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Thursday 22nd February 2024 | |
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Dear Members, here are some updates, news and information: | |
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The Council has a survey to ask your opinion on their proposed 38% increase from £70 to £97 per year for emptying a green bin. | |
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tap / click the poster to visit the Engage Barnet page | |
There have been some funny comments about this survey on Facebook, particularly the personal questions. If you don't feel it's relevant to give the inside leg measurement of your pet hamster, there's usually an option "prefer not to say": | |
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The survey closes on 15th March.
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Trojan EV Charging Points Survey | |
The Council has a survey to ask your opinion on their partnership with Trojan to install recessed sockets in our pavements. Drivers of EVs (Electric Vehicles) would buy a 'lance' to connect the charging point to their car. | |
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tap / click the picture to visit the Engage Barnet page | |
There is also an opportunity at the end of the survey to enter your postcode if you wish to encourage Trojan to install points in your road. The survey is here and closes on 17th March.
Note this is quite separate from the commercial venture the Council has embarked on with JOLT, to put massive advertising display screens on the pavement next to parking spaces reserved for EV charging outside local shops. Thank you to those who have added your objections to those planning applications. They should all now need to be discussed at planning committee meetings instead of being automatically approved by the Council's planning clerks. | |
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tap / click the picture to visit the Play Streets page | |
Hosting a play street gives children an opportunity to play safely and freely on their street and encourages neighbours to come together to meet.
Barnet's pilot programme was a success, and the residents who took part really appreciated the scheme.
Residents need to apply at least 10 weeks before the planned date. If you wish to organise a play street for your area here's where to find out more.
EB councillor Edith David writes "Residents wishing to take advantage of the play street can contact us, their local councillors. We are happy to assist." Edith's email address is here. | |
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The above three items are all featured in the Council's e-magazine called Barnet First. | |
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tap / click the banner to read the current edition | |
You can sign up to receive your own copy of Barnet First as soon as it's published each Wednesday by using this link. And you can read previous issues of the e-newsletters and printed versions here. | |
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EB councillor Simon Radford writes about a concern at an increase in pavement parking and verbal abuse of parking wardens in both New Barnet and East Barnet villages.
Simon aims to try and stamp out this behaviour and reduce anti-social parking while at it:
"I have received reports from traders and others of people intimidating parking wardens. I followed this up and measures are being taken for joint patrols so that this stops. | |
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an ai generated image of cars blocking the pavement 🙂 | |
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Gasworks / Victoria Quarter / Park Quarter update | |
John Dix of the Save New Barnet campaign wrote on Wed 21st Feb:
"Just a quick update on the planning meeting last night. As we were the last item on the agenda, they did not start considering the Victoria Quarter application until 9.30pm and agreed to extend the meeting until 10.30pm. We had one speaker opposed and a local resident who spoke in favour of the scheme - basically saying just build something / anything. Our local Cllr Phil Cohen gave a great speech as did our MP Rt Hon Theresa Villiers, both having to wait until after 10pm to give their speeches. Cllr Edith David was also there throughout the meeting giving us support (Cllr Radford was poorly and sent his apologies). The committee seemed swayed by our arguments but in the end, and having heard from the Fairview representative, they ran out of time so adjourned the meeting so that they can discuss the issues raised at greater length before coming to a decision. We will wait to hear when that meeting will be, whether it will be a special meeting or whether they tack it on to the next strategic planning committee meeting which is currently scheduled for 13 March." | |
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AgeUK Household Support Fund | |
EB councillor Phil Cohen sent a reminder about the Household Support Fund which AgeUK are distributing to struggling Barnet residents: | |
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"A final call-out to Barnet residents over 55 who are struggling financially and need help with bills or other essentials. Our Household Support Fund team are still busy giving out grants but time is running out and we cannot accept any applications made after 31 March 2024. This fund has supported hundreds of Barnet residents through difficult times and helped them get back on their feet.
Contact our Household Support team on 020 8203 5040 or email us on support@ageukbarnet.org.uk " | |
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Prince of Wales - ACV Update | |
The hearing - after which the Leader of the Council will decide whether or not to grant Asset of Community Value status to the Prince of Wales - will be on Monday. This is not a public meeting, it's a video call with the Leader and council officers, EB councillors, and the nominating group EBRA (me). The owners have also been invited. Council officers are recommending approval of the ACV. You can read the officers' report here. I'll let you know the outcome. | |
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Jez Simms, who lives near the Comers' site writes:
"For those of us in attendance, we had made it clear to our barrister that ideally a site visit when the kids go back to school would give a much better idea, in reality, of how heavy traffic occurs in the roads surrounding the site in term time.
We further learnt of a high possibility, should the up-scaled scheme be granted, that Brunswick Park Ward – certainly where Weirdale and Ashbourne Avenue are concerned – streets will have a CPZ scheme implemented. Annual costs vary depending on vehicle C02 emissions and size of engine. If there is a second vehicle attributed to the same address, the charge is more than double. [website here]
I’m afraid it’s just another early warning sign of the knock-on effect that all residents are likely to experience and, as a result, be forced – in some form or another – to have to pay for.
In my further objections sent to the Inspectorate in advance of the hearing, I did point out that, last time around, the Inspectorate had concluded with Mr Jenrick [the then secretary of state for planning] that Comer’s latest uplift (then) for 1,350 units “maximised the site to its full potential”. Our barrister raised this very point on Thursday. Their expert witnesses response: “I do not believe that maximise is the same as maximum”.
And when asked about the positive effect that the uplift would bring to the area, he responded, hesitantly, by saying words to the effect “the building will provide tremendous views”.
Once cross examination had concluded, I was allowed to ask/comment on one or two things. If you look on the master plan... | |
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... you can see to the left, and bottom centre and right hand corner, rows of semi and/or detached 2-3 storey houses. I countered that I found it interesting that all this expert witness could say about the benefits to the area would be ... the buildings' views!
No mention of affordable housing, no mention of contributing to London’s housing shortage; just wonderful views! I also suggested, for all the two/three storey properties, located in the shadows of all the tower blocks on the site, a view looking across and up at tower blocks would be anything but a super view; totally invasive. Not only this, but on Wednesday, the witness indicated that, by placing 4 major blocks parallel to the railway line, the views, from ground level and immediately outside the site, would be less visually obtrusive. If that isn’t admitting the tower blocks would be an eyesore, I don’t know what is.
Finally, I asked a couple of questions on their safety design of underground car parks, directly under residential tower blocks, and the provisions of dealing with vapour emissions from any vehicle parked and/or charging – probably overnight – that had a lithium battery. The gentleman wasn’t able to answer either, and yet he was their expert planning witness!
Summing up was on Monday [19th Feb]. And then, all local communities' fate will be in the hands of the Inspectorate’s conclusions and recommendations to Mr Gove.
Our barrister has been very clear and concise; Theresa Villiers gave a very articulate appraisal of the issues to hand and why, even at 1,350 units which she still maintains was the wrong decision, this latest upscale is just far too many to develop. I believe the decision will be announced around 6 weeks after the conclusion of the hearing." | |
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Fair Play Playground - Thanks | |
EB councillor Phil Cohen forwarded the email of thanks he received from The Seneca Trust, the charity involved with creating the new Fair Play Playground in the Victoria Recreation Ground in New Barnet. | |
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A reminder that our AGM is this coming Wednesday 28th February 2024. We shall again be meeting in the new community halls attached to St Mary's Church. Meetings start promptly at 7:30pm; members are welcome to arrive from 7:15pm. We have invited our six ward councillors to attend (3 for Brunswick Park and 3 for East Barnet) but we understad that some may have council meetings.
The proposed agenda is:
- Election of EBRA committee & officers
- East Barnet Village car park - status of the fly-tipped vehicles and introduction of parking charges to prevent over-staying;
- Oak Hill Park car park - status of the planned entry / exit installation;
- Oak Hill Park playground - status of the proposed improvements / additions to the existing equipment;
- Commercial events in Oak Hill Park;
- NLBP - feedback on the planning inquiry;
- Village welcome signage;
- Prince of Wales - feedback on ACV nomination
Please let me know if you have any other items to include. Thank you.
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