Word from Woodhouse

ON THE GROUND: CONNECTING THE DOTS

wcadmin — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 17:33:31 +0000

ON THE GROUND: CONNECTING THE DOTS

24/07/2026

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most over the past month has been seeing just how many different parts of our community connect together.

Whether it’s talking to residents about housing, visiting a primary school, meeting local people providing sanctuary during Refugee Week, discussing cycling infrastructure, supporting community campaigns or speaking up in the council chamber, the common thread is the importance of relationships.

I’ve spent many years campaigning on issues that often seemed disconnected on the surface but shared the same underlying causes. As a councillor, I’m now in a position to help bring together residents, community organisations, workers, local businesses and the council to try and look at issues more holistically and, wherever possible, tackle problems before they become crises.

Speaking up at Full Council

The past month has included another Full Council meeting, where I spoke on a number of important issues affecting Barnet, as well as questioning Cabinet on behalf of residents.

At the Full Council meeting I spoke on three key issues.

Planning & Housing (Amendment to Cllr Ryde’s motion): I proposed amendments to strengthen local democracy in planning, arguing that success should be measured not simply by housing numbers, but by whether development delivers genuinely affordable and family homes, protects nature and valued community assets, provides the infrastructure communities need, and gives local people a meaningful voice in shaping the places where they live. I hope that the Council leader will write to the Secretary of State and the Mayor of London as a matter of urgency.

Constitutional Changes (Deputations & Petitions): I opposed proposals to remove deputations and petitions from Full Council because residents deserve meaningful opportunities to speak directly to decision-makers about borough-wide issues. Whilst I appreciate the value of Area Committees, I believe they are there to focus on area-specific issues, not on areas of policy that impact the whole borough.

Youth Justice Strategy: I welcomed the Youth Justice Strategy’s focus on prevention but challenged the council to make prevention a guiding principle across all its decisions; from supporting schools, youth services and organisations like Rephael House on Woodhouse Road, to valuing trusted relationships for SEND children and lobbying for the investment our communities need.

Looking beyond individual problems

Alongside the council meetings has been a steady stream of casework.

I’ve been supporting residents with housing concerns, helping someone facing homelessness, dealing with planning issues, responding to fly-tipping, litter and other anti-social behaviour, and pursuing concerns about road safety and speeding.

Several pieces of work have focused on particular locations within the ward, including the new traffic calming measures on Lodge Lane, speeding concerns on Summers Lane and Woodgrange Avenue and anti-social behaviour around Stanhope Road car park, Lambert Road and the alleyway connecting Victoria Grove and Torrington Park. I will be hosting a walkabout in August with residents impacted by the alleyway issues, which include arson and drug dealing.

I am working on a survey for residents and businesses impacted by anti-social behaviour to bring to the Police Ward Panel in September, to provide important qualitative data, which must be considered when planning solutions. I am of the firm belief that the council must take a holistic approach, rather than continuing to just treat the symptoms of what is clearly a wider issue, impacted by homelessness, addiction and mental health crises.

I have also been continuing work with residents and officers on the future of the Summerside Primary School Streets scheme, and I hope that we can find solutions that work for everyone involved.

Each of these issues matters in its own right, but many are also connected. Rather than simply responding to one complaint at a time, I want to understand the wider picture and work with residents to identify longer-term solutions.

That’s one of the reasons I’m excited about the emerging North Finchley Town Team. It has the potential to bring together residents, businesses, community groups and the council to take a more joined-up approach to improving our town and securing funding for projects that will make a lasting difference.

Over the coming months I’d also like to organise regular neighbourhood walkabouts, helping residents identify local priorities before they become major issues. Prevention is almost always better than cure.

I’ll be out and about on Sunday 26th July identifying some key hotspots. Do come and say hi if you see me. I’d love to meet as many residents as possible.

Celebrating our community's assets

One of the greatest privileges of this role has been meeting the organisations and volunteers who quietly (or in some cases noisily!) make Barnet a better place every day.

I attended the Barnet Schools Music Festival at artsdepot, where it was inspiring to see so many talented young singers and musicians performing. The work of BEAT is truly incredible.

I also had the opportunity to tour artsdepot and learn more about the incredible range of work taking place behind the scenes. Like many cultural organisations, artsdepot faces significant financial and maintenance challenges, and the visit reinforced just how important continued support from the council is, not only for performances, but for the education programmes, community activities and creative opportunities that benefit thousands of residents every year. I will be pushing for as much Council support as possible to ensure it continues to thrive.

Another highlight was visiting Summerside Primary Academy. I was shown around by Headteacher Charlotte Trew and Assistant Headteacher Michael Gardiner and was hugely impressed by everything the school is doing; from its specialist Deaf provision to its environmental projects, outdoor learning spaces and ambitious plans to develop even more planting and wildlife-friendly areas.

I was also privileged to meet some of the children, who had some great questions for me. I asked them 3 questions too:

If you could change one thing in your neighbourhood what would it be?
If Barnet had a small amount of money to spend on children and young people, what would you spend it on?
Do adults listen to children enough?

Their answers were thoughtful and sensitive and placed a huge emphasis on kindness and being helpful to others. They wanted to see “less littering, more bins, more places where poor people can live, more trees planted, more school equipment and better support for homeless people”. Overall, they thought less about themselves and more about others. There was a general feeling that adults do listen to children, but I’m not convinced that wasn’t because there were adults in the room!

It’s clear that schools are facing ever greater challenges in 2026. As Mrs Trew explained, they are still feeling the long-term effects of the pandemic, alongside falling pupil numbers that have forced some year groups to reduce to a single form of entry. Schools like Summerside demonstrate just how important it is that government invests in education and tackles the cost of living, so that dedicated staff and all young people have every opportunity to thrive.

I’m really looking forward to working with them in the future, including with their plans for more planting and exploring opportunities for community art projects.

I can’t wait to visit the other schools in my Ward.

I joined the Community Walkathon at Glebelands Open Space, organised by the Our North Finchley campaign, following the approval of the Great North Leisure Park redevelopment. It was inspiring to see so many residents coming together to support the campaign’s next steps, including fundraising to explore a potential judicial review.

The day also gave me the opportunity to meet local organisations, including Barnet Mencap, spend time with the wonderfully welcoming Glebelands Indoor Bowls Club and Albanian Football Club, who both opened their doors to support this community event. It was great to talk with residents about the importance of protecting both our green spaces and the community facilities that bring people of all ages together.

Refugee Week

Refugee Week was one of the highlights of the last month.

I attended several events across the borough, including the inspiring art and crafts stalls at Middlesex University, a wonderful community celebration hosted by Finchley Charities, and the amazing Synagogue of Sanctuary celebration at Finchley Progressive Synagogue.

It was a privilege to hear the stories of people who have rebuilt their lives in Barnet after seeking sanctuary and to meet so many residents who have helped create welcoming and inclusive communities.

It was particularly special seeing the Community Quilts displayed at various events, including at the Synagogue of Santuary celebration, the Finchley Charities and the Phoenix Cinema, who hosted a brilliant and moving evening of films, poetry, performance and talks, ‘Unless Water Is Safer Than Land’.

As a founder of the Community Quilt Project, watching the quilts become part of such important community events was a lovely reminder of the power of that project and how its legacy is now held within the community, as it was always intended. Those quilts are truly a community asset and remind us all how creativity can bring people together and tell stories of belonging and hope.

Building relationships

Many of my activities this month have been about building relationships and exploring how different organisations can work together.

I attended the North Finchley Partnership Board and, more recently, the first public Framework for a Town Team meeting organised by local residents and kindly hosted by Monique at artsdepot. Barnet Council officers are encouraging this initiative and I hope this is the start of something really positive. Residents shared ideas for improving North Finchley and discussed opportunities to secure funding for future projects. I also attended a town centre walkabout and the follow up Town Team framework meeting, where we went through some of the themes that had been identified as priorities including tackling litter, more greening, better communications and expanding local events. There is clearly an appetite for change and lots of great ideas coming directly from our brilliant community. Then there was a community litter pick at Lodge Lane Car Park initiated by the wonderful Daniela of Lodge Residents Lane Association. If you would like to participate in the setting up of the Town Team, please fill out the registration form.

I also met with Barnet Cycling Campaign to discuss how we can improve cycling infrastructure across the borough and remove some of the barriers that currently discourage people from travelling by bike. These include looking into contraflow systems for cyclists on one-way streets and updating street furniture to accommodate safer and smoother transitions from roads onto cycle paths.

I met with the Barnet Growing Network to learn more about community food-growing initiatives and how we can encourage more residents to get involved. If you’re interested in starting or joining a local growing project, do have a look at the community section of my website, where you’ll find more information.

I’ve continued working with North London Citizens UK around their local campaigning priorities and met with both Barnet UNISON and Barnet NEU to hear about the issues affecting frontline workers and schools across Barnet. There are several issues that need to be taken seriously by Barnet Council, including equal pay claims, a strong tide against outsourcing and long-standing unpaid holiday pay. Both trade union branches have my full support. You can read my statement of solidarity with Barnet UNISON workers, published last week.

I also met with the Ravensdale Avenue and Lodge Lane Residents’ Associations to hear directly about what they have been working on and priorities for their neighbourhoods. I held my first ward surgeries at artsdepot, where it was great to meet residents and begin helping with the issues they brought along.

My surgery will be moving to North Finchley Library from August onwards, but I’d like to thank artsdepot for hosting. I’ll miss the coffee!

I also spent time meeting two inspiring community initiatives in different parts of the borough.

I travelled to Edgware to meet members of the Save Our Edgware campaign. They have done sterling work in scrutinising planning proposals and engaging local residents in holding decision-makers to account. It was valuable to hear about their experiences and to learn from a community campaign that has worked tirelessly to represent local people.

In Cricklewood, I visited Our Yard at Clitterhouse Farm to meet the team behind the proposed Cricklewood Sauna project. It was fascinating to hear their plans for a space that brings people together from all backgrounds while promoting wellbeing and sustainability. It’s an inspiring example of the kind of creative, community-led thinking that can help strengthen local neighbourhoods. I am glad to be supporting this project and I really hope they get planning approval!

Looking Ahead

One thing this role has reinforced for me is that good local government is built on relationships. The strongest communities are those where residents, schools, charities, volunteers, businesses and the council work together rather than in isolation.

That’s the kind of councillor I want to be: someone who not only helps residents when problems arise but also connects people and helps create the conditions that prevent problems from developing in the first place.

As always, thank you to everyone who has invited me to meetings, shared ideas, raised concerns or simply stopped for a chat. If there’s a local issue you’d like me to know about, a community group you’d like me to visit, or an idea that could help improve Woodhouse, I’d love to hear from you. Visit the Contact page to get in touch.

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wcadmin — Sun, 31 May 2026 16:51:10 +0000

MY FIRST THREE WEEKS AS A BARNET COUNCILLOR

31/05/2026

My first speech at Full Council

Earlier this month I attended my first Full Council meeting as a councillor, where I gave my first speech in the council chamber.

I spoke about the importance of scrutiny and making sure residents genuinely feel heard at Barnet Council, particularly at a time when many people feel increasingly disconnected from local politics and decision-making.

I also challenged the new coalition formed by Labour and the Conservatives and the changes they have made to the constitution, which will reduce democratic participation and representation in the council. You can watch my maiden speech below.

It was very surreal to be on the other side of the plexiglass wall, having sat in the public gallery or watched online many times! I feel so proud to represent our diverse communities and hope I can do a good job of holding power to account from inside the chamber.

Great North Leisure Park Hearing at City Hall

This week I also spoke at City Hall during the Greater London Authority hearing into the proposed redevelopment of the Great North Leisure Park.

Despite overwhelming public opposition, the application was ultimately approved by Deputy Mayor Jules Pipe.

I spoke about the importance of protecting accessible leisure and entertainment spaces for young people, disabled residents and families, and raised concerns about the damage to Glebelands Nature Reserve and protected species and failure to prioritise truly affordable housing and council homes in the scheme.

Barnet has a huge housing waiting list, and many residents feel increasingly locked out of secure and affordable housing while developments continue to prioritise luxury flats and investor-led schemes that hollow out communities and damage nature.

You can watch the full hearing speech below.

I will be working alongside Our North Finchley campaign to challenge this decision and to hold Arada developers and the Council to account when it comes to delivery on Section 106 mitigations. You can donate to their crowdfunder to help cover legal fees here.

Resident Casework

A large amount of my time so far has been spent helping residents with local issues and ongoing casework. Some of the issues I have been dealing with over the past two weeks include:

- Supporting an older and disabled resident with delayed housing and unmet social care needs
- Chasing up missed recycling collections and replacement bins in a block of flats on Woodside Lane
- Investigating council decision-making on behalf of residents, regarding new pillow speed bumps linked to 20mph traffic schemes on Ravensdale Avenue
- Meeting with leaseholders on North Finchley High Road affected by the council-approved plans to add an additional storey onto their block of flats
- Chasing up a delayed EHCP (Education, Health & Care Plan) review for a child with SEND (Special Educational Needs & Disabilities)
- Following up on the lack of council action on persistent potholes on Woodhouse Road
- Enquiring into the Council’s enforcement policy of delivery vehicles on yellow lines and plans for alternatives for delivery drivers to avoid blocking the roads and pavement on the corner of Woodside Grove

One thing I am learning very quickly is how many people feel ignored, bounced around or exhausted before they finally contact a councillor.

Even where there isn’t an easy solution, I think it matters that residents know somebody is listening and willing to fight their corner.

I will be holding a monthly surgery for residents to come and meet me in person. This will be alongside Anne Hutton, the Labour councillor in Woodhouse Ward. We agree that holding a surgery together is best for residents and for casework efficiency. This will be on the third Saturday of each month. The first will be at the artsdepot cafe at Tally Ho on Saturday 20th June 10.30am – 12noon. We are, however, exploring other venue options where we can have more privacy.

Keeping Woodhouse Clean & Improving Local Streets

Residents recently contacted me about litter and cigarette butts building up outside North Finchley Library. Following those conversations, I’ve requested a new public bin with an integrated ashtray for the area.

This weekend Barnet Green Party volunteers carried out a litter pick to help tidy the area and remove all the cigarette butts and other rubbish. We have installed two temporary sand bucket ashtrays until a proper bin is installed and I have spoken with Library staff to make sure that people are aware of the changes.

Over the coming months, I also want to launch a more proactive neighbourhood monitoring project across Woodhouse Ward.

That means not just waiting for problems to become formal complaints, but working with residents to identify issues early. Things like potholes, fly-tipping hotspots, broken pavements, litter problems and neglected public spaces.

For years Green volunteers have already done huge amounts of groundwork in Woodhouse identifying and raising these issues. I want to continue building on that work and create a stronger community network that helps keep an eye on the ward and improve communication between residents and the council.

If you live in Woodhouse or anywhere in the nearby area and would like to get involved with local neighbourhood audits, community walkabouts or reporting local issues, please get in touch.

I am also really keen to hear residents’ ideas about how we can improve the area and do local politics differently. Things need to be more collaborative, more visible and more rooted in the community.

Workers’ Rights & Outsourcing

I have been contacted by Barnet UNISON regarding their ongoing campaigns, including the new petition to Barnet Council to pay Barnet’s outsourced cleaners on time and bring cleaning back in-house.

This sits alongside other ongoing campaigns, including:

- A holiday pay dispute between the Council and depot and street scene workers
- A ballot of Barnet Homes and Your Choice Barnet workers on management’s offer of new pay, terms and conditions.
- A call for Passenger Assistants for children with SEND to be directly employed by the Council, with proper pay, pensions and support.
- A call to bring school catering back in-house
- A ground-breaking equal pay claim against the Council and its two trading companies, The Barnet Group and Barnet Education and Learning Skills.

I will be following all these closely and meeting with workers and union representatives over the coming weeks.

Please support the cleaners, by signing their petition.

Community Events & Campaigns

Last weekend I attended the Coppetts Wood Festival and met local conservationists to hear more about the important environmental and community work taking place there. I am looking forward to building stronger relationships between local conservation groups and the council and supporting closer collaboration and co-production of solutions wherever possible. There was a great selection of stalls at the festival including Community Energy Barnet, The Finchley Society and I caught up with George Ttoouli, who was there representing GoodGym Barnet.

I also attended a meeting of the Our North Finchley campaign, which many residents will know has played a major role in local planning and regeneration discussions over recent years.

I was one of the founding members of the campaign before becoming a councillor and, although I have stepped back from a formal committee role to maintain appropriate independence in my council role, I will continue working closely with them and supporting all local residents and community groups campaigning for a better future for North Finchley.

I have also been invited to attend the Barnet Schools Music Festival at Artsdepot in June, which I am really looking forward to.

Thank You

Thank you to everyone who has contacted me so far, whether to raise concerns, congratulate me on my win, share ideas, invite me to events or simply introduce yourselves.

I was elected to listen, support residents and push for a bolder, more transparent and democratic Council. I will continue doing exactly that.

ON THE GROUND: CONNECTING THE DOTS

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most over the past month has been seeing just how many different parts of […]

July 24, 2026

MY FIRST THREE WEEKS AS A BARNET COUNCILLOR

My first speech at Full Council Earlier this month I attended my first Full Council meeting as a councillor, where […]

May 31, 2026

ON THE GROUND: CONNECTING THE DOTS

One of the things I’ve enjoyed most over the past month has been seeing just how many different parts of […]

July 24, 2026

MY FIRST THREE WEEKS AS A BARNET COUNCILLOR

My first speech at Full Council Earlier this month I attended my first Full Council meeting as a councillor, where […]

May 31, 2026