Change Barnet borough for the better (From Times Series)

Change Barnet borough for the better

10:03am Friday 19th March 2010 in

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The Residents’ Association of Barnet (RAB) aims to help independent candidates gain seats on Barnet Council in the next local election.

RAB is a group of very concerned Barnet residents from all walks of life and across the mainstream political spectrum, who are alarmed by the direction and policies of the current council. Since RAB is not a political party, there will be no party whip and elected independent councillors will remain independent and will deal with the pressing issues of their ward residents.

I am a founding member of RAB because I am incensed by what I believe to be the complete lack of humanitarian principles in Barnet Council’s policies. They have tried to: m Cut services to vulnerable groups in our community (e.g. they tried to remove the onsite wardens from sheltered accommodation and are going to demolish the homes of a mostly elderly community under the Brent Cross scheme).

• Build tower blocks of flats in the most deprived areas of the borough, when we need family homes.

• Remove playing fields and green spaces (e.g. Hendon Football Club and the Peel Centre) m Inflict large supermarket chains on small high streets and town centres where they would be totally inappropriate and decimate smaller shops.

• Curtail the rights of residents to democracy and transparency in the workings of the council. In particular, in their planning and parking departments.

This is not the behaviour I expect of our elected representatives and public servants, paid for by our taxes.

This is not what I want my local government to be doing on my behalf.

RAB feels if the community stand together in large numbers against these appalling policies, then the community has a chance to change our borough for the better at the next local election.

Therefore, we are asking Barnet residents and friends, communities and community leaders for their support.

If you too are incensed by the complete lack of humanitarian principles in Barnet Council’s policies, and want local ‘government of the people by the people, for the people’, support us, contact us, become a candidate.

Gina Emmanuel, RAB co-founder, Brent Terrace, Cricklewood