The Golders Green Hippodrome - A sorry tale of bigotry

There is nothing that this blog and I personally would oppose more strongly than racism, bigotry and intolerance. I am proud that I count Christians, Jews, Muslims, atheists and Buddhists amongst my friends. I see any attack on any of them as a personal attack on me. I stand with them. I strongly support their right to conduct their private beliefs as they see fit. As a member of a team who provides the Churches together night shelter, in association with local mosques and synagogues, I have seen first hand how well we all get on. I am therefore disgusted at the horrible, racist campaign against the conversion of the Golders Green Hippodrome into a Mosque.

I am pleased that the Leader of the Council, Richard Cornelius has issued the following statement

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In response to the recent media coverage concerning the Golders Green Hippodrome, The Leader of Barnet Council, Councillor Richard Cornelius, has issued the following statement:

“We are extremely proud of our borough’s rich cultural diversity and the way our communities live together. We are aware of the current community tensions surrounding the Hippodrome planning application – and indeed some of the inflammatory commentary that has been posted in response to this matter. Following advice, and due to the volume of comments that were posted, a decision was taken to remove all comments made on the planning portal for this application. All comments relating to the Hippodrome application are being monitored and logged and will be presented to Planning Committee when the application is heard.

“While we have a legal duty to hear views regarding local planning matters, we also have a responsibility to ensure that people are not using Council platforms to air views that are inappropriate.

“Golders Green has a long tradition of welcoming people from all over the world. We will continue to work closely with Barnet Police and the local community to ensure Barnet remains a safe and inclusive place for everyone.”

Background information

The council has received an application requesting that the wording of the current planning permission for the building be varied. The wording of the variations has been requested by the applicant. The two variations requested are:

• Alter the wording of condition 1 to Increase opening hours by one hour from 8:00am - 11.30pm to 8:00am - 12.30am on any day of the week
   
• Alter the wording of condition 2 to read 'place of worship' rather than church.

The application was registered on Friday, 15 September. Anyone wishing to comment on the application can do so as part of the planning consultation. This consultation closes on Thursday, 26 October.

The application is currently being considered by planning officers and no date has been set for when it will be considered by the Planning Committee.

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Before the objections were taken offline I had a look at a few. Two things struck me. Many were from people living outside the area, many living hundreds of miles away. The vast majority did not quote valid planning reasons. It strikes me as strange that people want to proscribe what other people can believe and where they can worship. If we want to deal with issues of Radicalisation, that must start in Mosques. Banning them will only inflame angry young men. I have a friend who is the chair of a Mosque.He has discussed at length the work his mosque does to ensure that young people make sensible choices. Opposing a mosque on the grounds some Muslims support extremists would be like calling for Catholic Churches to close because some of the congregation support Continuity IRA. We need to live and let live. If any objector has concerns based on hard facts, then they should report them to the security services. If they are simply prejudiced and think all Muslims are bad, then they are the problem. One final thing. London should not have religiously segregated areas. There should be no concept of Jewish areas, Muslim areas or anything else. We are one community and we are stronger together when we live and let live

An Apology from Barnet Council for its faulty Freedom of Information system

Regular readers will be aware that there has been a serious issue with the Barnet Council Freedom of Information system (Chaos at the Council - The Freedom of Information system goes haywire ) We are pleased to report that the Council have taken our comments to heart and in what may be a first, apologised to us.

You may be interested to see the apology!
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Dear Mr Tichborne

Following your exchange on Twitter, Stephen asked me to write to you with more information about the FOI disclosure log.

We remain proud of our disclosure log and the integration with the council’s website, which has been in place for a number of years. However, we have recently encountered a problem with the way our website draws information from our case management system in order to create the integration with the website. Our suppliers are investigating and looking at the best way to solve the problem. Unfortunately I am unable to provide you with a fix date as yet because we are still investigating the options.

Whilst the integration is experiencing problems, the search function accessible through the link  “For past FOI Disclosure requests see the disclosure log” on the disclosure log page still works. I appreciate how frustrating this will be to people who have used the integration previously and would like to reassure you that we are working on the problem. I apologise for any inconvenience.

Regards

Victoria Blyth
Information Strategy Manager

Information Management Team
London Borough of Barnet, North London Business Park, Oakleigh Road South, London N11 1NP

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We are pleased that after nearly a decade of trying to pretend that the Barnet Bloggers do not exist, at last we are at least being acknowledged and our concerns taken seriously. We do hope that this is a new leaf being turned and not just a bit of window dressing with the Council Elections coming next year.

We have two questions. Firstly does the council insist on User acceptance testing before public facing systems are set live. The second question is who signed off this system as fit for purpose.

The Tweets of the The Week in The London Borough of Barnet - 29/10/2017

It's that time of the week again. for our most popular regular feature! So without further ado, here we go. Don't forget to follow any local tweeters who tickle your fancy!

1. It seems that there are plans afoot for a big development in Burnt Oak

Great to see us starting to consult on the next @BarnetCouncil Extra Care scheme in Burnt Oak #delivering4Barnet pic.twitter.com/IKff7SI4Qp

— Derek Rust _ BH (@RustBh) October 26, 2017

2. Yusuf has done a great thing and saved someone's life. Why don't you?

Missed the double donation because my Hb was short by 1 point.Managed my normal full blood donation. Thanks to @GiveBloodNHS team at Edgware pic.twitter.com/7122QRbgpx

— #HelloMyNameis Yusuf (@yusuf_yousuf) October 26, 2017

3. Did you know there is live Jazz in Colindale every Saturday night

@HannahNorthedge performs in duo format at @DiPrinci in #Colindale #LDN tomorrow (Sat) 7:30-10:30pm #livejazz #jazzsinger #NorthernLine pic.twitter.com/w5oe1Yqv56

— repmusic (@repmusicLtd) October 27, 2017

4. Want to donate to Colindale Foodbank. St Michaels is now a drop off point

We are now a drop-off point for Colindale Foodbank! pic.twitter.com/sxTyHnLZFB

— St Michaels, NW7 (@StMichaelsMH) October 20, 2017

5. We love a great historical tweet, they don't come much better than this

Hendon win the 1972 Amateur Cup pic.twitter.com/6C9Ea9X3f7

— The League Magazine (@Theleaguemag) October 28, 2017

6. And a bit of humour doesn't go amiss!

… and then 3 come along at once.#londonbuses @tfl #goldersgreen #chelsea #lovelondon pic.twitter.com/TMU2h53dIJ

— MarkAshleyG (@MarkAshleyG) October 26, 2017

7. Does this make you feel proud. It should!

Our #Volunteer @MPSSpecials assisted with the @PoppyLegion #RoyalBritishLegion poppy parade in EN4 today. #ActiveCitizens #978SX pic.twitter.com/D4PPBcxDwL

— MPS Barnet (@MPSBarnet) October 29, 2017

8. If you like a decorative cappucino, checkout Cafe Buzz in Finchley

Thank you for making @AnwarGraham smile @BuzzingHelen 10/10 he says #hotchocolate #marshmallows #Goodfood #greatcustomerservice pic.twitter.com/kkztIFnpGP

— Grace Graham MSc (@Grace_Impact) October 26, 2017

9. Some great shots of the Mill Field here

We rather like the views at The Mill Field as well pic.twitter.com/ipB9A2pgQr

— A Better Mill Hill (@ABetterMillHill) October 29, 2017

10. Looking for a dance class?

Contemporary Dance Classes every Saturday, 3-4pm (time might varies each week) @MillHillMusicCo… https://t.co/gtAnXwqtia

— Performing Creations (@performing_cr) October 28, 2017

That's all folks!

The Saturday List #152 - 10 lost entertainment venues in the London Borough of Barnet

There is a rather sad little controversy going on in Golders Green as we speak. In this blog, we will not discuss the rights and wrongs of the case of the Hippodrome. But the fact that the Hippodrome, which was once one of the countries premiere entertainment venues is no longer and will seemingly be reinvented as a place of religious worship, inspired me to look at the changing cultural tastes in the Borough. Many well established venues, where generations have enjoyed themselves, have disappeared or been transformed over the last 40 years. Here we look back at a few, which reflect our chaning demographics. Each of these venues is quite different from the others. I think it is an interesting demonstration of how our locality has changed.

1. The Burnt Oak Bingo Hall. This tweet sums up the sad fate. It seems that Bingo is no longer considered a good night out. For sale for rredevelopment.

FOR SALE/TO LET
FORMER BINGO HALL
Suitable for Alternative Uses(STPP)
33,296sqft
1 Burnt Oak Broadway, Edgware HA8 pic.twitter.com/njI6WATbcn

— TELSAR LTD (@TELSARLTD) June 9, 2016

2.  Another form of entertainment venue that has disappeared from the Borough is Football stadiums. Underhill and Hendon were both iconic grounds for the local fans. Many stories unfolded. Now they are gone as part of a free school site and a residential development.

@mccann2507 @HendonFC @HFC_Guv all are available for selection today #waitingforthecall pic.twitter.com/0781xhQqvo

— Rob Fraser (@rabster67) October 14, 2017

3. Then there was the "Irish scene", with it's spiritual home at The Galtymore

Ever dance the nite away at the Galtymore?? Tickets for our Reunion Nite on Fri 4th Aug go on sale nxt month! #irish #dance #cricklewood pic.twitter.com/uBPQNsEGkH

— Deebert House Hotel (@DeebertHseHotel) May 9, 2017

4. Then we had the "cheesy disco". For those of us in Edgware/Burnt Oak and Mill Hill, this was exemplified by Jingles, behind the White Lion. Although technically in The Borough of Harrow, this was very much part of the London Borough of Barnet nighttime scene. Sadly I couldn't find a picture of this.

5. For the pub rock bretheren, we had the much missed (and much mentioned here) Torrington in Finchley. This was the iconic venue. I personally saw the likes of Steve Marriott and Dr John. Now a Starbucks and a Barber

The Torrington

6. Then there were the open air swimming pools. My local one was Mill Hill. The centre of teenage activity. Sadly council's decided in around 1980 that teenagers were not in need of places to meet and have fun. Now Etz Chaim Free School

Mill Hill Swimming Pool

7. The next one I don't really remember. Everyone knows Brent Cross Shopping centre. Not quite so many recall that it was Hendon Dog Racing track. Before my time but in it's day a massive centre of entertaiment.

Hendon Dog Track

8. Another popular feature locally was the Pitch and Put golf at Mill Hill Park. Now a "nature reserve" with a tiny "crazy golf" course next to it.  Whilst Crazy golf is fun, the pitch and put was a place where you could actually hone golf skills.


9. Then we have the High Street cinama's, such as the Gaumont in Finchley, replaced by The Arts Depot. At the time, cinema's were deemed in terminal decline. Happily the cinema trade has turned the corner. The Everyman in Barnet is a great example of how High St Cinemas reinvented themselves.

What an absolutely tragic loss to North Finchley! The beautiful Gaumont cinema. pic.twitter.com/58bZNlIqPS

— Ian Dunn (@iandunndesign) October 9, 2015

10. We finish with the Hippodrome. It was a fantastic venue. I deplore the Islamaphobic campaign against the plans to transform it into a Mosque, however, I do believe that the Borough should have retained this as an iconic venue. As it has been a church for the last ten years, sadly that horse bolted long ago.

Golders Green Hippodrome

Have a great weekend.

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The Friday Joke - 27/10/2017

It's Friday, so it's the time of the week where we have a joke, to get us in the mood for the weekend.

A new bride was a bit embarrassed to be known as a honeymooner. So when she and her husband pulled up to the hotel, she asked him if there was any way that they could make it appear that they had been married a long time.
He responded, "Sure. You carry the suitcases!"

A Message from the NW7 Hub team

The team running the NW7 Hub (formerly Mill Hill Hub) have asked me to help publicise this. They have found a source of funding to pay for a community development co-ordinator.  They need your votes.

Dear Friends and Supporters,
We have applied for funding to appoint a Community Development Co-ordinator to plan and deliver initiatives in the NW7hub and l Library. We need your votes please! Supporting our communities together From the Aviva Community Fund - Now’s your chance to make a real difference to a community project that you care about. A
viva will be giving funds ranging from £1,000 to £25,000 to the projects that attract the most votes and capture the attention of their judges. Every vote counts, so make sure you cast yours by noon on 21 November 2017.
https://community-fund.aviva.co.uk/voting/project/view/17-5647

Thank you for your support
 Please vote now and ask all your friends and family to support us too.  At the end of the voting process, you can enter a prize draw to win £500s worth of M&S Vouchers

NW7 Hub team

Proof that Capita is failing everyone in the Outsourced Barnet Planning department

On the 16th August 2016, Barnet Council's planning department, which is run by Capita as part of the One Barnet Outsourcing contract recveived a planning application to erect a huge electronic advertising hoarding, next to the M1. This plan was validated on the 18th August. The full details are here

https://publicaccess.barnet.gov.uk/online-applications/applicationDetails.do?activeTab=summary&keyVal=OBZO34JIG0800

The application received eight objections, normally enough to warrant a decision at the planning committee

David Welch Not Available (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Fri 07 Oct 2016

There are no deadline dates on the planning website, so we are submitting this letter assuming that it will be considered. We have inspected the plans for the above proposed development and wish to object to them for the following reasons:

1. The signs are large at 12 metres wide and would present a serious hazard for drivers on the M1, who could be distracted by them. No commercial 'benefit' from this sort of advertising can outweigh the possible loss of life or limb resulting from a serious road accident that they might cause.
2. There would be serious light pollution to the nearby observatory, impeding their observations and stellar research.
3. They would be out of keeping with the local area, which is generally residential and free from commercial intrusion.

For these reasons we urge you to refuse this application.

Dr. Giorgio Savini UCL Observatory 553 Watford Way Mill Hill (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Wed 05 Oct 2016

My objection stems from the fact that the proposed structures erected at a short distance south of the Observatory
produce a significant amount of diffused light which creates high level of optical pollution which damages
our routine and regular activities as an observatory in the evenings and at night.

The direction in which telescopes are pointed towards (other than up) is very often South, as it is there that
most objects of interest in the solar system lie given our latitude (and when observable).

I have read the reasoning of the planning application and while it might be that there are other signs which have been erected
further south which seem to make little difference from the perspective of the road layout, the closer proximity of this proposed sign
to Mill Hill and our site and the declared illumination amount (and type - LED is of the worst kinds unfortunately for our job)
makes it more than just an eyesore with consequent deterioration of our research and teaching activities.

The observatory as you most likely know is a vibrant part of the Mill Hill and alongside
training future astronomers as part of a university degree hosts school trips from all
of the North of London and free Public Visits for local visitors.
We hope you can register our concerns and objections for this application
and look forward to any feedback on the matter.

Mrs christine Butt 25 Wardell Close Mill Hill Londfon NW7 2LG (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Thu 15 Sep 2016

We dont need this at that spot or anywhere else in Mill Hill. Its out of keeping with the surroundings.

Ms Gail Samuelson 8 Hillside Grove London NW7 2LR (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Thu 01 Sep 2016

It would be an eyesore

Mr Jonathan Klaff 26 Grange Hill London HA89PE (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Wed 31 Aug 2016

These hoardings present no benefit to the area, being wholly out of character with Mill Hill. There is a significant risk of drivers on the motorway being distracted, and the only reason for the hoardings is to advertise to them.
There are already hoardings lower down the motorway at Pentavia Park, and the area needs no more.
In a time when Mill Hill needs to move forward to better serve the residents, these hoardings are a step in the wrong direction.

Mr Ashley Boonin Flat 5 Randolph Court 109 Bunns Lane Mill Hill NW72DF (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Wed 31 Aug 2016

I object to the sign on the grounds that it causes light pollution. The sign will be opposite my bedroom window and the fluorescent blue light will cause sleep disruption for myself and my partner. I suggest that the sign is moved away from eyeshot of peoples' bedroom. This would be a more considerate location.

Mr Ian Fribbbance 9 Lyndhurst Avenue Mill Hill London NW7 2AD (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Wed 31 Aug 2016

The new proposed signs are far too tall and overly imposing for a suburban town centre site such as this, so close to Mill Hill. They are out of keeping with their surrounds, which is (generally) a suburban neighbourhood. The new height proposed would make them far more visible from a number of local points, to the significant detriment to the visual amenities of the area.

Mrs Kerry Hewitt-McEyeson 14 Aberdare Gardens Mill Hill London NW7 1DS (Objects)

Comment submitted date: Wed 31 Aug 2016

As a minimum this will be unsightly and out of keeping for the Mill Hill area and not least a distraction for M1 drivers. I fear that the unique feel of our area is being eroded and that this addition does nothing except create an eyesore fir residents but money for the advertiser and owner. The unsightly addition to our area must be refused for the damaging impact it will have.

As you can see, one of these was from the observatory at Mill Hill. Yesterday, I found out that the application had been passed on appeal. The grounds for appeal? That the planning department had not actually bothered to process the application.

To me this is awful. It is disgusting that the eight people who complained have been disenfranchised. It is disgusting because the company who lodged the application have in effect lost one years income.  Let's put aside the rights and wrongs of the case. The point is that it is absolutely clear that the process isn't working and everyone, complainants, residents and applicant have been miserably failed by Barnet Council and it's chosen outsourced company, Capita.

Everyone deserves better. If the complainants were right, they've been disenfranchised, if the application was fine, the company has lost income.

The Barnet Tories brought Capita in and it has clearly failed. The Mill Hill Tory Councillors should hang their heads in shame for allowing such a failing system to be inflicted on us.

How many developments are going to go through by default? It is absolutely disgusting. The blame lies fairly and squarely at the door of the Barnet Conservatives who brought in this failing system. It is time to bring planning back in house and have proper democratic accountability.

The Wednesday Poem #31 - PC bingo!

Two fat ladies - 88
You can't say that, sorry mate,
Dirtie Gertie, number 30,
Poor old Gertrude finds that hurty!
The Lords my Shepherd- 23
Sends Richard Dawkins off his tree
Gandhis Breakfast number 80
Now your getting slightly racist
A meal for two - 69
Dear oh dear, that's not fine!
Stop work - 65
Not the case if your still alive!

When I was a wee nipper, I used to love bingo on Clacton pier. The Bingo Masters lingo fascinated me. I don't know if it was because I was dyslexic, but I never realised the reason for the nicknames for the numbers. I just thought it was a secret code and that bingo Masters were members of some strange, pseudo Masonic organisation with its own peculiar language.

I'd be intrigued to know if the lingo is still used.

A Barnet Hero is in the press

Take your mind back five years. At that time, Barnet Council were not boasting that they "had not closed libraries, unlike evil Brent Council" (ed note: I added the word evil). No tweets like this back then

Thanks for drawing attention to our £7m investment in new tech & refurbs to keep all libraries open! @BrentLabour closed 1/2 theirs instead. https://t.co/xVufwSIzg7

— Barnet Conservatives (@BarnetTories) October 5, 2017

The reason? The Barnet Tories were at war with the local community in Friern Barnet, where they had closed the library. This happened on the 6th April. The Library was closed, a symbolic occupation took place and the local community realised they'd been shafted. The doors were shut and it seemed like all hope was lost. Then something extraordinary happened. On the same day, the Barnet Eye announced we were opening a "peoples library" on the village green outside. We invited residents to bring books and open our own library. To my utter amazement, over 400 people turned up, all bearing books. It was a truly memorable day and one of the proudest days of my life, to see such a spontaneous and joyous event occur. The event gave hope to the campaigners. As a result of the success, throughout the summer, pop up libraries were regularly held and a stock of books started to be built up. I stepped back, as the local community rightly wanted to run the campaign. The success was unprecendented. On the 22nd May, we even had the One Show come down and film the story. As the summer wore on, the people of Friern Barnet made their feelings clear and the council made it clear that they were not interested in listening.

As the summer wore on, I was wondering how the momentum of the campaign could be maintained. Despite bad press, national TV coverage and a regular library outside the library, Barnet Council were not in the least bit inclined to listen to the voters who elected them. On the 5th September, the story took a dramatic turn. We broke the story that the library had been occupied. We made our way straight there and spoke to "Dave".  Initially the occupiers stated that they were protesting against the changes to laws in squatting, which were brought in by Finchley MP Mike Freer. Once the occupiers were brought up to speed, they soon fell in behind the campaign to reopen the library.

Around this time I first met Pete Phoenix, veteran social campaigner. The Barnet Eye met Pete and explained the full history of the Peoples library. The Save Friern Barnet Library campaign came down and had a chat. At first, they were worried that getting involved with the occupiers may damage their relationship with the council. They quickly realised that as Barnet were not behaving in good faith, the occupiers offered the best opportunity to save the library. By the 9th, everyone had pulled together. The Occupiers received an email from the council, offering to engage with them and explore the possibility of opening a library. The Barnet Eye arrived to film the momentus coming together of Occupiers, residents and campaigners. Pete Phoenix read the council's email and we filmed it.


As the people's library had built a stock of books, it was a simple matter of restocking the shelves, and putting together a rota. Barnet had initially engaged in talks, but then in an act of bad faith, changed tack and started eviction proceedings. This despite implying that the occupiers had a license. Sadly for the Barnet Tories, they completely botched the legal arguments.

By February 2013 the council had capitulated. The Library was reopened as a volunteer run library. Not ideal, but at least there is still a library on the site. Pete Phoenix was the key figure amongst a whole slate of heroes.

I assumed that with the victory, we'd waved bye bye to Pete Phoenix. He had other projects and protest to fight. Then the Bohemia in Finchley closed. The owners, Antic, closed the doors and the fine building closed. Shortly after, I got an excited call from Helen Michael to say that Pete Phoenix had turned up with a group of occupiers and reopened it. I immediately went along and offered my services to help Pete put live music on. The occupiers asked the owners to grant them a licence to use the premises until it could be re let. Rather stupidly, the owners refused and there was a violent eviction. Wheras Pete and his group sought to protect and cherish the building, a new group moved in after, who trashed it and did tens of thousands of pounds worth of damage. The good news was that Pete's protest put it on the map and it has been reborn as the Bohemia N12. There is beer brewed on site and live music.

Pete and the rest of the occupiers more recently have played a pivotal role in the protests against the redevelopment of Sweets Way, where local residents  in social housingwere booted out out to allow a developer to put up an estate for more well heeled people. They have also been active in protests against the gentrification of the Dollis Valley. Sadly Barnet seems to have become gentrification central, our biggest export being social housing tenants.

Through all of these struggles I developed a huge respect for Pete and recognised a man who was very much prepared to stand for his principles. I consider him a friend. Therefore I was chuffed to see this tweet earlier today.

What Phoenix has learned from 30 years of direct action: ‘You have to be relentless’ https://t.co/oPNo4dW5q7 #olsx #protest #sustainable

— Phoenix Rainbow (@phoenixsrainbow) October 23, 2017

The Guardian devoted  a whole two page spread to Pete today. I was delighted and it made my journey to work a pleasure. I immediately decided that I would contribute this blog, to remind our local readers just how much we owe Pete and his occupy colleagues. As I started putting this blog together, I started re-reading the blogs. The Friern Barnet library story is a truly amazing tale. I've not been back to the library since the handover. It is amazing to think that for nine months, it was the focal point of all things good in the local Barnet political scene and many friendships and alliances were forged there. I saw people I'd never dreamed of cooperating and working together. Rabbi's, retired accountants, councillors, council officials all sitting in a circle in a meeting chaired by an anarchist from Occupy.

It is perhaps ironic that the library that the Barnet Tories closed is the one which they then decided was the model for the rest of the service (volunteer run at arms length). The man who tried to shut it, Ex Councillor Robert Rams was booted out at the next council election. On the day that the library trustees took the keys, I wrote the following

I am proud that I have played some small part in saving Friern Barnet Library. I am proud to be recognised as one of the Famous Five Barnet Bloggers. We have facilitated change in this leafy suburban paradise. Today is yet another victory for the causes we support, but not because the keys to the library changed hands today. It is a victory because the community packed out the library and they have shown that they cannot be ignored. That is the real victory today

There is a council election next year. I sincerely hope that today's story in the Guardian reminds people just how dishonest and untrustworthy the Barnet Tories can be when they think no one is looking. So let's all put our glasses together for Pete Phoenix, who showed sleepy Barnet the power of direct action.

What is the point of the @BarnetCouncil Twitter account?

An article caught our eye on the new A Better Mill Hill Blog. It details major roadworks today in Mill Hill and the lack of information available from the council about what is going on. As the Mill Hill blog shows, the signage is woefully inadequate and there is no information on the councils Twitter feed or on their website detailing the roadworks. Here is what they said:-


Urgent News Update - Major Road surfacing in Mill Hill Broadway Mon 23rd October

Today we learned of major resurfacing works in Mill Hill Broadway on Monday 23 October between 08:00 and 18:00. We have tweeted to alert residents to avoid the area. Parking has been suspended and there is likely to be significant congestion, especially in rush hour.

 Follow

A Better Mill Hill @ABetterMillHill

Avoid Mill Hill Broadway Monday 23/10 - major road resurfacing works 8am-6pm

8:05 PM - Oct 22, 2017

 
 

Twitter Ads info and privacy

As you can see, the signage is woefully inadequate. A contact number for help has been obscured on the posters and a hand written sign stating that it will be a tow away zone. You may notice contradictory different times on different posters (some stating works finish at 18:00 PM (sic) and some 17:00). Surely such important information should be checked and correct. 

We believe that when such major roadworks is being undertaken, the council should ensure that the contractors ensure proper signage (two sided so unmissable) is put up well in advance. We would also like to see signs advising motorists to avoid the area placed at all strategic junctions.  
Of course roadworks have to be undertaken, but these should be planned and residents kept informed.  We believe that the council should use its Twitter feed and Roads website to keep residents properly informed of all roadworks, closures and maintenance that affects road users. Mill Hill Broadway is the Borough's busiest railway station, so a plan should have been put in place to minimise disruption. If passengers are being dropped off for trains connecting to inter city or air services, this could have disastrous implications. 

We believe that websites and twitter feeds should be used to pass on useful information concerning our neighbourhood. All too often, they are simply used for PR purposes for Barnet Council.  

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 Now as you can see they raise the point as to why the Council doesn't use its Twitter account to alert residents to such issues. We had a look at the Councils Twitter account and there is all manner of rather worthy information there that is all very nice such as this

You'll get a fine if caught dropping a cigarette butt or some gum. Use a bin or take it home. #ourneighbourhoods https://t.co/r0DHNAl0Yi pic.twitter.com/DZBxzcgNJg

— Barnet Council (@BarnetCouncil) October 22, 2017

Of course we'd love to see everyone putting chewing gum in the bin, but in terms of why a resident might follow the Council Twitter site, do they really follow it to be pontificated at? Surely Twitter is at it's best when we are getting up to date useful information on it.

Barnet Council is paying a member of staff to administer this account. I take the view that if my taxes are paying someones wages, I want them to do something useful. Updates on roadworks etc would be practical and useful. Surely this should be a number 1 priority for the council tweeters? It really isn't rocket science is it. Oh and do remember to take your chewing gum home as you chew madly in the congestion on the Broadway today!
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The Tweets of The Week in The London Borough of Barnet 22/10/2017

And without further ado (or adon't), it's Sunday so it's our most popular regular feature. The world through the eyes of our local twits!

1. Simon is worried about Virgin Media damaging our local trees

@BarnetCouncil allow @virginmedia to damage our #StreetTrees. @ChippingTories don’t care about #Barnet #trees @barnetsociety @Barneteye pic.twitter.com/wF7yCIbQmt

— Simon (@simonsjc1) October 21, 2017

2. There is a new edition of the Mill Hill Mag!

Hope you have read the GUIDE here is a linked animation for you !!! Read all about #millhill @Barneteye @BarnetCouncil @MillHillRFC pic.twitter.com/OBWrIgj5Vo

— Mill Hill Broadway (@MillHillBwy) October 19, 2017

3. Anne is interested in the history of the local village green in Cricklewood!

There’s a rather interesting history of the green space here: https://t.co/nAn9RSlgGC

— Anne Clarke (@anne_clarke) October 19, 2017

4. Burnt Oak Police have found some lost property. Is it yours? I'm sure they'd love to give it back to you!

Someone seems to have lost their goods on Watling Avenue, they will be kept at Colindale police station if you want to tell us whos they are pic.twitter.com/Sd1zXuvn96

— Burnt Oak Police (@MPSBurntOak) October 20, 2017

5. 2nd Edgware Scouts look like they've been having some fun!

Our Cub #Scouts loved @JOTAJOTI today! Thanks to all the organisers! pic.twitter.com/17vUB6cxyo

— 2nd Edgware Scouts (@2ndEdgwareScout) October 21, 2017

6. A date for your diary at Colindale Library

The Power of now! Mindfulness! Learn the basic concepts with Nicola Borthwick at Colindale Library, Sat 28 Oct https://t.co/djDOOzorcz pic.twitter.com/qD0AXEn0Qv

— Barnet Libraries (@BarnetLibraries) October 21, 2017

7. If you are looking for the most exciting Jewish Centre in North London, then this could be the place for you!

Sunday Oct 8, 2017 (5778) Live music + dancing @ChabadHendon the most exciting Jewish centre in North London Golders Green #Hendon #golders pic.twitter.com/V1P7Uu3xHR

— Bruce Paizen (@BrucePaizen) October 12, 2017

8. Are you ready for major traffic disruption in Mill Hill? You may want to adjust your plans

Are you ready for traffic Armageddon in Mill Hill Broadway as resurfacing works commence? pic.twitter.com/6c1wxT11JW

— A Better Mill Hill (@ABetterMillHill) October 22, 2017

9. Fancy a bit of mosaic making this half term?

It's half term! Crafty kids will love Roman mosaic making at Chipping Barnet library! https://t.co/wqTRvPhSER #BarnetlibrariesFestival pic.twitter.com/2rOaqnN9Yf

— Barnet Libraries (@BarnetLibraries) October 21, 2017

10. Some of the UK's finest musicians have been recording at Mill Hill Music Complex this week

Tony and Mark at Mill Hill Studios in London finishing the new ESP album...so excited...x pic.twitter.com/qSqu22WcIm

— peter coyle (@rawedgespassion) October 12, 2017

And don't fgorget to follow 'em if you like what you see!

The Saturday List #151 - The ten sayings that can get me through anything

I've got through a few things in my time. Job interviews, bereavements, medical procedures, relationship break ups, band break ups, professional disasters, football disappointments, etc. Over the course of my life, I've built up a collection of little sayings that I tell myself, when I need some inspiration to do something which seems impossible.

I thought I'd share my top ten with you.

1. "Faint heart never won fair lady". My Dad used to say this, whenever a situation required a little courage (as opposed to Dutch courage). Whenever I am about to do something scary and daunting, this is what I tell myself.

2. "If you don't try, then it's goodbye". This was the last line of a chorus of a False Dots song written by Allen Ashley and myself. As a songwriter, it is one of those really frustrating songs that has a great vibe, but just doesn't really work as well as it should. But the chorus is great. This is what I sing to myself if I need to run for a bus, or when I've been doing charity 10k runs and needed to push myself on.

3. "I may be old, I may be past it, but I don't quit". These words were spoken by Judge Dredd in an 2000AD comic strip, as he was battling a younger, stronger assassin who was taunting him. Most useful in 5-A-side football against the young whippersnappers.

4. "Think like a king, live like a king". My Dad once said this to me whilst purchasing some ham at a delicatessen shop in Mill Hill. He always bought ham, cut thick from the bone. I'd foolishly asked him why he didn't simply buy a packet. He said that he only bought the best, because anything else was false economy. He said that you should give yourself the very best, because no one else will. I have always lived by this. Always good advice at the Deli counter.

5. "Don't look at the splinter in your brothers eye, when you have a plank in your own". This is a biblical phrase from Jesus. He was berating hypocrites who can see everyone elses minor faults, without seeing they are the biggest problem. When I get cross with people, I always try and ask myself whether the plank is in my eye. Whenever I hear people sounding off about religion, if I don't see a degree of humility and self criticism, I conclude that they are the hypocrites that were being referred to.

6.  "Feelings may change, we're helpless they must". A line from a song by Richard Hell and The Voidoids (Betrayal takes two). This song got me through a very bleak time. Feelings do change. If they didn't we'd never move on. It is strange how I find one of the most cynical songs ever to also be one of the most inspirational. I often sing myself this song when I am feeling down.

7. "He thinks he's Picasso!". I used to work for a Hungarian painter and decorater called Mickey Domegal, who passed away many years ago. Mickey believed that a good job was a job done as quickly as possible, where he could collect the cash and move onto the next job. I was once carefully painting the eve's of a house in Golders Green, when Mickey looked up and made this exclamation. His view was that I should slosh the paint on as quickly as possible and get on. He explained that it was idiotic trying to get the same finish on something 30' up that no one would ever look at, as you would on a front door. Whenever I see someone pointlessly over elaborating, I think of this and it makes me smile.

8. "No one has dignity on the toilet". This was another one of my Dad's gems. We were chatting and he told me that when he arrived in the UK as an Aussie bomber pilot, many stuffy RAF officers looked down their noses at their colonial counterparts. My Dad found this condescending attitude insufferable. He told me that he once accidentally walked in on the worst of the lot, sitting on the throne. The poor chap was mortified, but my Dad thought it was hilarious. The next time the guy irritated him, my father replied "at least I know how to operate a doorlock" and the guy never bothered him again. He said he realised that if someone was a pompous jerk, all you had to do was visualise them on the loo and they suddenly seemed rather ridiculous and harmless. It works.

9. "He's faster than you, more skilful than you, but he can't do anything when he's on his backside". This was the advice I was given by an old manager of a football team I played for. I always played in defence. The team we were playing had a superstar striker. My manager wanted me to kick him off the park. He felt that if I could impose myself at the start, the guy would "disappear". He said that "fear is a great tool". It was a lesson I took on board. Useful on a football field, less so elsewhere.

10. "The only good reason to not do something you want to do, is because you physically can't". I spent a hell of a lot of time with my mum in her final years. She'd had a stroke and lost the ability to communicate effectively. Strangely, I found that if I had a couple of Guinness with her and she relaxed she'd become quite lucid. One of the last conversations I had with her, she told me that she had no regrets. She said she was so pleased that before she had a stroke and became housebound, she'd travelled and seen everything she'd wanted to. She said that she'd have hated to have been stuck, living with regrets. I asked her if she had any. She said the only real one was that she'd not persuaded my Dad to retire a couple of years earlier. I think she was probably right. I always let this advice guide me, when my wife, who is far more sensible and cautious than I, tries to inject some financial realism into our relationship!

The Friday Joke - 20//10/2017

 

It's Friday. The weekend beckons. So in accordance with tradition, we start with the Friday Joke

A man is at work one day when he notices that his co-worker is wearing an earring.This man knows his co-worker to be a normally conservative fellow and is curious about his sudden change in 'fashion sense.'The man walks up to him and says, 'I didn't know you were into earrings.'
'Don't make such a big deal, it's only an earring,' he replies sheepishly.
His friend falls silent for a few minutes, but then his curiosity prods
him to say, "So, how long have you been wearing one?"
"Ever since my wife found it in my car."
(I always wondered how this trend got started.)

Have a great one!

Chaos at the Council - The Freedom of Information systems goes haywire!

Yesterday, the Barnet Eye tried to check up on a few Freedom of Information requests. The first we looked at was one concerning expenses around council hospitality for dignitaries from Morphou in Cyprus.

This is the request and the link

3929896

Hospitality costs for Morphou visits

03 October 2017

More info

Rather bizarrely, the link takes you to this request

Granville Point Building Control Application F/10/09886

We tweeted the issue to the council, who acknowledged the problem and are investigating. Since Barnet Council outsourced its IT systems to Capita there have been repeated cock ups, malfunctions and problems. These have been raised in audits and recovery plans have been drawn up to resolve the issue. A couple of years ago, we even saw the CEO of Barnet Council, Andrew Travers, get the boot following a spectacular IT failure the resulted in botched voters list being sent to polling stations on Election Day.

There is a simple reason for all of this. Changes to council systems and procedures are not being properly tested. Anyone who has ever worked in IT will know that if systems are properly designed, built and tested, they work well. If corners are cut to save money, they go spectacularly wrong and cost far more. If you have handed control to your supplier, they actually make more, as you have to pay them to fix it. You also have the reputation damage and the inconvenience to taxpayers. We have a council that is badly run by complacent councillors. The FOI system cock up is just the latest chapter in the litany of shame that Barnet Council IT has become.

Happy Birthday to Us! Nine years old

The Barnet Eye is nine years old! This was our first blog  - Hello, Good Evening and Welcome - we published it on 11th October 2008. Yes, I confess, I completely forgot about our anniversary. I didn't think it would last nine weeks, let alone nine years! I didn't anticipate the huge scandals we'd uncover. I didn't anticipate that I'd be joined by a team of other Barnet bloggers, who would become friends and colleagues and would make Barnet a quite unique place in terms of political commentary. I am not going to dwell on the negatives. I believe the Barnet Eye has been a totally positive thing for myself, for the Borough of Barnet and for the global army of readers, who have viewed the blog over 2,100,000 times. It's not just the local politics, it has helped me and other people (who have written to thank me) deal with cancer and dyslexia. Our annual awards, have become a key part of the social calendar and we've had a ton of fun on the way. The good news is that we're pleased to announce that our annual awards are on the 10th December at The Chandos Arms in Colindale. We are delighted to be hosting them at the National Community Pub of the Year!

We will shortly be consulting on who we should be dishing out the gongs to this year! So if you know a charity, a person, a restaurant, a volunteer or anyone else who deserves recogniotion, please leave a comment and we'll get in touch!

Finally, thanks for all of your support over the past nine years. If no one read this blog, I wouldn't bother. This year we've seen our biggest ever story in terms of hits, so it is great to know we still matter!

As a little present to you, we've prepared a London Playlist of some of our favourite London tracks  in the sidebar. Enjoy!

Harvey Weinstein is not a sex addict

I suppose that a few people may be shocked by this statement. However it is a100% clear to me that Mr Weinstein is not really someone who has a love or addiction of and to sex. His addiction is to control and power. The description of the encounters I have read have nothing at all to with having sex. It is clear that what Mr Weinstein enjoys is being in a situation where he can behave appallingly and without consequences. I contend that rape is never really about sex. It is a serious  act of violence and should be treated as such. By classifying Weinstein as a sex addict implies that his violence and bullying is in some ways a forgivable compulsion. It isn't. It is merely the act of a despicable man who believed he could do as he pleased.

Join our campaign for a better cycle network in the London Borough of Barnet

The Barnet Eye has long been supportive of safer cycling provision in the London Borough of Barnet. To us it seems perverse that it is now safer to cycle in central London than in our leafy suburb. The reason for this is not rocket science. It is because the Mayor of London has been proactively installing segregated cycle lanes. The Barnet Eye currently has an office near New Bridge Street. We've been based their on and off since 1986. Over the last few years, the installation of proper cycle lanes has transformed the area from a cycle free zone to a mini Tour De France on a daily basis. We shot a short film one morning to illustrate the point.

You will see a scene like this any weekday rush hour morning. In Barnet, there has been minimal commitment to make cycling safe. Sadly as we see rising teenage obesity, we see less and less children in the cuburns cycling. This is for the perfectly good reason that it is dangerous.

Installing dedicated cycle lanes is expensive and disruptive to other forms of traffic, as anyone who has seen the massive infrastructure spending on the cycle superhighway project will know. It does however pay off. Cycles use far less road space, produce no pollution and require far less space for parking. In short, you get more road for your money.

So what can be done? What practical steps could be taken in the London Borough of Barnet? We've spoken to various campaigners. At a recent council meeting, one informed us that the council hadn't even understood the meaning of key facts in its own plan!

The Barnet Eye has some suggestions. We are not experts on cycling, however expert advice is what is needed. Our first suggestion is that Barnet should appoint a cycling Tsar.This should be someone who at the very least would be able to spot the errors in the council own plans.

The second thing should be to draw up a proper Barnet plan, in conjunction with local cycling groups. One key aspect is that all large developments should have a proper cycling plan. This does not mean a few bike parking spaces. It means proper safe routes. We believe that every rail and tube station, every school, every shopping centre and every large medical facility in the Borough should have a safe dedicated cycleway. This cannot be achieved overnight, but the first step is to identify the key sites that generate journeys, then work out some sort of schedule of priorities. We need to look for a few quick wins.

My suggestion would be to transform the old, disused Mill Hill the Hale to Edgware railway into a dedicated cycleway. This would provide a safe cycling route between Edgware Station/Shopping centre and Mill Hill Broadway. We believe it should also be possible to link the route to Edgware Hospital. This would make a statement that Barnet is serious about cycling. It would link two major transport hubs, a housing estate and a hospital. We'd also like to see a Boris Bike scheme rolled out for Mill Hill Broadway, The RAF Museum, Colindale Station, Hendon Station and Middlesex University. If this could be integrated with a rollout of safe cycle lanes, then even better.

There are all sorts of other improvements that have been made in central London, with changes to traffic light configurations and timings. One of the biggest risks to cyclists are motorists opening doors in front of them. It has been suggested that part of the Highway code and driving test should be to always open the drivers door with the wrong hand (in the UK the left hand). This may sound strange but it forces you to look around.

We find it rather strange that recently we had the sad case of a cyclist hitting a pedestrian and all manner of calls for legislation. I've lost count of the number of cyclist killed or maimed by HGV's but there is never any call for changes to the law. I believe that technology is available to massively reduce the risks to cyclists of HGV's but the road transport lobby have done a wonderful job of closing down such debates.