First Draft Leader Listens Notes – 18 November 2008

Our Lady of Lourdes RC School, Bow Lane, Finchley, N12 9JP

In attendance:
Cllr Mike Freer Leader of Barnet Council
Katy Lam Democratic Services
Melissa James Democratic Services
Sgt. Anne Marie Sullivan Woodhouse Safer Neighbourhood Team
No. of Residents: 25
Ward: Woodhouse (FHD)

Introduction
The purpose of the Leader Listens meetings is to give residents of the Borough an opportunity to discuss local issues directly with the Leader of
the Council. The meeting also allows residents to contribute to Barnet’s policy-making process.

The action notes from the meeting would be distributed to residents within the invited polling district. Any issues raised would be forwarded to
the relevant officers/service area for action and comment. In addition, residents would also receive the final action notes detailing what action
had been taken within six - eight weeks after the meeting.

Some key points about the Borough:

th nd
• Barnet is the joint largest borough in London, the 20 most ethnically diverse and the 2 most religiously diverse;
• Barnet has more roads and pavements than any other London Borough;
• Barnet is experiencing a period of growth due to an intensive house-building programme along the A5 corridor;
• Barnet's age mix is also on the rise with more under 5’s and over 85’s within the Borough. The Council is challenged to provide services to
meet the diverse needs of this demographic;
• Barnet has a ₤1 billion cash flow (on par with a FTSE 500 company); and Barnet spends just under ₤700 million on council services each
year

1
Issue
Barnet’s investment in Icelandic Banks.
Will council tax increase as a result?
2012 Olympics – by how much will
council tax increase?
White building on Finchley High Road
without any signage in English. It is
important that all buildings have a
name/description in the host language
Leaves on the roads/pavements and
outside Moss Hall School
Damaged pavements caused by trees
along Ballards Lane, and Finchley Court
Response from the Leader of the Council Action by
London Borough of Barnet has a legal duty to manage its assets and the
bulk of the money invested in these accounts is pension funds. Barnet
deposits money in a variety of banks and uses the money to fund some of its
capital improvement programmes such as the building of new primary
schools without government money. The Council has a policy of spreading
and minimising risk and only use banks that are highly capitalised and meet
government guidelines. The Icelandic banks that were invested in met the
government’s criteria and no problems were identified until March of this
year. The deposits were made in 2006/2007 when both the Icelandic and
British economy was strong. 92% of Council funds are invested in European
banks and no money has been lost. The money in Icelandic accounts is
simply frozen and representatives from Barnet Council attended a Creditor
Committee in Iceland to negotiate the recovery of the investments. Inflation
is presently around 5% and council tax rises would be under inflation.
The London Mayor has agreed that council tax payers will not pay more than
band D which is an average of £240 towards the Olympics. For residents
who live in slightly higher banded proprieties, the maximum would be
approximately £320 over a period of 20 years.
This is a private building and the owners can display information in the DSO/Leader’s
language of their choice. Office:
ACTION: The Council works with many faith leaders and will pass on the
resident’s concern.
The Council invested an extra £100k this year into clearing leaves from the Mike Freestone,
streets. The leaf-falling season is longer than usual and the Council cannot Director of
afford to sweep as frequently as it would like. There is a rolling programme Environment &
for leaf-clearing and residential streets are swept every 4 weeks. It is Transport
anticipated that all the leaves would be cleared within a fortnight. The
Council has a ‘hot spot team’ and areas identified as hazardous get an extra
sweep regularly.
ACTION: To check leaves outside Moss Hall School.
There are two options for dealing with this; removal of the tree or the Mike Freestone,
protruding roots. The Highways Team, who manage Barnet’s pavements, Director of
would not recommend the removal of any trees unless absolutely necessary. Environment &
Alternatively, the roots can be removed and the surrounding pavement with Transport.
tarmac which is much more flexible when there is root movement.
2
Issue
Three trees adjacent to resident’s home
on corner of Bow Lane (opposite Finchley
Memorial Hospital) require maintenance
to prevent them from damaging the roof
and walls.
The road sweepers do not sweep in front
of the resident’s house on Granville Road
because the cars are never removed,
Request for a sign to be erected
requesting residents move their cars to
enable a proper sweep.
A resident extended his thanks to the
road sweeper who removed the excess
leaves in front of his home.
A resident commented that the double
row of plane trees along Fitzjohns Avenue
look unsightly due to pollarding with each
tree having only 2/3 branches.
Comments on Barnet Council services in
a recent article in the local press.
Should residents be consulted on
changes to local public services and their
providers?
Response from the Leader of the Council Action by
Paul Lawrence,
The Insurance team will process claims submitted, record complaints to Head of Insurance
identify problem areas and will arrange an area inspection where necessary.
All newly planted trees roots are now placed in drain pipes to force their
roots to grow downwards, to prevent this problem happening in the future.
New/replacement trees being planted by the aboriculturalist team require
less maintenance and are different to those planted by the Victorians.
ACTION: (a) The area along Ballards Lane and Finchley Court will be
inspected. (b) Insurance claims received for the area will be checked.
To be inspected. Mike Freestone,
Director of
Environment &
Transport
The Council can use traffic orders to stop people parking in certain areas but Mike Freestone,
these are often ignored and it would not be suitable in these circumstances. Director of
Unfortunately, there is no single piece of equipment that can sweep under Environment &
cars. Transport
ACTION: additional road sweep to be investigated.
The trees were maintained by Camden Council. Mike Freestone,
Director of
ACTION: To contact Camden Council and enquire why this has been done. Environment &
transport
The details in the article were incorrect. The Council did issue a response
but it was not highlighted. The Council is constantly under pressure to make
efficiency savings and has commissioned a piece of work to help establish
what residents want, and how it can best be delivered. It examines which
services should remain in-house and which should be contracted out,
especially where services are not working as well as they should. E.g.
Barnet leisure centres are contracted out to a non-profit making organisation
3
Issue
Redevelopment of Finchley Memorial
Hospital:
a. Current parking problems along Bow
Lane and Clifton Road. Parking would be
exacerbated by the redevelopment.
b. Request for the PCT and planners to
consult with residents at the earliest
opportunity.
c. If polyclinics are included as part of
Finchley Memorial development plans this
will increase traffic considerably in the
area
Recycling of plastic bottles
Response from the Leader of the Council Action by
and this is operating very well, whereas street cleaning and refuse collection
services are in-house as they are efficient and widely commended.
There is no plan for wholesale privatisation – but some services will be
reviewed as part of a wider assessment of how council services operate.
Local councillors are elected to represent the various wards. If residents
have concerns, these should be raised with them. It is not possible for the
Council to consult with residents on every decision but residents are kept
informed through the Council’s website and press.
The Council supported the redevelopment of the Hospital and there are two For further
possible options that could be considered to improve this situation: information contact:
1. Ask the PCT to rebuild the hospital further back on the site to increase Jo Dowling,
onsite parking. Principal Planner,
2. Conduct a CPZ review rolling programme to re-consult residents who live Major Projects
on the perimeter of the site. Tel: 0208 359 4926
The PCT is currently developing its proposal and is undertaking the baseline
research (traffic/parking analysis, stage 1 ecology surveys etc) that is
needed to accompany the application. Any major planning application
includes a detailed traffic management plan. In accordance with the
Planning Brief, a Planning and Development Forum will be proposed, prior to
submission of the application, to enable local residents to have further in-put.
The timing of the Forum will be dependent on further work that the PCT have
to undertake regarding the clinical requirements of the new hospital. This
could be before Christmas but is more likely to be in the New Year. The PCT
were hoping to submit their application in April/May 2009.
The Council has concerns about the location of polyclinics and their impact
on the local area. Local GP services would close and others would be
moved further away. The planning application for Finchley Memorial is for a
health facility and not a polyclinic but, if it complies with planning law, the
Planning Committee could not refuse it.
Only 2-3 types of plastic are recyclable. Unlike other councils, Barnet only For further
collects plastics that are recyclable and monitors the recycling contract to information, contact
ensure that this is the case. From 17th November, residents will be able to Nicola Cross. ESM
use their blue recycling boxes for plastic waste. For residents living in flats, Waste Strategy
4
Issue Response from the Leader of the Council Action by
the service will commence in early 2009. Those wishing to have more boxes 8359 7404
should contact the Recycle Team.
Who was responsible for the traffic survey The Council is not always informed when surveys and consultations take Mike Freestone,
undertaken at Bow Lane? place in Barnet. The Department of Transport are not required to notify the Director of
Council. Environment &
Transport
Action: Check whether the survey was undertaken by the Council.
Increased flow of traffic in Finchley The traffic lights are controlled by an external agency and the phasing of the Mike Freestone,
Central. Concern that the traffic lights lights is finely tuned. The Council has asked TCS and TFL for better phasing. Director of
appear to be on green for just 30 Environment &
seconds. ACTION: Request to TCS/TFL to review the timing of the traffic lights. Transport
Request for improved safety for The crossing system has a rotating cone which enables pedestrians to know -
pedestrians entering/exiting the bus when it is safe to cross; this is needed in the middle section of the road.
station at North Finchley (opposite Argos)
The relationship between the Council and The Council and local police work together as partners and consult on
the Police initiatives and performance targets The Council can request the Borough
Commander to investigate issues but it does not have any control over
operational decision making.
Cyclists on pavements - what action can The police do take action and will issue Fixed Penalty Notices. If this is a Sgt. A. M.Sullivan
be taken? particular problem in, it can be raised with the Borough Commander or the Woodhouse Safer
Safer Neighbourhood representative. Neighbourhood
Team
Residents involvement in Barnet There are many ways in which residents can get involved. Residents can For further info on
contact the Council via email, by telephone to First Contact, by letter or by Residents’ Forums,
speaking/emailing the Leader. The Council also organises local Residents’ contact:
Forums which are rotated across the Borough. Details of these events are Jonathan Regal
advertised on the Council website. The local police also run a Barnet Police (Hendon) James
Consultative Committee which engages with the community on a regular Campbell (Chipping
basis. Barnet)
Nazyer Choudhury
(Finchley & Golders
Green) 020 8359
2000
Regeneration Strategy for North Finchley Parking does not have a huge impact on the decline of local shops. All
Town Centre. available parking is within walking distance of the town centre. The Pay and
Display system ensures that there is a turnover of parking spaces for

5
Issue
a. Local businesses in decline;
b. Improvements required in parking
facilities; and
c. Expensive parking charges.
Request for improvements to the poor
condition of Graywood Court Garages
High number of fatalities on Barnet roads
- what is the Council doing about this?
Why remove road humps after installing
them?
Meeting concluded at 20:15
To view the minutes, blogs and videos please visit www.leaderlistens.com
Response from the Leader of the Council Action by
shoppers rather than commuters. Money raised from parking charges is
used to subsidise road and pavement projects.
The decline of local business could be as a result of increased commercial
rents and business rates which the Council does not have any control over.
Another factor could be local people not supporting local businesses but
choosing to use larger high street chains and the close proximity of Brent
Cross.
The Planning Team is finalising a town centre strategy for Finchley Central
and North Finchley to improve the area. However some shop units are
currently too small to attract better quality businesses.
This issue will be taken up with Barnet Homes. Paul Shipway,
Housing
Performance
Barnet residential roads are safer than they have ever been. The roads with
the highest accident rates are those managed by TfL - A100, A41, North
Circular. The Henlys Corner junction is managed by TFL, but the Council is
close to agreeing a plan to rebuild and improve the facility for cars to turn
right. If the scheme does go ahead it will take up to 4 years to build. This
lengthy time frame is to reduce the impact of the works on traffic in the area.
Traffic safety management needs to be refreshed on a regular basis to
ensure drivers do not become complacent. As roads are resurfaced
residents are consulted whether they want the humps to be
removed/replaced. In the majority of cases residents have indicated a
preference for them to be removed.