RESIDENTS groups have reacted angrily to the news a council forum has been cancelled tomorrow night.

A meeting of the Finchley and Golders Green residents forum was due to be held from 6.30pm at Pardes House Primary School, in Hendon Lane, Finchley.

But Barnet Council bosses had to cancel the scheduled meeting because the site remains in breach of a planning order.

The owners of the private all boys school is facing prosecution for failing to repair a listed wall despite being ordered to the council in 2007.

Yet council staff decided to book the hall for the meeting, only for it later to be decided it was inappropriate to host it there, and the October forum was scrapped altogether.

A statement from the council said the reason for the cancellation was that “outstanding planning enforcement requirements relating to the school site have still to be complied with”, adding details of the next meeting will be advertised “in due course”.

The error has left residents fuming as a number of key issues were due to be raised at the meeting.

High on the agenda were concerns surrounding the proposed changes to parking regulations in East Finchley.

Traders are worried all day restrictions in the area will strangle business, and Dino Loizou, from the East Finchley Traders Association, had planned to quiz council representatives on the impact tomorrow.

“We need more information, and information that is critical for the whole consultation,” said Mr Loizou, who has organised the campaign and the petitions which are in most shops along the high street.

“We want to know how many responded on the questionnaire, because if only 40 per cent of 500 want changes, and we have got 1,000 signatures against it, then we can question the whole consultation.

“But they haven't got back to me, and I haven't been officially told the meeting isn't on. We need to start getting answers.”

Also due for discussion was the planning application for the Brent Cross Cricklewood regeneration scheme, which has sparked uproar from hundreds of residents, councillors and environmental campaigners.

David Howard, the chairman of the Forum of Residents' Associations in Barnet (FORAB) said: "The cynic in me says they do not want it because of Brent Cross, it can't be that hard to find an alternative venue.

“It's darned annoying and I think it does bring the council into disrepute as people are cynical about councillors' motives.

“It's one of the few times residents have a chance to raise issues with their councillors and we're being denied it.”