Throughout her 12 years representing Barnet, Theresa Villiers, Conservative Parliamentary Candidate for Chipping Barnet, has had a strong focus on local campaigns, taking up the concerns of constituents on the issues that matter to all of us who live here in Barnet. Details are set out on the campaigns page of this website, but this article sets out some highlights of Theresa’s track record of work for the Chipping Barnet constituency.
Theresa lives in Arkley in the constituency and it has always been a priority for her to reach out to every part of our community and to act as a strong local champion for Barnet.
Protecting the green belt and opposing inappropriate development
- Backed residents forming a campaign group to fight plans for a burial ground on the green belt in Arkley.
- Worked for years to try to stop the Cat Hill development, and kept up the fight to support residents after the application was passed by Labour-run Enfield Council.
- Played a part in the campaign to block a new ASDA superstore in New Barnet and is working to ensure we get the right plans for new homes there instead.
- Backed the Pinkham Way Alliance in the successful campaign to stop to proposals for a waste processing plant at Pinkham Way, and continues to oppose any attempt to revive those plans.
- Continues to campaign against ‘dog kennel flats’ at Barnet House in Whetstone and to stop tower blocks at North London Business Park.
- Is working to try and save the precious Whalebones green space.
Supporting local businesses and high streets
- Successfully persuaded the Government to provide small businesses and local high streets with help on business rates in the 2017 Budget.
- Secured key concessions on proposals for quarterly reports to the tax authorities.
- Worked with local groups and residents’ associations to support our high streets.
- Campaigned to save the historic Trent Park House, and backed the successful local application for funding for Battle of Barnet archaeological research.
Improving public transport and broadband infrastructure
- Saved the vital 107 bus route between High Barnet, New Barnet and Arkley when it was under threat.
- Campaigned to make cycling safer and pressed for action to tackle the risk HGVs pose for cyclists.
- Secured the funding for the upgrade programme for the Northern Line which has led to more frequent trains, faster journey times and greater reliability.
- Resisted a possible split of the Northern Line at Camden Town by lobbying Transport for London.
- Called on GTR to improve national rail services through Hadley Wood, New Barnet and Oakleigh Park.
- Successfully pushed BT to fill many of the gaps in fast broadband provision in High Barnet and Underhill.
- Lobbied Virgin Media to include Barnet in its ultrafast broadband ‘Project Lightning’ programme: which will see 40,000 homes and businesses get access to ultrafast broadband by 2018.
Securing the best schools for Barnet
- Worked with neighbouring MPs to save minority language A-Levels, for example in Modern Greek.
- Secured funding to rebuild Cromer Road School and the Pavilion School.
- Helped top performing schools to gain academy status.
- Supported the founding of new schools in Barnet such as St Andrew the Apostle Greek Orthodox Secondary School and JCoss.
- Backed Conservative plans for three million apprenticeships to give young people the skills they need to get on in life.
Backing the NHS
- Worked with residents and local GPs to secure the re-opening of East Barnet and Brunswick Park Health Centres, and the East Barnet Baby Clinic.
- Helped secure improvement and expansion of maternity, children’s, and A&E services at Barnet Hospital.
- Backed the multi-million £ rebuild of Chase Farm Hospital.
Supporting Barnet’s diverse communities
- Worked for over 17 years to support a settlement to reunite Cyprus.
- Campaigned against anti-Semitism and spoken out in support of the State of Israel and efforts to deliver peace in the Middle East
- Brought MPs together in Parliament to pledge support for persecuted Christians around the world.
- Worked with Barnet’s Tamil community to promote justice and political equality for Tamils in Sri Lanka.
- Spoken out in Parliament against human rights abuses in Iran.
If she is re-elected, Theresa will ensure the concerns of Barnet residents are raised at the highest level of government; constituents will always be her foremost priority. No other candidate can match Theresa’s commitment to the constituency or her track record of successful campaigning on local issues.