Councillor Alex Prager

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Thursday 27th November, 2025 7.00 pm - 27 November 2025

Councillor Alex Prager (Hendon) actively participated in the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) meeting on November 27, 2025, primarily during the discussion of the Treasury Management Update. She raised concerns about the sustainability of the council's borrowing practices, questioning whether officers believed the current pace was sustainable.

thank you I have a few questions if I may um I'd love to understand you from officers as to whether they believe the current pace of borrowing is sustainable cannot so in respect of so the under the um prudential framework prudential framework for borrowing we need to assure ourselves that borrowing is the state is prudent and affordable and insofar as all of our borrowing in the capital program aligns to capital projects it absolutely is so far as borrowing is being undertaken to support exceptional financial support which there is 55.7 million which is I mean that is the upper end we're hoping not to draw down on all of it um that is definitely a short-term gap I in in my section 25 report for budget council make it really clear that it is not sustainable long term and so so I think two parts to that question when you're asking us if the debt is sustainable insofar as it aligns to the capital program is either producing assets or housing or infrastructure um it is insofar as it is supporting exceptional financial support that is absolutely not a long-term solution and so you know we're hoping in the budget paper that we bring forward this year and next year um there are more um more plans on how we can get to a financial financially sustainable uh footing which does not rely on efs thank you anisa

She further inquired about the implications of the borrowing on the revenue budget and the MTFS, expressing concern that the borrowing was spiraling .

so what what are the implications on the revenue budget or the mtfs impact of all the borrowing because clearly the I think it's generally accepted that capital borrowing is acceptable because it's clearly marked against projects that are being that that the borrowing is is being carried out for. You mentioned the 57 million top level but my reading of the report that implies that there's significant extra borrowing being forecasted so 79 million for the general fund 49 million for the hra 34 million refinancing 56 million for capitalization direction like it's spot i use the word spiraling earlier and I don't think it's a dramatic term so in your view what are the implications to the impact on the mtfs or the revenue budget as the as the borrowing continues

Councillor Prager also questioned the contingency plans in place should interest rates not fall as forecasted.

I did have one more question which I personally wouldn't say was would introduce it as a stupid question but I actually haven't spoken to councillors in can in advance of this meeting um just to understand what the contingency is if there is one if interest if interest rates don't fall to the levels that are forecasted

Finally, she raised a question regarding the council's choice of treasury advisor, specifically asking about the reason for using a Japanese bank (MUFG).

it's slightly off being because I'm clear the decision was made before this meeting but is there a specific reason why our major advisor in this is a japanese bank

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 13th November, 2025 7.00 pm - 13 November 2025

Alex Prager (Councillor, Hendon) was present at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting. Cllr Prager commented on the late circulation of the addendum:

Council - Tuesday 21st October, 2025 7.00 pm - 21 October 2025

Alex Prager sent apologies for absence from the Council meeting on October 21, 2025. However, the reports pack indicates that Alex Prager was present at the Council meeting on July 8, 2025, and offered tributes along with Councillor Vourou.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 11th September, 2025 7.00 pm - 11 September 2025

Councillor Alex Prager (Hendon) actively participated in the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting, contributing to discussions on Violence Against Women and Girls (VAWG) and community safety. Regarding VAWG, Prager highlighted the online space as the theme for the upcoming 16 days of combating VAWG, mentioning a related planning meeting and ongoing conversations with schools and safeguarding. They also inquired about how the VAWG strategy addresses the damaging narratives young people are exposed to on social media.

Prager strongly condemned hate crime, particularly the targeting of synagogues, emphasizing the council's zero tolerance policy and collaboration with police, CST, and local representatives. They affirmed that events elsewhere do not justify targeting local communities and acknowledged the challenging time for the borough. Prager addressed concerns about communication regarding incidents, assuring that partner releases are circulated and ward councillors should be informed. They supported keeping councillors informed and involved in safety concerns within their wards, highlighting the importance of council support for councillors dealing with serious incidents. They also mentioned community safety pop-up hubs, ward walks, and the council's outreach efforts. They thanked Art Against Knives and Youth Realities for their work with young people and gave a shout out to Youth Realities for their program funded by the Evening Standards, working with year nines in schools, offering to circulate information to councillors. They also mentioned working with CGL to provide training sessions with housing associations to help spot issues related to domestic abuse, drugs, and addiction. Prager noted the council's continued funding of the hate crime and prevent coordinator post despite the absence of government funding and emphasized the proactive approach to policing and enforcement in the borough. They also echoed that the Safer Communities Partnership Board Annual Report was a good, thorough report and that it was nice to see the feedback from service users.

So just picking up what Councillor Cornelius was saying, we've got the strategic document, but we are already moving forward on a lot of practical work.

So I really want to underline that this is a very practical team that, yes, we've done a strategy, but we've been trying to move forward already on some of the key issues.

Yeah, just to echo, I think it's a really good, thorough report, and it's really nice to see the feedback from service users on, you know, how they feel that they've interacted with those services and how supported they've been. So, it's really good to see that.

I was just wondering, because there's not much mention about sort of smartphones and social media, and we know, especially with young people, are very exposed to quite damaging narratives about relationships and towards women, and I just wonder what the strategy can do to take into account that we need to challenge, I mean, those narratives that a lot of our young people, and a lot of our everybody is seeing on social media in terms of what a respectful relationship is, and, you know, trying to discourage those quite damaging images a lot of our young people see. I mean, we know that, unfortunately, a lot of us are now exposed to quite inappropriate images and websites around that, and I'm just wondering what we're doing, sort of work that Ian Jones can have on people in terms of violence against women and girls. Thanks very much.

...actually the online space is the theme for this year's 16 days of combating VORG that comes up in November and December.

We had a VORG planning meeting quite early one morning this week and started talking about those issues.

There's also been conversations and dialogue we've had with the whole schools network and safeguarding on that as well.

I think also I'd like to give a shout out for Youth Realities, who have got a programme funded by the Evening Standard, working with Year 9s, that I know have been into some schools already in the borough. So, I'm sure we can circulate that to all councillors for schools in your wards.

I'd like to start by saying that obviously with the events going on at the moment, where synagogues, et cetera, have been targeted in our borough, that there is no tolerance whatsoever in this borough for hate crime against any of our communities, particularly something so disgusting and abhorrent. I'm sure we're all united in that.

There is nothing going on anywhere else in the world that gives anybody reason to target any of our local communities in any way like this at all. So, I really firmly wanted to put that on record.

Council - Tuesday 8th July, 2025 7.00 pm - 8 July 2025

Councillor Alex Prager, representing Hendon, participated in a discussion regarding a deputation about EV charging points. She questioned whether the Cabinet Member for the Environment was implementing EV charging points across the borough without proper consultation with ward councillors and residents. She used Temple Fortune as an example, stating that EV chargers had been installed extensively, causing parking difficulties for residents, including those with blue badges, and highlighting the lack of consultation.

Overview and Scrutiny Committee - Thursday 12th June, 2025 7.00 pm - 12 June 2025

Alex Prager was present as a Member at the Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting on June 12, 2025. However, the available documents do not indicate that they spoke or took any specific actions during the meeting.

Planning Committee - Monday 9th June, 2025 7.00 pm - 9 June 2025

Alex Prager, Ward Councillor for Hendon, spoke in support of agenda items 6 and 7, concerning the rear of 39 Alexandra Road. He had called in item 6 to the planning committee, stating:

If officers are minded to refuse this application, I would like to call it in to the planning committee as the proposed development is a vital community asset and the increase in height at its extremities has no material effect on any neighbouring amenity.

Prager thanked the Chair and Committee for allowing him back and for supporting the community asset at the last committee meeting. He emphasized that the application is for a community asset that the community relies on and has received no objections from neighbors, despite the officer's concerns about neighboring amenities. He believed the application fits in with the local area. He reiterated that the committee unanimously agreed to approve the application at the last meeting, but it was brought back due to a change in the constitution. He clarified that the building supports a voluntary charity that helps prepare recently deceased bodies for burial and estimated that the charity and site have been operating for 20-30 years, possibly over 30 years, without issues.

Prager also expressed surprise that the item was being re-heard from the beginning, stating:

I was informed by planning officers that this item was coming back this evening. I was not informed that it was being re-heard from the beginning, with the opportunity for myself as the ward councillor, as well as any other people involved in the application, to speak. So, I came literally tonight to observe the meeting, as opposed to partake in the meeting, although, as the chair may know, I never hold back. I'm happy to take part in the meeting, but that was very much not communicated at all.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Wednesday 21st May, 2025 7.00 pm - 21 May 2025

Alex Prager was present at the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) meeting on May 21, 2025. The reports pack also indicates their presence at GARMS meetings on February 10, 2025, and January 29, 2025. However, there is no record of Councillor Prager speaking or taking any specific action during any of these meetings.

Annual Council - Tuesday 20th May, 2025 7.00 pm - 20 May 2025

Alex Prager, a Conservative Councillor, was present at the Annual Council meeting on May 20, 2025. During the roll call vote for the Budget and Council Tax for 2025/26 and the Medium Term Financial Strategy (MTFS) 2025-30, Councillor Prager voted against the proposal.

Planning Committee - Monday 12th May, 2025 7.00 pm - 12 May 2025

Councillor Alex Prager, representing Hendon, actively participated in the Planning Committee meeting, primarily focusing on planning applications six and seven (25/0111/FUL and 25/0110/FUL) concerning a charity seeking to upgrade its building at the rear of 39 Alexandra Road. She called in application 25/0111/FUL to the committee, stating that the proposed development is a vital community asset and the increase in height has no material effect on any neighboring amenity. She spoke on both applications together, emphasizing the charity's 30+ year presence on the site and the health and safety reasons driving the upgrades. She clarified that the upgrades would not change the operation or adversely impact neighboring amenities, noting the absence of neighbor objections. She explained that the charity's purpose is to prepare the bodies of deceased people for burial. She argued that the Barnet PSED should be a positive material consideration. She also stated that the proposed building was not out of character with the local area.

During questioning, she clarified that the intention was to improve health and safety and support volunteers, not to increase the volume of work. She explained the charity's process, including the ritual washing of the deceased. She stated that the improved facilities would expedite the process and potentially involve fewer individuals. She also mentioned that the community served by the charity extends beyond Hendon. When asked about the lack of supporting comments, she suggested that support is often less vocal than objections and that the Jewish community would likely be supportive. When asked about the effect of refusal, she stated that it would make it difficult for the charity's volunteers to carry out their work, and shared a personal experience of using the charity after her grandmother passed away. She also mentioned that she lived near the site and was unaware of its existence, and that the work is carried out discreetly.

Yes, please, Chair. I'll speak on six and seven together, if that's all right.

in one line, it prepares the bodies of deceased people for burial.

If officers are minded to refuse this application, I would like to call it in to the planning committee as the proposed development is a vital community asset and the increase in height at its extremities has no material effect on any neighbouring amenity.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Monday 10th February, 2025 7.00 pm, NEW - 10 February 2025

Alex Prager acknowledged the difficult situation the council faces due to staff and political changes, giving credit to the team for moving in the right direction. He reflected on the borrowing strategy, stating that in hindsight, the council should have externalized borrowing when interest rates were low (around 2%) instead of relying on internal cash reserves. He admitted not being a financial expert but emphasized the importance of learning from the situation and strategically adapting to a changing world, particularly in light of unpredictable policy decisions by foreign leaders. He also seconded a thank you to Georgina and Mr. Langston for their service to Barnet.

Um, for this one, you know, obviously a difficult situation. Um, is there more we could be doing, you know, there's been a period of flux with not only staff changes, but also political changes as well. So, you know, credit to the team for, you know, moving in and what looks like the right direction for.

Um, it's a, it's a really, really good question just in terms of should we have externalized the borrowing at the time when interest rates were 2% versus using high cash reserves as internal borrowing. Um, and the answer obviously in hindsight is yes, because the two things happen together interest rate increasing and reserve decreasing at the same time.

Well, I'm, I'm very much not a financial expert, but you know, just in terms of taking a strategic view on it, whether we can take lessons from it. Um, you know, I don't think even Liz Truss or Liz Truss coming. So, you know, who knew that was going to happen? Um, maybe the letters did, but, um, yeah, and moving to the second point, you know, what more can we be doing as officers, as counsellors in order to support each other and moving towards a position where we're not having to, it's, it's a changing world with, uh, policy being made by, you know, senior foreign leaders on the hoofs and, you know, how do we protect ourselves best? It's probably the crux of the question. I think that was a rhetorical question for now.

Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) - Wednesday 29th January, 2025 7.00 pm, NEW - 29 January 2025

Councillor Alex Prager attended the Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committee (GARMS) meeting on January 29, 2025. During the meeting, Prager raised a technical question regarding the implementation of IFRS, noting that it seemed to be a delayed process.

Thanks. Mike, just a very small technical question. Nicholas, you mentioned that you're only just implementing IFRS. That happened over the last five, six, seven years.

Prager further elaborated on the timeline and potential reasons for the delay, referencing Adrian George for technical details and questioning if there was a previous requirement for implementation.

Yeah. So, initially there was, I think because of, Adrian George might be able to tell us a bit more technically. So, initially it was supposed to be the same as private sector accounts. I can't remember, 29, 19, 20 or 20, 21, but because of various issues and complexities and it's just taking time and it just keeps getting moved back. I don't think, Adrian George... Was there not a requirement to have implemented it at some point?

After receiving information, Prager acknowledged the response.

Good to know. Keep on top of these bulletins, clearly. Thank you.