East Barnet Ward is for the most part a pleasant place.  Talking to local people it is obvious that the quiet, green, residential nature of our area is much appreciated.  Many of you describe the area as having an attractive ‘village’ feel retaining a sense of community, and that we are all lucky to live in an area with such welcoming and civil neighbours! 

However, our area faces a number of problems and threats which we need to address including:

  • Inappropriate Development;
  • Threat to East Barnet Village;
  • Traffic Congestion;
  • Road Safety Problems;
  • Anti-Social Behaviour;
  • Lack of Youth and Leisure Facilities
  • Financial Waste;
  • Planning Blight; and
  • Christmas Gas Crisis.

Each is set out in more detail below:

Inappropriate Development

If adopted as it stands, the Council's Local Development Framework will lead to a flurry of developers building block of flats on East Barnet Road. Read more.... 

  • If elected we will strongly resist such developments because it is we residents who will have to live with the consequences of such developments.  We - your proposed local Councillors - have a vested interest as we all have lived in the area for many years - none of our current Councillors nor the Council Planners live in our area.

Threat to East Barnet Village

Research suggests that any new superstore development in New Barnet will have a disastrous effect on retail activity in East Barnet. Read more....

  • If elected we would instigate a review of local shopping in partnership with the local community and shopkeepers to explore strategies for improving our existing range of shop premises.

Traffic Congestion

The roads in the area are already congested. More development will only make a bad situation much worse. Read more....  

  • We believe that this issue needs to be addressed as a matter of urgency.  Until there is a solution to our growing traffic problem, we are concerned that any developments that attract more traffic into the area will make matters worse and therefore should be strongly resisted.

Road Safety

With the second highest level of road casualties in London, 1,222 in 2008, road safety is a major issue for residents. Read more....

  • If elected we will work with residents to identity road safety issues and potential solutions and pressure the Council into responding more positively and promptly to suggestions for making our area safer.

Anti-Social Behaviour

Local residents tell us antisocial behaviour is a real problem and this is borne out by a newly published study. Read more....

  • If elected we will work with the police and the Council to find solutions to this problem and put pressure on the Council to become more engaged with the process and allocate adequate resources to delivering the solutions.

Lack of Youth and Leisure Facilities

We know that many people are concerned about the lack of affordable leisure facilities in the area, particularly for young people.  Lack of such facilities is invariably cited as a factor in the anti-social behaviour of young people.  At present Barnet is close to having the most limited, and most expensive, access to public swimming baths in the UK! 

  • If elected we will work to improve this situation and to ensure that Church Farm Swimming Pool is maintained and improved.

Financial Waste

Although the Council say they are being efficient and trying to save money there is still a great deal of poor practice which is cost residents millions of pounds a year. Read more....

  • If elected we will challenge any new posts that are not involved in front line service delivery, will call for a halt to further spending on the entire Future Shape strategy until it has been independently revciewed and residents have been fully consulted and will review all senior Council posts where the salary exceeds £100,000 per annum.

Planning Blight

The area is being blighted due to the threat from the supermarkets. Read more....  

  • If elected we will press the Council to adopt a clearer strategy for the area and insist that the derelict buildings are brought up to an acceptable standard. We will also press the Council to instigate a design guide for shop-fronts and for street furniture to ensure minimum standards in order to prevent the inappropriate use of materials and ensure that the character of our area is preserved.

Christmas Gas Crisis

The Council prepared a report which has yet to be published and which has no teeth to deliver results. Your candidates have been in discussion with OFGEM, the organisation who set the levels of compensation to identify a way of actually delivering higher levels of compensation.

  • Whether elected or not, we will continue to discuss with OFGEM ways in which the rules governing compensation can be changed so as to force a higher settlement figure from National Grid.