Exposing the Lazy Barnet Councillors *** UPdated 11.30

The Barnet Eye was sent this email by a resident of High Barnet. It is only a month since the Council Elections, but it seems that the Tory Councillors in High Barnet just can't be bothered to do their job. I find this sort of behaviour shameful. Feel free to send the Barnet Eye details of your lazy Councillors/MP's. Lets name and shame them (This post has been updated. See exchange of email between Barnet Eye and Cllr Wendy Prentice below)
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Phil Fletcher

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(address redacted)

Dear Councillor Perry, Councillor Longstaff, Councillor Prentice,

As I had some questions concerning the installation of cycle stands in High Barnet and the green waste and recyclates collection, I attended the Chipping Barnet Area Forum at Barnet House on 18.06.2014.

As the Chairperson, Lisa Rutter, had informed the public several times that questions regarding asking for information should be dealt with via councillors in their surgeries (she pointedly mentioned your surgery on Saturday 21.06.2014 which takes place from 10:30 till 12:00).

Following her advice, I duly came along to Chipping Barnet Library at a few minutes after 10:30, as I had business elsewhere. There was no sign of either of you. The librarian on duty  checked for me that there was a surgery which starts every 3rd Saturday of the month at 10:30.

She also told me that none of you had rung in to apologise that you were unable to attend. She gave me your phone numbers, Wendy and Bridget. I duly rang both of you, was unable to speak to either of you personally, so I left a message on both of your answerphones. I have yet to receive a reply.

I went shopping in Barnet Market, returned at 11:00 am, but there was still no sign of either of you. So I left.

As the reason why I wanted to attend your surgery in the first place was to pass on the questions I have, I may as well copy and paste them into this email.

 And as I am doing this, I can't help asking myself why couldn't I just send them to you by email instead of having to hang around for half an our or so to no avail?

Kind Regards

Phil Fletcher

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Questions submitted on 21.06.2014

1) Re: cycle stands in Barnet High Street and at the top of Barnet Hill

  Up until now no cycle stands have been installed on the East side of Barnet High Street and  the East side of the top of Barnet Hill.

·        Are any planned, and if so, how many and where exactly? What is the time scale under which they would be  installed .

What are the criteria for deciding where to put cycle stands?

Could you please email me a copy of the regulations governing this?

(3 stands have been installed at the corner of Normandy Road and Barnet Hill, near the former Court House, where, at least at present, there is very little footfall).

2). Re: Green Waste & Recyclates Collection.

·        How much income has been generated from the Green Waste collection since the Green Waste & Recycling Services were changed in October 2013? (Please give a monthly breakdown).

·        What are the costs of the Green Waste collection in this period?

(Please also give a monthly breakdown of this figure).

·        Since October 2013 how many tonnes of recyclables have been rejected as a result of contamination by glass?

·        What is the total amount of recyclates that have been collected since the changeover in October 2013?

Please send answers to (email redacted)

Phil Fletcher (Address redacted)

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Following the posting of this blog, the following exchjange of emails has occurred between the Barnet Eye and Cllr Wendy Prentice - The Council website with Cllr Prentice details is here http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/mgUserInfo.aspx?UID=153 showing the surgery as at the Library.

Dear Councillor Prentice,

Thank you for your response. It strikes me that your response is from satisfactory. Firstly, the council website still shows your surgery as being at the library. Despite your protestations, this is likely to be the way most people find details see attached screenshot.

Secondly, you clearly haven’t bothered to tell staff at the library.

I would suggest that rather than send rather sarcastic, smug emails, you get the Council website updated and have the good manners to tell council workers at the Library where the surgery has now been held.

Regards

Roger Tichborne

From: Prentice, Cllr Wendy [mailto:Cllr.W.Prentice@barnet.gov.uk]
Sent: 22 June 2014 10:00
To: Roger Tichborne; Philip Fletcher
Cc: Perry, Cllr Bridget; Longstaff, Cllr David
Subject: RE: [baps_active]

I would like to assure you that we did hold surgery yesterday (3 people will attest to it) It is held at 163 High Street, Barnet and has been for some time.  It is also advertised in our 'In Touches' and on the notice board of 163.

So perhaps you would like to share this with your 'wider audience' I would prefer it if you got your facts right first.

regards

Cllr. Wendy Prentice

  

******************* Updated 11.30 **************************

It gets worse. It seems that the venue was changed a year ago and no one could be bothered to update the Council website for over  a year. 

 

Here are the latest exchange of emails. If nothing else, I'm sure that the website will now get updated!

 

From: Roger Tichborne
To: Prentice, Cllr Wendy; 'Philip Fletcher' 
Cc: Perry, Cllr Bridget; Longstaff, Cllr David

So you are saying that the Council website has been wrong for a year, people have presumably been sent on a wild goose chase for a year, when they need help with problems and you haven’t bothered to do anything about it? That is outrageous. Do you really think it is acceptable that your constituents have been being sent to the wrong place for a whole year?

From: Prentice, Cllr Wendy [mailto:Cllr.W.Prentice@barnet.gov.uk]
Sent: 22 June 2014 11:06
To: Roger.Tichborne@btinternet.com; philfletcherx@yahoo.es
Cc: Perry, Cllr Bridget; Longstaff, Cllr David
Subject: Re: [baps_active]

 

Just to let you know that we did let the library staff know (we have not been there since last June) and we put up a notice as to where we were.