Mapledown School - an open letter from Reuben Thompstone (as fisked by the Barnet Eye)

The Cabinet Member of Barnet Council, responsible for the budget cut to Mapledown School for the Disabled, has sent an open letter to the Times Newspaper, following their critical coverage of the Council cut. One migh think Mr Thompstone, who didn't even bother to visit the school to discuss the cut, may have had more sense than to keep this vote losing policy in the press but hey ho, if he's that stupid, we would be negligent in our role as Barnets leading blog if we didn't help him in his mission to destroy the credibility of his party. Our bit is in red italics

Dear Sir,
I was surprised to read your article outlining the opposition apparent from the Labour party’s local council leader and parliamentary candidates with respect to the reduction in funding for short breaks at Mapledown School - You were surprised? Really, what do you think the role of a Labour Opposition is, if not to oppose heartless cuts. My surprise stems from the fact that the Labour Group on Council put forward an alternative budget this year which mirrored precisely these reductions in funding despite being given the opportunity to participate in the consultation in this matter last year where not a word was heard from Cllr Moore or any of her colleagues - As you well know the Labour budget (wrongly in our view) had the same headline figure, but individual items within it were radically different. The funding for the school was maintained by a reduction in the number of committees, reducing allowances for well paid fat cat councillors such as yourself. Did you not know this or are you playing fast and loose with the voters and the truth?.
This funding formula was temporary and as central government has now closed this funding stream, we are pleased that we were able to retain a significant service locally with the close support of Headteacher Steve Carroll and in consultation with local parents - This is a bit dishonest, Rubes (you don't mind me calling you Rubes do you),  as you admitted you'd not visited the school to discuss the £45,000 cut. Some reporting appears to mislead, to clarify, the school’s budget (through the dedicated schools grant) is and remains protected - The reporting was accurate, it referred to the £45,000 cut to after school services and respite services for parents of disabled children. Furthermore, with over £100,000 in Mapledown School’s reserve account, it is for the school to determine how best to use their resources for those they serve - This is Rubes at his worst, spinning and being very crafty with the facts. A disabled school needs a large cash reserve, because all manner of situations can arise which require sudden, unexpected calls for cash. Unlike a regular school, failure to meet these cash calls could significantly affect the ability to provision service for very needy people. To suggest that the school fritter away this reserve just to keep going is like saying that the Queen should sell the Crown Jewels to pay for the redecoration of Windsor Castle. Furthermore it shoews Rubes doesn't understand his portfolio.
Perhaps the Labour group might work out how they could show they are ready to lead, instead of standing on the sidelines throwing stones - Rubes, I think that by highlighting this, they already have. You however have shown you don't have the intellect to hold down this important portfolio. Instead, they appear determined to show that opposition is where they belong nationally and locally, as they continue to be part of the problem and not the solution - Rubes, it appears to me and to 97% of Times Readers, there is only one problem - You!
Regards,
Regards,
Reuben Thompstone
Cabinet Member for Education, Children & Families,
Councillor for Golders Green

Rubes Letter was originally published on his fellow traveller, Little Bobby Sheepsjacksie's Insomnia cure blog http://robertrams.wordpress.com/

Thanks Bobster for exposing this plonker for what he clearly is !

Is Councillor Robert Rams feeling himself at the moment?

I am deeply worried about Councillor Robert Rams. I know he's been under a bit of pressure recently and working so hard that he's even been tweeting about council business whilst watching Arsenal matches at the Library (no I don't mean Friern Barnet). As regular readers will know, Councillor Rams writes a blog. It isn't a very exciting blog, especially considering that Robert used to be a Press Officer at the GLA. Unlike the rest of the Barnet bloggers, he doesn't post Friday jokes or indulge in scurrillous banter as the some of the rest of us do. But it is a blog and occasionally you get a little insight into Roberts complicated mind. One of the most interesting things about his blog is his usual refusal to publish comments left by his blogging colleagues in Barnet. Robert got so tetchy a few moths ago that he wrote a whole blog slagging me off - http://robertrams.wordpress.com/2012/07/10/a-fisk-of-roger-tichbourne/ - which was rather amusing. Sadly  cowardly old Robert refused to publish my responses on his blog. I left a comment, which as usual Robert refused to publish. As I felt it was unfair of Robert to deny me the right of reply, I published my response here - http://barneteye.blogspot.co.uk/2012/07/response-to-councillor-robert-rams.html

Anyway, I noticed that Robert has had a Damascan conversion to the idea of publishing comments. In fact Robert has got so keen on publishing comments, that he's published 8 on his latest blog - http://robertrams.wordpress.com/2013/01/14/east-barnet-post-office-consultation-on-new-premises/ - What is even more exciting is that Roberts blog is clearly deluged with hits from excited residents of East Barnet wanting to post comments.  On Wednesday, he got three of these in the space of less than ten minutes. One is even from award winning director Oliver Stone! |That is a fantastic response for a blog about a consultation for a Post office relocation.

Why has Robert suddenly decided to start publishing all of the hundreds of comments which must be published on his blog? Has he been feeling himself this week? Sadly a swift trawl through his blog shows he hasn't published any of the historic comments. Maybe he simply feels  the need to have a bit of public adulation from local wellwishers. He should nip down to Friern Barnet Library and have a chat with the locals there. I'm sure that there are plenty who'd want to leave a few comments on his blog

Barnet Councillor calls local blogger a stalker

I kid you not. Councillor Robert Ramsbottom (aka Little Bobby Sheepsjacksie) has accused Barnet Blogger Mrs Angry of being a stalker on his Twitter account.


Not only that but he claims she gives him the eye at Council meetings and even persues him around Brent Cross. Councillor Booby was sharing a bit of Banter with Labour Councillor Ross Houston when this shocking revealation was announced.

Having known Mrs Angry for many years, I must say I find this news quite shocking. Some internet research has thrown up this picture of Boooby with a "mystery blond" who may or may not be Mrs Angry. 



This is what Bobby said

Cllr Robert Rams @CllrRobertRams

@RossSHouston @brokenbarnet she has always had a thing for me, she sits in committee meetings staring at me! No even stalks me at Brent x!

Now there may be many things which I don't know, but one thing I'm sure of is that whilst Bobby may fantasise about showing Mrs Angry his Thunderbird One, I don't think she'll be joining him in burning down any libraries anytime soon. Inb fact he may well find that he'll need the services of International Rescue by the time she's finished with him.

The Monday Joke : 10/10/2011

Due to my general ill humour at reading Twatboy Sheepsjacksie's idiot blog on Friday, I wasn't in a jovial mood on Friday and so I decided to adopt a no humour day, but as we all need our lives brghtening up, here's a Monday joke. I thought that as Rams was responsible for the loss of the Friday Joke, we'd have a farm theme in todays offering.

A man enters his local pub and orders a bottle of champagne. The lady at the bar next to him says "What a coincidence, I just ordered a bottle of bubbly as well. The barman said I was the first person to order champagne this year!" The man said "We'll I'm treating myself, I've got something to celebrate today!". The lady said "What a coincidence, so have I". The man replies "What are you celebrating?". The lady replies "My husband and I have been trying to have a baby for five years. I thought I was infertile, but today I found out I was pregnant". The man said "fantastic, what a coincidence. I'm a farmer and last year I bought a prize hen. I thought was infertile, but today she laid an egg. That's why I'm celebrating". The lady said "wow, that's great, what happened". The man replied "Well I thought I'd try a different cock". The lady replied "Wow, what a coincidence ...."

And on the subject of Cocks, my attention was drawn to THIS WEBSITE - maybe there is a coded message for Boris in here somewhere? If you have a cock which doesn't do the job you want it to .....

And on a completely different subject, there is a most amusing post on Brian Colemans favourite blog I must say it is great to see that Brian Coleman can organise a mass rally in Camden, he must have at least five people there on his demo ! Well done Brian !!!!

Young Ramsbottom Special : Twatman is a chicken !!!!!!

Imagine my surprise (and hilarity). It turns out that the scourge of the Barnet Library system Councillor Robert Ramsbottom (AKA little Bobby Sheepsjacksie) is a chicken. Following some banter on Twitter with one of my favourite Barnet Tory Loonies (Dan Hope), I suddenly realised that Little Bobby has a twitter account under the monika of @athousandtrees - imagine my joy. The chance to read the blatherings of Twatman ad nausium !!!! So off I went to have a look and guess what? That's right, little Bobby only let's approved people view his blatherings. This is what greeted me :-

Yup, along with all of his other failings, we can now add that he's a chicken. he's scared that people will see what old cobblers he's spouting and wind him up. Ah diddums Bobby. The poor little darling. Whilst little Bobby is a source of great hilarity to this blog, surely the people of Barnet deserve better than this. Whilst I try my best to wind up his mate and fellow Councillor Danny "Imber" Seal, he is clearly made of sterner stuff and laughs it off. Sadly squeaky Bob takes himself so seriously that the mere thought of bloggers giggling as he makes himself look stupid is far too much. Is there a worse councillor in Barnet. Maybe we should rename Bobby to "Kentucky Bob" - He ain't just chicken (He's a  twat as well). When I have a free moment maybe we'll have another poll.

One other thing. Bumped into a few of the older residents of Barnet, who are avid supporters of the Library campaign earlier in the week. One Lady, who had been a lifelong Tory until they decided to shut her library told me that she'd got into reading blogs as a result of Twatman and his closure policies. I asked her if she thought I was a bit mean to Bobby and would prefer it if I was a bit more polite. "Oh no" She replied "The English language is at it's best when it's a bit fruity. Shakespeare is full of bawdy language and insults, so you are merely carrying on our finest literary traditions". I'd never really thought of it like that. She went on to say "I think the term Twat sums Rams up nicely"

Maybe Bobby should try chatting to a few of the users of Friern Barnet and Garden Suburb Library. Maybe it would help improve his education. And one other thing. Rather oddly, unlike most other Barnet blogs, Little Bob has a blog, but he doesn't put a link on to his fellow bloggers in the Borough? Why could this be. We have a link to his in our sidebar and we do all we can to publicise what he has to say, damn bad manners I call it !

Cluck cluck Bob !!!!