SHELTERED housing tenants in Golders Green have been criticised by a Barnet cabinet member for organising a meeting between residents and councillors on potential cuts to on-site warden services.

Residents of the Jewish Community Housing Association (JCHA) have organised the meeting, on May 27, as a last-ditch attempt to persuade Barnet Council not to follow through with the plans.

They believe the formal consultation period, which ended on March 31, was not long enough to get their arguments across, and fear the proposals are a foregone conclusion.

But Lynne Hillan, cabinet member for community service, said the organisation was acting "inappropriately".

She said: “As the association is a contractor to the council, I believe it is highly inappropriate that they should be so overtly political.”

Under the council’s plans, residents in sheltered housing would lose their wardens who help them with day-to-day activities and raise the alarm in the case of an emergency.

They would be replaced with off-site officers who would make regular visits to residents with specific needs.

Jane Goodman, JCHA housing manager, said they decided to hold the meeting because "everyone was anxious the issue should not be forgotten". “Our tenants are keen that councillors should visit schemes in advance of the cabinet meeting and actually meet those individuals who will be adversely affected should this decision proceed," she said.

“They believe that it is crucial for councillors to witness at first-hand the type of service they are proposing to cut.

“Our belief is many of the elected members have very little informed knowledge of the role of sheltered housing or those housed within it and these councillors should not be making a decision potentially affecting so many vulnerable people.”

The meetings will be held at Lionel Leighton Court, in Beverley Gardens, off Golders Green Road, from 2.30pm to 4pm, and at Harmony Close, in Princes Park Avenue, from 4pm to 5.30pm.

Barnet cabinet will make their final decision on the proposed cuts on June 8.