So who do you think the most influential man in Barnet is? Here's a few possible suggestions :-
Richard Cornelius - On the ascendency. He's just seen off the Councillor officers hot favourite, Andrew Harper in the Leadership race.
Nick Walkley - CEO of Barnet Council. The man driving the One Barnet program (over the cliff in many people's opinion)
Mike Freer - Finchley and Golders Green MP, original architect of the One Barnet scheme and the man with a van.
John Burgess - Influential Barnet Unison leader and the main opposition to the One Barnet program
Neil Basu - Metropolitan Police Commander for Barnet.
Tom Nathan - managing director of Brent Cross
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I'd have picked one of those, not quite sure which, but you could make a case for any of them being given the title. I got a call today from a large news organisation, can't say who, sworn to secrecy. They were trying to find out if there is a story worthy of national coverage somewhere in the Metpro story. Whilst us Barnetites are currently obsessed, why would someone in Halifax, Hillingdon or the Hebrides be interested? My answer? Because it should inspire citizens to stand up to bad councils, to investigate abuses and not to be fobbed off. I think that Metpro would make a great BBC drama (assuming they make such things). It is a great whodunnit and we don't even know the ending. A whole host of citizens have played a roll and I will probably write a screenplay for it, when I have time. I'm pretty set on the idea of staging it at next years Edinburgh festival (we'll know the ending by then). It would make a great citizen detective story.
I digress. So did they agree that it is nationally newsworthy? I've honestly got no idea. I am sincerely hoping that they turn up on Thursday. They asked what I expected to happen? Would there be fireworks? I said "Guaranteed. Either the committee will rip up the floorboards and expose the whole charade or their will be (a Barnet style rather genteel) riot in the public gallery." We have come too far to get fobbed off. If we are fobbed off, I know for a fact that Barnet Council will have made a very bad move. The scandal has been brewing for three months and show no sign of abating. The whole sorry mess and the it unfolded is chronicled in greater detail than any scandal since Watergate, in this and other blogs. I think the story is rather empowering and shows the value of blogs, citizen journalists and whistle blowers.
So anyway, there's me giving the hard sell on why a National News organisation should attend and I get asked a completely ridiculous question - "Do you think you are the most influential person in Barnet?" My response "Sorry, I didn't hear that". The question was repeated. My response "Don't be ridiculous, I just write a blog". I was asked "Yes, but it is quite clear that there are a whole gang of bloggers, who quite clearly are working together". Absolutely correct, but thats what we are - working together. I pointed out that there was no structure and no leadership. "But you are the most established of these bloggers". Well I suppose I'm the most prolific, but what does that mean. Then they pointed out a few successes (they had done their homework) in the last year, all of which can be directly attributable to campaigns started by Barnet bloggers.
The Allowancegate climbdown on cabinet expenses.
The Library review being watered down from Councillor Ramsbottoms original comments - Barnet has faired far better than other London Boroughs with equally stupid policies.
The Exposition of the Metpro Scandal.
Getting Brian Coleman's LFEPA expenses exposed and slapped down by Boris
The defeat of Councillor Andrew Harper in the Tory Leadership campaign.
In actual fact that is a pretty impressive list of victories. Yes, I think us Barnet bloggers have done pretty well. I don't take personal credit for any of this. Sure, I've put hard work into it, but so has everyone else who has helped. I don't want plaudits, or anything other than Barnet council to clean up it's act. Will all of the Audit committee stand up when I enter the room, in respect for my achievements. I sincerely hope not. What I will say is this. Over the last few years, since I started the blog, I think I've got quite good at it. I think that there this blog has inspired a few other people to write blogs (which are far better than this). I think that collectively, the blogs of Barnet are a powerful influence. I like to think of us as a Hydra, many headed and all equally deadly, equally influential and equally important. If one doesn't get what it wants, there's a whole host of others digging away.
And most of all I think that if justice isn't seen to be done on Thursday at the audit committee , then the people responsible will see just how influential this Barnet Hydra really is. Be assured of that !
Richard Cornelius - On the ascendency. He's just seen off the Councillor officers hot favourite, Andrew Harper in the Leadership race.
Nick Walkley - CEO of Barnet Council. The man driving the One Barnet program (over the cliff in many people's opinion)
Mike Freer - Finchley and Golders Green MP, original architect of the One Barnet scheme and the man with a van.
John Burgess - Influential Barnet Unison leader and the main opposition to the One Barnet program
Neil Basu - Metropolitan Police Commander for Barnet.
Tom Nathan - managing director of Brent Cross
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I'd have picked one of those, not quite sure which, but you could make a case for any of them being given the title. I got a call today from a large news organisation, can't say who, sworn to secrecy. They were trying to find out if there is a story worthy of national coverage somewhere in the Metpro story. Whilst us Barnetites are currently obsessed, why would someone in Halifax, Hillingdon or the Hebrides be interested? My answer? Because it should inspire citizens to stand up to bad councils, to investigate abuses and not to be fobbed off. I think that Metpro would make a great BBC drama (assuming they make such things). It is a great whodunnit and we don't even know the ending. A whole host of citizens have played a roll and I will probably write a screenplay for it, when I have time. I'm pretty set on the idea of staging it at next years Edinburgh festival (we'll know the ending by then). It would make a great citizen detective story.
I digress. So did they agree that it is nationally newsworthy? I've honestly got no idea. I am sincerely hoping that they turn up on Thursday. They asked what I expected to happen? Would there be fireworks? I said "Guaranteed. Either the committee will rip up the floorboards and expose the whole charade or their will be (a Barnet style rather genteel) riot in the public gallery." We have come too far to get fobbed off. If we are fobbed off, I know for a fact that Barnet Council will have made a very bad move. The scandal has been brewing for three months and show no sign of abating. The whole sorry mess and the it unfolded is chronicled in greater detail than any scandal since Watergate, in this and other blogs. I think the story is rather empowering and shows the value of blogs, citizen journalists and whistle blowers.
So anyway, there's me giving the hard sell on why a National News organisation should attend and I get asked a completely ridiculous question - "Do you think you are the most influential person in Barnet?" My response "Sorry, I didn't hear that". The question was repeated. My response "Don't be ridiculous, I just write a blog". I was asked "Yes, but it is quite clear that there are a whole gang of bloggers, who quite clearly are working together". Absolutely correct, but thats what we are - working together. I pointed out that there was no structure and no leadership. "But you are the most established of these bloggers". Well I suppose I'm the most prolific, but what does that mean. Then they pointed out a few successes (they had done their homework) in the last year, all of which can be directly attributable to campaigns started by Barnet bloggers.
The Allowancegate climbdown on cabinet expenses.
The Library review being watered down from Councillor Rams
The Exposition of the Metpro Scandal.
Getting Brian Coleman's LFEPA expenses exposed and slapped down by Boris
The defeat of Councillor Andrew Harper in the Tory Leadership campaign.
In actual fact that is a pretty impressive list of victories. Yes, I think us Barnet bloggers have done pretty well. I don't take personal credit for any of this. Sure, I've put hard work into it, but so has everyone else who has helped. I don't want plaudits, or anything other than Barnet council to clean up it's act. Will all of the Audit committee stand up when I enter the room, in respect for my achievements. I sincerely hope not. What I will say is this. Over the last few years, since I started the blog, I think I've got quite good at it. I think that there this blog has inspired a few other people to write blogs (which are far better than this). I think that collectively, the blogs of Barnet are a powerful influence. I like to think of us as a Hydra, many headed and all equally deadly, equally influential and equally important. If one doesn't get what it wants, there's a whole host of others digging away.
And most of all I think that if justice isn't seen to be done on Thursday at the audit committee , then the people responsible will see just how influential this Barnet Hydra really is. Be assured of that !
hmmm: who's the most influential woman, then? Or don't we girlies count?
ReplyDeleteFunnily enough I have been joking with A N Other blogger today about Broken Barnet - The Movie, and our fantasy team cast. Guess which councillor will be played by Fatty Arbuckle?
You're right: it's a great story, and still unfolding, with a lot more dramatic turns to come.
The success of the Barnet bloggers is due I think to a number of factors: the background of the easycouncil crap, the two dimensional quality of most of the political debate, and a set of largely barking mad councillors. There is also the vaccum caused by a frankly hugely underwhelming opposition, and a history of - until recently - a passive local press.
Thank God somone has been on the ball and prepared to stand up to our local council or we would lunging into a One Barnet future with no restraint and no hope.
Perhaps Neil Basu can offer his guidance to Dyfed-Powys Police (Heddlu Dyfed Powys), which failed to tell Carmarthenshire County Council where they could stick their order papers when a local blogger tried to video the council meeting. (see Mrs Angry.)
ReplyDeleteI see Mr Reasonable is reporting the "Case of the Security Staff Supplied for Free to Barnet Council; Absolutely Gratis; No really, Buy Five, Get Two Free".
ReplyDeleteJudging by the latest Broken Barnet blog just now, I think you have forgotten the man who runs the METPRO Group of Companies.
ReplyDeleteHe could do that with the Mayor of Barnet, and we mere mortals could not!