Barnet Council has officially reinstated its Area Committees, a move that will see local decision-making powers returned to specific geographical areas within the borough. The decision was confirmed during an extraordinary council meeting held on Tuesday, July 7, 2026, as detailed in the Public reports pack.
The reinstatement of Area Committees is part of a broader set of constitutional amendments aimed at enhancing local democracy and community engagement. These amendments include changes to Part 2B and 2C of the constitution to reflect the reinstatement, with a new section 19 added. Furthermore, Part 2E has been amended so the Leader will no longer make decisions on Neighbourhood Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) funding applications. Changes to Part 3C (Committee Procedure Rules) and Part 3F (Petition Scheme) mean deputations and petitions will now be reported to the relevant Area Committee.
Under the new arrangements, residents can bring their concerns directly to a more localised forum. Deputations must be in writing, supported by 5-24 signatories, and submitted to the Head of Governance by 10 am on the third working day prior to the meeting, though this can be waived for urgency. The total time for deputations at a meeting will not exceed 20 minutes. Petitions with 501-3,000 signatures will be reported to the relevant Area Committee, where the Lead Petitioner will have 3 minutes to present, followed by questions and debate. The committee can then decide on the course of action, including referring the matter for a written response within 20 working days or instructing an officer to prepare a report for a future meeting.
Area Committees will also determine the allocation of Community Infrastructure Levy funding within their respective areas, provided a sufficient budget remains. They will also consider matters relating to Town Centre regeneration and the designation of conservation areas. Amendments to Schedule 1 of Part 4I (Members Allowances Scheme) have also been made to include the Chairs of Area Committees in the Band 2 Special Responsibility Allowance threshold.
Area Committees were removed from the Constitution in May 2025. Councillor Peter Zinkin welcomed their return, stating it was welcomed by everybody after the chaos of the last year of the last administration.
Councillor Alison Moore also viewed the reinstatement as a positive move.
The structure of the Area Committees has also been confirmed. Each committee will have 8 seats. The North Area Committee will comprise 4 Labour and 4 Conservative councillors. The East Area Committee will have 3 Labour, 4 Conservative, and 1 Green councillor. The West Area Committee will consist of 5 Labour and 3 Conservative councillors. Substitutes for all Area Committees will be all other Councillors in the area.
