Hello everyone!

Firstly, I wanted to let you know we raised all the money we needed for the Crowd Funder.  Thanks hugely to everyone who contributed.

Secondly... DO YOU HAVE 5 MINS TO LOBBY BARNET COUNCILLORS FOR A FINAL TIME BEFORE TOMORROW EVENING'S "HENDON HUB" VOTE?

EMAIL ADDRESSES & SAMPLE LETTER BELOW:

PLEASE DO THIS TODAY OR TOMORROW IF YOU CAN! IT WILL MAKE A HUGE DIFFERENCE.

Here is the text of a strong email that a local resident has already sent in. They're v happy for you to use and personalise, if that's helpful.

Dear Councillors

I am writing to ask you one final time to listen to the legitimate concerns of the vast majority of Hendon residents, business owners, our GLA member Anne Clarke and our MP Dr Matthew Offord before you vote to pass the Hendon Hub plans tomorrow.

I was at the Town Hall on Tuesday 20 July 2021 to protest against the Hendon Hub Full Business Case. I have also watched our speakers on the library petition, the FBC and the ensuing debate on Youtube.

The Hendon Hub FBC has now been referred to full council meeting on Tues 27 July 2021 and councillors will be asked to vote on it. I would ask that each councillor responsibly reads through all the documents pertaining to item 12.4 as well as revisit the many emails and letters sent to you from the residents and their representatives and local business owners. All documents for item 12.4 portray the Hendon Hub as a well-thought through project, devoid of any real risks and deliverable in good time with a multitude of benefits to the council, Middlesex University and the residents in the Hub zone as well as to the wider Barnet community.

If that was the case, why are there so many residents protesting against these proposals, from the beginning when it was first floated out to the public via The Burroughs and Middlesex SPD, the Outline Business Case till now?

Why are there still so many unhappy residents even after all the consultations and the introduction of changes – which we don’t feel are meaningful or feasible - after feedback?

Why were elderly residents, normally shielding, willing to come to the Town Hall on Tuesday 20 July 2021 in the pouring rain to be seen and heard?

Why were youngsters willing to spend their leisure time coming to the protest to demonstrate their passion to preserve the heritage of the listed buildings, the conservation areas and the heart of Hendon for themselves and for future generations?

It’s because we all live in the area so we truly understand what these changes will mean for us. It’s because while we, of course, appreciate the positive contribution Middlesex University makes to Hendon, our families are also increasingly experiencing the negative aspects on a daily basis, as detailed in our feedback. The current plans to move hundreds of students (1400 according to the Local Plan) into Hendon, cram huge, ugly new buildings on to The Burroughs and into residential areas, wreck our only two heritage areas and demolish or lease our community buildings – including the library which is an emotional and potent symbol of the community’s existence and presence in Hendon - without providing adequate alternatives cross a line. They simply do not take the community into account.

While many of you look after other wards, tomorrow you will become accountable for my future.

Before you cause irreversible damage to not just to us but to the civic centre of Barnet, please consider that there are alternative ways forward. We have suggestions that include the university building its new accommodation on its own footprint, creating improved teaching facilities on The Burroughs in scaled down buildings than the ones currently planned, creating social housing for the elderly to balance the demographic here and detailed plans for a community hub that genuinely combines the needs of the university and the community.

We urge you to make the right choice.

COPY AND PASTE THESE ADDRESSES STRAIGHT INTO THE ADDRESS PART OF YOUR EMAIL:

cllr.a.hutton@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.l.jajeh@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.c.omacauley@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.r.patel@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.a.prager@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.k.levine@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.f.byers@barnet.gov.uk
Cllr.G.Bokaei@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.w.prentice@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.a.clarke@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.p.coakleywebb@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.n.mearing-smith@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.d.rich@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.n.richer@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.h.richman@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.g.sargeant@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.e.simberg@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.s.sowerby@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.c.stock@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.r.thompstone@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.s.wardle@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.l.williams@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.r.weeden-sanz@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.j.teare@barnet.gov.uk
Cllr.T.Smith@Barnet.gov.uk
cllr.l.rutter@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.t.roberts@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.s.conway@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.a.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.r.cornelius@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.s.don@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.c.farrier@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.l.freedman@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.j.grocock@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.e.greenspan@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.n.narenthira@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.z.zubairi@barnet.gov.uk
Cllr.R.Grover@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.l.gurung@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.j.hart@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.j.marshall@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.m.shooter@barnet.gov.uk
Cllr.N.Fluss@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.a.finn@barnet.gov.uk
Leader@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.d.longstaff@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.d.cohen@barnet.gov.uk
Cllr.V.Duschinsky@Barnet.gov.uk
peter.zinkin@gmail.com
cllr.s.rajput@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.b.rawlings@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.r.houston@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.a.moore@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.g.cooke@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.a.mittra@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.g.rozenberg@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.s.ryde@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.m.cohen@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.k.mcguirk@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.a.schneiderman@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.p.edwards@barnet.gov.uk
cllr.j.brayne@barnet.gov.uk

THANK YOU!