We are a group of residents living in Grahame Park absolutely fed up with the increased parking permit prices, increased service charges, increased council tax, and having to fight for limited parking Barnet, together with the loss of so much greenspace.  Regeneration may have provided a few more houses but in 2023, it has caused a degeneration across two thirds of the estate. 

In 2013, a group of residents in East Finchley successfully fought Barnet Council for increasing the price of parking permits. We are now in 2023, and Grahame Park residents are facing the same problem. The price of parking permits has increased by an unreasonable amount, making it difficult for residents to afford.

Service charges have also increased, making it difficult for residents to pay their bills. Council tax has also increased, putting a strain on household budgets. To cap it all off the council have parking enforcement team out to book anyone parking on double yellow lines and areas nearby with permits! maximum revenue raising for them!

The 2003 introduction of the regeneration scheme of Grahame Park was supposed to improve all our lives. Is your life better or worse 20 years later?  Well lets look at Little Strand which will be Barnet Homes benchmark, so help us God. The failure of Barnet Homes not listening to residents who have been pragmatic with the suggestion to reduce to reasonable housing levels on one road to balance with safeguarding parking against regeneration has been embarrassing.  A blanket refusal.  This is an estate management team that should be working with residents. TAKING PARKING AWAY FROM EXISTING RESIDENT TO BUILD HOMES AND PROVIDING SOME NEW RESIDENTS WITH PERFECT PARKING OPTIONS IS DISCRIMINATION. We should all be equal!

 Barnet Council's failure to intervene in the appalling lack of parking issues has resulted in can only be described as fleecing on an industrial scale via charges, permits for poor service. Many residents are being forced to leave their homes because they can no longer afford to live here.

Barnet Homes has failed to estate manage effectively. One of their legal remits is to resolve parking issues.  What is their legacy?  I will let you all decide, but I think I know what you are muttering under your breath right now. 

We are tired of fighting for basic rights. We are tired of being ignored by Barnet Homes and Barnet Council. We are just tired of the lies.

We demand that Barnet Homes and Barnet Council:

• Improve parking provisions now!
• Reduce the price of parking permits!!!
• Use service charges to maintain estate communal areas properly.
• Use Council tax to maintain public spaces that do not come under estate amenity area remit
• Make Barnet Homes more accountable for the role it has undertaken or let Resident Associations who are happy to incorporate Tenant management organisation roles to take over - seriously
• Stop lying to residents

Frankly put, we believe that we can run the estate ourselves better than Barnet Homes, because it is where we live and we care.  Look at our homes for proof.  Residents come before targets! We are willing to take over the management of the estate if Barnet Homes is not willing to make the necessary changes.

Please sign this petition and help us send a message to Barnet Homes and Barnet Council that we have had enough!

Thank you,

Grahame Park The Strands Resident Association