Ed Milliband

Just got back from Portcullis House & a meeting with Ed Milliband and Business minister Gordon Banks.
The meeting was organised by the Federation of Small Business (FSB). Ed Milliband was keen to hear the views of people running such businesses (which in itself is a welcome change). Gordon Banks is one of only seven MP's who responded to a survey in 2007 stating they had experience of running a small business. I must say Gordon impressed me.

The discussions were private, although Ed is happy for us to mention the fact the meeting took place. All I can say is that  it is encouraging to hear that he is keen to hear our views. He will be addressing the FSB conference. I passionately believe that Small business is an area of teh economy which has been neglected and should be encouraged. I have asked several times for the opportunity to arrange a meeting with senior Barnet Tories and been rebuffed, hoping to discuss various issues affecting local firms. Let's hope that the fact that the Leader of the Labour Party has bothered may inspire them to take a more sensible approach. For all his faults, at least Mike Freer engaged with local business when he was leader of the Council. This has completely stopped since the election last year. Lets hope Ed's good example will inspire Hillan to be a bit more business friendly.

GLA Tories Roger Evans and James Cleverly have big fashion fallout

Yesterday Tory GLA leader Roger Evans posted this blog
http://city-hall.blogspot.com/2011/03/redbridge-roundabout.html

In it he featured this picture -

One of his stroppy and rather amibitious underlings - James Cleverly - (clearly out for Rogers job) immediately posted this blog containing the advice :-

There is an old saying which states "one should never wear brown in town" meaning brown shoes are inappropriate business wear in the Square Mile.

http://jamescleverly.blogspot.com/2011/03/congestion-charging-and-brown-shoes.html

It is believed that as Roger entered City Hall yesterday, he turned to Cleverly and muttered "Et Tu Brutus".

(Ok, I'll confess, James posted his blog first, but you have to admit it's rather funny). I would suggest the pair of themselves get off down to see Gok as they could both do with a makeover (only joking boys).

Professor Dexter Whitfield on Outsourcing

Europe's leading expert on Public Sector outsourcing gave a presentation to the Barnet Alliance for Public Services tonight (Tuesday 15/3/2011). It was most illuminating. I've prepared a brief video report of the event, highlighting some of the fundamental flaws which Dexter has identified in the strategy of local and national government.

Mike Freer calls for squatting to be made illegal

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/uknews/crime/8377938/Eastern-Europeans-praise-Britains-lax-squatting-law.html

Freer says :-

“I will happily back the campaign to make squatting a criminal offence. It’s causing untold misery and nuisance to home owners and neighbours alike. It needs to be treated like breaking and entering – what they are doing should be illegal.” 

 As we might expect from Mike Freer, a typically ill thought out pronouncement, which shows little appreciation of English law. Whilst I think most people would agree that it is ridiculous that someone can seemingly nick your house whilst you've gone to the shops, anyone familiar with property law will realise that sometimes squatting can happen inadvertently. If Mike Freer makes this on a par with breaking and entering, many old ladies who accidently plant a hedge in the wrong place could end up being criminalised. Generally property law works pretty well. If Freer had said "I will back legislation to allow fast track eviction of squatters where a building is currently in use by someone else" he'd have gained massive support. Instead he plans a bill which is completely unworkable and will have all sorts of unforeseen implications. I once asked a Tory MP who was a qualified barrister why Margaret Thatcher had never outlawed squatting. His response was that it was completely impractical and would lead to a legal nightmare. He also pointed out exactly who the biggest squatters of the lot are !

I wonder if Freer actually bothered to discuss his scheme with someone who knew what they were talking about. Sadly like many of Mike Freers marvellous ideas, this one will fail due to lack of attention to detail.

Barnet Blog News : Twatman launches a blog !

Great News. Councillor Robert Ramsbottom the man voted a twat in a recent poll of Barnet Eye readers, by the largest ever majority in the history of one of our polls, has launched his own blog. Mike Freer MP once famously said "I have a group of followers I call the One Handed Bloggers, you can imagine what they do with the other hand".  Now we know who he was talking about, as it is well documented that Ramsbottom is a big Mike Freer fan.You can read the witty, intelligent and incisive coverage of Barnet politics from its biggest dickhead political star by clicking here.

http://robertrams.wordpress.com/

I look forward to reading the thoughts of little Bobby on the library closure program.

It's March 15th, so Happy Xmas from Barnet Council

The London Borough of Barnet. This is the Borough where it really is Xmas every day.


http://barnet.fixmystreet.com/reports/Barnet

Here's the 10 most recently reported problems. There are thousands of other ones which still haven't been fixed. Yes it really is Xmas every day. Check a few of these out. There is a common theme. Xmas is a day when no one goes to work. Maybe that explains why so many of the residents who reported these problems have reported them again. Yup, it's Xmas every Day in Barnet   !!!!!!!

• Double yellow line across corner
• Sharp metal sticking out of pavement
• Road Safety - Mirror Required
• Pigeon Droppings
• Deep pothole - please fix!
• Pothole
• Pothole
• Approx 15 potholes
• Still nobody comes to fix the pavement!
• Street light not working

Now was it Brian Coleman who said all of the potholes in Barnet had been fixed. Come on Porkychops, get on the case and stop skiving, you are paid enough !!!!

National Coverage of Barnet Council Stupidity

Unlike a lot of bloggers, I'm not really too bothered about personal accolades for this blog, nice though they are. I didn't even bother putting a stats counter on the blog for the first six months of it's existence as I thought that this was pretty irrelevant to the message. Having said that, they are fascinating and regular readers will know that occasionally I write blogs about the things which interest me that I find. The whole purpose of this blog is to promote interest in what is happening in Barnet. That's why there is a link to all the blogs I know about in Barnet.

I see blogging as an integral part of the local scene. I always  try and promote new blogs and respect anyone who does the same. One of the blogs in the sidebar is to Finchlinks. The bloke who runs this blog hates my guts, because I had the audacity to criticise him and won't return the compliment, but hey ho so what. He's doing his bit. I am pleased to announce a new blog in Barnet - Mr Mustard - Don't know who he is but he's a welcome addition to the community.

Anyway, I thought it worth mentioning (not least due to the deluge of emails & texts on the subject) that the Guardian have posted a blog about Barnet Council and it's stupidity on their Comment is Free section - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2011/mar/11/democracy-bloggers-tweeters-councils - Dave Hill who wrote the article mentions me a few times which is nice. I think Dave is spot on with his analysis. I have noted (with a little despair if truth is told) that a few Barnet bloggers have taken exception to his choice of blogs to feature on his blogroll. I've not spoken to Dave about who he chooses or why but, as he's a friend of this blog, there are a few points I have to make.

1. Dave has 33 listed blogs on his blogroll. There are 2 from Barnet - Me and DCMD which are probably the best established right and left leaning blogs in Barnet (most certainly were when Dave picked us). As there are 33 London Boroughs, Barnet as a Borough is 50% overrepresented. Even more so when you consider that blogs such as London Reconnections, Mayorwatch, London Shopfronts and London Cyclist are not Borough specific Hyperlocal blogs. Some such as Londonist are written by multiple people and cover a multitude of subjects.

2. Dave has been criticised for not having enough blogs written by girls in Barnet. As Barnet blogs are clearly overrepresented already this seems a bit unfair on Dave. He has some excellent blogs with female authors, notably London Shopfronts  Stanmore politics and the Bird in the Bush. I've not been through all the blogs but these are one's I've checked out in the past.

I guess that Dave has a thankless task picking blogs. I'd personally put all of the Barnet blogs in my list (as you can see).I think we all have a part to play. Some blogs have all sorts of things listing their "blog rankings". I know from my stats, this blog does extremely well as a hyperlocal blog. The fact we get tens of thousands of hits a month and it seemingly increases every month is enough for me. I'd hate people to read my blog because it was "highly ranked". Many people find it via Dave Hills link. I hope they like it and I hope they visit the other blogs in the sidebar. That is enough accolades for me.

The real issue is the fact that national news providers such as the Guardian recognise that the stupidity of Barnet Council is a big story. The fact my name appears is actually totally irrelevant.

Beware - Bogus Email

From Barnet Council
North London Business Park
United Kingdom

Esteemed Compliments,

I anticipate that you read this mail quickly and let me know your opinion or willingness on this classified information that I am releasing to you.

Firstly, I am a happily married British Citizen with 3 kids and therefore I would not want to jeopardize this opportunity to change my financial status that will give me and my family a secured future.

I have packaged a financial transaction that will benefit both of us,as the Head of Barnet Council, It is my duty to send in a financial report to the audit commission in the capital city London at the end of each year.

On the course of the last two years report (2009-2010), I discovered that my Council in which I am the Manager made a proceed of (Ј14,200,000.00)( Fourteen Million, Two Hundred Thousand  British Pounds Sterling) which audit commission are not aware of and will never be aware about.Have since place this fund on what we call Suspense Account without any beneficiary. As an Officer of the Council I am not directly connected to the fund, this is why I am contacting you for us to work so that you can assist in receiving this money into your Bank Account for us to SHARE, while you will be entitle to 35% of the total fund.

Note there are practically no risk involved, it will be bank to bank transfer, all I need from you is to stand as the Original Depositor of this fund who made the deposit with our branch so that my Council can order the transfer to your designated Bank Account.

You are only required to provide the following information as stated below for the claim of this fund,

Your name and address:
Telephone and fax number:
Age and Occupation:
Any Form of identity:

The stated information above will enable you have all legal backing to the claim of this fund,Kindly initiate the first response to enable me give you detailed information about this transaction.
Await your prompt response

Sincerely

Nick Cashley
Head of Council

Barnet Libraries : Dunkirk Day - 29th March 2011 - Hendon Town Hall

Keen historians out there remember the evacuation of the British Army from Dunkirk as one of the finest examples of British inventiveness in the face of impossible odds and impending disaster. The Army was facing wipeout. The response was for the government to get every possible boat it could lay it's hands on, from Dredgers to Thames river boats and pull the army out. Hundreds of thousands of men were evacuated, saving the army from complete destruction. Four years later many of those soldiers went back in the Normandy landings. Had the army been captured, that might have been the end of the war.

In Barnet now, our public services are facing wholesale destruction.  Under the Future shape program, all of the vital services are being outsourced to third party suppliers. The council is undertaking a slash and burn cull of other services such as libraries, museums, childrens centres and support (including Brain injury support). If the Tories get their way, Barnets public services will be in the state Hitler wanted the British army to be.

Us the people have a duty to fight back. The Barnet Eye have officially declared March 29th Barnet Dunkirk Day. This is the date of the cabinet meeting where Rams will announce the results of the Libraries review. Now this blog has established that in the words of Corporal Jones, from Dads Army the Tories "Don't like it up em". We are calling on all local residents who care about libraries, museums, brain injury units, childrens centres and everything else the Tories want to trash to make an effort to show they care. Turn up at the Town Hall (in 1940 army uniforms etc if possible) to show them that the British people have a bit of fight and a bit of spunk. I am heartily sick of these "little Hitlers" throwing their weight around (see video on yesterdays blog), fat plutocratic councillors pontificating about the need for cuts while raking in huge allowances and feasting on free dinners from dodgy businessmen seeking to buy influence.

Like most Barnet residents, all I want is for the people of the Borough to be treated fairly. Ask any resident of a street with CPZ if this is the case with the latest hike. It's our town hall, make your voice heard on the 29th

Barnet Council Meeting - mobile phone footage of residents being denied access to Town Hall

I was passed this footage of residents being denied access to the Town Hall at the Council meeting where the budget was approved on Tuesday 1st March.


There are several questions raised by this footage :-

1 - The private security had no visible id badges or accreditation.
2 - The residents were not given a reason for being denied access to the meeting
3 - They were still denied access when it was clear that there was at least on space free in the hall
4 - The Police refused to give a credible reason for denying access

I was appalled by the jobsworth approach of both the private security guards and the Police. At no time were residents in any way unreasonable. The only suggested recourse was to ring the Police station and complain.

If there was any risk of rowdyness, too many people in the building etc, it would be quite reasonable to deny access. This clearly wasn't the case. People should never be denied access to a meeting unless there are proper grounds.

My biggest worry is the fact that a bloke dressed up as the Black Magic delivery services, with as many proper visible credentials was stopping residents who paid their council tax  from exercising a legal right to attend a Council meeting.