An answer to a question relating to Robert Rams and the Barnet Eye

A couple of people have asked me the question "Robert Rams claims he's not spoken more than five words to you in his entire life, so why do you write so many blogs about him and be so critical of him".

Yes, it is true that Councillor Rams wrote in his blog - 

I have had some rubbish written about me over the last few years, mainly by one person who I don’t think I have said more than five words to in my life

http://robertrams.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/a-fisk-of-roger-tichbourne/

But what he says is not true at all. Even more interesting is the fact that the whole council cabinet were witness to the fact that Mr Rams is telling porkies. You see, the reason I take an interest in the career of Councillor Rams is because I started the campaign to prevent Robert Rams closing the libraries of Barnet in 2010. I collected 7,000 signatures. I handed the signatures over to the council and asked a question of Mr Rams on the 29th March 2011 at the cabinet meeting on that day. Mr Rams gave me a  lengthy, if sarcastic answer in which he congratulated me on my conversion to the One Barnet program (based on the fact I'd addressed him in a civil and courteous manner and had suggested that it was good that he'd abandoned the wilder aspects of the plans to shut local libraries). Tthe words he used to wrap up his reply consisted of exactly five words "we will consult with residents" (according to my notes). The exchange between myself and Mr Rams is documented in this Council document.

http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/Data/Cabinet/201103291900/Agenda/Document%201.pdf

Here is the full exchange

RT - Question 

Can the Cabinet confirm that all money raised from selling freehold properties of libraries being shut down will be ring fenced specifically for the purposes outlined in the Library Review and can the Cabinet 

confirm that no library will be shut until such time as a replacement library as described in the review has been opened? 

Robert Rams  - Response to Question 

As set out in the library strategy, we intend to use the capital raised from the release of existing library properties to re-invest to make the library service fit for purpose in the future.  This capital 

will be used as one-off expenditure on new building, accessibility improvements, and investment in IT.  The investment is necessary to enable the council to make the longer-term efficiency savings that are set out in the proposed strategy. Cabinet will consider a detailed implementation plan for the final  library strategy following a further period of consultation.  It is at that point that Cabinet will take decisions on the scheduling of changes to buildings.  The implementation plan will need to include a timetable for merging, vacating and rebuilding library buildings.  That timetable will need to balance our desire to minimise disruption for customers against the critical need to reinvest in the service in order to make the necessary changes and improvements.  

RT - Supplementary Question

Can Cabinet Member provide details of arrangements in place to consult with Barnet residents in relation to the implementation of the Library Strategy? 

Robert Rams - Response to Supplementary Question  

Further consultation will take place with residents over the next 10-weeks.  In addition, presentations will be made to Residents Forums.

This is the cabinets own minutes and Appendix A contains my question and Mr Rams response in Appendix A. As you can see, Mr Rams said considerably more than five words to me (he was the cabinet member responding). The answer is actually a rather edited version (compared with my notes). 

I wonder if the timetable was ever published as per Rams answer for the closure of Friern Barnet library, given that it was shut down at 24 hours notice? I also wonder if the presentations were ever made to residents forums. I can find no evidence of this occurring. I would be grateful if someone from the Save Friern Barnet library campaign could comment. 

Perhaps the last sentence of the Response to question is revealing. It was recognised that the timetable for closure should be structured to minimise disruption for customers. It is interesting that Rams negaged on this commitment, by closing the library at 24 hours notice. 

Rams signs off his blog attack on me with the words

"So, Roger, lets be clear, you insult, imply and make things up – and you think I have a trust issue!"

Rams is clearly telling the truth in a bit of this sentence. I do think he has a trust issue. As to whether I "insult", in the case of Robert Rams, I probably do - if I do, it is because he deserves it. The reason being that I do not like people who distort the truth. As to the suggestion that I "imply and make things up". I don't, because I don't need to. I have an audit trail of evidence and dozens of people who can support everything I've said about Mr Rams. 

Let me add one thing. The reason Mr Rams made the statement about not saying five words to me, is to give the misleading impression that I have launched an irrational campaign against him, purely based on the fact that I have developed an unjustified dislike of him. What Mr Rams doesn't mention at all, is that before we ever spoke one word to each other, he was working at the GLA as Brian Coleman's press officer. As I had publicly criticised Coleman in my blog on the Hendon Times, Rams commenced a behind the scenes campaign, exerting pressure on the Hendon Times to sack me as a blogger, using his role as a GLA officer (a taxpayer funded role). Mr Rams campaign was successful and the Hendon Times dispensed with my services in October 2008. At the time he told everyone he could that he'd "finished my career as a blogger". As I have never met the man, I only knew of his name, because Phil Crowther mentioned it to me (Phil was then editor of the Times) in relation to numerous petty complaints. However this is not the reason for my strident criticism of Rams. I simply viewed him as a rather brown nosed lackey of Coleman out to make a name for himself. It was the fact that Rams launched a full frontal assault on the library service which attracted my ire. This was compounded by the fact that many people on the Save Friern Barnet Library campaign claim Mr Rams mislead them.

I revisited my files on the library campaign and it is quite interesting how Mr Rams position has continually shifted. Compare his answer to me in March last year with what actually happened with regards to Friern Barnet library. That really says it all in relation to the trustworthyness of Robert Rams.

Councillor Robert Rams - What are his priorities?

I have a question for Councillor Robert Ramsbottom (aka Squeaky Bobby Sheepsjacksie). Last night there was a meeting of the Business management Overview and Scrutiny Committee, at which the Strategic Libraries review and the closure of two Barnet libraries was discussed. At the start of the meeting, it was announced that Cllr Ramsbottom would be late, due to "unavoidable business engagements". The meeting proceeded and many people who arrived to ask Mr Rams questions (which he gets £15K per year of your wonga to answer). Sadly, Rams only turned up at seven minutes past nine. As I said, it was announced that he was unavoidably detained on business.

Well Bob, here's my question? What is more important to you?

A) Shmoozing your mates and having a drink at a GLA social event

or

B) Doing your job as a Barnet Councillor and Cabinet member, when the most important report you will present this year is being presented

I see you've been visiting this blog regularly recently on my stats. The public of Barnet would appreciate an answer. In the event that you answer A), if you really believe that having a few sherberts is more important than your (highly paid) duties as a Cabinet Member, you should do the honourable thing and step aside for someone who wants to do the job and will serve the people of Barnet properly.

Urgent : Library review and Hendon Football Club

If you have any interest in the subjects of the Barnet Council Library review or Hendon Football club, both are being discussed by Barnet Council on the 11th of July. The relevant papers are here :-


http://committeepapers.barnet.gov.uk/democracy/meetings/meetingdetail.asp?meetingid=6817

I'd suggest that everyone has a look through these papers. There is a common theme. It is that the ordinary people of Barnet do not matter. When discussing the closure of Friern Barnet Library, no mention is made of elderly local residents, who paid taxes all their lives and rely on the library. The councillors of Barnet don't seem to realise that a schlep up to the Arts Depot is not convenient or practical for many people.

It is interesting to review the shameful history of the sale of Hendon FC's ground. They want to build hundreds of flats on the site and loose another rare football pitch. Does it matter that Hendon FC had a rich history? Do they care about a generation of teenagers growing fat and slothfull and developing type 2 diabetes as a result?

Nope, all they care about is milking community resources so property developers can get fat on the riches of the people of Barnet. How many of these rabbit hutch flats will have a garden for the kids that live there. When we have appalling teen on teen murders such as Marvin Henry, does anyone ever pause and say "are we failing these kids by flogging off all of the amenities where they could do something constructive?".

There are many things wrong in Barnet. Not all of them are the fault of Barnet Council, but the destruction of these public amenities is clearly an area where they have behaved in an appalling fashion. What legacy will the councillors of Barnet leave for the next generation and the one after that? Do they care. They really should

Barnet Council attempt to sneak through another Library review on the sly

Barnet Council are up to their tricks again. They have sneakily launched another Library consultation. Given the fact that I organised the petition, with 7,000 names on to oppose the cuts, and spoke at the cabinet meeting where the review was discussed, I would reasonably have expected to be notified. Of course, the last thing Councillor Robert Ramsbottom, who is leading the review wants is my opinions, or the general public to be aware of his consultation. I urge everyone who has signed the library petition to participate in this review


http://engage.barnet.gov.uk/consultation-team/library_strategy_consultation-1/consult_view

I am disgusted that this has been sneaked out in such an underhand manner. If you click on this link,

http://www.barnet.gov.uk/press_releases.htm?page=1&st=1

you will see that there is no press release announcing the review. Ramsbottom should be sacked for trying to pull a stunt like this. Sadly rumour has it that Councillor Andrew Harper wants to make him Deputy Leader.

Please fill in the survey and make full use of the comments boxes.


Of course it is up to you what to put, but I used the opportunity to say that I objected to the closure of Friern Barnet Library and to say that I object to the replacement of paid staff with unpaid (and often untrained) volunteers. Lets face it, the Councillors who are pushing this are paid for their "work".