We asked, you said, we did

Read more about this engagement

We asked

We asked people who live and work in the borough what they thought about the parks and open spaces across Barnet, how you use them and any barriers to use, how they could be improved and for any priority actions.

You said

We received 772 responses to the Residents Survey and 142 responses to the Children and Young Persons Survey. We also spoke to 70 parents, children and young people at drop-in sessions at Children’s Centres.

You told us that:

• you value parks and open spaces for the range of activities that they support: for providing fresh air and as a place to relax, for walking and jogging, as places to connect with nature and as social spaces
• parks and open spaces are also valued for environmental benefits that they provide, cleaning the air, providing shade and cooling, and flood alleviation and that actions to address climate change are important
• over 9 out of 10 residents, including children and young people agree that parks and open spaces help improve mental and physical wellbeing
• six out of 10 residents are satisfied or very satisfied with the condition of parks and open spaces across Barnet
• events and activities in parks and open spaces are valued by residents and children and young people and seen as a good way of bringing people together and celebrating arts and culture
• two thirds of Barnet’s residents, including children and young people would like to see future investment in more activities that help to promote healthy and active lifestyles
• it was important that we looked at how we could improve standards of maintenance, providing a wider range of facilities and encouraging more responsible dog ownership. Children and young people particularly wanted to see a better range of facilities including skate and wheeled sports provision, balls courts, more social spaces and improved lighting
• we could improve the information about parks and open spaces and promotion of events and ways to get involved
• we could increase the range of ways that people can volunteer and help improve parks and open spaces.

We did

Your feedback has given us detailed quantitative and qualitative data about parks and open spaces across Barnet that will help in developing and prioritising actions that will be set out in a draft Parks and Open Spaces Strategy. We are currently working on this and there will be formal consultation on the draft Strategy in spring / summer 2025.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

Thank you to all those who took the time to feedback – we know how busy you are, and it is appreciated.

We asked for your views on our proposed Special Educational Needs and Disability (SEND) and Alternative Provision (AP) Strategy. The overarching aim of this strategy is to set out how we will maintain or improve the experiences and outcomes for children and young people with SEND or who are educated in Alternative Provision and their families.

You said

31 residents (most of whom were Barnet families with children with SEND who are educated within our borough), responded to the consultation, although not all responded to or commented on, every question.

86% of respondents supported the Vision and 84% supported the Aims our SEND and AP Strategy.

Whilst the vast majority of respondents supported our aims, vison as well as the priorities, there was some concern that we would not achieve these. We rightly have high ambitions for our children and young people, but also know change does not happen overnight. To hold ourselves accountable, as well as to promote transparency, we will publish an annual report on our local offer outlining our progress in terms of the actions we have taken each year.

We did

We have made changes to the strategy based on your views. In addition, all of your feedback informs our planning for children and young people with SEND or who are educated in Alternative Provision.

You can view a summary of the analysis of the SEND and AP Strategy and some of the key points that were raised.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

We asked for your views on our proposals to changes in how we charge for Highways Licences.

The council charges for ‘each’ highway licence issued which can last up to 6 months. We proposed to change the unit of measure so that licences are charged for ‘each month’ the works are in place.

You said

We received eight responses to our questionnaire:

• 75% of respondents agreed that developers should be encouraged to clear the footway / carriageway of works as soon as possible
• 66.67% of respondents agreed that developers should only pay for a Highways Licence for the period it is required
• 55.56% respondents agreed that charges should fairly reflect the cost of administering the licence
• 87.5% respondents disagreed that we should change the way we charge for Highways Licences. Every objection to our proposal was received from a contractor who has worked in Barnet in the last 12 months.

We did

We took all feedback into consideration prior to taking our final recommendations to the Council meeting on Tuesday 9 July 2024. Special consideration was given to:

• the impact the proposed changes will have on contractors working in the borough
• the need to clear the footways and carriageways of works as soon as possible
• the cost of administrating Highways Licences to the council.

Following approval at the Council meeting, we will implement the proposed changes to the charges for Highways Licences HW3, HW4, HW5 and HW6, with effect from 1 August 2024.

You can read more information in the full consultation report.

Read more about this engagement

We asked

We asked for your views on the draft of the Children and Young People’s Mental Health and Wellbeing Strategy. We specifically wanted to know your thoughts on the priorities and principles set out within the strategy with the aim of better supporting Barnet’s young people in their mental wellbeing.

You said

Throughout the consultation period, 39 feedback forms were received, along with the eight participants who attended two focus groups.

• the feedback was overwhelmingly positive, with significant support for the proposed principles and priorities
• respondents and focus group participants expressed a sense of urgency around the publication and implementation of the strategy
• actions suggested as part of the strategy’s implementation included involving Barnet’s schools in the final ‘A System for Success’ priority, along with highlighting the impact of physical wellbeing on the mental health of children and young people within our communications campaigns

We did

In response to the feedback received, several changes have been made to the strategy, including the use of clearer language in some parts of the document, along with noting the suggestions to be included within the strategy’s action plan.

The strategy was approved for publication by Cabinet in May 2024, and is currently in the pre-publication design stage.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

We asked for your views on Brent Cross Town Plot 22, and the road adjacent to it, to support two Reserved Matters Planning Applications submitted to Barnet Council.

Over 4,300 newsletters were distributed to local residents, supplemented by 10 hours of public information events. The project's website garnered 200 views, and two event pages were created on social media.

You said

Throughout the consultation period, 36 feedback forms were received.

• the overall feedback was positive, with significant support for the proposed Integrated Retirement Community
• the consultation revealed strong support for the retail parade units, with 69% of respondents agreeing with the approach and praising the design
• 82% of respondents support the concept of specialist housing for older people in the heart of BXT, and 77% believed the Plot 22 design would be a positive addition to the area.

We did

In response to the feedback received, several changes have been made to the application, including adjustments to the brick colour at the café corner as a direct result of community comments.

The Reserved Matters applications also seek flexibility in ground floor uses, which means that the spaces will accommodate most of the shops and services suggested in the feedback, as well as a variety of other options. Further detailed information on all matters raised during the consultation is available in the Statement of Community Involvement submitted as part of the Planning Application.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

We asked residents and businesses for their views on parking issues, the implementation of parking controls, and the introduction of a Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) in Daws Lane, Hammers Lane, and the “Poets Corner” roads, in order to address local parking concerns and demand.

You said

We received 214 responses from approximately 631 properties, which equates to an overall response rate of 34%.

73% (156 respondents) told us they experience parking problems near their property.

In response to our questions on introducing a CPZ in the area, 32 respondents (15%) were in favour of a CPZ being implemented.

A further 9 respondents who said no to a CPZ said they would support the proposal if neighbouring street were included in a CPZ.

The issue raised the most was the introduction of charging for parking in Daws Lane and Wise Lane car parks; Other issues mentioned were drop off and pick up from 2 local schools and the increasing number of flats.

We did

Following our informal engagement, we have listened to residents and will not be progressing with proposals for a Controlled Parking Zone in Daws Lane, Hammers Lane, and the “Poets Corner” at this time.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

We asked for your views on the revised Gambling Statement of Principles, which The Gambling Act 2005 requires the Council to review and publish every three years.

You said

A total of 16 responses were received.

The analysis of the responses indicated that 54% of the respondents thought positively about the introduction of a more detailed Local Area Profile and gambling vulnerability zones within the draft Gambling Statement of Principles. 38% were not in favour of any Gambling being carried out in the borough and 8% neither agreed nor disagreed with the content of the same document.

Of the 38% of respondents who were not in favour of the draft Gambling Statement of Principles the respondents either did not wish for any Gambling taking place in Barnet or sought for the Licensing Authority to restrict the number of licensed premises being granted.

The Gambling Act 2005 does not give the Licensing Authority the ability to restrict the number of licensed premises opening in a particular area. We believe that the additions to the Local Area Plan will go some way to ensuring that any licences granted, do not attract additional criminal activities. In addition, the risk assessment submitted with each new application should seek to address issues such as the location of its premises to vulnerable groups and set out ways in which it can limit its potential negative impact upon an area.

We did

Following the consultation feedback, we amended and updated the draft document where appropriate/possible to do so. In addition to these amendments the Licensing Team are now working with our Insight and Intelligence team and looking to develop, in advance of the next revision of this Statement of Principles, a comprehensive intelligence led local area profile dashboard. This dashboard will enable applicants, licence holders and any other interested parties to consider relevant issued faced in the specific area that the premises in question is located.

You can view the Full Council decision to approve the revised Gambling Statement of Principles here.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

We asked residents to give us their views on the proposals to increase the charges for the garden waste collection service.

You said

The consultation received 2,439 responses. At least 2,093 (85.8%) of these responses were from current service users.

The majority of respondents opposed an increase in charges (92.74%, 2,262 out of 2,439 respondents). A minority of respondents supported an increase in charges (4.18%, 102 out of 2,439 respondents). 27.64% of respondents opposed a concessionary rate being applied for residents claiming Council Tax Benefit which would freeze the current charge at £70 (27.64%, 623 out of Garden waste charges consultation 2024/25 5 2,254 respondents). 38.77% of respondents supported a concessionary rate being applied for residents claiming Council Tax Benefit.

We did

The Cabinet Member for Environment and Climate Change in consultation with the Chief Officer for Customer and Place took all the feedback into consideration and agreed to increase the charges. The revised charges and the offer of a concessionary rate via a rebate for residents in receipt of Council Tax Support at Band 1 level applied from 27 March 2024. You can read more information in the full consultation report.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

We asked for your views on the Brent Cross Cricklewood Experimental Controlled Parking Zone (ECPZ) at Brent Terrace, Clitterhouse Crescent, Clitterhouse Road and a section of Claremont Road put in place in March 2023.

Following feedback from the initial Brent Cross Cricklewood Experimental Controlled Parking Zone (CPZ) consultation, which started 20 March 2023, we proposed changes to the operation times which required the ECPZ to be extended for a further 6 months.

Initially, the ECPZ operated every day of the week from 8am to 10pm. Resident feedback indicated that reduced operation timings were preferred. We proposed that the ECPZ would be in operation every day of the week from 9am to 6pm from Thursday 26 October.

You said

We received five responses to the consultation:

• Three respondents requested further reduced hours; and
• Two respondents objected as they feel the scheme would cause parking stress.

We did

In line with the experimental process, we have reviewed all correspondence received.

After reviewing all feedback and observations from the experimental period and both consultations, the council has decided to make the CPZ permanent starting from Thursday 20 June 2024. The CPZ will operate on every day of the week from 9am to 6pm.

Read more about this consultation

We asked

We asked for your views on the proposed schedule of fees and charges for Building Control Service, to be implemented from April 2024.

You said

We did not receive any responses to the online questionnaire.

We did

The fees and charges were authorised under the delegated authority of the Leader of the Council, Cabinet Member for Resources and Effective Council. You can read more in the report authorising the new fees and charges.