The Council of the London Borough of Barnet convened on Tuesday 20 October 2026, addressing a range of significant issues including a declaration of a gambling harms emergency, opposition to the draft London Plan, and constitutional amendments. The meeting also featured tributes to former councillors and a former Reverend, alongside discussions on financial management, community safety, and the council's work programme.

Declaring a Gambling Harms Emergency

The council declared a gambling harms emergency in Barnet, committing to develop a comprehensive strategy to tackle the issue. This strategy will involve a joined-up approach across licensing, planning, public health, community safety, schools, debt advice, and resident support services. The council also welcomed the introduction of Gambling Impact Assessments and urged the government to implement them promptly. Furthermore, Barnet Council will review its advertising and sponsorship policies to prevent the normalisation or promotion of gambling and will write to the Gambling Commission to challenge its hands-off approach to local licensing, advocating for greater community and elected representative influence. The council also pledged to continue working with national campaigns for a new Gambling Act that prioritises public health.

Opposition to the Draft London Plan

The council expressed strong opposition to the draft London Plan, deeming it the wrong plan for Barnet. Concerns were raised about the disproportionately high housing target for Barnet, the proposed release of Green Belt land, the skewing of planning rules towards small flats, and the imposition of anti-car measures. The council resolved to call on the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan, to revise the plan, relieve Barnet of its unrealistic housing target, remove the Green Belt component, eliminate anti-car measures, and address viability issues in inner London rather than pushing targets onto suburban boroughs. Additionally, the council called on the Labour government to revise its national housing targets, which are seen as driving the imposition of inappropriate targets on suburban local planning authorities like Barnet.

Constitutional Amendments and Administrative Matters

The council approved several constitutional amendments and administrative changes. These included updating the Constitution to reflect legislative changes in planning, particularly the removal of councillors' rights to call in planning applications under new national regulations. The council also agreed to delegate authority to the Chief Executive to designate an interim Section 151 Officer while permanent recruitment is underway. Changes to committee memberships, outside body nominations, and the calendar of meetings for 2027-28 were also approved. Additionally, Councillor Richard Barnes was noted as the Nominated Member for Planning, as required by the new national planning scheme of delegation.

Tributes to Former Colleagues and Community Figures

The meeting began with heartfelt tributes to former councillors Geoff Cook, Anita Campbell, and Rosemary Thorpe Tracey, acknowledging their significant contributions to public service and the borough. Tributes were also paid to Reverend Bernd Kostland, MBE, for his lifelong dedication to Holocaust remembrance and interfaith work, and to Miss Rosemary Thorpe Tracey, whose work on social services legislation had a lasting impact. The council also extended condolences to the people of Nepal and Tibet following devastating flash floods and landslides, with Councillors Kamal Karang and Natcha Karang sharing personal reflections.

Financial Management and Treasury Outturn

The council noted the Treasury Management Outturn Report for 2025/26, which detailed the council's borrowing position and investment activities. Total borrowing increased to £1.317 billion, with a significant portion funded by external borrowing due to capital expenditure. The report highlighted the council's efforts to manage low cash balances and a volatile interest rate environment, demonstrating the treasury management function's adaptability. The Local Pension Board's Annual Report for 2025/26 was also noted, outlining the board's work in overseeing the pension fund's administration and compliance.

Community Safety and Cohesion

The council discussed the use of £500,000 in government funding allocated to support community cohesion in Barnet. Councillor Sara Conway (Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Community Cohesion, and Ending Violence Against Women and Girls) provided an update on how this funding is being used to tackle hate crime and promote cohesion. Work includes co-producing initiatives with Muslim and Jewish communities, updating hate crime literature based on feedback, and strengthening links with organisations like the Community Security Trust (CST) and the British Muslim Trust. The council also hosted a session on the impact of antisemitism in schools and acknowledged the challenging times faced by the borough since October 2023.

Other Motions and Reports

Several other motions were debated and voted upon, including:

• VAT Relief for Repairs to Community Buildings: The council resolved to write to HM Treasury urging the introduction of a VAT exemption for repairs and refurbishment of community buildings.
• Twinning Partnership with Haifa: The council agreed to explore a twinning relationship with the City of Haifa, Israel, focusing on cooperation in healthcare, education, and interfaith best practices.
• PATHWAYS Puberty Blocker Clinical Trial: A motion to not ordinarily support, promote, nominate, or refer looked-after children for participation in the PATHWAYS Trial or similar clinical trials involving puberty-suppressing hormones was debated, with the decision referred to the Executive.
• Noah's Ark Hospice: The council resolved to congratulate Noah's Ark Hospice on its 20th anniversary for its support to children and families.
• Fast Food Outlets: The council resolved to support the Obesity Health Alliance's campaign to curtail the over-proliferation of fast-food outlets and write to the Secretary of State for Housing and Local Government.

Reports were also received and noted on the Overview and Scrutiny Work Programme for 2026-27 and the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report for 2025-26. The council also approved the salary packages for several senior posts and delegated authority to the Chief Executive to designate an interim Section 151 Officer.