Cllr Anne Hutton’s monthly diary

A woman in yellow trousers and a white top with her hands in the air — Katya from Strictly at Silver Sunday – (Credit – Middlesex University)

The first Saturday of the month means my advice surgery. It’s a drop in so we never know who may be coming through the door. Not long to wait until we have a resident who is being chased for non-payment of council tax!

A tenant in a large block of flats nearby came in to say that they had all been given notice to quit as the landlord wants to ‘refurbish’ the property. It was an office conversion in the first place so probably does need refurbishment, nevertheless it’s causing problems.

Last year, Barnet officially achieved ‘Ageing Well’ status as a Borough and the first Sunday in October each year is now Silver Sunday, a fixed event for older people and their families. Organised by Age UK Barnet in conjunction with Middlesex University, the event, which takes place in the quadrant at the university, has grown over the years and includes talks, presentations, information and advice, stalls and refreshments – as well as entertainment – including the mayor, who opened the event, dancing with Katya from Strictly! A lovely afternoon, which seemed to be enjoyed by all who attended.

A briefing on estates with officers online – an update on council premises (and the state of) with a chance to ask questions on those in our ward.

A meeting of the Local Government Pensions Fund Forum took me into town, to the Local Government offices at Smith Square, for their quarterly business meeting and AGM. The most interesting part being reports back from members of the Executive who regularly interview the trustees of various companies about the diversity of their boards and their company’s ethical investment – or not as the case may be!

Full council also met this month. The mayor began with tributes to six members who had passed away since the last meeting and there was mention of several residents who had received the British Empire Medal (BEM). The mayor also said he had written to the Mayor of Pokhara, Barnet’s twin town in Nepal, with regard to the recent period of unrest.

He also condemned the terrorist attack on Heaton Park and expressed his deepest condolences to those who lost their lives and the families of all those affected. There were then discussions on high streets and planning, the environment and social care as well as questions to the leader and cabinet.

Bystander training is an online session which gives information and practical ideas on how to intervene safely if we notice someone being harassed. There are also two ‘safe havens’ one in the ward and one just near, that is, an area whereby people who may feel unsafe for any reason, can go in to get help.

I attended a meeting at the school where I am a governor, where we discussed the curriculum, exam results, attendance and policies. We also had a presentation by a local company on the installation of solar panels for the school, which is being considered.

On the subject of schools, we are having issues with a school street, in that when families come to drop their children off or pick up at the end of the day, residents are complaining about parking in front of driveways, in the middle of the road or double parked on corners. We met with council officers to discuss various options, and it has been agreed to look at extending the area the ‘school street’ so children will be dropped off a bit further away.

The proposal is going out to consultation, local residents will be invited to comment on two options and there will be a meeting at the school, so everyone is fully informed. We are aware that we could be just pushing the problem further away if we are not careful, but we will try to mitigate that as best we can.

Entertaining guests from one of our twin towns of Chaville, on the outskirts of Paris, with traditional fish and chips at a local restaurant, had to be one of the highlights of the month! Again with the mayor chatting to all our French guests – no dancing this time! It was organised by the Barnet Friends of Chaville – who have been hosting the exchange for some years.

The council is changing the way funds received via the community infrastructure levy (CIL), which comes from development projects, is organised. A proportion of this money goes to support neighbourhood community projects. Ward councillors can put in a bid, most usually on behalf of a local organisation they have been working with, and these will be assessed by councillors, advised by officers, from another area. The leader has final say! We’ll see how it all pans out when the first rounds begin in November.

October was Black History Month and there were events across the Borough to mark this annual event, including an exhibition at the town hall, for example, which showcased artwork by local residents. I enjoyed hearing about residents’ stories, some of which I remembered from Windrush Day earlier in the year.

On that theme a community grocery was opened at St Barnabas Church in North Finchley, which the mayor, myself and other councillors attended. Paying £5 to become a member gives you points which can be exchanged for a number of essential items, for example a loaf of bread may be one point – or a packet of cereal two points. It is hoped perhaps to include advice services once the grocery is established.

To end the month, Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB), also based in Woodhouse, held their annual fundraising quiz, which I attended, along with other councillors, and which was, they said, very successful. It’s clear people are starting to come through their doors as winter approaches and I advertised the need for clothing, for both men and women, in the weekly newsletter I do for the ward.

Anne Hutton is a Labour councillor for Woodhouse ward

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