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The street scene services currently provides waste and recycling collection, street cleaning, and litter bin emptying as well as looking after nearly 200 parks and open spaces. As with all council services, street scene services needs to make significant savings to help reduce the £61.5 million deficit gap between 2016 and 2020. Over the last 18 months a wide range of options have been considered for the way the service can be provided in the future.

Barnet has had the second highest number of businesses in outer London register to boost their broadband speed using a government scheme. The nationally funded Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme gave small and medium sized businesses the opportunity to apply for vouchers worth up to £3,000 each to help them cover the set up costs of high speed business internet connections. National figures show that participating businesses reported, on average, a £1,300 per year increase in profits.

Officers from the council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT), NSL parking officers and police carried out a blue badge misuse operation. Spot checks were carried out on 103 blue badges being displayed in parked cars in and around the Burnt Oak, Mill Hill, Temple Fortune and Finchley Central areas. In total, 17 cases of misuse were identified and 13 badges were seized, two of which were being used despite the fact the permit holders had died and two had been reported stolen.

As part of the council’s on-going review of town centre parking, the council is to trial a number of measures in Edgware town centre from Monday 11 February including reduced charges. It follows extensive consultation with local traders and the Edgware Business Forum. The trial, which will run for a minimum of six months, will allow the council, businesses, their customers and residents a chance to monitor and comment on the effectiveness of the changes.

Officers from the council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) carried out spot checks on 78 cars displaying Blue Badges while parked in the Hendon area on 23 February. Of the 11 badges seized, seven were found to being used by motorists to avoid parking restrictions without the badge holder being present, with checks revealing three permits reported lost or stolen, and one badge found to be counterfeit.  The operation also involved police officers and a parking enforcement officer. CAFT officers carry out regular spot checks across the borough.

The £1.2m of funding was awarded to the council after it successfully bid for a portion of money as part of the Home Office’s Trusted Relationships Fund. Barnet was one of 11 authorities in the country selected for the funding which is aimed at helping social workers, police, nurses and other professionals form close, protective relationships with children and young people at risk of sexual exploitation, gang crime or relationship abuse.

This year has seen the expansion of the new nationwide system for measuring students’ attainment (using a points scale of 9-1) to other subjects alongside English and Maths from last year, and it is the third year of the implementation of ‘Attainment 8’ and ‘Progress 8’, which measures the achievement of a pupil across eight qualifications including English and Mathematics. Results so far show the average Attainment 8 score in Barnet is 58 points compared to the national average in 2017 of 46 points. This is a four point increase on Barnet’s score in 2017.

Residents are being strongly encouraged to sign up now for one of the sessions online. Councillor Richard Cornelius, the Leader of Barnet Council, will inform residents about the council’s priorities for the borough, which have been laid out in the blueprint for its 2019-2024 corporate plan. People will then be able to give their feedback and influence the future direction of the plan.

Local people know their area best. That’s why, when the review starts, the LGBCE will be asking local residents to give their views on a range of issues to help shape the review.  The Commission wants to hear from local people and organisations on:

Ali Butt, appeared on behalf of the company, Mobile Car Services, at a hearing at Willesden Magistrates’ Court on 7 August where the company was fined after Butt pleaded guilty to planning offences. Mr Butt’s business partner, Philip Grant, failed to attend court and a warrant was issued for his arrest.