Ground control to Councillor Brian Gordon

Councillor Brian "The less important" Gordon has responded to the message sent by Barnet bloggers earlier this week ( http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/10/barnet-bloggers-respond-cllr-gordon.html )

Here's what he had to say :-
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From: Farmar Miller Rabin Gordon 
To: 'Vicki Morris' 
Sent: Wednesday, 12 October 2011, 17:05
Subject: RE: Barnet council residents' forums

I disagree entirely with you and won't respond to all of our points.  If you do not think some of the Labour Party activists (I shan't name them) are not agitators who behave disruptively, we obviously live on different planets.

Cllr. Brian Gordon

Conservative, Hale Ward

London Borough of Barnet

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So we ask, what planet is Councillor Gordon on?

Here is my response :-

Dear Councillor Gordon,

As a signatory of the open letter sent to you, I note you suggest we live on different planets. I have long suspected that on occasion you talk out of Uranus and it appears that your original letter to the Edgware Press and this response confirms it. Whilst you are correct to note that the Mercury rises when certain local members of the Labour party attend, I hardly think a lively debate Mars the proceedings. Having observed you on several occasions chairing the Hendon Forum, it is fair to say that even though you are the less well known Barnet Brian, compared to your Plutocratic chum (Councillor Brian Coleman), you have let yourself down by resorting to the type of language we have come to know and love from him.

I believe that the "Macho" stance of the council towards the residents of the Borough should be toned down. I would suggest a little less Mars and a little more Venus in your approach to residents may pay dividends. If the Hendon residents forum is solely devoted to discussing the issue of litter outside the King Neptune (which I believe you know rather well) or the parking issues at Jupiter Court, then surely it is not serving the residents? 

As to your comment that we "live on different planets". Sadly that is not true. We all, not only live on Earth, we live in a tiny corner of it called Barnet. You have been entrusted by the people of Barnet with the job of chairing the Residents Forum and you get paid handsomely for your trouble (how much does it work out per hour?). All that any resident has asked for is a forum to discuss the issues facing Hendon Residents can be discussed openly, honestly and without the fetter of stupid rules. If you feel that you cannot deal with a couple of bolshy labour party members without a set of such draconian and ridiculous procedures, then hand it over to a Councillor who is up to the job.

Wishing you a happy Yom Tov, Succah friendly weather is forecast.
 

Roger M Tichborne

Barnet Bloggers Respond - Cllr Gordon tries to defend the indefensible

Barnet bloggers respond to Councillor Gordon’s defence of Barnet Council residents’ forums

Dear Councillor Gordon,

A letter was published last week in the Press group of newspapers from you concerning the Barnet Alliance for Public Services residents’ forum held on Tuesday 4th October.

We must correct a factual inaccuracy in your letter. The forum was not "private", it was open to all. All Barnet councillors were invited and would have been welcome to attend.

You state that Barnet Council’s own residents’ forums are not in any way hampered by the new rules governing them. Is this your opinion or have you asked the residents who attend, we think they would take a different view.

You state that the forums are "marred occasionally by the irresponsible actions of anti-council agitators". We ask you to withdraw this offensive remark. The undersigned have all attended numerous residents’ forums and have never witnessed an "anti-council agitator".

We have witnessed many local residents who disagree with the policies of the current administration, and we believe their comments are born out of deep concern for the direction of the Council and cannot be in any way construed as "anti-council".

We are also concerned by the description you give of the appropriate way to deal with residents and taxpayers. The phrase "with firm chairmanship, those individuals are fairly swiftly subdued" has highly oppressive overtones and clearly implies that residents are not welcome to express views at odds with the chair.

We would like to remind you, Cllr Gordon, that the forums exist for residents’ benefit, not for that of the chair.

We would also like to remind you of the circumstances in which you became chair, when it became necessary to instigate an investigation into the behaviour of the previous Conservative incumbent.

We remind you that Eric Pickles, the Secretary of State for Communities and Local Government, has praised the concerned citizens of Barnet for their efforts in exposing the shambles that your administration allowed to develop in the Council’s purchasing department.

We are pleased that you have drawn attention to the next set of Council residents’ forums. We look forward to the opportunity to discuss your comments with you and your colleagues at these events.

Yours,

Derek Dishman

John Dix

Vicki Morris

Theresa Musgrove

Roger Tichborne

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This statement has been prepared and jointly issued by five Barnet bloggers in response to the letter published in the Press group newspapers, written by Hale Ward Conservative Councillor, Brian Gordon (known in Barnet blogging circles as "Councillor Brian the Less important")