Barnet Council has launched The Barnet Plan (2021-2025) today (19 March), outlining the local authority’s vision and priorities for the borough’s residents over the next four years.
The Barnet Plan
Read the Barnet Plan: www.barnet.gov.uk/the-barnet-plan
The Plan sets out four ways it will improve life in Barnet, ensuring the borough is clean, safe and well-run; it is family friendly; residents can enjoy a healthy environment; and investment in sustainable development of new homes and infrastructure, and the creation of more local jobs.
The Plan has been developed following telephone surveys with 500 residents and in response to the wide-ranging effects of COVID-19 on Barnet’s communities. It builds on the borough’s strengths – excellent schools, vibrant town centres, unique green spaces and diverse communities – which all make it a great place to live, work and study.
Leader of Barnet Council, Cllr Dan Thomas, said: “Our ambitious Barnet Plan sets out how we will continue to foster a healthy, thriving, family friendly environment for all of our diverse communities. We will keep Barnet green, our streets clean, and every person in the borough feeling safe and secure.
“Alongside large projects, such as installing high-speed broadband connection for all residents and businesses, investing £6m in road resurfacing and pavement repairs, and building a new town in Brent Cross, we will increase our investment in our parks and open spaces, street cleansing and tackling anti-social behaviour.
“The COVID-19 pandemic continues to challenge every resident and business in Barnet and has changed the way that people interact with the council. I’m immensely proud of the way people across our community have rallied together in these circumstances. We already have a Barnet to be proud of; in this plan, we will create a borough ready for the future by playing to our strengths.”
Developed against the backdrop of COVID-19, the Plan takes into account lessons learned and the value of working with local organisations to serve residents and communities, while recognising existing and new challenges that have arisen. It sets out key outcomes and the steps the council will take to achieve them to ensure Barnet is ready and fit for a thriving future.
The plan was informed by a survey conducted with a representative sample of 500 residents[1], as well as feedback from a wide range of stakeholders through forums with the voluntary and community sector, businesses, partner organisations and Barnet’s Youth Assembly. It identifies four priorities to achieve its vision:
- Clean, safe and well run
- Family Friendly
- Healthy
- Thriving
The Residents’ Perception Survey found that:
- over four fifths of residents (83%) are satisfied with their local area as a place to live, which is higher than the London average.
- 85% view Barnet as a family friendly place
- over 62% of residents agree that Barnet is a place that supports you to live a healthier life
- 90% of residents feel people from different backgrounds get on well together and 85% of residents feel they belong to their local area
When asked what priorities were important to them, residents told us their top 3 were:
- keeping the borough clean and green
- making neighbourhoods safer
- ensuring services are easy to access and well run
Read the Barnet Plan 2021-2025: www.barnet.gov.uk/the-barnet-plan
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[1] Source: Barnet Council Residents’ Perception Telephone Survey, conducted with a representative sample of 500 residents aged 18+. The survey was carried out by ORS, an independent market research company.