Barnet (Parliament Politics Magazine) – Barnet residents raise concerns over a new playground’s water logging issues, accusing Barnet Council of excluding stakeholders from the design process.
The outdated condition of the Mill Hill Park playground, located off Daws Lane, has been a topic of debate among locals for years.
Ward councillor Val Duschinsky submitted a bid for repair work after a neighborhood campaign, and the council’s north area committee accepted it in March 2024.
The current proposals, however, have been characterized as a “accident waiting to happen” by Frank Orman, chair of the 2,000-member Mill Hill Residents’ Association (MHRA).
He clarified that the council’s designs did not account for the necessity for a wetlands or drainage system to control the waterlogging in the playground’s north section, which he felt would result in additional expenses later on.
“This area you cannot use unless you drain it,” Frank said.
“They’re not listening, and ultimately the council should be having discussions with us.”
The council’s current plan calls for the removal of outdated play equipment, new and repaired paths, a willow tunnel in the north section of the play area, and a wildflower space adjacent to it.
The council affirmed that the project would be finished by the beginning of 2025.
Frank, however, claimed that the council did not disclose its plans until January, even though the work had been approved for almost a year.
According to Frank, the organization asked to collaborate with the council in order to provide input in the run-up to the bid and beyond. They also came up with cost-effective solutions to address the waterlogging, even offering to hire a landscape designer to help.
But there hasn’t been a response for more than a year.
Highlighting MHRA was the second largest association in the borough, Frank said: “I do not understand why our councillors constantly refuse to engage with residents and discuss upcoming issues with them before making local decisions that affect us? Why do they refuse to talk to and listen to us residents first?
This attitude of deciding what we want without reaching out to talk to us residents first is not just frustrating, it leads to a growing number of bad decisions, costly mistakes, and the ongoing waste of already limited budgets. Such a waste!”
A council representative responded by saying that “wider engagement” would only occur on projects costing more than £60,000, and that the Mill Hill Park works fell “well below this level,” meaning that only “some engagement” was done.
The local Friends of Mill Hill Park group was involved in late 2023, the spokeswoman explained.
Frank, who was also in the friends group, stated that the conversation had only been about the chair and that designs were not yet exchanged.
Instead, he accused council members of keeping “everything under wraps and as secret as possible.” He claimed that MHRA could be the council’s “greatest ally” and provide input to guarantee that voices were fairly represented.
In response a council spokesperson said: “Where there is a special interest, such as developing a bid for area committee, engagement is coordinated directly with the relevant community groups, in this instance the Friends of Mill Hill Park. This occurred in late 2023, in advance of the scheme being approved at the north area committee in March 2024.”
They added that the works are expected to be completed in the early part of 2025, and they hope that the area will be enjoyed by children and families, the area will include a willow tunnel and earth mounds plus other features to create a playable landscape to mitigate against the wet weather conditions.
How can Barnet council improve its consultation process to address resident concerns?
Before decisions are made, the Barnet council can set up frequent meetings for locals to talk about ideas and offer input. Town hall gatherings or workshops devoted to community issues may fall under this category.
Make sure all opinions are heard, especially those of underrepresented groups, by using a variety of engagement techniques like focus groups, questionnaires, and one-on-one meetings.
Explain in detail the reasoning behind choices and how resident input is taken into account during the planning stages. Community bulletins, social media updates, and newsletters can all be used for this.
Make sure that all residents may readily locate and comprehend pertinent information by posting easily available information on ongoing projects and consultations on websites such as Engage Barnet.
Develop online resources that let locals readily provide input and monitor the status of their issues.