Barnet is laying on free festive fun for all this season, lighting up its highstreets, putting up Christmas trees and Menorahs in town centres, and hosting Christmas markets and events for residents and visitors.

Sixteen sites across the borough will be illuminated from 1 December, and the council is hosting the Christmas Fayre on Sunday December 4 in Chipping Barnet with Santa’s grotto, market stalls, fun-rides and entertainment.

Barnet Council is marking the 16 Days of Activism to challenge gender-based violence from today (Friday 25 November).

The council has launched a three-year zero-tolerance plan to combat domestic violence and violence against women and girls (VAWG).

Cllr Sara Conway, Chair of the Safer Communities Partnership Board, said: “The 16 Days of Activism is an important global campaign by the United Nations against gender-based violence.

Barnet Council has been awarded £1.6 million of government funding to support two affordable housing schemes, which are being delivered by Barnet Homes.

Barnet is one of 41 local authorities to receive part of a £35 million fund from The Department for Levelling Up, Housing and Communities, and has received the second highest allocated funding in London.

In the build-up to the festive season Barnet Council is inviting residents to vote for their favourite small businesses in the borough. From beloved local cafés and shops, to trades like builders who have gone the extra mile, residents can vote to celebrate those small businesses that are at the heart of our communities.

Barnet is home to around 29,000 businesses, the majority of which are micro-businesses operating with a few employees. The council has launched the competition to support local enterprise and encourage more people to shop and spend locally.

A North London resilience project has unveiled proposals to use nature-based solutions to tackle flood risk around the Silk Stream – a 2.5-mile tributary of the River Brent.

Find out more about Fixed Penalty Notices.

Members of the Youth Parliament and Barnet’s Youth Ambassadors unveiled plans to promote good mental health and equality as one of a number of initiatives presented to Barnet Council’s Children Education & Safeguarding Committee yesterday (17 November).

The Youth Parliamentarians and Ambassadors set out their vision for their term following consultation with Barnet’s young people.

The four elected Members and their campaigns are:

Barnet Council has committed to giving residents and community groups a greater say in designing its adult social care services, after councillors voted last night (14 November) for the Engagement & Co-Production Strategy and Charter for Adult Social Care.

Barnet has been recognised as a community that is committed to becoming ‘dementia-friendly’ by the Alzheimer’s Society, which will help over 5,000 residents living with dementia in the borough.

A ‘Dementia Friendly Community’ is a place that creates an environment where people living with dementia will be confident that they can contribute to community life.