Press Releases
Please follow the link for all media enquiries and to contact the council's communications team.
For all other general council enquiries and information please use the 'contact us' page.
All Press releases are listed below in reverse date order.
02/02/2010
East Barnet gas response to be reviewed
Barnet Council has set up a seven-member ad hoc scrutiny committee to investigate the response to a gas incident in East Barnet.
The incident saw hundreds of properties lose their supplies over Christmas. This is the first time the full council has set up such a committee to look into an emergency incident, reflecting the scale of the problems and the number of residents affected.
A week before Christmas, freezing weather conditions caused a water main to rupture. This resulted in water entering the pressurised gas system and cut off supplies for up to 2,000 homes.
Although it was utility companies National Grid and Veolia Water who were responsible for repairing the pipes and reconnecting houses, and EDF Energy who dealt with electricity issues, the council played a key role throughout the emergency.
Officers identified and visited vulnerable people in the area, provided a base for responders to work from and ensured local roads and pathways were kept passable as frequent snowfalls and sub-zero temperatures made conditions even more difficult.
The committee, to be chaired by the Mayor Councillor Brian Coleman AM FRSA, will specifically look at the circumstances and impact of the incident, the response of the utility companies, the response of the council, the impact on public services and how future incidents might be averted.
The committee will invite representatives from National Grid, other utility supply companies, public service partners, council officers and residents, to take part.
The Mayor said: "The problems which arose in East Barnet just before Christmas led to one of the longest emergency responses the council has been involved with in recent years. That is why the council is taking this unprecedented action to fully investigate every aspect of the operation to see what problems arose and what lessons must be learned by all the parties who played a part in responding to the incident.
"This will give National Grid an opportunity to explain to residents the circumstances that led to some properties remaining without gas supplies for several days."
Contact Press Officer: Johnathan Schroder
Email this pageLast modified by: Webmaster on 14/10/2008