We asked, you said, we did

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We asked

We asked for your views on the introduction of a number of new road safety measures that will reduce the speed of vehicles and also aim to address concerns raised via various petitions and requests by residents in Torrington Park and the surrounding area.

The proposals consulted included:

1. A new 20mph zone in the area
2. Introduction of speed cushions on various local roads with the aim to reduce vehicle speeds.
3. Introduction of raised speed tables, build outs and carriageway narrowing in places to reduce vehicle speed
4. Uncontrolled crossing points at side roads to provide a safer crossing point for pedestrians
5. Introduction of horizontal deflections, carriageway narrowing and surface colour/texture treatment on Torrington Park to reduce vehicle speeds and is suitable for a bus route
6. Introduction of double yellow lines (no waiting at any time) on localised sections of the roads. This aims to reduce parking obstruction and improve visibility especially for vulnerable road users.

You said

We received 388 responses from approximately 4771 properties, which equates to an overall response rate of 8.13%. Petitions, letters, Freedom of Information Act (FOI) enquiries and escalations to The Director of Highways and Transportation were also received.

Overall, 43% of respondents agreed that our proposals will improve road safety in the area, whilst 43% disagreed.

Full details of the responses to our public consultation, are available on pages 2 to 9 of the Consultation outcome report.

We did

Due to the differing responses to each proposal based on road, we have amended our proposals and made our recommendation on the final scheme. These amended proposals are outlined in the Consultation outcome report, pages 10 to 15.

Funding has been approved from the Road Safety and Parking budget to progress the safety measures to detail design and implementation.

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We asked

Barnet Councillors asked the local community to put forward suggestions for topics that could be considered in scrutiny committees and by task and finish groups over the year ahead.

You said

We received a total of 51 responses.

There were a wide range of topics suggested including environmental issues, health services, and road and traffic concerns.

We did

The topics were collated by the Scrutiny Team who undertook further research to determine if they were suitable for a report to a committee or a task and finish group review, and if outcomes and improvements to services were likely to be achieved by scrutinising the issue.

A long list of all the topics were considered by scrutiny councillors at a special session on work programming with a trainer from the Centre for Governance and Scrutiny. This enabled the long list of topics to be shortlisted.

A further meeting to refine the suggested topics held with the Chair and Vice Chair of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee.

The committee/sub-committee work programmes and task and finish group topics were agreed at the meeting of the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on 4^th June 2024 Details of the shortlisting process and agreed subjects can be reviewed here: Agenda item - Overview and Scrutiny Work Programmes 2024-25 (moderngov.co.uk) At this meeting local councillors expressed their thanks to all local residents and community groups who had responded to their request for topics.

The work programmes 2024-25 for the Overview and Scrutiny Committee, and the Adults and Health and Children and Education Sub-Committees can be here: Browse Committee Work Programmes (moderngov.co.uk)

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We asked

We asked for your views on our proposed 19-25 SEND Travel Assistance Policy. We have been reviewing our policies to make them clear, and easy to understand for people who are thinking about or applying for transport.

You Said

A total of 15 participants provided feedback on the policy. All feedback received has been taken into account when finalising the policy.

We did

We will continue to ensure all policies allow for exceptions whilst taking into consideration the importance of independence where possible.

We recognise that individualised support is essential, and our policy will ensure that alternatives to ITT travel arrangements are in place for those who have been assessed as needing them.

Safety remains a priority, and we will continue to conduct individual assessments, taking into account each young adult’s needs and personal circumstances. Risk assessments will take these factors into account to ensure that travel arrangements offered are safe for each individual.

We recognise we need to consider transitions and ensure families have information about any key changes in advance.

We will organise workshops where parents, carers, and young adults can provide feedback on the travel assistance services and participate in discussions about potential improvements.

You can read the full results here and the key changes here.

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We asked

We asked for your views on our proposed Compulsory school aged (5-16) SEND Travel Assistance Policy. We have been reviewing our policies to make them clear, and easy to understand for people who are thinking about or applying for transport. We have also aligned our proposed changes with the Department for Education’s (DfE) revised guidance on Home to School Transport, which was published in June 2023.

You Said

A total of 47 residents participated in the consultation, including 17 who confirmed they are parents/carers with children in Barnet schools.

• Safeguarding principles and training: 58.97% of respondents find the safeguarding principles and training information for passenger assistants and drivers to be clear, with only 15.39% disagreeing.
• Appeals process: 47.23% of respondents agree that the appeals process is clear, while 13.89% disagree.
• Medication and medical equipment handover: 64.1% agree that the information on the handover of medication and medical equipment is clear, with only 5.12% disagreeing.

We did

We recognise that where the Council makes the transport arrangements for your child this can be restrictive. For this reason, we are placing greater emphasis on Personal Travel Allowances which allow greater flexibility and choice. We are seeing a year-on-year increase in the number of children and young people supported this way.

We have ensured that all our transport policies allow for exceptions and will continue to consider every request for transport on an individual basis

We remain committed to ongoing engagement with families and stakeholders and will continue to seek feedback and adapt our services where we are able to do so.

You can read the full results here and the key changes here.

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We asked

We asked for your views on the introduction of a number of new road safety measures that will reduce the speed of vehicles on Hampden Way surrounding roads. Amongst the measures proposed included the proposed introduction of a 20mph speed limit, new crossing points and speed cushions.

You said

We received 58 responses from approximately 939 properties, which equates to an overall response rate of 6%.

Two thirds of respondents (66%) agreed that our proposals will improve road safety in the area.

We did

Based on the results of the consultation, and taking into account all the comments received from residents, we are recommending to introduce all measures as consulted with the inclusion of the following extending the 20mph into surrounding roads, including associated regulatory signs and markings.

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We asked

We asked if the "Your Health Barnet" logo effectively communicates public health messages and supports the delivery of campaigns across the borough. Through focus groups in Colindale and Chipping Barnet, we aimed to understand how well the logo resonates with residents and if it supports their understanding and engagement with health and wellbeing information.

You said

You told us the logo works well overall, with many participants appreciating its simplicity, the heart/apple symbol, and its clarity across different campaigns. The logo was seen as a positive, trustworthy identity that stands out. However, some feedback highlighted that the apple symbol might overly suggest a focus on nutrition, while potentially overlooking other aspects of health, such as mental wellbeing. Suggestions for improvement included exploring slight changes in colour and style to make the logo more representative of a broader range of health topics. Additionally, you expressed a desire for clearer pathways to find health information, including requests for a search function on the "Your Health Barnet" website to make resources more accessible.

We did

Based on your feedback, we have decided to continue using the "Your Health Barnet" logo as our identity for public health communications. With continued use it will provide a trusted, recognisable visual brand that resonates with Barnet residents. However, we are exploring options to make minor updates to the logo's colours and style to enhance its versatility without changing its core identity. We will also look into introducing a search function on the website, improving access to important health information and services – budget allowing. The valuable feedback gained from the focus groups continues to shape our communications campaigns as we work to ensure that our public health messages are clear, accessible, and relevant.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.