VILLIERS: EAST BARNET RESIDENTS DESERVE MORE COMPENSATION

On Wednesday 10th February, over a hundred and seventy East Barnet Ward residents crammed into New Barnet Community Centre on Victoria Road for a public meeting to discuss the Christmas Gas Crisis. Up to 3500 homes in East Barnet were left without gas or electricity after a water main burst and leaked into the gas network just before Christmas last year. The meeting was chaired by Chipping Barnet MP, Theresa Villiers.

Following requests by Theresa and local campaigner Bernard Walsh, both National Grid and Veolia Water, agreed to take part in the meeting, where they were questioned by residents on their handling of the crisis and the level of compensation on offer. Also present were East Barnet Ward Councillors, Robert Rams and Joanna Tambourides, neighbouring Brunswick Park Ward Councillor, Andreas Tambourides. Bernard Walsh, who has so far led the residents’ campaign for greater compensation was also there.

Discussion at the meeting focused predominantly around the level of compensation on offer. Residents were initially offered £30 compensation for every full 24 hours they spent without gas, but have since expressed anger that the £30 per day does not cover all of the costs they incurred as a result of the crisis, such as damage to boilers, loss of food in their freezers and the increased cost of cooking and heating their homes by electric during the freezing temperatures. Businesses were hit particularly hard, suffering losses of thousands of pounds over what should have been their busiest period. They have been offered just £50 compensation for every full day they were without gas. Others are aggrieved that compensation is only on offer to households where the gas supply was cut off for a full 24 hours and is not being paid out to families who suffered part days of disruption or where the gas pressure was so low that they could not even cook.

However, at the meeting both National Grid and Veolia Water refused to increase the level of compensation on offer to residents, claiming that £30 and £50 are the standard amounts as set under the Gas (Standards of Performance) Regulations. Neither did they offer any compensation to households who suffered part day disruptions. They did however agree to fund a community project for East Barnet Residents.

Speaking after the meeting, Theresa Villiers said, “I am pleased National Grid and Veolia Water agreed to come here tonight to meet residents face to face, but there’s no doubt of the real anger expressed by many who attended. While the offer by the two companies to come to East Barnet to give one-to-one advice to residents affected by the gas disruption is welcome, as is their promise to donate to a community project, residents remain out of pocket through no fault of their own. I will continue to put pressure on both companies for additional discretionary compensation.”

Councillor Robert Rams said, “The fact remains that £30 and £50 a day is totally inadequate for the huge inconvenience East Barnet suffered over the Christmas period. Many residents will now be out of pocket or simply unable to afford to foot the bill for the repair of their boiler, replacing freezer food or increased electricity bills as a result.”

“Whilst both companies’ offer to fund a community project in East Barnet is welcome, and we will push them to deliver on their promise, they should not be under the illusion that this is in some way an alternative form of compensation for those families who have lost out.”

Councillor Joanna Tambourides added, “Theresa, Robert and I remain here ready to help any resident who runs into difficulty because of what has happened, and we will continue to work closely with Bernard Walsh on the issue of compensation."