge and Understanding

This report summarised the training completed by members of the Pension Fund Committee and the Local Pension Board during 2023-24.

The report pack includes an appendix showing the “mandatory and primary training opportunities” available to the members of the two committees. This appendix includes:

• The Pensions Regulator Trustee toolkit.
• Hymans’ training portal (LOLA).
• CIPFA training.
• Sustainability training.
• Ad hoc training sessions.

Update on Pooling and Efficiencies Letter

This report provided an update on pooling and the Fund’s response to a letter from Simon Hoare, the then Minister for Local Government, about efficiencies in Local Government Pension Schemes.

The report highlights the key message being made by the council to the government:

“[...] convergence through the London CIV is likely to lead to better outcomes than merging (which is complex and could also lead to a potential loss of local control, which is crucial to local decision making and risk management).”

The Health & Wellbeing Board was due to meet on Thursday 25 July to discuss how the council supports children and young people, communicable diseases, and the Barnet Food Plan. Also on Thursday 25 July, the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to receive updates on the ‘Start Well’ programme and on GP and Dental Services in North Central London. The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met on Tuesday 23 July to discuss a number of topics related to the financial management of the council. The North Area Committee met on Thursday 25 July to consider applications for Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy Funding and discuss road safety schemes. The Employment Sub-Committee meeting scheduled for Monday 22 July was postponed. The Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee met on Monday 22 July to discuss how Barnet and Brent Councils have been managing the reservoir. The Planning Committee (New) considered an application for a Tree Preservation Order and several planning applications at their meeting on Wednesday 24 July.

Health & Wellbeing Board - Thursday 25 July 2024

The agenda for the Health & Wellbeing Board meeting on Thursday 25 July included a wide range of topics related to the health and wellbeing of Barnet’s residents.

A significant proportion of the meeting was scheduled to be given over to presentations about the work the council is doing to improve the lives of children and young people in the borough. This included presentations on the support available for young carers and the council’s work with Barnet Carers to identify and support this group. The meeting was also scheduled to hear an update on the council’s Early Help Strategy and the progress that is being made in implementing it. The report pack includes a summary of how the three Early Help hubs in the borough are working to deliver services and mentions the National Change Programme Partnership (CPP) Pilots scheme that the council is involved in. This national scheme, being run by the Department for Education (DfE), aims to improve support for children and young people with Special Educational Needs and Disabilities (SEND).

The meeting was also due to discuss the council’s work on childhood obesity and to receive an update from Whittington Health, which is now responsible for delivering the Healthy Child Programme in Barnet. The transfer of responsibility to Whittington Health follows a critical CQC inspection of the previous provider.

The second major topic scheduled for discussion was the Barnet Food Plan, which sets out the council’s strategy to ensure that all residents have access to healthy and sustainable food. The report pack focused on food insecurity, reporting that this is an increasing problem in Barnet and highlighting data from the Trussell Trust, a charity that supports a network of food banks in the UK. The report also discussed the variety of schemes that the council is involved in to address the problem, including the Healthy Start scheme, the Holiday Activity Fund and the Make Every Contact Count (MECC) programme.

The meeting was also scheduled to discuss a wide range of other actions included in the Barnet Food Plan, such as community food growing projects, the council’s procurement policies, and the role of the Barnet Food Partnership, a multi-agency group that works to improve the food system in Barnet.

The committee were also scheduled to receive a verbal update on communicable diseases in the borough and to answer two questions that had been submitted by members of the public in advance of the meeting.

Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 25 July 2024

This meeting of the Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee was scheduled to discuss a range of important health issues affecting residents of Barnet, Camden, Enfield, Haringey and Islington. The committee has a responsibility to scrutinise the work of the North Central London Integrated Care Board (ICB)¹ and to hold it to account for its performance.

One of the most significant items on the agenda was an update on the 'Start Well' programme. You may recall that this programme featured heavily in my previous email, when it was discussed by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18 July. 'Start Well' is a programme to improve maternity, neonatal and paediatric services across the five boroughs. The committee was scheduled to receive an update on the public consultation that was held between December 2023 and March 2024 about plans to consolidate these services, and to consider an interim evaluation report. The report pack noted that NHS England had given assurance on the proposals and that they were seeking formal feedback from the JHOSC by 16 August 2024, after which a decision making business case would be prepared for consideration by commissioners.

The committee was also scheduled to discuss GP access, in particular the findings of the national GP Patient Survey, which suggests that many patients are unhappy about the current state of GP services. The report pack refers to the national Delivery Plan for Recovering Primary Care Access which was published in May 2023. This two-year plan sets out how the government intends to improve GP services and includes several proposals that will affect the way that patients access care in the future. It also summarises North Central London ICB’s response to the delivery plan and highlights some of the challenges facing general practice, including rising demand and difficulties recruiting and retaining GPs.

The final substantive topic on the agenda was dental services. The committee was due to hear about the ICB’s plans to improve access to dental care and the progress that has already been made, including the work that the ICB has been doing to improve access to dental care for vulnerable groups such as people experiencing homelessness. The report also referred to the Community Dental Service provided by Whittington Health and the important role it plays in providing dental care in the borough.

The report pack also included a provisional work programme for the committee for 2024-2025, listing a range of possible future agenda items.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Tuesday 23 July 2024

Barnet Council's Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) met this week to consider a number of reports relating to the financial management of the council.

The meeting received an update on the council's progress in implementing its new Oracle Cloud IT system, which, you may recall, went live in April 2024. You may also recall that this project was discussed at length by the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 18 July. The report to this meeting noted that there had been challenges in two key areas: user adoption and the resolution of various technical issues.

The committee also considered several reports about the council's finances. The Treasury Management Outturn report detailed the council's borrowing and investment activity during the last financial year and highlighted the impact that rising interest rates are having on the council’s finances. It is important to note that councils, unlike central government, cannot borrow money to fund day-to-day spending. They must balance their budgets each year. Councils can borrow money to fund capital projects, such as building new schools or roads. They can also use reserves and income from other sources, such as fees and charges, to fund capital projects.

Councils in England are permitted to increase council tax by a maximum of 2.99% without holding a referendum. Any increase above this level must be approved by a local referendum.

The report also noted that the council is increasingly reliant on using its reserves to fund capital projects, which is not considered to be financially sustainable in the long-term. This echoes a pattern of financial concerns raised in previous council meetings, suggesting a need for the council to explore alternative revenue-generating avenues or re-evaluate its spending priorities.

The committee also considered a report from the council’s external auditors, Grant Thornton, which is responsible for auditing the council's accounts. The report summarised Grant Thornton’s progress and included a sector update that described some of the issues facing local authority auditors nationally.

North Area Committee - Thursday 25 July 2024

The North Area Committee considered applications to the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) funding budget for three projects: floodlights for Barnet Elizabethans Rugby Football Club, new changing rooms for Hadley FC and the desilting of the lake at Darlands Nature Reserve.

The NCIL is a charge that can be levied by local authorities on new developments in their area, and is used to fund infrastructure projects that will support the development. It is important to note that the committee could only allocate funding to projects in its area. The report pack does not say which, if any, of the applications were successful.

The committee also received an update on the Road Safety & Parking Fund budget for 2024/25. The report included details of the schemes that had already been allocated funding.

Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee - Monday 22 July 2024

The Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee is a joint committee of Barnet and Brent Councils that is responsible for overseeing the management of the Welsh Harp reservoir.

The committee received a report about Barnet Council's activities at the reservoir between April and June 2024.

This is an example of a footnote. I have added it because the Welsh Harp Joint Consultative Committee is a joint committee of two local authorities.

The most significant item in the report was an update on the West Hendon Playing Fields Masterplan. The report noted that designs were still being developed following the first round of public engagement, which took place in December 2023. The report said that another round of engagement would take place during Summer 2024. The report also provided an update on the work Barnet Council were doing to manage the reservoir's Site of Special Scientific Interest (SSSI)², including their response to a report of damage being caused by a nearby property. It also noted that the council were exploring options to tackle antisocial behaviour at the site's bird hide.

The committee also received a report about Brent Council’s activities at the reservoir. The most significant item in this report was an update on the future of the Welsh Harp Environmental Education Centre. The report said that Brent Council was working with Thames21 and McBains to develop a business case for a new building on the site and that there would be a public consultation about the plans once more details had been finalised.

The committee were scheduled to receive a verbal update from the Canal and River Trust about their work at the reservoir. The agenda does not provide any more information about what was scheduled to be discussed.

Planning Committee (New) - Wednesday 24 July 2024

This meeting of the Planning Committee (New) considered a request to confirm a Tree Preservation Order (TPO) for a large oak tree located at 103 Oakwood Road in the Hampstead Garden Suburb Conservation Area. You may recall that TPOs were also discussed at the meeting on 25 June. The report pack noted that this oak tree is one of the last remaining trees in the Hampstead Garden Suburb that pre-dates the development of the Suburb, and that this tree influenced the design of the Suburb.

The retention of trees such as this oak was an integral part of the design ethos during the development of the Garden Suburb.

The report detailed how the tree has been implicated in subsidence damage to surrounding properties and included an assessment by the Council’s structural engineers.

The officer's recommendation in the report pack was to confirm the Tree Preservation Order.

“Due to the lack of conclusive evidence that implicates the tree in the reported damage it is recommended that the order is made so the mandatory information is obtained and assessed."

The committee also considered planning applications at eight different locations.

The most contentious of these was a reserved matters application relating to the landscaping of Land at 49 and 51 Beresford Avenue in the Brunswick Park Ward. This application follows the allowance of an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate (APP/N5090/W/23/3321582) following the refusal by the council of a previous outline planning application for the demolition of part of no. 51 Beresford Avenue and the erection of 6 semi-detached dwellings (22/6069/OUT).

A significant number of objections were received from local residents about this application, many of them raising concerns about road safety and the impact of the development on the character of the area. Despite these objections, the officer recommendation was to approve the application subject to a number of conditions. It is not clear from the report pack whether this is the same scheme that was refused by the council.

The committee also considered a planning application (22/6038/FUL) for the construction of a new internal access road, junction and car parking facilities at Mill Hill Cemetery in Mill Hill. A previous application (14/08161/FUL) for a similar scheme was refused by the council in 2014, but was subsequently allowed on appeal (APP/N5090/W/16/3145010). That scheme was never implemented and has now lapsed. The current application attracted a significant number of objections from local residents, but the officer’s recommendation was to approve the application subject to conditions.

The meeting also discussed several other applications relating to a variety of issues, including the need for affordable housing, the impact of development on trees and ecology, noise and disturbance to neighbours and the loss of community facilities.

Barnet Council held six meetings in the last week. Here’s a summary of what happened:

Strategic Planning Committee - Wednesday 17 July 2024

The Strategic Planning Committee approved an application for the demolition of the existing Volvo car showroom and the construction of 139 new homes and a new community centre on the site in Colindale. The development, which will reach a maximum height of nine storeys, has faced some opposition from local residents concerned about potential traffic congestion and the building's scale in relation to the surrounding area.

To mitigate traffic concerns, a Section 106 Agreement will see the developer contribute £60,000 towards a review of parking controls in the area. Furthermore, new residents will be prohibited from applying for parking permits, and the development will include two car club spaces.

The committee also addressed the aesthetic impact of the building's height, with the Council's Urban Design Officer stating that the development will create a distinct piece of architecture on the A5.

Finally, to align with the Mayor of London's net-zero carbon policy, the developer will contribute £38,190 to the Council's carbon offset fund.

The committee also considered the proposed redevelopment of Intec House in High Barnet, a contentious issue previously discussed in the Planning Committee A meeting on 8 April 2024.

Because the applicant, Moxon One Limited, had already appealed to the Planning Inspectorate due to non-determination, the committee was unable to make a formal decision. Instead, their role was to provide an opinion to the Planning Inspectorate.

The lack of affordable housing in the scheme was a significant point of contention, with Councillor Eva Greenspan echoing her previous concerns about the developer's proposed £75,000 off-site contribution, which she deems insufficient. In contrast, Councillor Richard Cornelius advocated for the development, citing the site's current vacant state and the potential for new homes and jobs in the borough.

Ultimately, the committee's recommendation to the Planning Inspectorate was split, highlighting the complexities of balancing development needs with community priorities.

Cabinet - Tuesday 16 July 2024

The Cabinet meeting covered a diverse array of topics, reflecting the multifaceted nature of local governance.

Finances

The council's financial status was a key point of discussion. The 2023/24 revenue budget saw an overspend of £22.181m, largely attributed to pressures within Adult Social Care, increasing temporary accommodation costs, and income shortfalls from services brought back in-house, such as Revenues and Benefits. Councillor Ammar Naqvi, in his CFO Financial Monitoring Outturn Report 202324, attributes these challenges to difficulties in staff recruitment and retention, alongside rising demand for services compounded by inflation.

Conversely, the capital programme outturn for 2023/24 was £58.786m lower than the approved budget, primarily due to project reprofiling aligned with anticipated delivery timelines.

The council also considered its business plan, particularly the budget-setting process for 2025/26, noting the government's requirement for councils to publish local productivity plans by 19 July 2024. These plans, as outlined in Councillor Naqvi's Business Planning 2025-2030 and 2024-25 Budget report, aim to identify productivity improvement opportunities and establish key implementation milestones.

Modern Slavery Strategy

Councillor Sara Conway presented a new Modern Slavery Strategy prompted by a Full Council motion passed unanimously in October 2023. This strategy signifies a proactive step towards combatting modern slavery within the borough.

Recognising the need to translate awareness into action, the strategy proposes a new referral pathway and dedicated training to equip residents and local businesses to identify and report suspected cases. This initiative emphasizes the council's commitment to safeguarding vulnerable individuals and promoting ethical practices within the community.

Arts Depot

Councillor Barry Rawlings brought forward a proposal to grant a new 50-year lease to Arts Depot, a prominent arts centre in the borough, at a peppercorn rent. This decision, as detailed in the Arts Depot - Cabinet Report -FINAL - 05 07 24, stems from Arts Depot's need to secure capital funding for essential refurbishment works.

With their current lease expiring in 2025, a long-term lease agreement is crucial for Arts Depot to demonstrate stability and secure the necessary funding. However, the peppercorn rent, significantly below the market value exceeding £2 million, necessitates approval from the Secretary of State.

This situation highlights the challenges faced by arts organisations in securing sustainable funding models and the council's role in supporting cultural institutions.

Planning Obligations SPD

The Cabinet reviewed the Draft Planning Obligations Supplementary Planning Document (SPD) (Cabinet Report for draft Planning Obligations SPD July 2024), a document outlining the council's approach to securing contributions from developers to mitigate development impacts. Replacing a 2013 document, this updated SPD aligns with current national planning policy and the new Local Plan.

As Councillor Ross Houston's report highlights, this document aims to establish a clear and consistent framework for negotiating and securing planning obligations, focusing on aspects like affordable housing, employment creation, and carbon emissions reductions.

The SPD's significance lies in its role as a material consideration in determining planning applications, demonstrating the council's commitment to sustainable and community-focused development.

Landlord Services Complaints

The meeting acknowledged the Annual Landlord Services Complaints Performance and Service Improvement Report drafted by Councillor Houston. This report details the council's statutory obligation, in line with the Housing Ombudsman’s Complaint Handling Code, to manage landlord service complaints effectively.

The report analyses complaint reasons, highlighting areas for improvement. Notably, the council has implemented a new damp and mould policy and refined its repairs procedures to enhance communication and efficiency. This continuous improvement approach demonstrates a commitment to delivering quality housing services and addressing resident concerns.

Council Motions

Three motions, previously referred from Full Council, were presented for consideration:

1. Leaving Care Covenant (1. Motion to Cabinet - Leaving Care Covenant) urging the Cabinet to collaborate with partners in supporting care-experienced young people residing in the borough.
2. Increasing Barnet’s Biodiversity (2. Motion to Cabinet - Increasing Barnets Biodiversity) advocating for biodiversity enhancement and the implementation of a comprehensive biodiversity action plan.
3. Speedy Broadband for Barnet Residents (3. Motion to Cabinet - Speedy Broadband for Barnet Residents) emphasising the need to improve broadband provision for residents.

Recognising their potential, the council agreed to incorporate these motions into the business planning process, ensuring that they receive due consideration and contribute to the borough's future development.

New Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) Policy

The meeting reviewed a revised New Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy policy (Cabinet Report - NCIL). The NCIL, a charge levied on new developments, plays a vital role in funding essential infrastructure projects, such as parks and transport improvements.

The updated policy, as explained in Councillor Houston's report, clarifies and streamlines the application process for residents, community groups, and organisations seeking funding. This revised approach aims to make the NCIL more accessible and efficient, ensuring that infrastructure investments align with community needs.

Review of the Management Agreement with Barnet Homes

The Cabinet reviewed the Management Agreement with Barnet Homes, an Arms-Length Management Organisation (ALMO) responsible for managing over 14,000 council-owned housing properties (Cabinet report - Management Agreement Review).

This agreement, initially established in 2004 and subsequently extended, outlines Barnet Homes' responsibilities, including property management and maintenance, lettings, repairs, estate services, and addressing antisocial behaviour.

The report highlighted Barnet Homes' consistent achievement of key performance indicator targets across various areas, reflecting their effectiveness in managing the council's housing stock.

Our Plan for Barnet – Delivery and Outcomes Framework

Finally, the meeting received an update on 'Our Plan for Barnet,' the council's corporate plan, focusing on its delivery and outcomes framework (Our Plan for Barnet - Delivery and Outcomes Framework EOY 2023-24).

Presented by Councillor Barry Rawlings, the report details progress across various areas, highlighting accomplishments such as:

• Barnet achieving Borough of Sanctuary status.
• Progress towards becoming a net-zero borough by 2042.
• Delivery of new affordable homes, including those within the Brent Cross regeneration scheme.
• The opening of the council's first fully inclusive play area.
• Initiatives implemented to support residents during the cost of living crisis.

Alongside these successes, the report acknowledged strategic challenges, such as staff recruitment and retention and the rising cost of service provision, factors common to many local authorities.

Barnet Children's Partnership Board - Monday 15 July 2024

The Barnet Children's Partnership Board convened to discuss a number of issues related to the educational needs of children in the borough.

Educational Standards

Neil Marlow, Chief Executive of Barnet Education and Learning Service (BELS)¹, presented a report on standards in Barnet schools during the 2022-23 academic year.

The report identified several areas for improvement in the coming academic year:

• Attendance and exclusions, particularly at primary level.
• Transition of weaker readers from primary to secondary education.
• Vocational results at Key Stage 5.
• Support for low-attaining pupils across all key stages.

The report also highlighted the council's Schools Causing Concern policy.

SEND Strategy Consultation

Karen Flanagan, Director of SEND and Inclusion, presented the draft SEND & Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy 2024-27 which had been co-produced with schools, parents, and young people.

The strategy aims to ensure children and young people with Special Educational Needs and/or Disabilities (SEND) receive timely and appropriate support. The legal framework for this is set out in the Children and Families Act 2014.²

Collaborate Project

Laurence Fox, Assistant Principal for Inclusion at St Mary's and St John’s CE School in Hendon, presented on the Collaborate Project.

Funded by John Lyon's Charity, the project provides enrichment activities and support for students in Years 8 and 9 in collaboration with Ark Against Knives, The Saracens Sports Foundation and Terapia.

Local Pension Board - Monday 15 July 2024

The Local Pension Board convened to discuss several crucial matters related to the London Borough of Barnet Local Government Pension Scheme (LGPS).

Pension Fund Risk Registers

The Board reviewed the updated Pension Fund Risk Registers, which had last been reviewed in June 2024.

Key changes included increasing the risk scores for:

• 'Failure to pay contributions' (ADM05).
• 'Failure of non-public sector employers' (ADM06).
• 'Negative media exposure and member experience' (ADM13).
• 'Signatory Lists' (INV01).
• 'Strategic Allocation' (INV04).
• 'Role of Model Portfolio' (ESG03).
• 'Record Keeping' (ACC01).
• 'Resourcing' (GEN02).

These changes reflect ongoing work to improve data quality, manage emerging risks, and ensure the long-term sustainability of the pension fund.

Data Improvement Plan and Historical Leavers

The board reviewed the progress of the data improvement plan being implemented by West Yorkshire Pension Fund (WYPF). Significant progress has been made since January 2024, with the number of data items needing review and correction decreasing from 28,500 to 6,650. Despite maintaining acceptable scores for common data, WYPF aims to achieve at least a 90% score for conditional data by year's end.

WYPF's efforts have also focused on addressing the backlog of historical leaver cases, successfully reducing the number from 1,950 to 224 since January 2024.

Decisions made by the Pension Fund Committee

The Board confirmed the Pension Fund Committee's adherence to the Local Government Pension Scheme Regulations 2013 in its decision-making processes.

Notably, the council had requested a review of pension contributions in November 2023 due to its financial position. Specialist legal advice deemed the existing contribution review policy inadequate, leading to its revision and amendment following a stakeholder consultation. Consequently, the Pension Fund Committee, acting on legal and actuarial advice, agreed to adjust contribution rates at its Extraordinary meeting on 1 February 2024.

Administration Performance Report and Update on Other Administration and Legislative Matters

WYPF continues to process a significant volume of cases, approximately 900 per month, and successfully met its Key Performance Indicator targets for 90% of those cases in May 2024.

Efforts to encourage member engagement with the WYPF My Pension online portal are ongoing, with varying registration rates across active members, deferred members, and pensioners.

The board was also updated on various administrative and legislative developments:

• Hymans Robertson's recent review of Additional Voluntary Contributions (AVC) providers.
• The issuance of 2023 Annual Benefit Statements and preparation for the 2024 statements.
• The upcoming launch of the next phase of WYPF's automated Defined Benefit process.
• WYPF's preparations to connect to the pensions dashboard ecosystem by the September 2025 deadline, following the signing of their contract with their chosen provider, Bravura.
• Contribution collection updates, including challenges faced with employers failing to make payments or providing inconsistent returns.
• The Pension Team's proactive engagement with members through face-to-face 'surgeries' at the council's Colindale offices and visits to schools.
• WYPF's website and My Pension online portal redesign initiatives.
• The implications of The Pensions Regulator (TPR)'s new General Code of Practice, effective 27 March 2024, and the Pension Team's ongoing assessment and training plans.

Knowledge and Understanding

The board emphasized the importance of maintaining up-to-date knowledge of the LGPS and encouraged members to utilize resources like the Hymans Robertson online training platform (“LGPS Online Learning Academy (LOLA)”).

Committee Work Programme

The board acknowledged the work programme for 2023 to 2024.

Other Meetings

The following meetings also took place over the past week:

• Employment Sub-Committee - Thursday 18 July 2024 - This meeting focused on the appointment of a Director of Public Health for Barnet Council.
• Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 18 July 2024 - No video or transcript was made available for this meeting.

This week's meetings underscore the breadth of issues tackled by Barnet Council, ranging from planning and development to education, social services, and financial management. By engaging with these updates, residents can gain a deeper understanding of local governance and contribute to a more informed and engaged citizenry.

This week, Barnet Council met twice to discuss a range of issues.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee

The Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on Wednesday 10 July 2024 discussed the future of two major projects: the proposed North London Business Park (NLBP) and the sale of land at Pinkham Way.

North London Business Park

Councillors raised concerns about the financial viability of the NLBP project in light of rising construction costs. Despite a report suggesting that the project may now only return £1.5m to the council over its lifetime – significantly less than the £6m profit anticipated in the original 2022 business case – the committee voted to proceed with the project, pending agreement on a revised financial model.

The committee also debated the use of Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)¹ receipts to support the project. While some councillors argued that the project's economic benefits warranted CIL funding, others expressed reservations, citing the council's policy to prioritise projects that lack alternative funding sources. Ultimately, the committee decided to formally assess the NLBP's eligibility for CIL funding.

Pinkham Way

The committee also discussed the controversial decision to sell land at Pinkham Way to logistics company Segro PLC, a decision that has been met with resistance from local residents concerned about the loss of green space.

Several committee members voiced their disappointment that the sale, which aligns with the site's employment designation in the council's Local Plan, was approved without their scrutiny. While officers defended the Cabinet's decision-making authority, concerns about the lack of affordable workspace provision in the development plans prompted the committee to request a detailed report exploring potential solutions. This echoes previous instances of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee requesting further information on controversial planning decisions, demonstrating the committee's role in holding the Cabinet to account and ensuring transparency in decision-making processes.

Council

The full Council met on Tuesday 09 July 2024 and made a number of decisions.

Highways Licence Fee Changes

The council voted to increase fees for skip, scaffold, and hoarding licences, despite opposition from the Federation of Master Builders who argued that the increases would place an undue burden on local businesses. The council justified the decision on the grounds that it would ensure developers contribute their fair share to highway maintenance costs. They also noted that the new fees would be more in line with those charged by neighbouring boroughs. This decision reflects the council's ongoing efforts to balance its budget while maintaining essential services, a recurring theme in council discussions.

Barnet's Capital Strategy

The council reviewed and noted the updated capital strategy for 2024-2025, a requirement of the Local Government Act 2003². Key changes to the capital programme include a £10 million budget increase for the redevelopment of Brent Cross Shopping Centre.³ The council also received the Annual Report of GARMS (General Fund Asset Review and Management Strategy) 2023-2024.

Other Business

The council also:

• Noted the Overview and Scrutiny Committee's Annual Report 2023-24 and Work Programme 2024-25.
• Approved updates to its contract procedure rules to improve clarity, consistency, and incorporate best practices.
• Approved a new Members’ Allowances Scheme for 2024-2025, as developed by the Independent Remuneration Panel.
• Received a deputation from Ark Franklin academy regarding plans for a new Multi Use Games Area (MUGA) and local residents' concerns about potential noise and light pollution. This example highlights the council's role in mediating between the needs of different stakeholders in the community.

Other Meetings

The following meetings also took place this week:

• Licensing and General Purposes Committee, Monday 08 July 2024: This meeting discussed a range of licensing-related matters. More details of this meeting are included below.
• Safer Communities Partnership Board, Friday 12 July 2024: This meeting covered the performance of the Safer Communities Partnership, crime statistics, and the Community Safety Plan. More details of this meeting are included below.
• Joint Health Overview and Scrutiny Committee, Monday 08 July 2024: This meeting was postponed.

Licensing and General Purposes Committee - 08 July 2024

The Licensing and General Purposes Committee meeting on Monday 08 July 2024 focused on two main topics: the council's performance in managing licenses and the approval of a new street trading policy.

Street Trading Policy

The committee reviewed and subsequently approved a new Street Trading Policy for Barnet, following a public consultation that garnered 151 responses. The policy, which outlines permissible trading locations, goods, and the council's management process, introduces three categories of street trading consent: Consent Streets, Licensed Streets, and Market Streets.

• Consent Streets: Traders can operate freely without a specific council license, subject to compliance with the policy's general guidelines.
• Licensed Streets: Traders must obtain a license from the council, with the policy specifying the number of licenses available per location.
• Market Streets: The council grants a license to an external organization, such as a business improvement district, to manage street trading in a designated area.

The policy defines trading as any activity conducted on a street or open space for profit or in connection with a business, including activities like:

• Selling goods or services
• Advertising
• Fundraising

It also clarifies that certain activities, like licensed taxi services and house-to-house collections with appropriate permits, are not considered trading under the policy. The new policy allows the council to establish byelaws regulating street trading in specific locations, for example, by setting rules for trading hours or permitted goods in a particular area.

You can read the new policy here: Appendix 1 - Draft street trading Policy 2024 - 2029 post consultation

Licensing Service Performance

The committee also reviewed the council's performance in managing its licensing functions. While the report highlighted the council's overall efficiency in processing applications within statutory deadlines, it acknowledged a backlog in responding to licensing applications for major new developments within the 15-day target. The report attributed this delay to the increasing complexity of these applications, which often require additional information and review before a decision can be made.

You can read the full performance report here: Licensing Annual Performance Committee Report - for clearance

Safer Communities Partnership Board - 12 July 2024

The Safer Communities Partnership Board meeting on 12 July 2024 reviewed the partnership's performance, discussed crime statistics, and received updates on the Antisocial Behaviour Team and the Community Safety Plan.

Performance and Crime Statistics

The board reviewed the year-to-date performance of the Safer Communities Partnership, noting an encouraging 5% reduction in overall crime rates compared to the same period last year. This achievement was attributed to the collaborative efforts of the partnership and its proactive initiatives. However, concern was expressed regarding an increase in domestic burglaries within the Church End ward. Superintendent Caroline Berry of Colindale Police Station assured the board that additional resources were being deployed to address this issue, including increased patrols and a dedicated focus from the burglary squad.

Antisocial Behaviour Team Update

The board also received an update on the Antisocial Behaviour Team's activities, which revealed a significant increase in noise nuisance cases. To address this concern, Councillor Ann John, the lead member for Community Safety, announced plans for a public awareness campaign to educate residents about noise pollution and responsible behaviour. The council will also collaborate with landlords and managing agents to address noise complaints in private rented properties. This initiative demonstrates the council's commitment to responding to resident concerns and improving quality of life in the borough.

Community Safety Plan

The board reviewed progress on the Community Safety Plan, a comprehensive framework adopted in July 2023 that outlines how the council, police, and other partners work together to enhance community safety. Councillor Daniel Thomas, the Leader of the Council, emphasized the importance of collaborative partnerships in achieving the plan's objectives. The board acknowledged the successful implementation of various initiatives, including CCTV installation in a local park and the expansion of the Neighbourhood Watch scheme.

This week's meetings showcased the council's ongoing efforts to manage growth and development, address resident concerns, and ensure the efficient operation of essential services. By staying informed about council proceedings, residents can actively engage in local democracy and contribute to shaping their community's future.

This week, the Barnet Council held several meetings, with some notable decisions made by the Planning Committee (New). Here’s a detailed breakdown of what was discussed and decided:

Planning Committee (New) - Tuesday 25 June 2024

The Planning Committee (New) approved three significant planning applications and discussed several others. Here are the key decisions and discussions:

79-83 High Road London N2 8AD

The committee approved the demolition of the existing two-storey building at 79-83 High Road and the erection of a part three/part four-storey building to provide 8 self-contained flats. The new building will comprise 3 one-bedroom and 5 two-bedroom flats, with associated landscaping, refuse, and cycle storage.

Despite local residents' concerns about the loss of light and privacy, the committee found that the development was in line with the council's policies to optimise housing delivery in suitable locations.

5-7 Wykeham Road

The committee also approved the demolition of the existing semi-detached dwellings at 5-7 Wykeham Road and the construction of a part three/part four-storey building with 6 self-contained flats. This proposal had been reduced from an initial 7 flats, which also reduced the amount payable to the council in lieu of providing affordable housing.

The committee acknowledged both the support and concerns from residents but decided that the benefits of providing new homes outweighed any potential drawbacks.

2 Foxwood Close

A single-storey rear extension at 2 Foxwood Close was also approved with little discussion, as it was considered a small-scale development in keeping with the character of the surrounding area.

Belmont Nursery School

The committee considered a pre-application for converting a former nursery on East Barnet Road into 9 flats. Concerns were raised about the loss of a community facility and the lack of affordable housing. The committee provided feedback to the applicant for further consideration.

Tudor Court, 2 Crewys Road

A variation of a condition attached to a previously approved application for a three-storey building at Tudor Court, 2 Crewys Road was deferred. The applicant sought to amend the design of the balconies, but the committee decided to visit the site before making a decision.

Land to Rear of 18-20 Russell Gardens, London

A pre-application for a three-storey building with 6 flats at the rear of 18-20 Russell Gardens was discussed. Councillor Paul Convery and residents raised concerns about noise, disturbance, and parking problems. Feedback was provided to the applicant.

130 Hendon Lane London

The committee provided pre-application advice for demolishing an existing bungalow at 130 Hendon Lane and constructing a part three-storey, part four-storey building with 6 flats. Concerns included overlooking, privacy, traffic, and the impact on the area's character.

Other Meetings

• The Cabinet meeting scheduled for Monday 24 June 2024 was cancelled.
• The Strategic Planning Committee scheduled for Wednesday 26 June 2024 was postponed.
• The Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) scheduled for Thursday 27 June 2024 was postponed.
• The Schools Forum held on Wednesday 26 June 2024 did not provide a video or transcript.

This week’s meetings highlight the council's ongoing efforts to balance development with community concerns, particularly around housing and local amenities. Keep an eye on future updates for more developments in Barnet.