We asked, you said, we did

You can read more about this consultation here.

We asked

Following engagement with keys stakeholders on how we can help our Conservation Area Advisory Committees (CAACs) to work better, we asked for your views on establishing a borough-wide Heritage Advisory Panel, to deal with significant heritage in the borough and to improve the consistency of information provided and reach across the borough.

You said

We received 15 responses to the consultation. Whilst respondents agreed that a borough-wide approach was needed, there was less agreement on the changes to the existing CAAC arrangements and whether the creation of a new Heritage Advisory Panel would achieve its goals.

We did

Following the consultation a decision was made that the council would cease to provide a planning officer to attend CAAC meetings (in person or virtually) from 1 January 2021. The Council continues to publish all planning applications online and encourages each CAAC to use the online comment facility to submit their representations. It was also agreed a Heritage Advisory Panel would not be established in Barnet.

You can read more about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked for your views on the introduction of car parking charges to car parks in parks, to protect these particular car parks for park users and also to help generate income that would be used to offset the costs of maintaining the borough’s parks and open spaces.

You said

We received 537 responses to the online questionnaire and 11 written responses.

We did

The results on the consultation were reviewed and presented to the Environment Committee in March 2021 where the decision was taken to implement the proposals. The full committee report and consultation report can be found under Agenda Item 10 here

You can read more about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked you to share your views on the draft Growth Strategy 2020 - 2030. Specifically, we asked for your views on each of the three guiding principles, the five key priorities of the draft strategy, and our character-led spatial approach to delivering growth and associated infrastructure priorities borough-wide and across three main areas. The five key themes of the Growth Strategy are:

• A Growing Borough
• A Connected Borough
• An Entrepreneurial Borough
• A Borough of Thriving Town Centres
• A Great Borough to Live in and Visit

You said

The survey received 142 responses. Overall, they showed support for the strategy, with 54% of respondents agreeing with the aims and objectives of the strategy to some extent, in contrast to 15% of respondents disagreeing. The guiding principles outlined within the strategy were strongly supported, and 61% of respondents confirmed their agreement with the principles.

The strategy’s approach to growth was outlined through the strategic themes, which was strongly supported by respondents. All five strategic themes received support from respondents, with the Connected Borough theme seen as the most important; 86% of respondents supported the theme and 87% of respondents agreeing that “enabling new and enhanced public transport connections” was the most important objective within the strategy. By contrast, the objective to “Establish Brent Cross as a destination” was not considered as important by respondents, and subsequently this objective was integrated within a wider objective around ‘growing the visitor economy’.

The survey invited respondents to provide their views on the spatial approach to growth developed, which outlines the Council’s approach to growth in Barnet until 2030, based upon expected development. These were also supported by respondents, with 56% of respondents agreeing with the spatial approach to growth. Furthermore, the six boroughwide infrastructure priorities underpinning the strategic approach to growth were supported by respondents (84%).

Across the three spatial areas in the west, centre, and east of the borough, the connectivity priorities were identified as the most important, supporting the strategic theme, but interestingly the growing borough theme was completely split being identified as the most and least important priority in all three areas of the borough to some extent or other. It is thought this may reflect the difference between respondents indicating a view that housing affordability is most important, versus respondents indicating that the overall housing target and proposal to increase housing supply went too far.

Alongside the questions outlined above, respondents also had the opportunity to provide qualitative comments on the draft Growth Strategy 2030, and the five most frequently given responses related to environmental sustainability, infrastructure provision, affordable housing provision, protecting Barnet’s heritage and avoiding overdevelopment.

We did

All of the comments received in the consultation were fed into the final strategy and accompanying consultation report, which both went to Housing and Growth Committee on 27 January 2020. The comments around connectivity emphasised the importance of the theme on ‘Enabling new and enhanced public transport connections’, as well as sustainability and transport and development concerns to promote healthier street design. These comments informed the development of the final version of the Growth Strategy approved by Housing and Growth, as well as the Local Plan (Reg 18), Long Term Transport Strategy, approved at Environment Committee in September 2020, as well as the forthcoming Sustainability Strategy currently in development. Based upon some of the free text responses, amendments to the guiding principles and some of the detail of the proposed projects and outcomes have also been made, which were also compiled through a delivery plan to more explicitly set out proposed projects and programmes of work.

You can read more about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked about your awareness of harmful practices and the related services available. We wanted to understand how Barnet residents are affected by harmful practices and how to improve the support we provide. Harmful practices are discriminatory practices committed regularly over such long periods of time that communities and societies begin to consider them acceptable. Harmful practices can include female genital mutilation, honour-based violence, forced marriage, breast flattening and abuse linked to faith or belief.

You said

13% told us that you know someone who has been affected by harmful practices, showing it is affecting our communities. You told us that your main priority was education is schools (95% of respondents) and that it was important that we build confidence in communities to report abuse. You told us you are most comfortable contacting the police (52%) and least comfortable contacting the voluntary, community and faith sector (8%).

We did

We’ve implemented our strategy to address harmful practices in Barnet. This has included training for multi-agency frontline practitioners (across education, health, police, council and the voluntary, community and faith sector) to improve understanding about harmful practices and how to provide effective support. We held an event with young people and guest speakers to raise awareness about different kinds of harmful practices. We have worked with schools to share information about harmful practices so teachers are better equipped to identify and respond to harmful practices.

You can read more about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked for your views on the Final Draft of the Golders Green Town Centre Strategy.

You said

This consultation generated a lot of response with 54 people completing feedback forms, that demonstrated clear support, with over 70% of survey respondents agreeing with the overall vision. This level of support was maintained over the three ‘character areas’ identified, with only the Golders Green Hub area around the station falling below this, at 60% (but with 20% stating they were neutral regarding this area). This general level of support was also reflected in the face-to-face conversations with over 250 community members.

We did

The final strategy document has been revised in response to public consultation and the Final version of the strategy was taken to Housing and Growth Committee in January 2020 for adoption.

You can read more about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked for your views on the proposed reduction to the Published Admission Number (PAN) of Frith Manor and Dollis Primary Schools, both from 90 places to 60 places, on the grounds that the demand for school places in the local area has fallen and is unlikely to increase in the foreseeable future.

You said

For Dollis Primary, we received four responses. Three respondents agreed to the proposed reduction and the fourth tended to disagree. Respondents in favour of the proposal gave the reasons that children tend to thrive in smaller environments and the reduction made sense in view of the falling pupil roll. No reason was given against the proposed reduction.

For Frith Manor Primary, five responses were received; two respondents agreed to the proposal, two disagreed and one was indifferent. ‘Falling pupils numbers’ was reason given in favour of the proposed reduction. Those who opposed the proposal gave the reasons that Frith Manor is facing competition from another local school and it may attract more applications if it was part of a academy chain.

We did

The PAN for Dollis and Frith Manor Primary Schools was formerly been reduced from 90 to 60 places, with effect from 1 September 2021.

You can read more information about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked for your views on the Mill Hill Neighbourhood Forum designation application.

You said

The application generated a largely negative response (46 objections, eight supporters and four neutral). Objectors highlighted concerns about the proposed constitution and the Forum not being truly representative of the area.

We did

The application was withdrawn from the Strategic Planning Committee meeting on 22 June 2020 and therefore is no longer being considered.

You can read more information about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked for your views on the submission (Regulation 16) West Finchley Neighbourhood Plan submitted by the West Finchley Neighbourhood Forum.

We did

The consultation responses were sent to the appointed independent Examiner, Jill Kingaby, to consider as part of the examination of the West Finchley Neighbourhood Plan.

You can read more information about this consultation here.

We asked

We asked for your views on the West Finchley Neighbourhood Forum re-designation application. The designation of the West Finchley Neighbourhood Area and Forum was approved 26 November 2015 and was therefore due to expire after five years.

You said

The application generated a largely positive response (54 supporters, one objection and two neutral). Supporters called for the Forum to be re-designated in order to continue the Plan’s progress.

We did

Designation of the West Finchley Neighbourhood Area and Forum was approved at the Strategic Planning Committee meeting on 13 October 2020.

You can find out more about the consultation here

We asked

We asked residents to give us their views on the introduction of a charge for the garden waste collection service. We asked for views on:

• respondents’ level of use of the current service
• the principle of introducing charges to those that wish to continue to use this service
• the level of any charge to be introduced
• whether or not respondents would use the service if a charge was introduced, and what alternative arrangement they might make if not
• whether respondents would be able to sign up to a chargeable service online.

You said

A total of 6,517 responses were received. Just over three quarters of respondents disagreed that introducing a charge for only those who use the service was fair. Four fifths of respondents opposed the introduction of an annual subscription. Of those that responded, almost a third of respondents (28.5%) said they would prefer to see an increase in Council Tax rather than a charge introduced.

37.4% of respondents who said they currently use the service would continue to use it if a charge was introduced, and this is a relatively positive level of response compared with the take up rates seen in other London boroughs.

The majority of respondents who said they would consider using a chargeable service would be able to sign up online.

We did

The Environment Committee agreed the introduction of charges at its meeting on 20 January 2020. The council launched the chargeable service from 9 May 2020, allowing residents to sign up online and by phone from mid-February, with a charge of £70 for the first bin, and £50 for each additional bin to be collected.

The first year of the garden waste service saw 40,028 stickers paid for. 38,477 households signed up during the first year of the service giving a take up rate of 56%.

The income generated through the introduction of charges has supported other council services, including an investment of £600,000 into the street cleansing service, which the council recognises is a high priority for residents.

You can read more about the Environment Committee meeting and the full consultation results here.