Barnet Council Cabinet Meeting 2012/2/2012 - full report

Please see the video in the previous post for a lour of public questions. A couple of words of praise first. for Richard Cornelius. Since the start of the blog, I've sat through these meetings during the reign of four leaders. These have been Mike Freer, Lynne Hillan, Andrew Harper (who sat in for Hillan during her illness) and now Richard Cornelius. Unlike the first three, at least Richard is civil and polite. Manners and courtesy cost nothing. I may not agree with much of what Richard says, but at least he is a decent man who reaslises that you don't need to behave boarishly with members of the public. Perhaps the best example of this can be seen in the contrasting answers to my question regarding the poor usage of English in a Council report. Councillor Robert Rams, who clearly holds the public in complete contempt, replied to my request to say who reviewed the badly written report saying "I did" and then went on to say that if that was the only thing I could find to criticise (which it clearly wasn't) then he'd won the argument. Richard Cornelius, recognising that Rams was clearly making a fool of himself and the whole cabinet interjected "I also read it and I apologise". To many people, it may count for nothing, but I respect that. The mark of a man. Another example of the fact that Richard is at least trying to make his colleagues acknowledge the existence of the voters of Barnet came when Councillor John Marshall stepped up to make a speech about education. He wryly commented "When I was in the cabinet, these meetings were far shorter". He was clearly annoyed at having to hang around, whilst the public had their say. Richard Cornelius replied "That's democracy". Marshall sneered "managed democracy". Clearly, unlike the Leader, he really isn't that bothered with keeping the public in the loop. It is worth noting that Councillor Marshall was a big supporter of Councillor Andrew Harper, who Richard Cornelius defeated last year to become leader. Whatever you may think of Richard and his administration, I for one am glad that at least we have someone who recognises the public need to be involved in the democratic process.

So what other issues were discussed. The use of Parks as revenue generators was a big topic. Two Labour Councillors, Jim Tierney and Alan Schneiderman both made representations to the Cabinet. Both made valid points, both were completely ignored. Tierney stated that the proposal to rent parks could take the parks out of use for 12 weekends in the Spring and summer. The public could be deprived of use of the parks for 50% of the summer. In compensation for this loss, the Council would generate £30,000 in revenue. This is less than the cost of the wages of the Council officer who will oversee the scheme. Tierney felt that this was financial ineptitude. He was disappointed that the council did not seem to understand the difference between revenue and profit.

Richard Cornelius replied that many people with gardens too small to hold functions in would benefit from the policy. I found this rather odd. Surely if people live in flats on low incomes, hiring out the park for a garden party is not high on their list of priorities.

Brian Coleman then piped up that "only 6% of the park will actually be hired out" and that people are spreading misinformation. Given that this 6% is the bit people use (you can't play football on the flowerbeds etc), I suspect that he's quite right to complain about misinformation.

Alan Scheiderman stated that it had been confirmed that the whole park could be shut. This had been confirmed at the Golders Green residents forum.

Brian Coleman piped up that the Council can already shut the park for 5 days a year for events. Schneiderman responded that Councillor Coleman clearly doesn't know the difference between community events and private parties.

Then we had Business planning. There has been a 26% cut in grants from government. Richard Cornelius was proud that 75% of these cuts had come from savings generated from reorganisation. Money was likely to be returned from Iceland. This would ease pressure on certain budgets, but he emphasised that this was a one off and that was a  relatively small amount in the pot.

Then we had Councillor Daniel Thomas. He stated that the Council Tax base had grown. This had eased pressure on budgets. He stated that Council tax would again be frozen. The year after it is set to rise by 2.5%, He talked of further savings of £29 million (unspecified) and said that the Council were bang on budget. He also talked of building up reserves of cash, with a view to future unexpected pressures. Those of us familiar with the way the Barnet Conservative group work, know what he means is that it is being stashed so that they can cut taxes before the next election in two years time. I would take the view that most people would rather have the cash now, when they are really struggling.

It was odd that later he talked about household finances creaking. Now one question I would loved to have asked. Surely if the One Barnet project was as marvellous as we are being lead to believe, then the cash should be freed up from reserves to help people now. It seems perverse that parking charges are being hiked, whilst the council stashes our cash away for "a rainy day". This is not Conservative policy. It is nanny knows best, state husbandry of our money.

Andrew Travers, who is responsible as area 51 officer (oh no, sorry area 51 is an area in Nevada where UFOlogists believe alien spaceships are kept) - financial officer - told us that he's satisfied that the cash is rolling in suitably well and the plans are robust. Mr Travers has a key fianncial role. He is not a council employee, he is a consultant, emplloying a front company to avoid paying tax. A practice that Eric Pickles has criticised. I first met Mr Travers under the reign of Mike Freer in 2009. Clearly the Barnet Council idea of a temporary role not quite what the Oxford dictionary implies. I think that local authorities should not employ people on such dodgy arrangements.

Andrew Harper started to ask a question. He was pleased to report that schools were considered important. At this point, the Council PA system started to scream loudly. Being a sound engineer, I wanted to go up and adjust it. The noise was quite painful. Eventually Harper stopped waffling, but I'd long since given up on his question.

Councillor Rams spoke about consultation. There are three strands. These are paper, online and face to face. Last year I organised a petition about Libraries. over 7,000 people signed it and it was included as part of the strategic library review. At the council meeting where the paper was adopted, I asked Rams for a commitment to keep me informed. He undertook to do this and I undertook to keep the people who signed the petition informed. Can you guess how many times Rams and Barnet have reported back to me? It is proof that Councillor Robert Rams sees consultation as a box to be ticked. He couldn't give a stuff about it.

Councillor Rajput (adult social services) made possibly the most boring and pointless interjection I've heard for a long time. He waffled on about the previous Labour government. Given that presumably the rest of the council cabinet agree with him, why did he bother. It merely irritated the audience (even those who agree with his policies). I would suggest to Rajput that if he wants to get on, he cuts out the drivel, the pointless rhetoric and the waffle. Stick to the facts and doing the job. Your colleagues don't want to listen to boring speeches and neither do the public. The point was eventually reached. Were equalities being taken seriously by the Council (see it could have been asked in five seconds).

Councillor Thomas replied that yes they were (strange that the Council keeps losing court cases because they aren't - maybe he was visiting area 51 with Travers when we were discussing that previously). It is so important that it was reflected in the corporate plan.

Councillor Cornelius then stated that equalities legislation was an unfortunate legacy of the last Labour government. Sadly I suspect dear old Richard doesn't really understand the issue. If he did, I doubt he'd have said that. As a volunteer for a disabled charity, who has spent a lot of time in a social setting discussing these problems with the people who are suffering, the equalities act has made a huge difference to peoples lives. Of course there are some times when it is misused, rather like the corporate regulation that allow staff such as Andrew Travers to masquarade as private companies to avoid tax. I wonder which costs the taxpayer more? Tax avoidance or treating the disabled fairly?

The we had Councillor Davey. His contribution to the debate "Debt repayment is at the forefront of my mind". He was worried about council rent arrears. Maybe he would wish to consider the cause of such debts. Council policies removing jobs from the Borough in botched outsourcing? Ever thought of that?

Then we had Councillor Helena Hart. She is concerned that Barnet will be shafted, when it gets responsibility for the Healthcare budget. Camden and Islington will get double what Barnet get. Wellbeing programs will be the first to suffer. Helena Hart seems to be one of the more sensible members of the cabinet. No waffle, no bluster. Councillor Cornelius agreed that this was a worry.

There was also the issue of receipts from business rates. This is going to be collected and kept locally. This is a good thing. Maybe then the council will actually care when they force businesses out of the High Street.

Councillor Rams asked if Councillor Thomas would like to congratulate the Mayor, Boris on his £3.50 a year cut to Council tax. Rather surprisingly, Councillor Thomas stated that this wouldn't even buy a half of shandy at his favourate lapdancing club and he'd rather the money was spent on providing proper care for the elderly. Gotcha, of course he didn't say that. I'm sure he's never been near a lapdancing club in his life, being a Welshman he abhors shandy and there's no way he'd rather Boris spent £3.50 a year of your money on caring for old people than giving you a pittance back. Of course he congratulated Boris.

Then on to the Library closure at Friern Barnet. Two Labour Councillors, Pauline Coakley-Webb and Barry Rawlings asked questions. Why was Finchley library in a Tory Ward being kept open until the Arts Depot replacement was ready, whilst Friern in a Labour ward was being sold off. We all know the answer, but there is no way Councillor Rams would say. It was all Pauline Coakley-Webbs fault for not winning the lottery and buying it for the community. At least I think that's what his answer was. It was clearly her fault. Rams stated that anyone could buy the building and carry on running it as a Library if they wished. Councillor Rawlings asked how the service could be transferred if there wasn't something opening elsewhere to replace it? He also asked for clarification on the figures as there was double counting of savings.

Councillor Rams clearly didn't understand the question. He responded that Garden Suburb residents had worked hard with their local Conservative Councillors to keep their library. I was sitting with a group of ladies from Friern. At this they started muttering obscenities about Rams. He really does have that effect on even the most genteel and fragrant of ladies.

And then Partnership Boards. Yet another Councillor Brian Coleman command performance. He stated that these boards were stuffed with unelected officials. He said that he regularly needed to remind them that he "had a democratic mandate" wheras they represented no one. Councillor Andrew Harper immediately struck to correct the impression Coleman was trying to paint. He stated that it was hugely beneficial to have the organisations represented and that public scrutiny of their work was positive. At this Brian Coleman bellowed  a sarcastic laugh. Harper looked affronted. Councillor Helena Hart had had enough of Coleman (haven't we all), she turned to him in a highly irritated manner and exclaimed "This is what democracy is all about". Coleman slunk back and picked his nose (as he always does when he's been told off).

And finally education> I've already mentioned Councillor Marshall and his annoyance at being kept waiting. He actually made a few rather interesting points.

1) Bishop Douglas School has limited appeal to local Catholics. I suspect that he hasn't chatted to the Head recently. The school has been making great strides. I have two children at Catholic schools in Barnet (just so readers know I have a view). Bishop Douglas has had a troubled few years. It is back on track. Many people who are not Catholics attend Catholic Schools. For instance, the owner of the Day of The Raj in Mill Hill, Romal is a Muslim and attended my old School, Finchley Catholic High. I am happy if the sector widens its appeal and inclusiveness. I am not sure what the point was.

2) QE Boys (one of Barnets leading schools in terms of results) attracts more pupils from Harrow than Barnet. This is shocking. It means that our roads are clogged with parents traversing the Borough from Harrow. It is a great argument against selective education and for a Comprehensive model. Councillor Marshall wondered if it meant that schools in Harrow were better suited to preparing their pupils for competetive exams. I wondered if it meant that the attitude of certain members of the cabinet to literacy and grammar was starting to be felt in the education service. I wondered if Councillor Rams gave a moments thought to whether his policy would help or hinder our young people compete with those from Harrow?

Footnote : I just got an email from a source at Barnet Council praising the conciseness of my blogs - ironic as I am posting the longest one for a year !




After questions, we had the

Barnet Council Cabinet Meeting : 20/2/2012

Here are a few of the public questions from the Council Cabinet meeting. Tonights hot topic Friern Library closure. Sadly for Councillor Robert Rams, the crowd aren't laughing with him, are they?

At least Councillor Richard Cornelius had the decency to apologise for the appalling grammar in the associated Council document and admitted it was a ppor show. Councillor Robert Rams made it quite clear that he thinks attention to detail is pointless. Quite revealing when in the question previous, the leader had made reference to the importance of raising literary standards. I guess that is why one is the leader and the other will never be.

In memory of Aaron Silver

Most of the time I try not to talk too much about my religious beliefs, the charity work I do or my friends. Sadly a dear friend of mine, Aaron Silver has passed away and as I always mark the passing of a friend in this blog, I couldn't properly commemorate Aaron without making mention of all of these subjects.

Most years I go away for a week in the summer as a volunteer helper with a charity called HCPT. We take a group of adults with various problems to Lourdes in the midi Pyrenees region of France. Some of the group have significant issue, none more so than Aaron.

The first time Aaron attended with us was 2004. He had many medical issues, which required constant help and assistance. Mealtimes were just one time when simple tasks we take for granted sometimes required a team. When I first met Aaron, I wasn't really sure how aware he was of what was going on. As I always take a guitar and take a good deal of time practising, Aaron being a lover of music soon decided that he quite liked keeping me company. Although his vocabulary was limited, he was quite capable of making himself understood. I learned that often his frustration was the reason for bad behaviour.

In many ways I think Aaron made me challenge my own view of life. When I got cross with him, I'd ask myself how I'd be in his shoes. I suspect that this man in a wheelchair was probably the toughest individual I'd ever meet. I cannot think of anyone I know who could take what his daily routine was, even for 24 hours. As such I developed a huge respect for him. Often I'd sit there, working on a song, he'd be there and if he got what I was doing, he'd get a silly grin. Now you're probably thinking that as a member of a pilgrimage group to a Roman Catholic shrine, playing an acoustic guitar, I'd be singing songs in praise of the Lord to him. Far from it, I'm a punk rocker and I was writing songs for the band, editing them in my head, transposing the sound of my 12 string guitar into a distorted electric six string.

I'd often explain to Aaron exactly how the song would sound with the band playing it. One time I brought a CD of the band for him to listen to. He approved and when your friends like your tunes, that is always good. In truth, there were many times when we'd have a laugh. As I mentioned, his vocabulary was limited. It was a mark of esteem when he decided to learn your name, I was "Ogger". The second year he attended, we met at the airport. As soon as he saw me he yelled "Ogger, Ogger" and we picked up where we'd left of 51 weeks before.

Aaron gave me a gift. He made me count my blessings. Would I write this blog, if I hadn't spent the time with him? I doubt I'd have an insight into the challenges of the daily life of many of the people I campaign for. Aaron was extremely lucky to have a family who loved him to bits. That they chose our group to entrust him for a week was a faith I hope we repaid. Sadly many people with his spectrum of difficulties are not so lucky. I happen to believe that as a society we should be judged by how we deal with people in Aarons situation. I mean that individually and collectively.

Thank you my friend, I know you are now in a better place. One day we'll catch Jimi Hendrix at the Pearly Gates bar and I'll buy you that beer we could never share down here. We all have our own personal idea of heaven, that is mine. Aaron Silver RIP

Open Letter to Barnet Council - Important questions regarding Finance Matters For Schools Limited

Dear Mr Cornelius and Mr Walkley,

We would like to draw to your attention the following information, and ask you to respond to some questions on a matter that we consider to be of serious public concern.

We have reason to believe that a Private Company registered as FINANCE MATTERS FOR SCHOOLS LIMITED http://companycheck.co.uk/company/07814930

may have been formed with the intention of securing contracts with schools that currently purchase financial services from the Council.

We understand that all three Directors may be current employees of the Council.

First can you confirm that all three of these Directors are indeed Council employees?

If not then the rest of our questions are not applicable.

If this is indeed the case, we would like to ask the following questions:

Are these individuals currently employed by the authority?

If one or more of these Directors are Council employees, can you confirm that it is not a breach of any regulations for employees to set up a private company whilst still being paid by the Council that will deal directly with services directly associated with their current employment?

Furthermore please confirm that they may continue to have access to confidential data, and that this would not secure unfair advantage over any other possible bidders for these services?

Do you know how many Barnet schools have given notice that they are terminating their contracts with Barnet Council Financial Services?

When did they give notice of termination?

What reason did they give for termination?

How many schools have signed contracts with FINANCE MATTERS FOR SCHOOLS LIMITED?

Were any senior managers including the section 151 officer aware of this company

Have there been public and private discussions amongst senior managers on the creation of this new company within the Council?

We understand that Financial Services to schools are included in the NSCSO One Barnet bundle of services.

It would seem extraordinary, therefore, to us as residents, that council staff could allegedly be openly touting for business during the Competitive Dialogue process, and we would ask you to confirm that an urgent investigation should take place, and that you can assure us that all four bidders will be informed that such an investigation is in progress.

Yours sincerely,

Derek Dishman
John Dix
Vicki Morris
Theresa Musgrove
Roger Tichborne

Sometime today ?

Sometime today or if traffic slows down (we've had 400+ hits already at 12:16) tomorrow, the little blog hit counter in the top right hand corner of this blog will hit 400,000. For me, this is a stunning achievement. As a dyslexic who couldn't read properly until I was 12 years old, having so many people read what I have to say is mindblowing. In actual fact the number is somewhat higher, as Blogger stats started in May 2009 and I'd been running the blog for eight months then. As it is the only number we have, then I guess we'll have to make do.

I can't take all of the credit, in fact I take very little. There are the guest bloggers, the "sources" within Barnet Council, the Councillors (of all sides) who take the time to have little chats and tell me where to look for the things I need to know, the people who tell their friends about the blog, the other bloggers who have linked to me. A special thanks to Dave Hill at the Guardian for making me one of his first listed London bloggers. It has given me a veneer of respectability I really don't deserve.

What has the blog achieved? It is quite hard to say. We've not managed to make too much of a dent in the madness of the One Barnet project, despite the foolishness being their for all to see. We have however managed to scupper the Councils plans to turn libraries into branches of Starbucks. We have, mostly through our guest bloggers, given the disabled of Barnet a voice which cannot and now is not being ignored. We have had many small victories. I believe we even changed the outcome of the Conservative Leadership Election, in backing Richard Cornelius. Whilst I think Richard has been far from perfect, he is a decent man and I suspect he is a far better choice than Andrew Harper who was seen as the favourite at the time.

But mostly I just wanted to say thank you and I hope that there has been something in this blog that you have enjoyed (if that is the right word). Here's to the next 400,000 !

Mayoral Election gets nasty - Who do you trust Crosby or Ken?

Last night I received this email from the Ken Livingstone campaign :-

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


I’m sorry for emailing you on a Saturday night. Earlier today Boris Johnson’s Campaign Director sent out an email smearing me and I wanted to make sure you saw it. They are determined to raise Londoners fares and will do absolutely anything to stop my plan to cut fares.

In the email, Tory Campaign Director Lynton Crosby said:

“Labour's chief Transport spokesperson [Maria Eagle] has let the cat out of the bag on Ken Livingstone's election promise to cut fares. She has confirmed what everybody else knows: there is no money for fare cuts without cutting £1bn worth of investment in services.”
And he writes:

“It is becoming clearer by the day that either Ken Livingstone has no intention of ever cutting fares, or he is working on a behind the scenes plan to cut £1bn of investment.”
Lynton Crosby needs to wake up and smell the coffee. If elected, I will cut fares on or by October 7th. I will resign if I have not done so by that date, and precipitate a by-election. I have never been more committed to anything in my life.

Boris Johnson’s Campaign Director has invented a plan to cut investment to scare people. It is the worst kind of politics. Tory lies.

Our fares plan is paid for out of the annual surpluses caused in no small part because the fares are so high they are bringing in more revenue than planned. It will protect investment and existing services.

The Tory-led government imposed a £2.17bn 4-year grant cut on Transport for London in the 2010 Spending Review. I have based all of my calculations for funding my Fare Deal fares cut on TfL's revised budget which takes this reduced grant into account.

My fares cut is affordable under either the existing TfL budget, or Maria Eagle's alternative.

It seems the Tories don’t understand the transport budget. It looks like they haven’t even read it.

And they don’t care about Londoners being squeezed through high fares. They want to do everything they can to keep on whacking the fares up.

I want change. If you want to join me in making real change happen, show Lynton Crosby what you think of Tory lies. Donate to our campaign here, today, and give our Fare Deal campaign a boost right now
Thank you

Ken

Ken Livingstone
-----------------------------------
And here is the email from Lynton Crosby which prompted Kens Ire.
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Labour's chief Transport spokesperson has let the cat out of the bag on Ken Livingstone's election promise to cut fares.
She has confirmed what everybody else knows: there is no money for fare cuts without cutting £1bn worth of investment in services.
In a candid interview with the Guardian today, Maria Eagle said: "Reducing the deficit requires us to support cuts in spending that we might not have in the past. Some of this is painful."
This follows independent assessments of Ken Livingstone's election promise that confirm he could not cut fares without cutting investment.
The Channel Four Fact Check blog recently concluded that; 'If he cuts fares, TfL would expect to lose £1.12bn in income from fares – and that’s a hole he wouldn’t be able to plug without hitting the day-to-day funding for London’s transport or taking money from investment projects.'
It is becoming clearer by the day that either Ken Livingstone has no intention of ever cutting fares, or he is working on a behind the scenes plan to cut £1bn of investment. 
This would mean axing local bus routes in the suburbs, cutting bus police, stopping tube station refurbishments and delaying programmes to make the tube more frequent and less overcrowded. 
He must come clean with Londoners now. Which is it to be?

Thanks for your support,
Lynton Crosby

Campaign Director
----------------------------------------------------------
So who do you believe? The simple test I apply whenever I assess such claims is to look at peoples track record. Ken Livingstone, for all his faults has got a long history of commitment to affordable public transport. Those of us old enough to remember the Fairs Fare program, recall how the popularity of the scheme prompted the abolition of the GLC. As to Lynton Crosby? Well he's got a fantastic, a fantastic record of saying what is required to get the person who's campaign he's running elected.

But then who really knows

Matthew Offord - The Incredible Invisible Shrinking MP

Matthew and friends

Matthew, where are you? Matthew, where are you?

It seems no one knows where Matthew is? In case you hadn't noticed, there is an election in May for the Mayor of London. Boris and Brian have taken a hammering in Barnet, due to Brian Colemans catastrophic parking charges blunders. In the circumstances, you would think that the local MP Matthew Offord would be out knocking on doors, trying to rally the troops.

I was not surprised to be told that there was a story on the Hendon Conservatives website about an MP out on the streets of Mill Hill, helping octogenerian Councillor John Hart delivering BackBoris leaflets. That's what Tory MP's are meant to do, isn't it? What is rather more surprising is that the MP in question is not the MP for Hendon. He's not even an MP in the London Borough of Barnet, in fact he's not even an MP in London. Nope, the MP helping dear old Johnny Hart is Dan Byles, MP for a Warwickshire constituency - http://www.hendonconservatives.org/news/delivering-envelopes-boris-johnsons-re-election-can-be-fun - one has to wonder if any sane politician who is familiar with Barnet would really want to go out on the streets canvassing for Brian Coleman right now.

Mind you given the complete disappearance of Matthew Offord from the streets of Hendon, I bet more people would recognise Mr Byle than Matthew. I bumped into a local Tory activist delivering leaflets and asked where Matthew was. His response "I dunno, probably walking his dog". I asked how the campaign was going, to which he rolled his eyes "If it wasn't for the fact that I hate Livingstones guts, I'd have jacked it in". Sadly I think that reflects the views of a significant number of Barnet Tories. More than a couple have told me privately that they will be abstaining in the GLA vote. It will be fascinating to see how many people in Barnet tick the box for Boris and don't for Brian. 

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.

Guest Blog : The Disabled in Barnet deserve better by John Sullivan

What do you do when you have a problem? I had a problem with my car the other day so I called a mate of mine who is a mechanic and asked his advice, prior to that I had a leak at home and called another mate who is a plumber again for his advice. Strangely enough I tend to call a solicitor if I have a legal problem or a doctor if I am unwell, or an electrician if I have an electrical fault.

I know I am pretty good at DIY along with a medical dictionary can resolve  many of the above problems myself, however I have always found it wise to speak to people who deal with these different problems on a daily basis to be sure what I am about to do will not make matters worse. I probably do this because I like to be cautious and I do not think I know it all, and I value the advice an opinions of people at the coal face on a day to day basis.

Sadly that is not the opinion of Barnet council when the future of support services for people with a learning difficulty or the disabled in general is concerned, they know it all they need no advice from the parents/carers who 24/7 look after their disabled children/wards loved ones. They do not value the opinions of these coal face workers, in fact they have nothing but contempt for their opinions they know it all.

For me it beggars belief that the 48 years my wife and I have spent at the coal face with our daughter counts for nothing with these arrogant Barnet councillors and officers. Do you know that between the parents of the people with learning difficulties in Barnet there are 100s of years of coal face experience that Barnet council could have called upon when deciding on the changes to support services. However they decided to avoid meaningful consultation at all costs, the name of the game was privatisation at all costs no matter what the views , fears , feelings or concerns of those coal face workers and no matter what the cost to the people with learning difficulties (LD).

I wonder how many of them would agree to their child being taken out of a purpose built Academy school, and  dumped in a church hall to continue their education. I wonder how many of them would think it right and just for their 48 year old daughter to be ripped away from the community of her peers and dumped in a church hall to dance with a group of pensioners, who unwittingly and unknowingly patronise the hell out of her in the kindest possible way.  Patronisation that does not occur within her own community of her peers. I wonder how many of them would allow their child to go swimming during a Siberian cold spell when it was minus 3 degrees, as my daughter was being sent just a few days ago. I wonder how many of them would allow their children to walk the streets and markets and Stanborough Lakes in the midst of winter,summer, autumn & spring, and call that high quality services. Activities that were never viable with  a large group prior to privatisation cannot possibly become viable in the smaller lost privatisation period so those activities are being cut. Offering less choice for people with LD, rather than in my opinion the " More Choice " so dishonestly peddled by Barnet council and their officers. People with LD are now dumped in unsuitable church halls evicted from their purpose built day centre their central community hub that afforded them the stimulation all communities should have the human right glean from their equals.

People with LD have now been separated from their peers and the safe community of peers, they have become nomads wandering the streets in all weathers, belonging nowhere and wanted by nobody, least of all the uncaring Barnet council. As they no longer have the right to belong to their own community, my question is what right do Barnet council have to deny them this human right that they have always enjoyed?

We know from the outburst at a recent transport meeting, the Cllr Coleman view of disabled people, this councillor believes that "These  People " should not have transport provided by the council. Disabled men women and children that have  already been cursed with a disability, are now being cussed about as an expensive drag on public funds by a leading Barnet councillor, whilst the councillor for the disabled and the council officer responsible for the disabled in Barnet sat back and never challenged the disabled being described as " These People " in a derogatory fashion.

In my opinion Coleman is a loud mouthed bully boy and has no experience of life. He is just a wind bag. It beggars belief that this man who as we all know loves a taxi ride at the tax payers expense, feels he is entitled to transport of the comfortable variety yet people with a disability are not entitled to the uncomfortable transport facilities they have enjoyed as a right for so many years .

The lives of people with LD, with a disability and the disabled people in Barnet are being destroyed. In some case that can be quantified,  possibly put at risk in the name of privatisation and cuts at any price no matter the cost. At the altar of the dogma and ideology of the Barnet councillors. I simply wonder what my innocent daughter  who has never hurt a fly in her life has done to the likes of Coleman and his fellow councillors, and some of the officers to bring down this torrent of anti disabled hatred upon them. Support Services for the disabled are being destroyed in Barnet at a pace, so the question is why do they hate the disabled so much. What have the disabled done that has turned them from being poor dears just a couple of years ago, to the spongers and a drag on society they are condemned as now. Has the rate of attacks on people with a disability in recent months anything to do with the utterances of people like Coleman? coupled with the silence of those around him that are supposed to defend the rights of the disabled and not the unwarranted opinions of the likes of Coleman.

 Do you know that many of the disabled people I refer to were not born with a disability like you and I.  They were born fit and well, and sadly they had a stroke or some other serious illness that has left them disabled and condemned them to a life of disability. Which suggests that it could happen to any one of us including you, and incidentally including the Coleman and his crew. I wonder if he and they would be so quick to condemn the disabled, if he like them had been struck down by an illness not of his own making.

The others like my daughter and her peers were born as they are they never asked to be born with a disability, we parents never asked for them to be born with a disability. We parents have had to sacrifice so much in our lives to look after and protect our loved ones from ignorance and smears. But when that ignorance and smears comes from the lips of a leading councillor supported by his silent supporters. You wonder why you bother, you wonder what our society has become, have we really become so rotten, so perverse. Somebody said they were draining the cesspit at The Sun newspaper to clear out all of the filth. Maybe it is time we drained what has become the cesspit of Barnet council when it comes to the treatment of people with LD, people with a disability and the disabled in general along with their parents & carers and show once again that we are a caring society and not a society built on greed, dogma  and ideology as the uncaring Barnet councillors would have us all believe.

In order to protect my daughter and her peers and all disabled people in Barnet from the contempt of Barnet councillors and officers, I along with other parents/carers concerned about the future of support services for the disabled in Barnet (which might be you one of these days) formed a new action group called CADDSS, we do exactly what it says on the tin , we  "Campaign Against Destruction of Disabled Support Service " in Barnet.

If you wish to protect the disabled, which I repeat might one day be yourself or your child or your loved ones, then I ask you one thing on behalf of all disabled people in Barnet to do something today that makes you feel proud.

I ask you to join CADDS  ( cadds1@gmail.com )and join the fight to protect the disabled from the ravages of the Barnet council, disabled people  are being forced to pay a disproportionate amount for the dishonesty of the bankers and at the altar of the greed, dogma and the ideology of Barnet councillors , stand up and be counted and say " Not In My name ". Do you really support the perverse and for me as a parent the sick minded desire of these uncaring Barnet councillors, who wish to make a profit from the variety of afflictions that have befallen this unfortunate group within our society.

" Making a profit from the tragically afflicted, surely that is not the behaviour of a civilised society"            

    " Do Something Today To Make You Feel Proud  & Join CADDSS "  ( cadds1@gmail.com )

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John Sullivan is the father of Susan Sullivan who has never harmed a soul in her 48 years of life, just one of the many innocent souls having her way of life destroyed by the uncaring Barnet council. Guest blogs are always welcome at the Barnet Eye. Please submit via the link in the sidebar.