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Barnet Council has banned the use of live animals as prizes for all events held on council-owned land. Councillors unanimously agreed to back the ban, raising concerns over animal welfare. The decision also supports the RSPCA's 'Pets as Prizes' campaign, which urges local authorities to ban outright the giving of live animals as prizes on their land.

The money, awarded by the Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities as part of the national Open Digital Planning project, will be invested in pioneering new software that will automate and reduce the current amount of paperwork of planning applications. Barnet is just one of a handful of councils to have received the funding, meaning the borough’s residents will be among the first in the country to benefit from the new digital system.

The London Festival of Architecture (LFA) is returning to Barnet for the 20th Anniversary of the Festival with an exciting programme of activity and activations taking place across the borough, throughout the month of June. This is the second year that Barnet has formed a key Destination within the Festival’s programme and this year will see over 60 events take place across the borough that respond to this year’s theme of ‘Reimagine’.

A new sensory garden, which has been created in partnership with Barnet’s sight impaired community, has been officially opened in Finchley’s Victoria Park near to the café and the bowls club building.

Barnet Council is inviting residents to vote for their favourite sustainability project, designed by local experts, with the winners taking home part of a total prize pot of £10,000 to help fund their idea. The finalists of the ‘BarNET ZERO Challenge’, a collaborative initiative with Middlesex University, were invited to present practical ideas for reducing carbon footprints.

The sparkling finals of Dance Barnet, a pan-disability Strictly-inspired dance competition took place on Thursday 16 May at the Pentland Theatre in the Arts Depot, north Finchley. The event saw ten disabled people perform as they competed in a special initiative designed to provide accessible dance to everyone and to encourage more disabled people in the community to be active.

Rain gardens are being installed across Barnet to help reduce the risk of localised flooding and reduce the impact excess water has on roads and pavements. The sustainable water drainage systems feature specially selected plants, shrubs, and other greenery. They are designed to absorb rainwater to help stop sewer systems becoming overwhelmed – one of the main causes of localised flooding.

Enabling children to access the right education provision at the earliest possible time is important.

Councillor Tony Vourou has become the 60th Mayor of Barnet, after being officially sworn in during the Annual Council Meeting held on Tuesday 21 May at Hendon Town Hall. Councillor Vourou takes over from the borough’s previous Mayor, Councillor Nagus Narenthira. The Mayoress will be his wife, Mrs Caroline Vourou. Councillor Vourou has chosen Macmillan Cancer Support and Age UK Barnet as his charities, and fundraising for cardiac equipment at Barnet General Hospital, during his Mayoral term.

A teacher walked nearly 20 miles and visited 70 Barnet schools in one day to raise £1,400 for charity. The idea arose when Barnet Council’s Steve Marshall ditched his car and instead delivered packages to 13 schools by foot and public transport back in June 2023. He thought it would take him all day, but in fact found time to visit an extra school and still be back in his Colindale office by 2pm.