Following the masterful performance of twattery at the Chipping Barnet residents forum by Barry Evangeli, I've been receiving reports of even worse behaviour at the Golders Green Forum. Sadly this is not only from the Chairman, Dean Cohen, but also from various council officers. One resident reported a most unfortunate incident where David Howard of the residents association challenged an assertation by another official. Jeff Lustig, Borough Solicitor took exception to this and demanded that David leave the meeting or withdraw his comment. Now the good people of Golders Green took exception to this. Uproar ensued and Jeff Lustig backed down. It strikes me that these people seem to have forgotten that they are PUBLIC SERVANTS. They are employed using our taxes to serve us to the best of their ability.
Now contrary to a big porkie put around by Brian Coleman that I attend every residents forum in the Borough, missing no opportunity to slag him off, I've never actually been to the Chipping Barnet or the Golders Green forum. I have been three times to the Hendon Forum. It is fair to say that I've no issue at all with the Chairman Brian Gordon or his deputy John Hart. They have thus far seemed to me to be even handed and fair. I've not seen any of the displays of stupidity displayed by Dean Cohen or Barry Evangeli. Council officers have behaved themselves pretty well. The worst display was when former Edgware Tory Councillor Richard Weider tried to stop Vicki Morris from questioning them on future shape. He said "she can't ask this because she works for the council". Cllr Gordon said "She's a resident, there's no reason she shouldn't" and let Vicki proceed. Whilst it made no difference to the implementation of future shape, at least it showed Councillor Gordon has sound judgement as chair of such a forum.
I asked myself what the difference was between poor chairmen such as Cohen and Evangeli and good ones such as Hart and Gordon. I think the answer may be that the latter first became councillors in an age when it was about public service. They know what they are supposed to be there for. Amongst the private emails I received about the hike in allowances, was one from a Tory councillor. I don't accept his argument, but it gives some idea of the climate in Barnet. He said he fundamentally disagreed with the rise, foresaw the furore and argued against it. He said that the reason he voted to implement it was because had he voted with his conscience, he'd have been completely marginalised and unable to have any input whatsoever for future discussions. He also felt that it would allow a certain useless lackey(my description) to exploit the opportunity for career advancement.
Perhaps the most interesting comment was the one explaining the reason for the rise now. "Brian wanted the business out of the way before he takes over" and the prediction of a new leader before the end of the year. I don't necessarily think this is a done deal. I suspect that the succession will be fought between Coleman and Harper, although it is less than clear whether Harper has the cojones for a tough battle. Coleman is pretty ruthless and will make it clear that it will be the end of Harper if he wins (a la Bulmer). Interesting times
Jeff Lustig and his senior colleagues such as Reynolds etc have never had anything but contempt for the majoprity taxpayer who pay their over inflated salaries. Sadly, I've long lost any respect for scum who abuse their advantageous position like modern day SS hiding behind the various rules that protect them from accountability.
ReplyDeleteApparently, Ladbrokes will offer odds on anything.
ReplyDeleteCould someone find odds on various Ruling Party leaders at the end of the year?
A friend has just told me about the
ReplyDelete"Jeff Lustig loses it completely"
Residents Forum a few months ago. It was apparently about the Brent Cross Cricklewood scheme.
A rare photo of the event exists:
http://tinyurl.com/AngryJeff
Your nameless councillor should be thoroughly ashamed of himself. His pathetic plea of 'not wishing to be marginalised' is the dressed up version of the feeble excuse proffered by every coward who looked the other way when the mob was kicking the crap out of someone. How did fascism get a grip on European society in the last century? Because decent people who should have stood up to the bully boys decided it was easier to let them have their way. The only way to deal with bullying is to stand up to it. If you give in, you make yourself a target for future trouble. Does this councillor really think the cowardly action of all but one of the Tory councillors is going to give them any base for supplying meaningful 'input' in future discussions? That night they wrote their own political death warrants, losing the respect of all residents, especially their own Tory supporters, and crucially, they also lost any remaining respect from their own leadership.
ReplyDeleteWhen does the Mill Hill forum take place as the largest postcode area in the Borough ?
ReplyDeleteThanks
I was, rarely for the Finchley Forum, present at that meeting and was stunned at the outburst from a paid Official against the public. So much so, as David Howard will confirm, that I stood up and made a withering attack on Mr Lustig to the chair along the lines of it's just outrageous for highly paid Officers to come here and moan that they've 'had enough' of criticism from the public.
ReplyDeleteAs they say if you don't like the heat....