The Overview and Scrutiny Committee of Barnet Council met on Thursday 16 July 2026 to discuss a range of important issues affecting the borough. Key decisions included the referral of the Hendon Parklet petition to Cabinet for a report, and the agreement of the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2026-27. The committee also received updates on the Safer Communities Partnership Board's annual report, the council's delivery and outcomes framework, and the progress of various Task and Finish Groups.

Hendon Parklet Petition Referred to Cabinet

A petition signed by 522 Barnet residents calling for the removal of parklets on Brent Street, Hendon, was discussed. Concerns were raised about the parklets attracting anti-social behaviour and their impact on parking demand, particularly with new residential developments and increased demand from businesses. Councillor Alex Prager presented the petition, highlighting that over 88% of signatories were Hendon ward residents living within a mile of the location. The committee agreed to ask for a report to be prepared for the Cabinet meeting in September, recommending consideration of the removal of the parklets.

Safer Communities Partnership Board Annual Report 2025-26

The committee received the annual report from the Safer Communities Partnership Board (SCPB), detailing work undertaken against the Community Safety Strategy 2022-27. Councillor Sara Conway, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, highlighted efforts in combating hate crime and antisemitism, particularly in response to global events and their local impact. The report detailed a £500,000 investment in policing and community cohesion following antisemitic events. Police reported 14 arrests during a specific event in Edgware, and efforts to tackle hate crime, including antisemitic and Islamophobic offences, were discussed. The effectiveness of Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) was noted, with four new PSPOs implemented in December 2025 to address issues such as pigeon feeding, loitering, and unauthorised fires in green spaces. The report also detailed the 'Clear, Hold, Build' initiative on the Grahame Park Estate, which has seen significant reductions in crime and ASB. CCTV improvements were highlighted, with 70% of incidents being proactively captured. The report also covered work on domestic abuse and violence against women and girls (VAWG), including the establishment of the Barnet Domestic Abuse Support Hub (BDASH) and the expansion of the Safe Havens network.

Our Plan for Barnet - Delivery and Outcomes Framework, End of Year (EOY) 2025-26 Report

Councillor Barry Rawlings, Leader of the Council, presented the End of Year report on 'Our Plan for Barnet'. The report indicated that out of 87 indicators with a baseline, 41 had improved, 15 remained the same, and 23 had worsened. The 'Family friendly' and 'Journey to net zero' themes performed well, with 85% and 86% of indicators improving or remaining the same respectively. However, the 'Reducing poverty' theme performed less well, with six out of eight indicators worsening. The report also noted that 31 indicators were benchmarked against London and England averages, with 25 performing better or in line with peers. Questions were raised about the methodology for measuring smoking cessation, leisure centre visits, and adult activity levels. The council is also beginning to measure planning commissions for affordable housing internally from April 2026 due to past data unreliability. Council tax and business rates collection rates were identified as areas for improvement, with a new contract aiming to address this. EV charging installation targets were missed, with 500 installed against a 1,000 target, attributed partly to planning considerations.

Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme 2026-27

Fiona Rae, Overview and Scrutiny Manager, presented the proposed work programme for the upcoming year. The committee discussed the need to include budget scrutiny, with a proposal to involve vice-chairs and chairs in this process. The work programme will remain flexible to accommodate ad hoc items.

Task and Finish Group Updates

The committee received updates on the progress of Task and Finish Groups. The Young Carers and Fostering Task and Finish Groups had concluded their investigations and presented recommendations to Cabinet, which were accepted. There were no active reviews at the time of the meeting, but proposals for new groups were noted for the upcoming year.

Cabinet Forward Plan (Key Decision Schedule)

The Cabinet Forward Plan for 2026-27 was presented, noting that it was not fully populated due to recent local elections. The committee noted the plan and agreed to consider the Daws Lane and Mill Hill Library Options Appraisal at the September meeting for pre-decision scrutiny.

Other Matters

The committee also noted the minutes of the previous meeting, confirmed there were no absences or declarations of interest, and received a public question regarding the 'Great Israeli Real Estate Event' in Edgware. The police confirmed that 14 arrests were made during the event and encouraged victims of crime to report directly to them. The council and partners are working on tackling antisemitism and promoting cohesion, with difficult conversations being addressed in schools and communities.

The London Fire Brigade provided an update on their work, including a new Deputy Assistant Commissioner for the North West area and plans to sign up all four fire stations to the Safer Havens project. Key risk areas identified for Barnet include road traffic collisions, accidental dwelling fires, and carbon monoxide incidents. The Fire Brigade is also targeting school groups, particularly within the orthodox Jewish community, to deliver educational programmes and has implemented a dedicated system for home safety risk assessments and smoke alarm installations for Jewish and Iranian communities.

The Integrated Care Board (ICB) assured the committee that statutory safeguarding responsibilities were being discharged effectively, with continued close work with the Barnet Safeguarding Adults Board, Children's Safeguarding Partnership, and wider community safety partners. A multi-agency thematic audit highlighted significant unmet mental health and neurodevelopmental needs among young people involved in the youth justice system.

Public Health provided an update on the Combating Drugs Partnership, noting an increase in drug misuse deaths in London and Barnet. Work is ongoing to reduce drug-related harms, including a refreshed synthetic opioid preparedness plan and a drug and alcohol death review panel. The service is also focusing on children in care and their higher risk of drug use, with specific workstreams including training for staff and drop-in sessions in children's homes.

Family Services presented their Youth Justice update, highlighting strong performance in reducing reoffending and first-time entrants, and a sustained zero custody rate. Areas for improvement include consistency and timeliness of case recording.

The Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025-26 was presented, summarising the committee's activities and achievements. The report will be presented to full council.

The meeting concluded with the Chair thanking everyone for their contributions.