Allowancegate : The Cancer at the Heart of Barnet Council that just won't go away

I sometimes wonder just how stupid the current Leaders of the Barnet Tories are. When will they realise that every time anything happens at Barnet Council, the Allowancegate Scandal, where they voted themselves huge rises, whilst telling everyone else that there would be cuts, will be rammed right back down their throats. I receive new emails every day from all sorts of people. All of the graphics I've been posting have been sent to me by various anonymous artists. The number of hits on the blog goes higher every day (and we got a fair few before this broke). So as I write this, I thought I'd have a look at the Hendon Times, for todays batch of stories

First off, we have Lib Dem Leader, Jack Cohen berating them for their cowardice, in dodging public forums, where they would see just how popular these rises are :-

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8308943.Lib_Dem_leader_accuses_Conservatives_of__cowardice__in_the_face_of_public_criticism/

Then we have a story where the Conservative Minister of State for Local Government, Eric Pickles says what happens is dreadful and the Former Tory Council Leader says they are a laughing stock

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8308726.Council_is__a_laughing_stock__councillor_told_after_meeting_with_secretary_of_state/

Then there's the news that Council workers might go on strike, because they object to redundancies and an overtime pay freeze when Council bosses have just awarded themselves a pay hike.

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8307541.Strike_threat_after_council_overtime_pay_freeze_announced/?ref=mr

So you have Ex Tory Council Leaders opposing it, the Leader of the Tories Coalition partners, the Lib Dems opposing it, the people who work for the Council opposing it, even the Tory Minister for local Government opposing it. If you have such a cancer, there really is only one way to deal with it. Chop it out, before it kills you.

Here's an interesting thought for our Tory Councillors. In four years time, there will be another election. If the Coalition is deeply unpopular, the electorate will seek to punish you. Only your record will stand between you and opposition. If however the Coalition is a stunning success, many Tories will be able to register a protest vote by switching to the Lib Dems in wards such as Mill Hill and High Barnet and who knows where else. At previous elections, the Tories mobilised the large Jewish vote against the Lib Dems on the back of Jenny Tonges comments. After David Camerons recent statements, I suspect that trick won't work again (especially from what a few local Jewish friends had to say). During the course of the election, I chatted to many people on the doorsteps of Mill Hill who voted Conservative. It seems to me that every time I walk down the Broadway someone stops me and tells me they won't make the same mistake again. The articles in the local papers have had a huge effect. In the Ivory towers at North London Business Park, Lynne Hillan and Co think it will be long forgotten. The great and good of Mill Hill tell me a slightly different story. They are disgusted. They recognise the whining and the excuses for what it is. Over the last week, the one mantra that has been repeated to me time and again is this "This is not the sort of behaviour we expect from Conservative Councillors" from little old ladies in Mill Hill Broadway.

Let me tell you of one rather comical incident. There is a little old lady who lives up the road. When she got the local paper last week, she was so incensed that she marched down the road, to say she'd would have voted for me if she'd known about this (she's a lifelong Tory). Having spent ten minutes on the doorstep telling me of her upset, she marched back. Five minutes later, she was back. She'd been so upset that she'd forgotten her keys and locked herself out. Luckily for her,  being a Lib Dem, my housebreaking skills are second to none and we soon had her back in.

Why Caroline Clapper didn't fit in with the Barnet Tories

*** Update ***
Please note this blog was factually incorrect in its original form. I took at face value the story in the Times, without reading it carefully. I mistakenly took the the article to say that these councillors had donated the money from their private cash, whereas it was from their community fund allocation (ie public funds) which is a different thing. Many apologies for this. I think the idea of these local funds is a good one, although this is a completely different matter. An eagle eyed Barnet Eye readers spotted the detail in the link to Carolines community fund details. This is a graphic display of why such information should be in the public domain.

Many apologies to Caroline for giving a misleading impression of her work as a Councillor. As I said below, I think the attitude of Herts CC to issues of openness puts Barnet to shame. The blog has been edited accordingly

******** ***************
There is a great story on the Times website about a bunch of Tory Councillors making a cash allocation from their communities fund to the Police cadet volunteers . One name that stuck out was Caroline Clapper. She was until recently a Barnet Tory, representing Totteridge (home of infamous Mr Toad, Brian Coleman). She clearly didn't fit in with the Barnet Tories and now represents neighbouring Hertfordshire. 

http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/8309293.Councillors_donate_money_towards_training_equipment_for_police_cadets/

It seems that if Barnet Tory Councillors have a decent bone in their body, they are either humiliated like Kate Salinger or feel they have to leave like Caroline Clapper? Let's face it, she just didn't fit in. Hats off to you Caroline. One thing of interest I noticed was that Caroline Clappers statement of financial interest is available to view on the council website.

http://www.hertscouncillors.org/carolineclapper/details/

Of course we don't do things like this in Barnet, do we? See the difference between Caroline's profile on the Hertsmere website and old trougher Coleman, who won't even put his address and telephone number down - does he really think anyone cares ? Heaven forbid that a mere Council Tax payer might actually want to speak to him :-

http://committeepapers.barnet.gov.uk/democracy/council/councillor.asp?intsectionid=9&councillorid=6030

We get told nothing in Barnet, despite paying the likes of Coleman a kings ransom. No wonder she's much happier in Herts.

Exclusive : The Barnet Eye Exposes the Barnet Bugle for making up stories !!!!!

Today the Barnet Eye, the Leading blog in the London Borough of Barnet exposes a terrible scandal at our latest rival, the Barnet Bugle.

On Sunday, the Barnet Bugle printed this story.
http://www.barnetbugle.com/journal/2010/8/1/friends-of-hillan-say-she-is-immovable-and-will-go-on-and-on.html

This claimed that Friends of Barnet Council Leader, Lynne Hillan, have been putting it about that she cannot be deposed as the Council constitution claims she's elected for a four year term. Extensive research has shown that this is completely untrue. In actual fact the people spreading such piffle are not what is known as friends at all. They are what is known in these parts as "lackeys looking for a promotion and a payrise". We strongly suggest that the editor of the Barnet Bugle go back to a proper North London Comprehensive (preferrably one in special measures) and learn to "talk proper".

Anyway, despite this painfully bad attempt to mislead the good people of Barnet, we feel the time has come to add the Barnet Buggle to our sidebar.

A couple more welcome additions to the Barnet Eye Sidebar

Whislt we're adding blog links, I thought I'd put a couple more on here. These are specific local interest blogs for people in Mill Hill.

First up we have the blog for the renovation of the Adam and Eve pub on the Ridgeway. Regular readers of the blog will know we like a pint, so we are happy to promote this blog

http://adamandevenw7.blogspot.com/

Also being added is the Mill Hill Broadway Blog. For those who don't know the blog, it is a micro local blog, dedicated to Mill Hill Broadway. It spends it's time plugging the local businesses.  I hope they give The Agean Spa Centre a plug soon, even though technically it's on Hale Lane.


http://millhillbroadway.blogspot.com/

Allowancegate : What have the Leaders of Barnet Council Ever done for us?

With Apologies to Slightly Less Useless Leaders Everywhere

Desperate Tory Update : How sad is this !

Former Tory A-List Candidate Rachel Joyce (Harrow West - Lab Hold) is pimping her blog.

http://racheljoyce.blogspot.com/2010/07/vote-for-my-blog-deadline-is-midnight.html

James Cleverly - Tory GLA member is also pimping his blog


http://jamescleverly.blogspot.com/2010/07/vote-for-me.html

My message to you. Don't bother voting for me, just sign the petition in the sidebar against troughing. For some of us it's not about having anyone give us an award. It's just about doing the right thing. Sometimes I look at the stats and see how many people visit the blog and it astounds me. Sadly I don't think it's because I'm a great literary talent or even a great blogger. I just think it's because we've an extrordinarily bad local Council in Barnet and the press coverage of this generally leaves something to be desired. When I started blogging on the Hendon Times, I asked the editor what he thought would be considered a "successful blog". He said 30-50 hits per week. On a good day this blog gets that every half hour. That's enough for me.

Allowancegate latest : Theresa May and the Tories show their true colours in Barnet

I live in the London Borough of Barnet. I actually love living here. That is why the antics of our greedy local Tory councillors sicken me. There is just such a lack of respect for the Council Tax payers, the Council Staff and the people they owe a duty of care to. They think we are stupid and blatently lie to the local press, often contradicting themselves in the same article. For instance, Council Leader Lynne Hillan said in the same interview

'had been looking to adopt' the new pay scheme 'for some time'

She then says in the same interview

'we hadn't really discussed it' ... 'only after the election councillors started saying we needed to look at something different'.

 Sadly we are stuck with Hillan until her fellow Tories get sick of her or the next Council election in just under four years time (whichever happens sooner). My one hope for resolving the problem, for the benefit of the people of Barnet was that the National Conservative Party would put pressure on the local party to sack Hillan and reverse the rise. I nearly threw up my lunch when I checked the Hendon Times website today. Not only does it seem that National Party don't want to hang Hillan out to dry, it seems they are rallying to her cause. They actually sent one of the most senior Cabinet members to Barnet in a show of support. These things do not happen by accident. This is a clear message that the local Tory party must get behind Hillan and her cronies and ride out the storm. To add insult to injury, Theresa May attended a "citizenship ceremony" with Hillan (full story here) -


http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/8306838.Home_Secretary_visits_first_citizenship_ceremony/

So Theresa May believes that Lynne Hillan is the calendar girl for Citizenship in Barnet. It is 100% clear to me that the Conservative Party, far from being ashamed by the actions of Lynne Hillan, are actually backing her. I don't want to hear any excuses, such as the visit was planned ages ago. For Theresa May to photgraphed with Lynne Hillan at a citizenship ceremony is a massive two fingers up at everyone in Barnet from a party which is clearly out of touch and clearly doesn't care. There is an old saying that if you sleep with  pigs you catch fleas. I suspect (and hope) that Ms May is having a damn good scratch right now. 

These Tories aren't just Tories, they are Barnet Council Tories !

Below is the complete list of Barnet Tory Councillors. They all think that awarding huge pay rises to the Cabinet is the best way to spend your money (*Unless their surname is Salinger). If you click on the link, you can get their full details from the Council website and you can email them and tell them whether you think "They are worth it". Personally I think they are a cunch of bunts (did I ever tell you I'm Dyslexic). This is the mob who spent half a council meeting telling everyone times are hard and we'd all have to tighten our belts and the other half voting themselves huge payrises.

|Maureen Braun

|Hendon

Conservative

|

|Dean Cohen BSc

|Golders Green

Conservative

|Melvin Cohen LLB

|Golders Green

Conservative

|Brian Coleman AM, FRSA

|Totteridge

Conservative

|Alison Cornelius

|Totteridge

Conservative

|Richard Cornelius

|Totteridge

Conservative

|Tom Davey

|Hale

Conservative

|Barry Evangeli

|East Barnet

Conservative

|Anthony Finn BSc(Econ), FCA

|Hendon

Conservative

|Brian Gordon LLB

|Hale

Conservative

|Eva Greenspan

|Finchley Church End

Conservative

|Andrew Harper

|Garden Suburb

Conservative

|Helena Hart

|Edgware

Conservative

|John Hart

|Mill Hill

Conservative

|Lynne Hillan

|Brunswick Park

Conservative

|Sury Khatri BSc(Hons), MSc

|Mill Hill

Conservative

|David Longstaff

|High Barnet

Conservative

|John Marshall MA

|Garden Suburb

Conservative

|Graham Old

|Finchley Church End

Conservative

|Bridget Perry

|High Barnet

Conservative

|Wendy Prentice

|High Barnet

Conservative

|Sachin Rajput BA(Hons), PgDLaw

|Oakleigh

Conservative

|Robert Rams

|East Barnet

Conservative

|Hugh Rayner

|Hale

Conservative

|Lisa Rutter

|Brunswick Park

Conservative

|Brian Salinger

|Oakleigh

Conservative

|Kate Salinger BEd(Hons)

|Coppetts

Conservative

|Joan Scannell

|Edgware

Conservative

|Brian Schama

|Mill Hill

Conservative

|Daniel Seal

|Garden Suburb

Conservative

|Mark Shooter

|Hendon

Conservative

|Stephen Sowerby

|Oakleigh

Conservative

|Andrew Strongolou

|Underhill

Conservative

|Andreas Tambourides

|Brunswick Park

Conservative

|Joanna Tambourides

|East Barnet

Conservative

|Daniel Thomas BA(Hons)

|Finchley Church End

Conservative

|Reuben Thompstone

|Golders Green

Conservative

|Rowan Turner

|Underhill

Conservative

|Darrel Yawitch

|Edgware

Conservative

Today has been a good day for me

I've just got back from Sheffield. My daughter Madeleine won the National youth open water swimming championships gold medal (14-15 age group) at the Rother Valley water park.  She's a member of Barnet Copthall Swimming club. This was her first open water event, she swam 1,750 meters in a time of 20:23:11. It was a fantastic achievement.  The sport has been on the up since Great Britain won a Silver and Bronze in Beijing. She is staying up for the National Youth Championships.  The club has had a great week with Barnet Swimmer Freddie Cornwell winning five golds so far and two silvers at the age group National Championships. I know first hand how much time, commitment and effort goes into such an achievement. Barnet is fortunate to have such a successfull elite sports club.  Two years ago, then  Barnet Mayor John Marshall presented Maddie with an award recognising her achievements winning five golds and two silvers at age group. I sincerely hope they do the same for Freddie this year.

The Barnet Copthall Swimming blog (nothing to do with me) - keeps us all up to date with the acheivements of the swimmers - http://www.barnetcopthall.blogspot.com/ - Maddies success is detailed on the British Swimming website -

http://www.swimming.org/asa/news/clubs/payne-takes-youth-open-water-title/5697/ -

I must say a personal word of the thanks to Rhys Gormley, Maddie and Freddies coach. We hear plenty of stories in the press about the bad things young people do. Through my childrens sports clubs and my own associations with  YMCA and the Sound Skool project, I think it is also important to remind ourselves that we have some really brilliant young people in Barnet, who I for one am proud to bits for.

We need to do more for young people

What are you truly proud of that you've done this year? Well of all the things I've done, the one I'm proudest of is helping to set up the YMCA/Youth Music Sound Skool project. This provides free music courses for young people not in education or training. We also offer employment opportunities to the graduates from the courses. The courses are ten weeks long and cover the following - DJ'ing, MC'ing, Live Instruments, Music Production and Singing. Please watch this video clip. This is our end of course showcase gig. None of these kids had been in a studio before they started the course. Most had low self esteem, were shy and a bit withdrawn (not that you'd guess it from this). During the course they've gained skills, self esteem and made friends. Some are now looking at getting back into education. Youth Music who sponsored the project were blown away with how much we'd achieved with a tiny amount of funding. I must pay tribute to Simon Gordon of Sound Skool who put the project together, recruited the tutors and kept the show going. We are now looking at funding for year two. I'd like to expand the project to other locations. When I attended the showcase, it moved me so much to see how  the young people had come on. Some people believe that the way to deal with young people with issues is discipline and some people believe the solution is creativity. I believe in the latter and I have seen the promised land. Watch the videoa and tell me what you think?