One Barnet - Transforming Barnet Council - into Steptoe and Son

And on the theme of Steptoe and son, a large document just appeared on the doorstep. I've scanned the first four pages. It's entitled "One Barnet Procurement Principles" and placed these on the Future Shape Leaks blog - http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/2011/10/barnet-council-secret-documents-one.html - for your perusal.

Section 1 rather ironically says "with the number of staff involved in the process managing confidentiality will be very difficult" - No s**t Sherlock. Barnet are always good for a snigger, if not proper punctuation !

Section two gets into the meat of how the Council want to sell us down the river. It proudly announces "The Council does not have to accept a variant bid if it is the highest scoring, so long as it has reserved this right in advance". In other words, we can take a worse bid, so long as we tell everyone the bidding scoring system is a complete joke.

Section 3 talks about new jobs created by the One Barnet project. It seems to say "We don't know if we want these to be in Barnet or not". My guess is that when cash is king, not is the likely outcome.

Section 4 is a lot of "newspeak" waffle which seems to say "We haven't really got a clue how this will work, so we'll cross our fingers and hope for the best".

Section 5 goes into a lengthy discussion of how the whole process is all about shafting the pension rights of Barnet Council employees.

Section 6 says that local jobs only need be protected if there is no other choice.


I guess it is section 7 that gives the game away "Accomodation can be provided free of charge or at market rental, either way, the cost of hosting services will be a charge to the Council".


It really is a horrible document. Part II will be analysed later this week. When it comes down to it, it is clear that Barnet wishes to apply the Albert Steptoe management principle. Viewers of the series will remember that Albert Steptoe employed his son. His son was welcome to do whatever he wanted, just so long as it completely suited Albert. This is exactly the same attitude as Barnet Council have to their staff.


It is disgusting

Update : Barnet Council Outsourcing Open day : A welcome from the citizens of Barnet

Word reaches the Barnet Eye that a warm welcome is being planned by the residents of Barnet for delegates from companies interested in outsourcing services from the Council. The open day is planned for tomorrow at the council's NLBP site. Maybe a tad more worrying is the rumour that slightly more militant anti capitalist groups have also been taking an interest in the event. Given the council's track record with security, I do hope that they've taken proper precautions to ensure the safety of all delegates and any peaceful protestors who choose to turn up. One Metpro style scandal in a year is quite enough.

Barnet Easycouncil summed up

Hat Tip to DCMD - from Mock the week on Dave

Sign up for Barnet ASBO+ a great new service from the EASYCOUNCIL (TM)

Got a problem with naughty neighbours? Why not sign up to the Easycouncil ASBO+ service. There are three great packages available to residents.

Bronze Service - For a mere £500 per year you can get a pack of three Asbos for your neighbours, guaranteed to be delivered within 14 days

Silver Service - For a mere £1,000 per year you can get a pack of five Asbos for your neighbours, guaranteed to be delivered within 14 days and your very own PCO to visit you once a week to cheer you up

Gold Service - This is a premier service for the more well heeled resident. For £2,000 per year you can get five ASBOs, an injunction* and an eviction* for any nuaghty neignbours. You will get a visit from a real proper policeman once a week and you'll get dinner once a month with the chief constable.

* Terms, conditions and English Law may apply
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Sadly the Barnet ASBO+ service is a complete figment of my imagination. I was asked how Easycouncil may work by a researcher for a media company recently. I came up with it as an illustration. Rather amusingly I was asked "Are they really proposing this?".

You see the rather bizarre truth is that having spent millions on consultants to draw up the Easycouncil scheme over several years, none of us are any the wiser as to what it actually means. I think ASBO+ is the closest thing I've heard of to a new innovative service which they could introduce.

Lynne Hillan on Vanessa Feltz show - 1st March 2010

Here is what Leader of the Council Lynne Hillan had to say on BBC London radio yesterday.

She talks how larger developers will get a better service in planning, through having their own "relationship manager".  Clearly Lynne Hillan forgets that the contribution of the ordinary taxpayers dwarfs the pittance these rich developers are paying. Whilst a developer pays a one off fee for a development, a Council tax payer such as me pays the sum year on year every year.  In my council tax band I pay over £2000 per year. If I pay this for 60 years, thats £120,000 I'll pay in my lifetime to Barnet Council. Any special treatment? No chance

Who will wipe your bum when you get old and infirm?

I had a most enjoyable morning yesterday. I was doing one of the things I enjoy most. I was having a row! One of the joys of being a candidate for the local elections is that you have to go out canvassing. Most people are actually quite nice and I've been surprised by how many read the blog. What was even better though was the guy who I had a chat with at around 1pm yesterday.  The Conversation went something like this (I'm "RT" an he's "MHR" (Mill Hill Resident).

Ding Dong.
RT : Hello, sorry to bother you.....
MHR : Your a Lib Dem, I can't stand Lib Dems.
RT : Ok, so I'll put that down on here and we won't bother you again.....
MHR : Hang on a minute, I think this Easyjet Council is a great idea. The Council does nothing for me, so why should I have to pay Council tax.
RT : Erm, you have a dustbin here, the council empties that?
MHR : Yes but I live on my own so I don't make much rubbish, do I?
RT: Yes but you get a single person discount don't you?
MHR : Yes but I've got no kids. Why should I pay for other peoples kids education?
RT : If we don't educate children, who will look after you when you get old?
MHR : I smoke and drink like a fish, I won't get old, I'll die before then.
RT : What if you don't die, what if you just have a stroke and are paralysed for twenty years, who'll look after you then?
MHR : I'd take an overdose
RT : If you were paralysed that would be impossible. Surely you'd want to have trained carers.
MHR : Yeah, well, I don't use any other council services.
RT : You've got a car? You use the roads?
MHR : Yeah and they are all falling to bits. The Council never even bothered to grit Goodwyn Avenue once during the snow.
RT : So you agree with me that the Council should spend more on roads maintenance and gritting?
MHR : Erm, I suppose you have a point. Why should I pay for parks and librarys and all that when I don't use them?
RT : Well I guess that comes back to educating youngsters doesn't it. Do you watch football?
MHR : Yeah, I'm a Gooner.
RT : So where will all of the next crop of footballers learn to play if there were no parks.
MHR : They're all French aren't they.
RT : That ain't great really is it? Don't you support the England team?
MHR : Well I suppose so.
RT : So who will you vote for if you don't like the Lib Dems
MHR : Mind your own business, but it ain't gonna be you mate.
Slam -  The Door shuts.

You can't win them all, can you? What it did bring home to me is how important it is for the council to get it right. If the council gets it wrong, it's not just your bins that won't get emptied. None of us like to think we'll be old and infirm and need someone else to wipe our bums. Conservative Mill Hill Councillor John Hart, famously said that of people receiving Council services "my arse needs wiping, and somebody from the council can come and do it for me". Sadly for many elderly and disabled residents with no families, that is the only option they have. That is why Leader of Barnet Council Lynne Hillans policy of abolishing sheltered housing is wrong.

That single quote, said on August 27th 2009 is the reason I am standing against John Hart for Barnet Council.I do wonder what John Hart thinks the elderly and the infirm should do when their bum needs wiping and they can't do it themselves?

Barnet Council sticks to fingers up at our local war heroes

What is the very minimum you would expect Barnet Council to do to commemorate any brave men and women who die serving our country in Afghanistan, Iraq, the Falklands or any other post WWII conflict?

I don't know about you, but I'd expect to see their names be honoured on our local war memorials. They have made the ultimate sacrifice for their country and we owe them a huge debt. It seems that the jobsworths at Barnet Council have a different idea of the priorities. Whilst trips to the South of France for property development conferences is "value for money" for the taxpayer, commemorating our war dead isn't. Read this extract from a Council report which details the circumstances when a dead soldiers name can be added to a war memorial :-

There's plenty more in this lovely report, you can click here to read the whole shameful crock of S**T - http://committeepapers.barnet.gov.uk/democracy/reports/reportdetail.asp?ReportID=8979 - This report needed the attention of 7 named council officers to prepare. The report must have cost hundreds of pounds to put together, just to sanction two hours work for a stonemason.What person within Barnet Council do you think has responsibility for signing off work to add names of fallen soldiers to war memorials? The Leader? The Mayor of Barnet? Well the answer shocked me. It was the commercial director.

This is Council Leader Lynne Hillans Easycouncil gone bonkers. It is there in black and white. No one from any conflict after WWII and then only if the Council doesn't have to pay and there will be no increase in maintenance costs. Who says so? The Commercial Director.  Well I take a different viewpoint. I think that there is nothing more important than honouring those who give their life for us. I think that the Council should properly maintan and update every war memorial. If they fill up, they should add a tasteful plaque nearby or some other suitable memorial. I think Schoolchildren should attend remembrance day services as part of the national curriculum and also attend unveilings of new names. I think this might educate them in the concept of sacrifice and public service. I think it would raise standards of behaviour and make children realise that our servicemen really give a lot for us. There are many places where Barnet Council has wasted a fortune. They will buy maintenance contracts for unused laptop computers in storage, but won't pay maintenance for new war memorials. They will put tellies on the desks of council officers, but not memorials up for dead soldiers in Afghanistan. They will happily use our public contribution (ie Council Tax) to fund seven officers to write this report, but they won't fund two hours of a stonemasons time to add the names in it to the war memorial.

Some days Barnet Council really make me feel sick. Should I get elected to Barnet Council in May I will make the reversal of this crass policy my no 1 priority and I'll arrange a march on the town hall to publicise it. I rather hope they see sense before then.

***** 11.45 am update *****
I got  a couple of emails within minutes of posting this blog from ex-servicemen. They both asked the question "Why wait till May to have a march on the Town Hall" Having thought this through, I completely agree with them and unless the Council PUBLICLY reverses this policy, I will be working to organise a march ASAP. I've never seen such an angry response about a story and that is saying something. Barnet Council have really got this wrong

Barnet Council : Conservatives wasting your money wisely

Barnet Council is leading the way in London. Barnet has "spearheaded" a joint study with five other North London Councils into the lives of black and minority ethnic communities.

According to a press relase on the Barnet Council website, this "has revealed some interesting discoveries" - pray what might these discoveries be? Over to Councillor Richard Cornelius, Cabinet Member for Community Services

"The report shows that members of all communities want to work, save money and buy a property"

 What does Mr Cornelius conclude from this TWO YEAR study?

"Barnet's priority must be to avoid getting in the way of this journey to home ownership"

 And how did they reach these conclusions? They

"looked at a wealth of already existing data, such as school and council records, census data and social landlords' letting details, as well as holding a series of focus groups between June and December 2008 with 130 people from a wide range of ethnic backgrounds."

I really am speechless. What did Mr Cornelius think people from ethnic minorities wanted? Did he think they wanted to be unemployed, have no savings and live in holes in the road? How much money did Barnet spend on this? Let me give some advice to Richard Cornelius, Mike Freer, Lynne Hillan and any other Barnet Tory politician of the best thing they can do to help ethnic minorities and everyone else have homes, jobs and savings. Stop wasting money.It really is quite simple and you lot being Tories should understand this without a swivel eyed Trotskyite to tell you. Every penny in tax you waste on surveys such as this, is a penny that the Taxpayer can't save up, invest in a house or spend on a bus to the jobcentre. Lets just remind Mr Cornelius of some of the cash wasting cock ups his colleagues in the Barnet Tory Junta have inflicted on our wallets since Mike Freer staged his Palace Coup against Brian Salinger, just after the last Council elections.

* Money Lost in Icelandic Banking scandal £27.4 Million
* Overspend on Aerodrome Road Bridge replacement £11 Million
* Money spent on obsolete laptops computers, many of which are in storage £1.4 Million
* One of highest rates of non collection of Council Tax in London
* Inflation busting rise in Council Tax

They say if you can't be trusted with little things, how can you be trusted with big things. Here are a few other smaller extravagances which the Barnet Eye has heard about :-

* Cost of Plasma screen tellies for Council officers desks - approx £15,000
* Cost of sending Council officers to South of France for a "property development conference" approx £5,000
* Cost of allowance for Conservative Council group chief whip £3,000

Even the Taxpayers Alliance, regarded by many as a front for the Conservative Party, has no time for The Barnet Tories.

And then we have the Easycouncil. Now in my book this should be called "Stealth Council" In reality this is a scam to pretend to keep taxes low, by simply charging extra for everything. The council will recruit a whole load of Bin Inspectors to check you are not putting too much rubbish in. They say that if they can save £200 on your rubbish processing by cutting the amount you put out, then they'll give you £100 back. What if you generate three times the average? Lets get this clear, if you are a profligate waste monster, you get a discount. If you are a good citizen they'll rob you of £100???? A bizarre method of accounting and a strange way of treating good citizens.

Would you drink Coke with Gherkins in it?

The one thing this blog most certainly doesn't do is give financial advice. I've made a lot of money in my working life, but none of it has been through investments, just plain hard work. I've got a stack of shares I bought a few years ago, mostly in banks, because someone persuaded me that they were a safe bet. I'm currently sitting on a £10,000 loss. Clever old me.

I've heard all of the investment strategies known to man. I've read all of the arguments for investing in certain sectors. The conclusion I've come to? That picking shares is like picking horses. There are professional gamblers who make money, but for the rest of us it's pure luck.

So why has the Barnet Eye decided to talk about investments today? Well unlike me, there is a bloke who has made pots of money out of investing. His name - Warren Buffett. I heard him explain his strategy a few years ago. He said he picked solid companies which are leaders in their field. As an example he mentioned Coca Cola. He said that they do what they do and do it very well. If the market changes, they bring new products but concentrate on their core customers first. That is why they still make a pot of money out of Coke Original. When they realised the market had changed and there was a market for Diet Coke, they didn't stop making Coke Original they just expanded their range. That way they had 2 market leading products. Now I've no idea if Coca Cola is a good company to invest in or not. As I said this blog doesn't do financial advice, but this blog does cover Barnet Council.

As everyone knows, Barnet Council spent millions on a team of highly paid consultants, some on well over £1,000 a day wages. They scoured the world looking for a company to model Barnet Council on. They chose Easyjet and Ryanair. They said they were examples of how we must constantly change to evolve. Mike Freer made national press with is examples of how his Easycouncil will work. "Get a smaller bin and we give you £100".

I've been mulling this over. Then the sad truth struck me. Easyjet and Ryanair haven't evolved from big lumbering airlines. They are relatively knew players that have emerged due to market opportunities. Mike Freer says "Doing things the way we've always done them is not an option".

Well my proposition is this. Warren Buffett says invest in companies like Coca Cola because they know when it's sensible to change and when it's sensible to keep things as they are. Mike Freer says we must destroy the Sheltered Housing Warden Service because "We have to change". Does Coca Cola say "We must put Gherkins in Coke Original because we must change". Of course they don't. They know that the people who like the product are happy. If they felt there was a demand for Coke with Gherkins in, they'd launch a new product, but they'd make damn sure that people knew it was a new product and make sure it was kept well away from their core business.

You may think Coke with Gherkins in sounds revolting. You may think "no one would want that". If Coke did a product evaluation and 85% of the people who tried it said "Thats horrible", they'd shelve the idea. Barnet Council asked the residents of Sheltered accomodation whether they wanted to lose their wardens. Over 85% said "No". Did Barnet Council react like a well run company such as Coca Cola did? No, they said "Ah but we know best". Sadly for the residents of Sheltered Housing, they can't do what the customers of Coca Cola would do if they found that there were bits of Gherkin in their tin of Coke. They have to drink from Freer's poison chalice, or so Mike Freer thought.

Fortunately a resident of the Barnet's sheltered housing, Mr David Young a sprightly and feisty 78 year old said "I'm not having that" He contacted Solicitor Yvonne Hossacks, who specialises in these cases and sought a judicial review. You see Mr Young had signed a contract with Barnet and felt that for Barnet to unilaterally change the deal was illegal.

The High Court agreed last week and Barnet was told to shelve it's plans pending a full review. I advised all of the officers in Barnet who were implementing this policy to look for another job. It is a big black mark on the CV to have lost a case such as this. It's not too late though, the case hasn't come to court. Surely it's clear that this terrible policy benefits no one.

I've no idea how the full review will turn out, but I do know that whatever industry you are involved in, be it local government or selling fizzy drinks, if you neglect the people who you are meant to be looking after, you shouldn't be in the job.

If you are a Cameron Conservative vote Lib Dem in Barnet

There was a fascinating article by David Cameron in The Observer on Sunday. Cameron talks about various policy initiatives which he's introduced (and I suspect that many of his party would rather die than actually implement).

As I read the article, I wondered whether any of our local Tory councillors have ever listened to a single word their Leader actually says.

He speaks about how both parties oppose the third runway at Heathrow. As we all know the Lib Dems have been against this for many a year, the Tories? Lets just say, I doubt Maggie Thatcher would have jumped on this bandwagon. Cameron talks about the Tories and the Lib Dems commitment to the environment and alternative clean energy. Again this is something that David Cameron has come rather late in the day to. Old Millhillians such as me will remember that for many years, if you wanted to recycle your newspapers you left them at a house in Flower Lane. They used to collect them and sell the paper for recycling. The cash raised was used to fund the local Liberal party. Cameron talks about the shared commitment to civil liberties. I well remember the Tories implementing section 28 legislation.

The most striking thing Cameron says is this :-

For many years now, we've both been arguing for a radical power shift in our country away from big government and to individuals and communities. That's why we worked closely together on the Sustainable Communities Act to devolve power and introduce greater transparency over government spending.

Which rather nicely brings us to my point.

Nationally, Cameron Conservatives talk up "Green Transport" and better railways, instead of air travel. Locally Mayor Brian Coleman insults the campaigners for the very green Brent Cross Light Rail scheme, which would link the Borough of Barnet with Heathrow, mainly using disused and freight only rail tracks.

Nationally Cameron talks about the environment and sustainable development, locally Council Leader Mike Freer wants to concrete over half the borough and put up rabbit hutch flats, causing pollution and traffic gridlock (have a look at the Cricklewood redevelopment plans).

Nationally Cameron talks about recycling, locally an incinerator forms part of the Cricklewood redevelopment plan, championed by Mike Freer. I'm not an expert but there is strong evidence that waste incinerators and large populations don't mix. You get all sorts of nasty diseases popping up.

As to greater transparency and devolution of powers. Ask yourself this. When Barnet asked the tenants of sheltered warden accomodation if they wanted to lose their wardens over 80% said no. Did Barnet Council listen.

Now if you like the Mike Freer brand of Conservatism, where the 11 man Tory cabinet in Barnet make all of the important decisions, usually behind closed doors, then Mike Freer and his band of Tories are just the party for you. I'd suggest that if you are a Tory who's impressed by David Cameron and feel that the direction he's taking the Conservative party is the right one and you live in Barnet, I'd seriously consider voting Lib Dem at the next Council election, if I were you. Remember a vote for the current Tories on the Council is to support the man who lost £27.4 million of your money in Iceland, then blamed everyone else. David Cameron is clearly closer to Lib Dem values and ideas than he is to Mike Freer's. Freer made the national newspapers with his Easycouncil scheme. Was David Cameron impressed? Did he see this as a policy to be adopted by the National Tories? No, he ran a mile. In his own words, he's more impressed with all the stuff the LibDems have been promoting in Barnet for years.

One interesting footnote on Freer's Easycouncil scheme. If you check his Leaderlistens.com website, he makes some bizarre comments about the press interest in the scheme. He says that he's surprised anyone was interested in what he had to say, implying they only picked it up because nothing else was happening. Barnet Council has spent millions on consultants to concoct this scheme. Freer claimed at a Council meeting I attended that everyone had their eyes on Barnet to see what happened. The reason it made the news was because the papers recognised straight away that it was a suitably crackpot scheme for the silly season (as the Newspapers call the summer months).

So there you have it. If you want a bunch of nationally recognised purveyors of crackpot schemes, suitable only for the Guardian in the silly season vote for Mike Freer's Conservatives at the Council elections. If you like David Cameron's policies and the direction he wants to go, Vote Lib Dem. I'd suggest that a big swing to the Lib Dems from the Tories in the local elections is probably the only thing that would make the sensible local Tories do something to regain their credibility.

In the Observer article mentioned above, Cameron sends this message to progressive and forward thinking Lib Dems who are serious about improving Great Britain

if you want rid of Gordon Brown and the big brother state, and if you care about our schools, our quality of life and our liberties, then join us in one national movement that can bring real change.

If I were David Cameron, I'd tell this to Barnet's Tory Councillors as a matter of urgency, because anyone who lives in Barnet who agrees with him, and knows anything about the local party, can only vote Lib Dem given the what Barnet Council are trying to do with their current policies.

Barnets EASYCOUNCIL strikes again

There are two stories which have made my blood boil this week, related to Barnet Council

Dozens of community and voluntary groups across Barnet are likely to have their funding stopped or reduced following the £10,859 cut. This is reported in the Barnet Times here

Also in the news is the massive new allowance of £7,500 for Councillor Melvin Cohen, who will get the cash for chairing a committee which meets 4 times a year. This is reported in the Barnet Time Here.

Organisations affected by the cuts include the Barnet Somali Community Group, Barnet Action 4 Youth, Barnet Cypriot Youth Club, Hendon Sea Training Corps, and several regional playschemes and toddler groups.

I'm sure that all of these will be happy that they have helped pay for a couple of holidays and a few slap up meals for Councillor Cohen. Former Council Deputy leader and Tory Parliamentary Candidate Matthew Offord writes a blog about sailing on the Barnet Times. I should imagine that he'll be especially pleased to see that Barnet Council have taken decisive action to keep the Riff Raff away from the upper class twit sailing community, with the cuts to the Sea Cadets. Well known Cypriot husband and wife team, the Tambourides, who copy a nifty £50 grand in allowances between them, maybe could chip in a few quid for the Barnet Cypriot Youth Club.

What is truly bizarre is that these cuts to voluntary groups are being touted as "efficiency savings". Doesn't it occur to these numbskulls that this isn't efficiency. The old saying goes that "the devil makes work for idle hands". Giving youngsters positive activities is an investment. Small amounts for voluntary groups make a huge difference. What difference does a £7,500 allowance make to anyone in Barnet apart from Mickeytaking Melvin? His defence?

it was the Independent Review Panel, not him, who decided to grant the annual award based on the "size and intricacy" of the job.

Sorry Melvin, that isn't good enough. You don't have to take it. You could set a good example. The Times reports

Mr Cohen said: "Each committee meeting entails reading through masses of paper, double-sided and in small print.

"Each committee involves three or four hours of reading and preparatory work.

"If you accept the principle of reasonable remuneration then surely this significantly increased burden should be remunerated.

Mr Cohen talks about "reasonable renumeration". What has happened to the concept of public service. Mr Cohen thinks he should get £400 per hour for his part time committee work, but begrudges unpaid volunteers who do priceless good work a few quid to keep playgroups and community projects running.

Last week Mike Freer trumpeted his EASYCOUNCIL project. It strikes me that the only thing easy about it is cash for councillors.

Single White Female

Have you seen the film Single White Female. It's all about an obsessive who moves in to a flat following an advert. The obsessive has a desire to become the glamarous, successful flatmate. This obsession ultimately destroys all of the characters in the film. One of the great things about modern technology and online newspapers is that people spot things you had never dreamed of an leave comments that throw a whole new perspective on someone. A great example of this happened today. The Barnet Times posted an article about Council Leader Mike Freer's desire to turn the Council into the RYANAIR Council.

One reader summed it up fantastically

-----------------------------------------------------------

AmandaB, Hendon says...
9:00am Tue 1 Sep 09

Three words... Single, White, Female!

-----------------------------------------------------------

I hadn't realised before, but AmandaB is spot on. Since Mike Freer was selected to be the Parliamentary Candidate for Finchley, he seems to have gone bonkers and wants to BECOME MARGARET THATCHER. A couple of months ago, I spoke to the Leader of Labour group Alison Moore. She told me that when Freer was an opposition councillor and she was involved in the running of the Council, he was a fearsome operator. She said that he regularly gave her maulings in meetings that she found hard to deal with. She confided that since he's become leader and Finchley PPC, he seems to have lost his jiggle. He has become a lamentable figure in Council, seen as easy meat by such inquisitors as Jack Cohen, Susette Palmer and Agnes Slocombe. Only the Tories majority preserves him.

The Tory cabinet owe their jobs to him, he controls their allowances, so he has a degree of control, but this seems to translate itself into doling out ever more ridiculous amounts to keep rebellion at bay ( Melvin Cohens new £7,500 allowance for chairing three meetings would seem to be a case in point).

Mike Freer has become obsessed with his Future Shape project. Millions of pounds have been spent on Consultants, but the promised savings seem as illusive as ever. In his crusade to become Margaret Thatcher, he has tried one tack after another. Rather like Ellie in the film, Mike tries to take on Thatchers ideas and personailty, but fails for a simple reason. Like Ellie, he's to obsessed with the myth of the person, that he doesn't get that there is more to success than just dressing in someones clothes (or policies). I'm not a Thatcher fan, but she had a keen sense of what could be done, what couldn't and what shouldn't. That is why she never privatised the Post Office or the Railways.

Freer was so deluded about the success of Future Shape, that he gave the Barnet Trades Unions TENS OF THOUSANDS of taxpayers pounds, to employ one of Europes top professors to help them draft their response. What did his report say? That Future Shape was fatally flawed. I saw Mike Freer's response at a Council meeting. He said he was angry, because the good professor didn't agree with him. Does that strike you as rational? Or a sensible use of taxpayers money by a Thatcherite?

Mike knows Thatcher was a privatiser, so he thinks, as did the obsessive Ellie with her copying of Allie's clothes, that everything must be privatised. He is so obsessed that any wise council from colleagues is ignored. Mike hopes that his scheme will catch David Camerons eye and lead to rapid promotion. I suspect that as Cameron watches programs such as Panorama about the Sheltered housing cuts, the year before an election, promotion is the last thing on his mind.

How did "Single Whit Female" end for Ellie? Badly. Nuff said.

Barnet Council = EASYCOUNCIL - discuss?

Mike Freer wants to make Barnet Council an EASYCOUNCIL according to press reports. If nothing else it's started a debate. What is an EASYCOUNCIL. I thought the subject deserved some further investigation. My first stop - the Dictionary. Here are a few context suggestions for EASY (The full list here)

easy money - Certainly the case for some of our Councillors at Barnet as Don't Call Me Dave Exposes HERE

an easy touch - This certainly seems to be the case for greedy contractors working for Barnet Council. This is why Barnet paid an extra £11 million pounds to contractors working on Aerodrome Road who originally quoted £12 million pounds. Also the lawyers, accountants etc who charged £1 Million to find that although the Council broke the rules at Underhill, no one was to blame. Or the Icelandic Banks who Trousered £27.4 Million of Barnet Taxpayers money to pay themselves massive bonuses.

easy come, easy go - Certainly the case for Barnet Council senior officers. Despite overseeing a complete trainload of disasters, Leo Boland got bored watching the Council supplied telly on his desk and went off for an even bigger salary at GLA Headquarters working for Boris. Other officials have taken massive payoffs to take the blame for Council cock ups in Iceland, Aerodrome Road, redevelopment projects etc.

rest easy - See picture at top of page of Brian Coleman, Londons most highly paid Councillor, hard at work at his desk.

easy option - Barnet's Tory Councillors wanted to save £400,000. They had the choice of cutting their own allowances slightly, or getting rid of the Sheltered Housing Wardens, who look after the Borough's elderly and Vulnerable. Which option do you think they took. The Easy one (for them).

And Finally in our little discussion of the life and times of Barnet Council. What excuse does Leader Mike Freer always use when his crackpot schemes go wrong, to dismiss critics such as myself? It's easy to be wise after the event. Now one may point out that the vast majority of Councils don't have the type of problems which have befallen Barnet. Most of them didn't lose £27.4 Million in Iceland, but then they didn't have an expert Banker to lead the Council.

I suppose when the elderly and vulnerable suffer from the consequences of Warden cuts, or the Future Shape outsourcing costs millions in unforeseen legal fees, he'll trot that one out again.

If I was EASYJET I'd sue Barnet for defamation. I actually think they are a pretty well run show.