News from The Barnet Society

Barnet Council’s Labour controlled cabinet has been accused by Conservative councillors of “skirting around” the need to come clean with residents about what is almost certain to be a massive hike in council tax next year.

New Barnet has been chosen as the location for the UK’s first local authority owned estate and lettings agency. Bumblebee Property has an office in the parade of shops next to Sainsbury’s super store.

Leaving behind her sculptures and paintings was quite a wrench for artist Joy Feld, so Carlton Court Care Home in Bells Hill, Barnet, came up with the idea of staging an exhibition of her work.

An application to Barnet Council for planning approval for a site for 12 travellers’ caravans in former woodland off Rowley Lane, Arkley, is meeting stiff objections on the grounds it would be a significant breach of the Green Belt.

London Fire Brigade has stepped in to help save any remaining fish by adding up to a foot of water into the Brewery Pond on Hadley Green.

At least a dozen large fish had to be removed from Brewery Pond on Hadley Green after they were found floating on the surface having died most probably due to the summer drought and a prolonged lack of rainfall.

A packed meeting at Underhill gave enthusiastic support to a community bid to purchase the derelict former Quinta Youth Club in Mays Lane which is being sold off by Barnet Council.

A large mural painted by students at Barnet and Southgate College – which features iconic images of the town – will welcome visitors to High Barnet once a site has been agreed.

After four youngsters on e-bikes and e-scooters caused fresh damage to greens at the Shire London golf course, a group of High Banet residents are hoping to discuss with the club’s management ways to prevent further vandalism.

Turf on three of the greens at the Shire London Golf Club off St Albans Road has been churned up and damaged by youngsters riding e-bikes on recent evenings.

High Barnet’s former Crown Post Office is to be converted into nine self-contained flats if an application is approved by Barnet Council – a change of use which highlights the rapidly changing nature of the High Street.

Mayor of Barnet Councillor Zahra Beg joined in a training session for skills in first aid when she visited an open day held at the Underhill headquarters of Barnet St John Ambulance.

With a rapidly approaching deadline of mid-October, a fund-raising campaign has taken on new urgency as Mays Lane residents prepare their community bid to take over the derelict former Quinta Youth Club.

With continuing uncertainty about the fate of the Builders Arms – although it is now under offer - a group of former regulars have nominated the vacant New Barnet pub to be declared an asset of community value.

Prizes at the annual celebration of excellence at Queen Elizabeth’s Girls’ School, Barnet, were presented by a former pupil who was later awarded an MBE for her contribution towards supporting young people.

Hundreds of pumpkins and squashes have been ripening in the autumn sunshine ready for Pumpkin Time on Saturday 24 October at Grow, the school and community farm alongside Totteridge Academy. Tickets for the event – which are now on sale – include a serving of pumpkin soup, a farm tour and children’s activities.

Barnet Council’s dire financial position has led to a warning that “very painful” decisions will have to made within weeks to find ways to reduce a predicted shortfall of £200 million. A five per cent increase in council tax and a switch from weekly to fortnightly bin collections are two of the most likely options.

Former Chipping Barnet Conservative MP Dame Theresa Villiers has decided to leave the political fray of competitive politics to focus instead on an academic career undertaking advanced postgraduate research at University College London.

After its re-opening as a community-led public house, High Barnet’s historic hostelry the Black Horse is now being fitted out with an up-to-date kitchen – the latest investment by the three regulars who set up a new company to take on the tenancy.

New housing developments around High Barnet and New Barnet are likely to lead to an increase of well over 2,000 in the local population but residents’ groups say there is no sign of health authorities delivering on promises to boost capacity at already over-stretched doctors’ surgeries.