Issues and SWOT

strength

Make the new station useful to surrounding streets

Brent Cross West is operating and the first new residential buildings are complete.

Proposed response: Check the everyday walking, wheeling and bus connections.

Evidence

strength

Bring support closer to people in poor health

4% of people reported bad or very bad health in Barnet council area (21 March 2021). Across England, the figure was 5.2%. People reporting bad or very bad health ranged from 2.6% in Garden Suburb to 5.1% in Underhill — a gap of 2.5 percentage points.

This is how residents described their health in the census. It can reveal differences between neighbourhoods, but does not diagnose illness or measure current waiting times. Age profiles differ between places, so these shares do not measure service quality.

strength

Connect local skills to local opportunities

49% of people aged 16 or over had a degree or equivalent (21 March 2021) in Barnet council area. Across England, the figure was 33.9%. People aged 16+ with no qualifications ranged from 8.3% in Garden Suburb to 23.3% in Burnt Oak — a gap of 15 percentage points.

Qualifications show one part of the skills available locally. They do not show whether people have secure jobs or work that uses those skills.

weakness

Make estate renewal workable for existing households

Grahame Park North East is a multi-phase housing redevelopment.

Proposed response: Make moves, returns and repairs understandable at household level.

Evidence

weakness

Make room for homes people can afford

Average private rent is £1,949 a month (August 2026) in Barnet council area. This is £490 higher than the England average for the same month. Homes rented privately ranged from 18.3% in Underhill to 48.1% in Golders Green — a gap of 29.8 percentage points.

Housing costs matter most alongside earnings and the number of affordable homes available. A local average cannot tell us whether a particular household can afford its home.

opportunity

Use accessible play to widen participation

The Fair Play playground is a completed local asset.

Proposed response: Work with families to remove practical barriers to using it.

Evidence

opportunity

Plan homes and care around an older population

14.4% of people in Barnet council area were aged 65 or over (21 March 2021). People aged 65 or over ranged from 6.7% in Colindale South to 21.1% in Garden Suburb — a gap of 14.4 percentage points.

Age alone does not mean poor health or a need for care. Accessible homes, reliable transport and support close to home matter as people get older.

opportunity

Target safety work where problems repeat

Mapped police records are available for neighbourhoods in Barnet council area.

Published locations are approximate and some crimes are not mapped. Counts show recorded incidents, not the chance of an individual becoming a victim.

opportunity

Turn published plans into visible progress

3 named local projects or plans have official evidence in this collection.

A published plan makes responsibilities and intentions easier to inspect. It does not prove that funding is secured or that promised benefits have arrived.

opportunity

Target support where disadvantages overlap

Households facing two or more measured disadvantages ranged from 8.4% in Garden Suburb to 26.6% in Burnt Oak — a gap of 18.2 percentage points.

These households met at least two census conditions covering education, employment, health and housing. This is not an income or poverty measure.

threat

Do not leave promised amenities behind the homes

Grahame Park plans include community facilities and investment in Heybourne Park.

Proposed response: Track those elements alongside each housing phase.

Evidence