In one short letter (‘All that is wrong starts right here’, Your Views, September 11), Morton Morris manages to complain that Barnet’s streets are “cart tracks” jammed with construction vehicles and rubbish trucks; that our police force is reduced to “one sole lady” on foot; that the streets are full of “lunatic” drivers during the day, and are no-go zones at night. He asks: “How many recognise this borough as a place to be proud of?”

Well, I’m proud of Barnet, for one. I’m proud that an area as ethnically diverse as ours is such a tolerant and peaceful place. Barnet’s residents speak dozens of languages and pray in pretty much every kind of religious establishment yet devised. That goes hand in hand with a crime rate that was the eighth lowest among London’s 32 boroughs over the past year. Incidentally, robberies, burglaries and overall crime in Barnet are all down compared with a year ago. If you don’t believe me, go to the Met Police website and look up the statistics for yourself.

I’m proud of Barnet’s schools – among the best in the country, and a major reason why so many young people each year come to settle in Barnet and bring up their children here.

I’m proud that on Barnet Borough Council we are working to create more than 20,000 new homes over the next 20 years. And yes, Mr Morris, those new high-quality homes will mean you’ll see the odd construction truck here and there. Our borough is a success story and it’s time we recognised that.

Cllr Gabriel Rozenberg

Con/Garden Suburb ward London Borough of Barnet