New Barnet Forum

Dear SNB Team,

Thank you for clarifying the mis information being despatched by the East Barnet Conservatives.  It appears that the central party policies are spilling over into the local elections as well.  Keep up the good work.  Keep the lying councillors on their toes.

regards

There will be a public meeting at 8.00pm on Thursday 27th May in New Barnet Community Centre.   Further details to follow nearer the day

Following my email to the two ward councillors and the articles in the press I was asked on a Saturday morning if Ben Rich from Jcoss  could meet me. The meeting took place at 9.00am on the Monday.  Member of the local community had been trying to find out what was going on for 15 minths and being fobbed of but then when it suited JCOSS they could meet at 44 hours notice over a weekend.   they are trying to spread a story that they were trying to set up residents meetings for some time but were unsuccessful.   This is not true.

The original green travel plan is in existence.  The school proposes to run between 3 and 5 buses depending on demand from next September.  the old buses start in year four has been dropped.   further details of how the buses will operate will be known in May and there will be a meeting in New Barnet Community centre  probably on 20th or 27th May (date and time to be confirmed).

The main issue that is causing concern is the dropping off point for the buses.   The original GTP agreed New Barnet Station and near the Jesters PH in Mount Pleasant.   There are problems with the station and for the first three years the school want to bring the coaches nearer to the school.   The Borough Education Dept travel plan officer made some singularly inappropriate suggestions about alternative dropping off points.   The Planners are acutely aware of the sensitivity of any changes and are actively holding the line on the original agreement.

It is a matter of regret that the school GTP officer is not aware of the history of transport to the school and even more reprehensible that neither is the borough's school travel officer.  JCOSS are in breach of their obligations under the planning reserved matters requirements but the council officers should have been chasing them sooner.   There has been a deliberate policy of excluding the local community which has now come back to bite them.  The school will open in September and once again the we are having to battle on two fronts (JCOSS and Council) to look after the interests of the local community.
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I'm so saddened to read this.  Are our worst fears about that wretched Green Travel Plan -  that it was bogus, of no substance and a mere ploy to push JCoSS through the planning application - about to be realised ?  All that arguing, all that campaigning we did fighting over this very issue. Blimey.

Y'know for the sake of local democracy and the notion of public consultation that Barnet Council relentlessly & so earnestly bark on about I really really hope we're way off on this.

I was pretty amazed to read the East Barnet Conservatives mailshot East Barnet Cons are backing option 1 of the NB Consultation  NOT because of their stance on that issue but on the third 'councillor-in-waiting' on the back.

Why is an unelected person apearing on this flyer which for all the world makes him look like our Burton replacement when the election hasn't taken place yet.  I'd call this insiduous electorate grooming - if you make someone appear as a councillor he'll then become that councillor. This is not helped by the strapline "Your councillors hold surgeries between.....etc" right under his name. Or am I complete idiot and missed the local election completely ?

I'm sure Mr Evangeli is a nice bloke & all that but I think the leaflet layout is a deliberate manipulation.  I see he edited the accompanying newsheet intouch that come with this flyer.  Amazing how such a local campaigner is a complete mystery to me considering I think I know most of them by now !  Where was he during the JCoSS, Asda or Tesco scraps ? Perhaps, at the time, he didn't know where NB was.

Am trying to say I don't think this is appropriate pre-local elections.  Remember how Mr A Tambourides was accused, and found against, of maintaining a media presence when being elected for mayor. That was on Greek London Radio.

So guess who also works for GLR ........

http://www.greeknews-tanea.com/TANEAonLINE/GrCommunity-2.html

Be nice to know what light Duncan can shed on this .......if you're not too busy Duncan !

I see that the Barnet Times have published two letters on this:

Actually their policy is a store evry 1000metres in urban areas so shoppers are nevermore than 500m from a store.  It just seems a lot closer.

I understand that they are now looking at a shop in Whetstone.

Quite.  :-)

The rumours appear to be based on some facts but nobody is entirely clear.   Apparently the officers  ( Planning and Education)are in dialogue with the school over the Green Travel Plan (GTP) but this could be normal discussions or  an argument over terms. They are not saying. At the planning stage NBCA was promised a seat at the table when the GTP was discussed.     We have never been invited.  For the past year two local residents who would be affected have taken it in turns to raise the issue at the Chipping Barnet's Residents Forum and been given the run around.

At the last public meeting of the East Barnet Ward Police Community Action  Panel we were informed that the school was reviewing the GTP. They did not consider the original proposals to be workable having regard to the large catchment area (17 miles radius) and anticipated many more parents driving their children to school. The police have concerns over the amount of increased traffic and parking congestion in the area.  There may be a need for more yellow lines and controlled parking.

There were concerns over the problems that the construction vehicles had caused with congestion and damage to parked cars. Apparently suggestions had been made about making the area a CPZ.  There was no support for this in the local community.

i have written to the two remaing ward councillors asking what action they propose taking to enforce the original GTP.   Cllr Rams has told me he is taiking the matter seriously and will come back to NBCA

Well it won't be much af a scrutiny committee if I can't ask questions.