London Borough of Barnet

The London Borough of Barnet is a London borough in North London and forms part of Outer London.

Districts
The pattern of settlement is somewhat diverse. To the north of the borough is Barnet, also known as Chipping Barnet, High Barnet and Barnet Town, which is a middle class suburban development. Also in the north are the low-density districts of Edgware, Totteridge, Whetstone and Mill Hill.

Coming further south the development becomes steadily more intensive around the suburbs of Cricklewood, Colindale, Hendon and Finchley. Golders Green is renowned for its jewish minority ethnic population and at the very south of the borough is Hampstead Garden Suburb.

Places of interest
Middlesex University Business School is located in Barnet.

Parks and open spaces
The borough has a large number of parks and open spaces. The Borough also has controls five Local Nature Reserves (LNR), and is jointly responsible with the London Borough of Brent for the Welsh Harp reservoir. In addition there are large areas taken over by cemeteries and golf courses; part of Hampstead Heath; as well as smaller recreation grounds.

Demographics
According to the 2001 census the borough has a population of 314,564. 67% of householders are owner-occupiers. The borough has the highest percentage (14.8%) of Jewish residents of any local government area in the United Kingdom.

Transport
The borough is served by the Northern Line of the London Underground.

Barnet London Borough Council
The current political composition of Barnet London Borough Council is:

Conservative: 31 Labour:      23 Lib Dem:      7 Independent:  1 Vacant        1

Following a By-Election loss by the Conservatives to the Liberal Democrats in High Barnet ward on 15th December 2005 no party has overall control.

History
The borough was formed in 1965 from the Municipal Borough of Finchley, Municipal Borough of Hendon and the Friern Barnet Urban District of Middlesex and the East Barnet Urban District and Barnet Urban District of Hertfordshire.