Executive mayor elected by the people, elected legislative City council
63-668: Barnet London Borough Council , also known as Barnet Council , is the local authority for the London Borough of Barnet in Greater London , England. It is a London borough council , one of 32 in London . The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. The council meets at Hendon Town Hall and has its main offices at 2 Bristol Avenue in Colindale . There has been a Barnet local authority since 1863 when
126-573: A Green Flag Award for 2008–2009: The borough has sixty-seven Sites of Importance for Nature Conservation , eight Local Nature Reserves , and it is jointly responsible with the London Borough of Brent for the Welsh Harp (Brent) Reservoir , which is a Site of Special Scientific Interest . These are listed in Nature reserves in Barnet . The A5 ( Edgware Road ) forms the border between Barnet and
189-547: A local government district was created for the town of Barnet, also known as Chipping Barnet , governed by an elected local board. Such districts were reconstituted as urban districts under the Local Government Act 1894 , which saw the board replaced by an urban district council. The much larger London Borough of Barnet and its council were created under the London Government Act 1963 , with
252-529: A "laboratory experiment for some very ill-thought out policies". In 2004 cycle lanes were removed and cycle training funding cut by the controversial pro-motorist councillor Brian Coleman . The A5 is a major road in that forms much of the borough's western border. It is also the first Roman built road in England. It later took the Anglo-Saxon name Watling Street . The Great North Road passes through
315-577: A coalition which comes together to elect a leader. The council elects the leader, and the leader appoints the other members of the cabinet. Each cabinet member holds a separate portfolio, such as housing, finance, economic development, or education. Decisions may be delegated to the individual members, or taken by the cabinet as a whole. These decisions are scrutinised by one or more "overview and scrutiny" committees, which may be dedicated to one or more service areas. The leader and cabinet are responsible for policies, plans, and strategies, which must be within
378-482: A community sports stadium and is still used in this capacity thanks to Saracens using movable stands for their matches. As well as athletics facilities, the complex also has a swimming pool. In 1801, the civil parishes that form the modern borough had a total population of 6,404; and the area was characterised by farming and woodland — with settlement principally around the Great North Road . By 1830,
441-719: A local resident tried to challenge the council's decision via a judicial review , but without success. Most of the outsourced functions were brought back in-house during 2023. The local authority derives its powers and functions from the London Government Act 1963 and subsequent legislation, and has the powers and functions of a London borough council. It sets council tax and as a billing authority also collects precepts for Greater London Authority functions and business rates. It sets planning policies which complement Greater London Authority and national policies, and decides on almost all planning applications accordingly. It
504-490: A new turnpike , the Finchley Road was constructed and horse-drawn omnibuses introduced. The population rose dramatically with the arrival of the trams and railways in the middle of 19th century, and new estates were built to house commuters. As industry relocated away from London during the 1960s, the population entered a decline, that has begun to reverse with new housing developments on brownfield sites. According to
567-430: A quarter of people belonged to non-white ethnic groups, up from 18% in the 1991 census. 12.3% were Asian and 6.0% black. Barnet had the largest Chinese population of any London borough in 2001, at 6,379. As of 2011, 13.3% of the borough's population is over 65 - the sixth-highest of London's boroughs. The 65+ population is 47,400, the second-highest after Bromley . The Jewish population is 54,084 and represents 15.5% of
630-404: A system of committees for decision making. There was no legislative requirement for any councillor to be declared the leader, with the principle being that all the elected councillors were equal in status. In practice, political groups had their own leaders, and when a council was under the control of a particular party, local media would commonly refer to the leader of the controlling party as being
693-634: Is "The Mayor and Burgesses of the London Borough of Barnet", although it styles itself as 'Barnet Council'. From 1965 until 1986 the council was a lower-tier authority, with upper-tier functions provided by the Greater London Council . The split of powers and functions meant that the Greater London Council was responsible for "wide area" services such as fire, ambulance, flood prevention, and refuse disposal; with
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#1732798083685756-455: Is Barnet Council, which meets at Hendon Town Hall and has its main offices at 2 Bristol Avenue in the Colindale area of the borough. For elections to the Greater London Council , the borough formed the Barnet electoral division, electing four members. In 1973 it was divided into the single-member Chipping Barnet , Finchley , Hendon North and Hendon South . The Greater London Council
819-438: Is a local education authority and is also responsible for council housing , social services, libraries, waste collection and disposal, traffic, and most roads and environmental health. The council has been under Labour majority control since 2022. The first election was held in 1964, initially operating as a shadow authority alongside the outgoing authorities until it came into its powers on 1 April 1965. Political control of
882-589: Is a large multi-building museum built on part of the site of Hendon Aerodrome , dedicated to the history of aviation , and the British Royal Air Force in particular. Church Farmhouse Museum on Greyhound Hill in Hendon is a grade II* listed 17th-century farmhouse used by Barnet Council as an exhibition space and museum until the Council closed it to save money on 31 March 2011. Early in 2014 it
945-431: Is exercised through various committees rather than being focussed on one person. Many councils which use the committee system still nominate one of the councillors to hold the title 'Leader of the Council', albeit without the same powers as a leader under the leader and cabinet model. From the establishment of elected local authorities in England in the nineteenth century until the Local Government Act 2000 , councils used
1008-745: Is provided by the Metropolitan Police Service . There are two police stations in the borough at: Colindale and Barnet. Though only Colindale is open to the public. The Peel Centre at Hendon is the Metropolitan Police College. Statutory emergency fire service is provided by the London Fire Brigade . There are four fire stations that operate in the Borough of Barnet. These are mobilised to protect around 330,000 people. The main risks identified in
1071-494: Is represented by Dan Tomlinson . Finchley and Golders Green is represented by Sarah Sackman . Hendon , in 2024 the most marginal Labour-held seat in the country with a majority of 15 votes, is represented by David Pinto-Duschinsky . The borough covers a group of hills on the northern edge of the London Basin . The bedrock is chalk which is covered with clay. Some of the hills are formed from glacial till deposited at
1134-506: Is the last of these with a home ground in the Borough; Hendon and Edgware play in the Borough of Brent, and Barnet F.C. play in the Borough of Harrow. Barnet is also home to the Barnet Nightingales Girls Football Club and Barnet Judo Club. Since 2013 rugby union Premiership outfit Saracens F.C. have called the borough home, playing matches at StoneX Stadium at Barnet Copthall which was previously
1197-471: Is the second largest London borough by population with 389,344 inhabitants as of 2021, also making it the 17th largest district in England. The borough covers an area of 86.74 square kilometres (33 sq mi), the fourth highest of the 32 London boroughs, and has a population density of 45.8 people per hectare, which ranks it 25th. Barnet borders the Hertfordshire district of Hertsmere to
1260-616: The 2022 election and a subsequent change of allegiance in January 2023, the composition of the council was: The next election is due in 2026. The council has its main offices at 2 Bristol Avenue in Colindale , which was completed in 2019. Council meetings are held at Hendon Town Hall , which had been completed in 1901 for Hendon Urban District Council. Prior to 2019 the council's main offices were at Barnet House in Whetstone , which had been built in 1966 as 'Ever Ready House', being
1323-531: The Greater London Authority has taken some responsibility for highways and planning control from the council, but within the English local government system the council remains a "most purpose" authority in terms of the available range of powers and functions. In 2012 Barnet outsourced many functions to Capita under what it called the 'One Barnet' programme. The scheme was controversial;
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#17327980836851386-609: The Green Belt . The local authority is Barnet London Borough Council , which meets at Hendon Town Hall and has its main offices in Colindale . The area covered by the modern borough has a long history. Evidence of first-century Roman pottery manufacturing has been found at Brockley Hill and Roman coins from the third and fourth centuries were found at Burnt Oak . Both sites are on the Roman road Watling Street from London ( Londinium ) to St Albans ( Verulamium ) which now forms
1449-607: The Local Government Act 1894 . Barnet was enlarged in 1914 to take in Totteridge , and Hendon was enlarged in 1931 to take in Edgware . Hendon was made a municipal borough in 1932, as was Finchley in 1933. East Barnet Valley was renamed East Barnet in 1935. The modern borough was created in 1965 under the London Government Act 1963 , covering the combined area of the former boroughs of Finchley and Hendon and urban districts of Barnet, East Barnet and Friern Barnet. The area
1512-516: The M1 motorway are in the borough. London Gateway services is at the site of the abandoned third junction. The bus routes in the borough are managed by Transport for London . The borough is served by the northernmost sections of the London Underground 's Northern line , including all three of the line's northern termini (Edgware, High Barnet, and Mill Hill East). The surface sections of
1575-499: The Royal Free London NHS Foundation Trust , which runs Barnet Hospital , Chase Farm Hospital and some clinics at Edgware Community Hospital, and Central London Community Healthcare NHS Trust , which runs Finchley Memorial Hospital and other services at Edgware Community Hospital. The London Ambulance Service responds to medical emergencies in the area. Home Office policing in the borough
1638-434: The 'Leader of the Council'. It was also generally recognised that the most powerful political position on a council was the person who chaired the main policy-making committee, which in most councils was called the policy and resources committee. Usually, the leader of the largest party would chair that committee. Some councils explicitly acknowledged the existence of a leader of the council, others did not. The role of Leader of
1701-486: The 2001 census the borough then had a population of 314,564 though the most recent ONS projection for 2008 is 331,500. 67% of householders are owner-occupiers. 47.3% of people described themselves as Christian, with the second largest group being Jewish at 14.8%, the highest percentage in any local government area in the United Kingdom. The third largest was people who said they had no religion at 12.8%. Just over
1764-495: The Council in that regard was similar to that of the British prime minister ; the post had not been explicitly created, but gradually emerged. The Local Government Act 2000 sought to strengthen public engagement with local democracy, and streamline the system of committees, introducing the models of directly elected mayors and cabinets, leaders and cabinets, as well as a third option for an elected mayor and council manager, which
1827-501: The High Barnet and Edgware branches are entirely in the borough. The High Barnet branch surfaces just before East Finchley station . At Finchley Central station there is a single-station spur to Mill Hill East station . The rest of the line continues north through West Finchley , Woodside Park and Totteridge and Whetstone stations to the terminus at High Barnet station . The Edgware branch emerges at Golders Green station ;
1890-471: The Localism Act 2011, principal authorities (such as unitary authorities, county councils, and district councils) were allowed to return to decision-making by committees, the method of local government administration for all councils prior to 2000. Under this model power is exercised, alongside full council, by a number of committees, made up of councillors in proportion to their parties' representation on
1953-582: The Lord of the Manor of Barnet to hold a twice yearly horse fair . The first example of an American style out-of-town shopping centre was built at Brent Cross in the 1970s. McDonald's has its UK headquarters at East Finchley. Argonaut Games once had its head office in Edgware . Former mayor of London Ken Livingstone said once said that Barnet's transport agenda is "recklessly anti-public transport, anti-pedestrian and anti-cycling" and that Barnet has become
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2016-462: The borough councils (including Barnet) responsible for "personal" services such as social care, libraries, cemeteries and refuse collection. As an outer London borough council Barnet has been a local education authority since 1965. The Greater London Council was abolished in 1986 and its functions passed to the London borough councils, with some services provided through joint committees. Since 2000
2079-484: The borough include Brent Cross Shopping Centre , Coppetts Wood Hospital and Barnet Hospital . Between the four stations; six pumping appliances, One Operational Support Unit and a High Volume Pump are operated. The London Borough of Barnet has 86 primary schools, 22 secondary schools and four special schools. Woodhouse College is a single site state sixth form college in North Finchley . The main college in
2142-441: The borough is Barnet College , with five sites. Middlesex University has its main campus at Hendon. University College London has its teaching observatory at Mill Hill. Leader of the council Council - Manager Executive leader elected by the council from among themselves Elected mayor and cabinet Executive mayor elected by the people Committee system Executive leader and executive committees elected by
2205-540: The borough starting at East Finchley and crossing into Hertfordshire at Monken Hadley . It was a coaching route used by mail coaches between London, York and Edinburgh. The many inns on the road provided accommodation, stabling for the horses and replacement mounts. A section of the A1 road was built to bypass this route through Mill Hill, eventually joining the Great North Road at Hatfield . The Finchley Road
2268-651: The boroughs of Brent and Harrow , with an exception being the West Hendon area and part of the Welsh Harp . Barnet has two Grade I listed buildings , both designed by Edwin Lutyens : the Church of St Jude , the parish church of Hampstead Garden Suburb with a Gothic spire and on the opposite side of Central Square, the Free Church , of similar design but with a concrete dome. The Royal Air Force Museum
2331-403: The budget adopted by the full council. These will be reported to the overall "full" council, which is convened to bring together all elected members of the authority at regular meetings. One or more overview and scrutiny committees holds the cabinet to account for its decisions and is responsible that the democratic checks and balances are maintained. The principal executive decisions taken by
2394-694: The coming into effect of the Localism Act 2011 this can be dispensed with and its functions can be delegated to a monitoring officer. The elected mayor and cabinet model was introduced by the Local Government Act 2000. Councils currently operating the mayoral model include: The elected mayor and council manager option was also introduced by the Local Government Act 2000, but withdrawn by the Local Government and Public Involvement in Health Act 2007 . The only local authority to adopt
2457-436: The council as a whole are to appoint the leader, to approve the leader's budget, to adopt development plan documents, and to agree on the council's constitution. Beyond that, it may raise issues, urge the leader, cabinet, or cabinet members to take actions, or pass a vote of no confidence in the leader. In addition, the compliance of councillors with their code of conduct may be overseen by a standards committee, although since
2520-399: The council from among themselves In England, local authorities are required to adopt one of three types of executive arrangements , having an "elected mayor and cabinet ", a "leader and cabinet", or a "committee system". The type of arrangement used determines how decisions will be made within the council. In councils which use the elected mayor system, the mayor is directly elected by
2583-453: The council since 1965 has been as follows: Political leadership is provided by the leader of the council . The role of mayor is largely ceremonial in Barnet. The leaders since 1969 have been: Since the last boundary changes in 2022 the council has comprised 63 councillors representing 24 wards , with each ward electing two or three councillors. Seats are filled using plurality block voting ; elections are held every four years. Following
Barnet London Borough Council - Misplaced Pages Continue
2646-438: The council. Such councils may choose to nominate a councillor as Leader of the Council for the purposes of representing the political leadership of the council, particularly in relations with external bodies. If no leader is nominated, as was the case prior to 2000, the chair of the council's main policy committee may be informally deemed to be the council's de facto leader. Some councils operate governance arrangements which have
2709-772: The eastern side grew around what is now the High Barnet Underground branch of the Northern line . The western side grew around the Midland Railway and what is now the Edgware branch of the Northern line. Further south, around the borough's centre, the development becomes steadily more intensive around the suburbs of Cricklewood , Colindale , Hendon and Finchley . Golders Green is renowned for its Jewish minority ethnic population and forms part of
2772-458: The electorate to provide political leadership for the council and has power to make executive decisions. In councils which use the leader and cabinet model (the most commonly used model), the elected councillors choose one of their number to be the Leader of the Council , and that person provides political leadership and can make executive decisions. Where the committee system is used, executive power
2835-468: The farthest extent of glaciers during the Anglian glaciation . The pattern of settlement is somewhat diverse. In the north of the borough on the eastern side is Barnet , also known as High Barnet or Chipping Barnet, Totteridge , and Whetstone . In the north on the western side is Edgware and Mill Hill . The central northern part of the borough is largely countryside. This division is largely because
2898-443: The first election held in 1964 . For its first year the council operated as a shadow authority alongside the area's five outgoing authorities, being the borough councils of Finchley and Hendon and the urban district councils of Barnet , East Barnet and Friern Barnet . The new council formally came into its powers on 1 April 1965, at which point the old districts and their councils were abolished. The council's full legal name
2961-521: The headquarters of the British Ever Ready Electrical Company . The council moved into the building in 1986 and renamed it Barnet House. London Borough of Barnet The London Borough of Barnet ( / ˈ b ɑːr n ɪ t / ) is a local authority area on the northern outskirts of London . The borough was formed in 1965 from parts of the ceremonial counties of Middlesex and Hertfordshire . It
3024-432: The least populous of the five predecessor districts at the 1961 census; nearly half the new borough's population lived in the old borough of Hendon. When the present borough was created, it included part of Elstree . On 1 April 1993 Barnet's northern boundary was altered and some of its more rural northern parts, including Elstree, were transferred to Hertfordshire (and its district of Hertsmere ). The local authority
3087-529: The line continues on a series of viaducts through Brent Cross station to Hendon Central station . Here it goes through a tunnel before continuing above ground through Colindale and Burnt Oak stations to the terminus at Edgware station . The Piccadilly line , although in the Borough of Enfield, is very close to the border, with buses in Barnet connecting people to the stations. There are two National Rail routes in Barnet. The Midland Main Line passes through
3150-407: The model was Stoke-on-Trent City Council , reverting to leader and cabinet in 2008. Section 31 of the Local Government Act 2000 allowed district councils in two tier areas, with populations under 85,000, to propose alternative executive arrangements. This was superseded by the changes made by the Localism Act 2011 and the renewed availability of the committee system to all local authorities. Under
3213-510: The north and five other London boroughs: Camden and Haringey to the southeast, Enfield to the east, as well as Harrow and Brent to the west of the ancient Watling Street (now the A5 road). The borough's major urban settlements are Hendon , Finchley , Golders Green , Friern Barnet , Chipping Barnet , Whetstone , and Edgware ; there are also village settlements notably Totteridge and Arkley along with rural areas and countryside part of
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#17327980836853276-407: The population - the highest in the United Kingdom. 41.2% identify themselves as Christians, and 16.1% with no religion. The following table shows the ethnic group of respondents in the 2001 and 2011 census in Barnet. Faith in Barnet (2021) Chipping Barnet has been a market town since the thirteenth century, the rest of the area was agricultural. In 1588 Queen Elizabeth I granted a charter to
3339-505: The south of the borough, along with Hampstead Garden Suburb and Childs Hill . Much of the borough is within the Metropolitan Green Belt , and it has many parks and open spaces. In addition there are large areas taken over by cemeteries and golf courses , and part of Hampstead Heath , Hampstead Heath Extension and Golders Hill Park . Barnet describes its 16 main open spaces as 'premier parks', nine of which achieved
3402-586: The two sides of the borough, part of the Edgware, Highgate and London Railway which was going to be part of the Underground's Northern line "Northern Heights" expansion, but steam passenger services beyond Mill Hill East ended in 1939, and the completion of the electrification of this railway was eventually abandoned in the 1950s, primarily because the full extension would have breached the Town and Country Planning Act 1947 ( 10 & 11 Geo. 6 . c. 51). What track
3465-730: The western border of the borough. Hendon is mentioned in the Domesday Book of 1086, but the districts of Barnet, Edgware and Finchley were not referred to, possibly because these areas were included in other manors. In 1471 the Battle of Barnet was fought in Monken Hadley , just within the present borough's boundary. It was here that Yorkist troops led by King Edward IV killed the "Kingmaker" Richard Neville, Earl of Warwick and his brother, John Neville, 1st Marquess of Montagu . A local government district called Barnet
3528-484: The western edge of the borough, and is served by Thameslink at (from north to south): Mill Hill Broadway , Hendon and Cricklewood . The East Coast Main Line crosses the north-eastern corner of the borough, and is served by the Great Northern Route at New Barnet , Oakleigh Park and New Southgate (which straddles the border with the London Borough of Enfield ). There was a railway line joining
3591-784: Was abolished in 1986. Since 2000, Barnet Council along with the 31 other London boroughs and the City of London Corporation share local government powers with Greater London Authority . The Barnet and Camden London Assembly constituency covers the London Borough of Barnet and the London Borough of Camden and is represented on the London Assembly by one constituency Assembly Member. The residents of London Borough of Barnet are represented at Westminster by Members of Parliament (MPs) for three parliamentary constituencies . All three MPs are represented by Labour since 2024, overturning three previous Conservative MPs. Chipping Barnet
3654-590: Was built as a turnpike in the 1830s linking the West End to Finchley . The A41 splits off from the Finchley Road just before it crosses the borough boundary, briefly merges with the A1 through Mill Hill, leaving the borough at Edgware. The North Circular Road (or A406) is part of a north orbital route for London; it crosses the borough east–west linking all the other major routes. Junctions one, two and four of
3717-552: Was created in 1863 covering the town of Barnet, also known as Chipping Barnet . Such districts were subsequently also created for East Barnet Valley in 1874, Finchley in 1878, Hendon in 1879, and Friern Barnet in 1883. Barnet and East Barnet Valley both straddled Hertfordshire and Middlesex until 1889 when they were placed entirely in Hertfordshire; Hendon, Finchley and Friern Barnet were all in Middlesex. All five districts were converted into urban districts under
3780-576: Was given the classification of "vulnerable" by English Heritage after having stood abandoned for almost three years. It now houses units of Middlesex University . Friern Hospital was a large Victorian psychiatric hospital located in Friern Barnet , which has been converted into expensive apartments. The borough is traditionally home to a professional football club, Barnet F.C. and non-League football clubs Wingate & Finchley F.C. , Hendon F.C. , London Lions and Edgware Town . Wingate
3843-415: Was laid, was removed in the 1960s, with a small part of the trackbed used for the M1 motorway extension in the 1970s. In March 2011, the main forms of transport that residents aged 16–74 used to travel to work were (expressed as percentages of all residents aged 16–74): Barnet Clinical Commissioning Group commissions NHS services for Barnet residents. Health care providers active within Barnet include
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#17327980836853906-412: Was only adopted by one authority and was later withdrawn. Additionally, lower tier authorities with a population under 85,000 were allowed to continue to use a committee system. The leader and cabinet model was introduced under the Local Government Act 2000 . It consists of the leader and the cabinet itself, which is usually formed by the majority party in the local authority , where there is one, or by
3969-613: Was transferred from Middlesex and Hertfordshire to Greater London, to become one of the 32 London boroughs. The 1963 Act did not include a name for the new borough. A joint committee of the councils due to be amalgamated suggested "Northgate" or "Northern Heights". Keith Joseph , the Minister of Housing and Local Government, eventually chose Barnet. The place name Barnet is derived from the Old English bærnet meaning "land cleared by burning". The old Barnet Urban District had been
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