Page 17 - HGS Suburb News 150 - Summer 2022

Henrietta Community

The RA AGM – a view from the back

ANDREW BOTTERILL may have to deal with situations a lot more We were glad to hear of the solid state
serious than a damp Northway Gardens. of the finances but perhaps the Committee’s
howcasing the best of Suburb life, We also heard of the successfully thinking on its objectives for the year ahead
there were some iconic moments at revamped ‘Suburb News’. Its editors and would also have been welcome, for example
Sthis year’s RA AGM, held in person distribution organiser and her team were its recommendations on reserves and charity
once again at The Henrietta Barnett School. rightly congratulated. The best of Suburb life. donations as well as the thinking behind
Mask hanging from one ear, grizzled The high points aside, there were also continuing the 15-year-old freeze on the
campaigner Councillor John Marshall who some nul points. Where was everybody? subscription now worth £10 less than in 2007.
has been getting Barnet to do stuff for us Besides the bevy of RA and Barnet Council Ah well. Perhaps comfort could be
for 23 years gave his retirement valediction. members, only 15 to 20 households were drawn from the annual mention of the
Jonathan Waxman spoke forcefully about represented – 1% of RA members, 0.4% of reliable chestnuts, of uneven pavements
his new Environment Committee (REACH): Suburb households. What happened to and street lighting – and all those standing
HGS net zero by 2040 and a reminder that the packed meetings of yesteryear in The for (re)election got in.
Mutton Brook flooding was just another Henrietta Barnett School’s main hall, the As we filed out at the end the meeting
sign of a serious leak in the planet Earth drinks, the chat, the passion? Had Covid into the chilly Suburb air, there was much
lifeboat floating through space and 11- broken us, was there a lack of publicity, to ponder. Would the lonely playground
year-old Olivia White made a cogent pitch were the issues thought too daunting or at the southern tip of the Suburb get the
for the Heath Extension playground too boring or was the RA Council so outstanding £20,000 funding in just two
revamp. One wondered when Olivia would totally spot on that there would be months? Would Barnet’s £70m incinerator
graduate from playgrounds to REACH to nothing to talk about? How can it all be go ahead? Only time will tell….
add a youth dimension – our very own Greta made a more attractive destination for a For details of what really went on, go Grizzled campaigner Councillor
John Marshall (Photos: Tony Brand)
Thunberg – it will be her generation that March evening? to the AGM Minutes at www.hgsra.uk.
HGS REACH update Suburb Ward candidates for Barnet
We surveyed the Garden

Council on this issue before the
GREN MANUEL, A lot of heat is lost through May election. All those who replied
HGS REACH HONORARY SECRETARY windows. We are trying to find ways to our survey said they were in
of reducing the cost of Trust- favour of increasing the density of
nergy efficiency is at the top approved double glazing and these EV charge points. We hope
of many residents’ minds at popularising the use of secondary this will make EV ownership even
E the moment, and for good glazing as a cost-effective interim more convenient for Suburb
reason. Gas and electricity prices measure. We also aim to set up a residents to help reduce our carbon
are already high and sure to jump scheme whereby RA members can impact still further. Concealed EV Charging Point (Photo: HGS Trust)
again in October. Next winter may borrow a heat-sensing camera to
seem a long way off, but when it identify draughts and other
arrives the heating bills are likely sources of heat loss. I did this last
to be unpleasant indeed. winter as a trial and found nearly
One of the focus areas for a dozen ways heat was escaping
HGS REACH, the residents from my house that were cheap
association climate action group, and simple to fix.
is helping local residents reduce More structurally, we are
the amount of energy needed to researching ways of better
heat their homes. insulating our walls. Unfortunately,
This not only reduces energy most Suburb houses have solid
bills. It will also reduce our carbon brick walls without an insulating
footprint. Most of us heat our cavity. There are a wide range of
homes using gas, and the amount commercial solutions for improving
of CO2 emitted from doing this is the heat-holding ability of solid
startling. I live in a modest Suburb brick walls, but we need to be
home with three bedrooms and a sure they are appropriate for our
new gas condensing boiler. particular homes, ensuring they
Nevertheless, our family emits don’t damage the structure
annually 4.5 tonnes of CO2 heating through retention of moisture and
our home. That’s the same as conforming to Trust guidelines. More
driving a mid-sized petrol car from data and research are essential.
the Suburb to Los Angeles – and We’re also keen on other
back. Every year. aspects of carbon reduction.
Better insulation is also One is around electric vehicles.
essential because draughty homes Although there are many of these
that leak a lot of heat are not now zooming around our streets,
good candidates for heat pumps, residents who don’t have a drive –
which are the most likely way we and therefore can’t install their
will heat our homes when the own charging point – may be
government bans the installation hesitant. In fact, there are now
of gas boilers. (This was initially 14 EV chargers installed on lamp
planned for 2035; the government posts across the Suburb. We’ve
has hinted recently this may come produced a factsheet with their
earlier, perhaps to wean us off locations which is now available
imported gas more quickly). on the RA website.
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