In March, horrified allotment holders made a grim discovery when they found a Swiss exchange student hanging dead from a tree in Mill Hill. An inquest into the 17-year-old’s death later concluded he had taken his own life.

Plans for a Jewish ‘eruv’ in Mill Hill were given final approval by Barnet Council, allowing strict observers to live their lives without restriction on the Sabbath.

Meanwhile, Barnet council faced a landmark legal challenge to its decision to sell off £700million worth of public services under its controversial One Barnet outsourcing scheme.

Disabled activist Maria Nash took the authority to the High Court on the basis the public was not properly consulted on the plans.

She claimed the scheme would have a detrimental impact on herself and other disabled people in the borough.

A judge later ruled Ms Nash’s claim was out of time and her appeal failed on the same grounds.

In Burnt Oak, firefighters said six people, including two young children, were lucky to escape with their lives after their “death-trap” block of makeshift flats burned down overnight. Barnet Council later took action against the owner of the building.

Mother-of-two Christie McHugh was killed when she was thrown from the bonnet of a car and hit a lamppost at a zebra crossing in East Barnet.  A nurse is facing trial over her death in the new year.

The Metropolitan Police confirmed it would close Whetstone and Golders Green police stations, but Barnet's was given a last minute reprieve.

Community Focus, an arts charity for the disabled, was told it would be thrown out of the artsdepot in North Finchley, causing great upset among its users. The charity has since moved out and set up elsewhere in the borough.