Councillor Paul Lemon

Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Tuesday 18th March, 2025 7.00 pm

The Children's Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee met to discuss education outcomes for children in Barnet. The meeting commended the achievements made in education and agreed to the recommendations set out in the reports on Educational Standards and Special Educational Needs. The committee also discussed a proposal to bring all Alternative Provision services together under one umbrella, which will be considered further at the Cabinet meeting in May.

Budget Council, Council - Tuesday 4th March, 2025 7.00 pm

The Council agreed to adopt the new Local Plan, approved the 2025/26 budget and the associated 4.98% rise in Council Tax, and appointed Cath Shaw as the new Chief Executive.

Council - Tuesday 28th January, 2025 7.00 pm

The Council of Barnet Council met on Tuesday 28 January 2025. The meeting started with tributes to Councillor Eva Greenspan, and former Councillors Usha Chopra and Joe Lee who had all sadly passed away. The council then adopted the [Joint Report of the Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer (section 151 Officer)][Council cover report 28 January 2025], which detailed unlawful payments that had been made to, and from the Barnet Pension Fund. The Council delegated to the Pension Fund and Governance, Audit, Risk Management and Standards Committees the task of establishing the best way to rectify these unlawful payments, and delegated authority to the Chief Executive, in consultation with the Monitoring Officer and Chief Finance Officer, to put those steps into effect. The council also noted the appointment of Alexa, Alina, Zahra, and Shama from Copthall Girls School to speak about the 60th anniversary of the London Borough of Barnet.

Children and Education Overview and Scrutiny Sub-Committee - Wednesday 22nd January, 2025 7.00 pm

The Committee accepted all of the recommendations made in the Barnet Safeguarding Children Partnership – Addendum to Annual Report 2023/24, the Complaints and Compliments Annual Report 2023-24 and the Family Services Quarterly Update. It also agreed to take forward an action to engage with the Barnet Youth Parliament.

East Area Committee - Tuesday 21st January, 2025 7.00 pm

The meeting discussed funding requests made by Councillors and an update on the Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (NCIL) budget. The committee approved a request for funding for a food growing project in Hollickwood Park. The remaining three funding applications made by Councillors were rejected.