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NHS health checks are free health MOTs for patients aged 40-74 without any prior health conditions already known to their practitioner, although if a patient has any concerns about their health, they should always contact their GP.

The visit, which took place in April, was the third to take place since Ofsted judged Barnet’s Children’s Services to be inadequate in July last year. During this visit, inspectors focused on reviewing the work of a number of teams in relation to vulnerable adolescents. The findings acknowledged that while challenges remain, the council is consolidating the improvements already made, with the pace of change remaining consistent and focused, and with the quality of social work practice slowly improving.

The changes are aimed at ensuring services are run in the most efficient, effective and economical way possible. Committee members agreed proposals, including the reorganisation of recycling and refuse rounds to improve efficiency. This will allow Barnet Council to plan for future population growth in the borough, as well as enabling crews to be much more responsive to localised needs and issues.

The street scene services currently provides waste and recycling collection, street cleaning, and litter bin emptying as well as looking after nearly 200 parks and open spaces. As with all council services, street scene services needs to make significant savings to help reduce the £61.5 million deficit gap between 2016 and 2020. Over the last 18 months a wide range of options have been considered for the way the service can be provided in the future.

Barnet has had the second highest number of businesses in outer London register to boost their broadband speed using a government scheme. The nationally funded Broadband Connection Voucher Scheme gave small and medium sized businesses the opportunity to apply for vouchers worth up to £3,000 each to help them cover the set up costs of high speed business internet connections. National figures show that participating businesses reported, on average, a £1,300 per year increase in profits.

Officers from the council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT), NSL parking officers and police carried out a blue badge misuse operation. Spot checks were carried out on 103 blue badges being displayed in parked cars in and around the Burnt Oak, Mill Hill, Temple Fortune and Finchley Central areas. In total, 17 cases of misuse were identified and 13 badges were seized, two of which were being used despite the fact the permit holders had died and two had been reported stolen.

As part of the council’s on-going review of town centre parking, the council is to trial a number of measures in Edgware town centre from Monday 11 February including reduced charges. It follows extensive consultation with local traders and the Edgware Business Forum. The trial, which will run for a minimum of six months, will allow the council, businesses, their customers and residents a chance to monitor and comment on the effectiveness of the changes.

Officers from the council’s Corporate Anti-Fraud Team (CAFT) carried out spot checks on 78 cars displaying Blue Badges while parked in the Hendon area on 23 February. Of the 11 badges seized, seven were found to being used by motorists to avoid parking restrictions without the badge holder being present, with checks revealing three permits reported lost or stolen, and one badge found to be counterfeit.  The operation also involved police officers and a parking enforcement officer. CAFT officers carry out regular spot checks across the borough.

Middlesex University will once again be celebrating British Science Week with a range of interactive activities focusing on science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM).

Council officers discovered that the Sandringham Road home in Golders Green NW11 9DP had no fire alarm or emergency lighting systems during a routine inspection. They found that six people were living at the address, which was only licenced to house five people.