A sharp-eyed resident at the recent meeting of Chipping Barnet Area Forum had spotted the advert for the post of Barnet’s new head of planning, which comes with a large salary, plus pension and other benefits.

The questioner, together with most of those present, wanted to know how Barnet Council could justify so large a remuneration when the Government is asking local authorities to dampen down their top salaries and when, in any case, Barnet has stated its intention to outsource the work of its planning department.

No immediate answer to this question was given. Well, its perhaps good to know at least one new council employee will be able to afford the higher parking charges which, of course, residents were repeatedly reminded were necessitated by the dire extremity of our current financial situation.

John Gardiner
Strafford Road, Barnet