We asked, you said, we did

For more information about this consultation please click here.

We Asked

We asked you to comment on the proposals for the play equipment at the play area near the café and the play area near Long Lane.

You Said

We received 64 responses to the survey for the play area near the café, and 54 responses for the play area near Long Lane. We also spoke to people at the two pop up events. The comments received for the play area near the cafe included; could the existing roundabout be reused? Could there be a 2^nd trampoline?, more cradle seats are needed and more seating for adults. For the play area near Long Lane comments included; where has the basketball gone, more climbing/motor skills enhancing is needed and more challenge needed for older children.

We Did

We reviewed our maintenance records for the roundabout in the play area near the café, to see if this could be reused, but due to wear and tear it will not be possible to reuse this piece of equipment. The seating for adults in the play areas will be installed once the new playgrounds are in place. A new multi use games area will be built later this year on one of the existing tennis courts, this will be marked and have hoops for basketball and football.

The outcomes of the consultations were passed to the play provider, who produced revised proposals. The revised proposals do not include a 2^nd trampoline as there is insufficient space in the playground. The council has reviewed the revised proposals and these have been agreed. The order has been placed for the new playgrounds and it is planned that work will commence after the school summer holidays, firstly on the playground near the café.

For more information about this consultation please click here.

We asked:

We wrote to you in July 2017 to let you know about an opportunity you have to benefit from Transport for London (TfL) funding to improve Forest Walk. With TfL’s “Healthy Streets” funding, we are investing in local improvements so that you can enjoy a cleaner and healthier environment. We know that residents are keen to improve safety and accessibility along Forest Walk, particularly for school children and people walking and cycling, and any proposals will seek to deliver this.

We asked you to tell us how you feel about where you live, especially regarding your travel choices along Forest Walk.

You said:

We received over 60 responses to the questionnaire carried out between June and July 2017, which was complemented by door-to-door knocking and meetings with local councillors, Hollickwood School, Muswell Hill Gold Club and Barnet Cyclists.

We found that:

• The majority of respondents use Forest Walk every day (55%) or weekly (31%).
• The majority of people think that improvements to Forest Walk will make access to local schools easier (53% a lot; 31% somewhat).
• The majority of respondents would like to see a new smooth path, making it easier for people to walk and cycle (63% a lot; 22% somewhat).
• The majority of people would like to see new gates with 1.5m gaps, making it easier for people to walk and cycle (60% a lot; 16% somewhat).
• The majority of respondents would like to see lighting installed to increase safety, without disturbing residents and wildlife (60% a lot; 13% somewhat)

The majority of people support measures to improve Forest Walk, provided final designs are sensitive to the rural character of the path.

We did:

As a result of the feedback received, we are now developing proposals for Forest Walk which build on the comments you made in the survey. Throughout this process we are working closely with local stakeholders including the emergency services, schools and local councillors to assess the various options and develop proposals which meet the needs of the community.

The final proposal will aim to connect residents to the London-wide cycle network of Quietways. These are quiet routes which follow back streets, parks and waterways that will safely connect you to shops, stations, workplaces and other destinations, and any improvements made will also improve conditions for walking.

You will be invited to comment on proposals for Forest Walk in autumn this year as part of the public consultation for the entire Hornsey to North Finchley Quietway route.

For more information about this consultation please click here.

You can view the previous CPZ consultation here.

We asked:

We asked for your views on proposed new and amended Controlled Parking Zones (CPZs) in the Colindale and Burnt Oak areas as part of a statutory consultation exercise.

You said:

106 representations relevant to the proposal were received. The feedback was varied, and was considered by Officers and the Executive Director, Environment, who on the 7 May 2019 decided to introduce CPZs in the Burnt Oak and Colindale areas, albeit with minor modifications to what was originally proposed. The report with the full analysis of the questionnaire responses can be found here.

We did:

Based on the feedback to the consultation, and the decisions made, preparations to introduce the CPZs, including writing to properties within the affected area, and managing the contractors introducing the relevant road markings and signs/posts has taken place. The new CPZs commenced on 10 June 2019.

For more information on this consultation please click here.

We asked

We asked for your views on the draft Housing Strategy. Specifically, we asked for your views on each of the priorities of the draft strategy and then for your views on specific policies relating to each theme. The priorities of the strategy are:

• Raising standards in the private rented sector
• Delivering more homes people can afford to buy or rent
• Safe and secure homes
• Promoting independence
• Tackling homelessness and rough sleeping

You said

The survey received 172 responses. Overall, they showed strong support for the overarching priorities, with 83.2% mean average support for the priorities of the strategy. Support for all of the overall themes was relatively high, with 89% support for tackling homelessness and rough sleeping, 83% support for delivering more homes people can afford to buy or rent, 79% support for raising standards in the private rented sector and 76% for promoting independence.

This was also reflected in the individual priorities of each chapter, particularly around using enforcement powers to deal with rogue landlords which received 89% support.

Most of the free text responses reflected the themes that are already central in the strategy. For example, concerns were raised about the affordability of housing, with respondents stressing the need for both quality and quantity of affordable housing.

Additionally, other comments suggested the importance of raising standards in the private rented sector. This included new methods for finding unlicensed HMOs being suggested.

We did

All of the comments received in the consultation were fed into the final strategy and accompanying consultation report, which were approved at Housing Committee on 1^st April 2019. The comments around affordability emphasised the importance of the theme on ‘Delivering more homes people can afford to buy or rent’.

Moreover, the suggestions on new ways to find unlicensed HMOs have been accommodated, as the council will investigate the business case for using additional data analysis tools to assist in positive identification of licensable HMOs.

To address the closer working with social housing tenants, the council will pilot a monthly drop-in session for tenants, which will then be evaluated for effectiveness in early 2019/20.

For more information on this consultation please click here.

We asked

We asked for views on the draft Homelessness and Rough Sleeping Strategy. Specifically, we asked for your views on each of the priorities of the draft strategy and then for your views on specific policies relating to each theme. The priorities of the strategy are:

• Preventing homelessness
• Reducing the use of temporary accommodation and securing accommodation for people who are homeless
• Establishing effective partnerships, working arrangements and support to those who are or used to be homeless, to improve their resilience and reduce the risk of them from becoming homeless again
• Supporting rough sleepers to address their housing and other needs

You said

There were 166 responses to the consultation, which overall showed strong support for the overarching themes and the individual priorities within that. The mean average support for the overarching priorities was 92%. The most popular priority was preventing homelessness, with 93.8% support. Establishing effective partnerships, working arrangements and support was also popular with 92.5% support, while supporting rough sleepers to address their housing and other needs (91.8%) and reducing the number of households in temporary accommodation (90.4%) also received strong backing.

This was also reflected within the individual priorities of each chapter, with all of the priorities in preventing homelessness receiving at least 90% support.

Other comments wanted the strategy to emphasise the role of partner organisations, such as Homeless Action in Barnet, who are a key partner in supporting rough sleepers in Barnet.

Another comment that was raised by multiple respondents related to improving outreach and being more proactive in terms of rough sleeping in the borough, while others wanted more work on the health needs of rough sleepers.

We did

All of the comments from the consultation were fed into the final strategy and accompanying consultation report, which were approved at Housing Committee on 1^st April 2019.

In terms of partner organisations, a new part of the action plan has been added to improve multi-agency working when relating to care leavers. This will identify early and appropriate action to improve actions and provide a range of housing options suitable for care leavers alongside support for example through ongoing money management and tenancy support.

The strategy now references Homeless Action in Barnet (HAB) in multiple sections, emphasising the role that they play in supporting rough sleepers in the borough.

Concerns about outreach have been addressed by the strategy now pledging to develop and monitor an Annual Rough Sleeping Plan to reduce rough sleeping across the borough. In terms of health needs, all rough sleepers will have a full assessment of health needs and will be supported to be registered with a GP and have access to primary care services in Barnet.

For more information about this consultation please click here.

We Asked:

We wanted to hear your views on the new Thameslink station and the bridge that will provide 24 hour right of way across the railway and on our updated proposals for the Waste Transfer Station and Rail Freight Facility before they are submitted as planning applications.

A variety of methods were used to consult including:

· Consultation events across the borough

· Stakeholder meetings

· The Engage Barnet questionnaire

You said:

Formal and verbal responses were received and reviewed by the project team to prior to submissions of applications. A full breakdown of this can be found below.

We did:

2019

These planning applications have now secured planning consent and work has begun on site. If you wish to know more about all our earlier consultation and engagement activities, please see the following Statement of Community Involvement reports published last year.

Rail freight facility - Statement of Community Involvement part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6.

For more information on this consultation please click here.

We asked:

We wanted to hear your views before we submit an application to allow the new Thameslink station and other rail-related sites to be constructed at the same time, and see the new station open to the public in 2022.

You said:

Responses received were supportive of these new timescales.

We did:

2019

These planning applications have now secured planning consent and work has begun on site. If you wish to know more about all our earlier consultation and engagement activities, please see the following Statement of Community Involvement reports published last year.

Rail freight facility - Statement of Community Involvement part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6.

For more information on this consultation please click here.

We Asked:

We asked for your views on the Waste Transfer Station and Rail Freight Facility before the project team undertook more detailed design work.

A variety of methods were used to consult including:

· Consultation events across the borough

· Stakeholder meetings

· The Engage Barnet questionnaire

You said:

Formal and verbal responses were received and reviewed by the project team to prior to submissions of applications. A full breakdown of this can be found below.

We did:

2019

These planning applications have now secured planning consent and work has begun on site. If you wish to know more about all our earlier consultation and engagement activities, please see the following Statement of Community Involvement reports published last year.

Rail freight facility - Statement of Community Involvement part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4, part 5 and part 6.

For more information about this consultation please click here.

We asked:

We asked you to share your views on an initial draft masterplan for West Hendon Playing Fields and Associated Community Facilities. This initial draft masterplan had been informed by the feedback received through the first phase of public engagement held in Summer 2018 where we had asked you what you would most like to see on the site. In this latest online engagement exercise, undertaken between 5 November to 2 December 2018, we asked you specifically for your views on the following:

· The facilities proposed within the initial draft masterplan

· The layout and location of the proposed facilities within the initial draft masterplan

· Any comments you may have on the overall initial draft masterplan.

You said:

We received 98 responses to the online engagement exercise. 86% of respondents said they were either supportive or very supportive of the initial draft masterplan and 8% said they were either unsupportive or very unsupportive. Of the proposed indoor facilities, the most popular were the café and multi-use activity space and of the proposed outdoor facilities, improved pedestrian and cycle routes, woodland nature trail, community garden, picnic areas, tennis courts and play areas all scored highly. Less well supported facilities included the skatepark, the artificial turf pitches and the high ropes course.

83% of respondents said they were either supportive or very supportive of the location and layout of the proposed facilities within the initial draft masterplan and 14% said they were either unsupportive or very unsupportive. Some people felt that the proximity of the proposed tennis courts, skatepark and high ropes course to areas of particular ecological interest was inappropriate.

A number of concerns were raised about the potential impact of the proposed developments on local ecology, specifically in relation to areas of the wider site which are designated as a Site of Specific Scientific Interest (SSSI) and Local Nature Reserve (LNR). You expressed a desire to balance any development with the protection of the wildlife, flora and fauna on the wider site. You also said it was important to consider the impact upon parking and traffic movement as a result of new facilities.

We did:

The results of this further engagement were used to inform a review of the initial draft masterplan and to identify any required amendments. Taking account of the feedback received, a number of changes have been made in developing a final version of the draft masterplan. These include enlarging the proposed nursery provision within the Community Sports Hub and relocating the tennis courts and skatepark further away from the SSSI and LNR. In addition, a ‘softening’ of the proposed new car park on Cool Oak Lane through use of a natural surface finish and additional planting have been included in the final version of the draft masterplan.

The final draft masterplan will form the subject of a report to the meeting of the Council’s Environment Committee on 14 March 2019 seeking approval to undertake a full public consultation on the final draft masterplan.

For more information about this consultation please click here.

We asked:

We asked you to share your views on an initial draft masterplan for Barnet Playing Fields and King George V Playing Fields. This initial draft masterplan had been informed by the feedback received through the first phase of public engagement held in Summer 2018 where we had asked you what you would most like to see on the site. In this latest online engagement exercise, undertaken between 5 November to 2 December 2018, we asked you specifically for your views on the following:

· The facilities proposed within the initial draft masterplan

· The layout and location of the proposed facilities within the initial draft masterplan

· Any comments you may have on the overall initial draft masterplan.

You said:

We received 296 responses to the online engagement exercise. 82% of respondents said they were either supportive or very supportive of the initial draft masterplan and 16% said they were either unsupportive or very unsupportive. Of the proposed indoor facilities, the most popular were the café and community rooms and of the proposed outdoor facilities, improved play areas, pedestrian and cycle routes, outdoor gym, Multi-Use Games Area and improved sports pitches all scored highly. Less well supported facilities included the skatepark and gaelic football pitches.

79% of respondents said they were either supportive or very supportive of the location and layout of the proposed facilities within the initial draft masterplan and 19% said they were either unsupportive or very unsupportive. Some people felt that the skatepark could be better located.

In addition, a number of suggestions were made about the site which have been taken into account such as the need for strong management of the site to ensure it is well-maintained and a need to consider the impact of traffic movement to the site and surrounding area. You also said it was important to protect the peaceful character of the site and local wildlife, trees and plants.

We did:

The results of this further engagement were used to inform a review of the initial draft masterplan and to identify any required amendments. Taking account of the feedback received, the skatepark has been relocated to an area closer to the main Community Sports Hub and further away from neighbouring residential properties and the Ark Academy. In addition, further planting and landscape enhancements to the site boundaries have been included in the final version of the draft masterplan.

The final draft masterplan will form the subject of a report to the meeting of the Council’s Environment Committee on 14 March 2019 seeking approval to undertake a full public consultation on the final draft masterplan.