Today has been a good day. I started the day planning to write a blog about the "Swinging Vicar" mentioned in the Express this morning. As the day went on this changed to the great news that the Post Office will not need to close 3,000 outlets as they've kept the benefits payments contract. Then I noticed a remarkable thing. Something that have made the last six months blogging all worth it! In the stand off between Our glorious leader, Councillor Mike Freer and us Barnet Bloggers, Mike Freer has blinked !!!!!!!
I did my usual daily check of his Leader Listens blog (click HERE to see it in it's full glory) to see if Mike has published my comments yet. He hasn't, but the good news is that he's acknowledged (in a very Mike Freer sort of way) that us bloggers have been right about Council extravagance and he's finally doing something about it.
One of my favourite local blogs is the Barnet Council Watch blog, run by "Don't Call Me Dave" Miller. David sits at the opposite end of the political spectrum to myself. He's what I call a "sensible Tory" (I'm usually called a Swivel eyed Trotskyite by the local Tories). He opposes waste and wants to see the Council do a good job. He's become rather disenchanted with the way Barnet Council are doing things and he gives a pretty well informed commentary on the subject in his blog.
David likes to get to the bottom of things and has found that the best way in Barnet is via the Freedom of Information act. In America, right wing libertarians view their equivalent act as sacred. Anyone opposing FOI requests in America would be viewed as a dangerous leftist subversive. It is seem as part of a process of open and honest Government. In short the price we have to pay for democracy. Some recent comments seem to imply that our top councillors have a different view.
It looks to me as if David has won a rather big victory for us bloggers and the hard pressed Council Tax Payers of Barnet today, with his blogs and FOI requests. Earlier in the year, David forced the Council to reveal that Mike Freer had travelled Business class to the USA (Full details on David Blog HERE), at the taxpayers expense, for a Conference. The explanation was that "he needed to be fresh to get the most out of the meetings". What he didn't say was that he had travelled so as to have the Sunday to himself in San Francisco. This cost us thousands of pounds. Freer has never apologised for this excess. It seems that David has started to get through to Mr Freer that excessive waste in these times is not acceptable.
The acting Borough Finance Supremo has travelled to Iceland, to attend a creditors meeting of two Icelandic Banks which went bust, freezing £27.4 million of Taxpayers money. Now I fully support all efforts to get the Council's cash back and contrary to Mikes opening comments, see no useful purpose to be made criticising this trip.
In fact the final paragraph is probably the most sensible thing I've seen Mr Freer write for a very long time. He says "Be assured, Barnet and Kent will not be picking up the bill to represent every other local authority and the modest travel and accommodation expenses of both Clive and Lynda will be shared between all of the authorities affected. For the record, and to avoid a raft of Freedom of Information Requests, Clive travelled to Iceland using a budget airline and has accommodation in a 3* hotel at a cost of approximately £50 per night."
This seems to me to be a sea change in council policy. What would be even better would be a commitment from Freer that in future, this travel policy will be applied across the board. It is clear from the tone of Freer's blog, that he has started taking the criticism to heart. He has started to realise that we have a point. He has realised that people like myself and David Miller will uncover excessive waste and publicise it. I am sure he doesn't like it. The response boxes at the end of my blogs tell me this, but if it makes him do his job a bit better, then it is worth it.
In his Barnet Press column last week, Councillor Brian Coleman said that bloggers have 20/20 hindsight and achieve nothing useful. Well Brian - looks like your leader might be starting to take a different view. I certainly think that the green shoots of common sense have most certainly been nourished by the blogs of Barnet. I'm sure I'll get the usual raft of sneering comments from the FoF's but they'll make me laugh even more than usual this time !!!! In the words of that other darling of the Right, George Bush - "Bring 'em on"
I'm off to play 5 a side now. When I finish I'll have a celebratory Shandy to celebrate the first major victory of us Barnet Bloggers. I hope David has a rather large glass of his favourite tipple as the victory is his today.
Thursday, 13 November 2008
Wednesday, 12 November 2008
Barnet's Kids getting the praise they deserve.
I was really gutted yesterday. My daughter was receiving a Jack Petchey Achievement award and I couldn't go along to watch. I wanted to, but unfortunately we were only given one ticket so my wife won the heads or tails. Now I'm not moaning about our family only getting one ticket. We'd have taken a book full and brought aunties/ uncles and even the dog if we could have. The trouble is that so would all of the other proud parents, so to make sure everyone could have someone, the number of guest tickets were strictly limited.
Had I gone along, I'd have given you a far more detailed description of the proceedings, but I'm afraid It'll have to be a touch on the sketchy side as to who actually got what. The good thing is that it seems there are plenty of children and teenagers who are doing things worthy of receiving such an award. If you read the papers, they are full of stories of knife crime, hoodies, teenage drug use, teenage pregnancy, teenager murders, teenage suicides. Whilst these stories sell papers, it gives us a rather jaundiced view of what our teenagers are really like. I run a business where I see hundreds of teenagers and young adults a week. In the last 29 years, the number who I've met who I've really disliked I could probably count on one hand. If you set against that the hundreds, if not thousands who have come down and organised charity gigs, played for free for good causes and given their time to help others, you soon realise that the overwhelming majority of kids are decent, honest, trustworthy and a credit to themselves.
The Jack Petchey foundation was set up to recognise this fact. Awards are given to reward and encourage outstanding achievement. My daughter finished in second place in the 12 year old girl section of the ASA National Swimming Championships in Sheffield. She received her award from the Mayor, Councillor John Marshall at the Pentland Centre, Finchley. She was thrilled. When they got in, I asked how it went and she said it went really well and the Mayor was very nice. He took a real interest in her Swimming career and gave her plenty of encouragement for the future. I asked my wife about the presentations and she said that the Mayor made special mention of the Gospel Choir from Bishop Douglass School. He mentioned that the school had been having severe problems a few years ago and a new headmistress has turned it round. He said he was specially pleased to see them making such great progress. That is a sentiment we can all agree on.
As I said, I'd love to have been there, I would love to have given a full list of all the winners, as they most certainly deserve recognition. I'd like to say thanks to the Jack Petchey organisation for the great work they do. If you know a young person who is doing something exceptional, tell them about the scheme.
Had I gone along, I'd have given you a far more detailed description of the proceedings, but I'm afraid It'll have to be a touch on the sketchy side as to who actually got what. The good thing is that it seems there are plenty of children and teenagers who are doing things worthy of receiving such an award. If you read the papers, they are full of stories of knife crime, hoodies, teenage drug use, teenage pregnancy, teenager murders, teenage suicides. Whilst these stories sell papers, it gives us a rather jaundiced view of what our teenagers are really like. I run a business where I see hundreds of teenagers and young adults a week. In the last 29 years, the number who I've met who I've really disliked I could probably count on one hand. If you set against that the hundreds, if not thousands who have come down and organised charity gigs, played for free for good causes and given their time to help others, you soon realise that the overwhelming majority of kids are decent, honest, trustworthy and a credit to themselves.
The Jack Petchey foundation was set up to recognise this fact. Awards are given to reward and encourage outstanding achievement. My daughter finished in second place in the 12 year old girl section of the ASA National Swimming Championships in Sheffield. She received her award from the Mayor, Councillor John Marshall at the Pentland Centre, Finchley. She was thrilled. When they got in, I asked how it went and she said it went really well and the Mayor was very nice. He took a real interest in her Swimming career and gave her plenty of encouragement for the future. I asked my wife about the presentations and she said that the Mayor made special mention of the Gospel Choir from Bishop Douglass School. He mentioned that the school had been having severe problems a few years ago and a new headmistress has turned it round. He said he was specially pleased to see them making such great progress. That is a sentiment we can all agree on.
As I said, I'd love to have been there, I would love to have given a full list of all the winners, as they most certainly deserve recognition. I'd like to say thanks to the Jack Petchey organisation for the great work they do. If you know a young person who is doing something exceptional, tell them about the scheme.
Tuesday, 11 November 2008
What Mike Freer did next - Barnet Council Exclusive
The Leader of Barnet Council has had a rather bumpy ride of late. As a well known Banker, he found the Council he runs in the rather unfortunate position of having lost £27.4 Million in dodgy savings accounts in Iceland. Now anyone who's followed this blog will know the history of this rather well (rather too well maybe), so I'm not going to rehash that. I am going to tell you what Michael Whitney Freer's master plan is. Brian Coleman, in his column in the Barnet Press (you know, that one in amongst all the ads for Brothels, whippings and spankings) states that us bloggers show 20-20 hindsight. Well here I am staking my reputation on showing you the future. I know Mike Freer is an avid reader, so I'll be interested to here what he has to say, via his various alter ego's. If I were a Labour or Lib Dem councillor or PPC I'd take a few notes. You would be rather surprised if you knew how I am able to make such accurate predictions !!!!
This time last week, Mike Freer was a bit nervous. Whilst he had the numbers in chambre, he didn't know what rabbits Labour and the Lib Dems had ready to pull out of the hat. His body language and that of his colleagues gave that away all too well. Unfortunately for the Opposition, despite a excellent start from Councillor Wayne Casey, they blew it. Mike Freer's twitchy leg came back under control as Labour supremo finished her speech with "Shoot..." (at least that's what she claimed she'd said when the Mayor told her that time was up).
No rabbits, Bugs Bunny lived to fight another day along with the Mike Freer regime. He's also got a bit lucky. Leo Boland, the Chief Exec has just got another job at the GLA, so he's even got a scapegoat to pile all of the blame on, for any can's yet to be opened, which are currently being devoured by worms. He has a dilemma though. The economy has turned nasty and Mike's plan to become MP for Finchley could easily be derailed. A large Council Tax increase to plug the hole left in the reserves will finish him. To plug a £10 million hole the Tories claimed existed when they came in, they put council tax up 25%. Another rise on that scale would be the end of the career of Freer. He knows it. Mind you he only has to survive till May 2010. The arguments over the Icelandic deposits will most probably go on for years. In the eye's of Mike and his Spinmeisters, the money is only "lost" for good when the books are closed and the positions finally wound up, possibly years down the line.
Mike is nothing if not a survivor, so the answer is simple, borrow the money to plug the hole, in anticipation of it being returned by the Icelandic Administrators. He'll lose his four star council rating, but so what? It is a nice to have but in the harsh world of politics, all the stars in the world will not offset a huge Council Tax hike. His position will be that it is treasury orthodoxy, supported by all sides, that we borrow our way out of recession. How can the Labour Councillors disagree, when that seems to be Gordon Brown's preferred policy?
Having said that resources will be scarce. Spending priorities will need to be carefully managed. Don't expect any new, large scale projects, just lots of nice little headline grabbing initiatives. There are policies which deliver votes (especially marginal votes) and policies which don't. That is why all of the tenants on the (Labour heartland) Childs Hill estate, who saw the motion to improve their living quality defeated by the Tory block, are unlikely to see improvements any time soon. Expect lots of new shrubs in parks in nice middle class areas (how can anyone disagree with a few attractive shrubs). Mike is a slippery customer, he know that Labour can't oppose spending in marginal areas, it's win - win for him.
As to cock-ups like Aerodrome Road, he'll use the Brownite line that "Infrastructure projects" are needed to kick start the economy and overspending is to be expected in financially challenging times.
So in May 2010, if all goes to plan and he manages to avoid anymore banana skins, we'll be out of recession and he'll be sitting pretty for Finchley.
There's just one snag for the poor muppets (apologies to Statler and Waldorf) who take over. The cupboard will be bare, as not only will the loans need repaying, the interest servicing and the black hole need filling, you'll also most likely be faced with a Tory regime who will also have a tax and services cutting agenda. So what will we see in Barnet? Service cuts and huge tax increases will be order of the day. Freer will be sitting in the Palace of Westminster, doubtlessly having moved into a nice Westminster flat subsidised by the Taxpayer. He'll have his inflation proof salary and plentiful allowances to get by on.
For us in Barnet, the the Councillor Mike Freer as leader era will seem like a golden age, after the tax rises and service cuts hit. Freer will be gone, so his successors will be the bad guys. Brian Coleman and his chums who aren't off to Westminster will have to carry the can. I guess they'll just keep on rolling up the allowances for another 4 years and hope they get away with it.
Of course the Tories could stage another palace coup and sort the problems out now, before it gets too bad, before the debts pile up too much, but that would take Cojones and the only Balls I can see is the crystal one into which I'm gazing !
This time last week, Mike Freer was a bit nervous. Whilst he had the numbers in chambre, he didn't know what rabbits Labour and the Lib Dems had ready to pull out of the hat. His body language and that of his colleagues gave that away all too well. Unfortunately for the Opposition, despite a excellent start from Councillor Wayne Casey, they blew it. Mike Freer's twitchy leg came back under control as Labour supremo finished her speech with "Shoot..." (at least that's what she claimed she'd said when the Mayor told her that time was up).
No rabbits, Bugs Bunny lived to fight another day along with the Mike Freer regime. He's also got a bit lucky. Leo Boland, the Chief Exec has just got another job at the GLA, so he's even got a scapegoat to pile all of the blame on, for any can's yet to be opened, which are currently being devoured by worms. He has a dilemma though. The economy has turned nasty and Mike's plan to become MP for Finchley could easily be derailed. A large Council Tax increase to plug the hole left in the reserves will finish him. To plug a £10 million hole the Tories claimed existed when they came in, they put council tax up 25%. Another rise on that scale would be the end of the career of Freer. He knows it. Mind you he only has to survive till May 2010. The arguments over the Icelandic deposits will most probably go on for years. In the eye's of Mike and his Spinmeisters, the money is only "lost" for good when the books are closed and the positions finally wound up, possibly years down the line.
Mike is nothing if not a survivor, so the answer is simple, borrow the money to plug the hole, in anticipation of it being returned by the Icelandic Administrators. He'll lose his four star council rating, but so what? It is a nice to have but in the harsh world of politics, all the stars in the world will not offset a huge Council Tax hike. His position will be that it is treasury orthodoxy, supported by all sides, that we borrow our way out of recession. How can the Labour Councillors disagree, when that seems to be Gordon Brown's preferred policy?
Having said that resources will be scarce. Spending priorities will need to be carefully managed. Don't expect any new, large scale projects, just lots of nice little headline grabbing initiatives. There are policies which deliver votes (especially marginal votes) and policies which don't. That is why all of the tenants on the (Labour heartland) Childs Hill estate, who saw the motion to improve their living quality defeated by the Tory block, are unlikely to see improvements any time soon. Expect lots of new shrubs in parks in nice middle class areas (how can anyone disagree with a few attractive shrubs). Mike is a slippery customer, he know that Labour can't oppose spending in marginal areas, it's win - win for him.
As to cock-ups like Aerodrome Road, he'll use the Brownite line that "Infrastructure projects" are needed to kick start the economy and overspending is to be expected in financially challenging times.
So in May 2010, if all goes to plan and he manages to avoid anymore banana skins, we'll be out of recession and he'll be sitting pretty for Finchley.
There's just one snag for the poor muppets (apologies to Statler and Waldorf) who take over. The cupboard will be bare, as not only will the loans need repaying, the interest servicing and the black hole need filling, you'll also most likely be faced with a Tory regime who will also have a tax and services cutting agenda. So what will we see in Barnet? Service cuts and huge tax increases will be order of the day. Freer will be sitting in the Palace of Westminster, doubtlessly having moved into a nice Westminster flat subsidised by the Taxpayer. He'll have his inflation proof salary and plentiful allowances to get by on.
For us in Barnet, the the Councillor Mike Freer as leader era will seem like a golden age, after the tax rises and service cuts hit. Freer will be gone, so his successors will be the bad guys. Brian Coleman and his chums who aren't off to Westminster will have to carry the can. I guess they'll just keep on rolling up the allowances for another 4 years and hope they get away with it.
Of course the Tories could stage another palace coup and sort the problems out now, before it gets too bad, before the debts pile up too much, but that would take Cojones and the only Balls I can see is the crystal one into which I'm gazing !
Stop Press - Important info
http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/UNISON_Public_Meeting_poster.pdf
Meeting to discuss future shape of Barnet Council.
Meeting to discuss future shape of Barnet Council.
Monday, 10 November 2008
Barnet Council - Cabinet Members Christmas report
As we approach Christmas, I think it is that time that we review the performance of those people who we elected to serve us. As we pay their wages and get the opportunity to sack them every four years, I think we should regularly review their performance and try and ascertain whether they are doing a good job. The comments in this report are based on what I've observed locally and what I think the should be doing. I've tried to be as objective as possible for someone with my clear bias! See what you think and please add any comments or observations.
Councillor Mike Freer
Leader of the Council, Chairman & Cabinet Member for Resources
Performance :
Well as the Council Leader, he's ultimately responsible for everything. As head of Resources he's responsible for the management of finances. This year, the Council lost (or should that be mislaid) £27.4 Million in Icelandic Banks. They've overspent on Aerodrome Road, they've spent £1.4 million on semi obsolete laptops, many of which went straight into storage. They've spent tens of thousands putting tellies on desks of top Council officials.
Areas for Improvement:
Take responsibility for mistakes. Ensure that proper scrutiny of decisions is performed. Stop wasting money on vanity projects (Leaderlistens.com). Hold senior officers to account for their mistakes.
Overall Mark : F (failed)
Councillor Matthew Offord
Deputy Leader
Cabinet Member for Investment in Learning
Performance :
Well I have three children at three different schools in the Borough. I have seen continual improvements at all three schools, with development of facilities. Performing well in Cabinet Position. Unfortunately must share some of the blame for poor overall decisionmaking in role as deputy Leader
Areas for Improvement:
Enhancement of physical education facilities in Borough. Provide more robust advice to leader as deputy
Overall Mark : B+ (learning) F (Deputy Leader)
Councillor Lynne Hillan
Cabinet Member for Community Services
Performance :
Stories abound of Rat infested estates with leaky roofs abound. Meals on Wheels services ran up huge debts due to system failure, causing much distress to elderly & disabled residents. Meals on wheel's food quality is extremely poor.
Areas for Improvement:
Sort out meals on wheels. Sort out the failing Barnet Homes team.
Overall Mark : D (below average)
Councillor Melvin Cohen
Cabinet Member for Planning & Environmental Protection
Performance :
A trip around the Borough shows many ugly monstrosities appearing where nice dwellings used to be. Builders are concreting over gardens and putting up disguised developments with no action taken. Areas such as Sanders Lane nature walk are under threat.
Areas for Improvement:
Get to grips with developers. Start taking firm action on environmental damage.
Overall Mark : D- (Below average)
Councillor Brian Coleman
Cabinet Member for Community Engagement & Community Safety
Performance :
The man who is responsible for Community safety, happily writes a column for a paper subsides by the Sex industry. Many girls are held as virtual slaves, having been brought over to Barnet under false pretences. If the member for community Safety doesn't care about human trafficking and sexual slavery, what does he care about?
Areas for Improvement:
Open your eyes to the damage caused by the sex industry in Barnet and insist that the Barnet Press removes the adverts or loses Barnet Council advertising.
Overall Mark : F (Failed)
Councillor Andrew Harper
Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport
Performance :
There seems to be a crossover here with Councillor Cohen. Who is responsible for protecting the envionment? I will give Councillor Harper the benefit of the doubt. At a leader listens session, Councillor Offord announced that over 300 cars per day were monitored performing an illegal turn onto Mill Hill Broadway from Goodwyn Avenue. Nothing has been done. There have been no road safety initiatives in Barnet since the Tories came in. Many friends have commented that much needed resurfacing has been done, so the picture is not all bad. Some road junctions have also been improved, so Councillor Harper is at least dealing with some nitty gritty issues.
Areas for Improvement:
Start making Road Safety a priority. Address the issue of Children travelling to school more urgently. Force compulsory travel plans on recalcitrant schools
Overall Mark : C (Average)
Councillor Anthony Finn
Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Development
Performance :
Again there seems to be a crossover with Councillor Cohen. It is not surprising that decisions are dodged when there is no clear supremo for planning & decisions fall between two stools. The plans for regeneration are a plan for destruction of the the essence of Barnet. Schemes such as the Montrose Park Road, Sanders Lane, Stonegrove etc are not going to improve the environment and there is already huge pressure on Schools and other Infrastructure.
Areas for Improvement:
Scale back development and regeneration to a sustainable level. Improve the standard of Rabbit hutch flats.
Overall Mark : E (Poor)
Councillor Fiona Bulmer
Cabinet Member for Children's Services
Performance :
As I mentioned, I have three children in the Borough and I am more than happy with the provision of services for them. There are many innovative schemes such as the Finchley Music School etc.
Areas for Improvement:
None that I know of.
Overall Mark : A (Excellent)
Councillor Helena Hart
Cabinet Member for Public Health
Performance :
Given that MRSA has virtually disappeared and C-Diff is down by 30%, I guess that Councillor Hart has done a good job.
Areas for Improvement:
Get rid of the Other 70% of C-Diff.
None that I know of.
Overall Mark : B+ (Very Good)
Councillor Richard Cornelius
Cabinet Member for Policy & Performance
Performance :
Well I disagree with most of the Council's policies and think that overall their performance has been pretty poor. I suppose he'll site his 4 *'s but I am not at all convinced by this. In a spirit of fairness I'll give him an average in recognition of the 4* Mark, but through very gritted teeth.
Areas for Improvement:
Ensure rigorous monitoring of investments and criteria is introduced as a matter of urgency. Develop some proper policies on personal and community safety and kick Brian Colemans butt if he doesn't implement them.
Overall Mark : C (Average)
Councillor John Marshall
Mayor
Performance :
I'd love to give him an F for his actions in selling Playing fields,but he's actually not too bad a Mayor. Certainly an improvement on Maureen Braun who was useless.
Areas for Improvement:
Buy a new Joke Book !
Overall Mark : B (Good)
---------------------------------------
So our star performer is Fiona Bulmer. I guess as she's named after a brand of Cider I'm probably more inclined to like her than some other Councillors, but they are doing a good job with Childrens services. I am not sure which one is responsible for the playing fields & leisure centre's in the Borough, but whoever you are, deduct a mark for the lack of Sand at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre on Sunday, which meant my son had to play in Goal in a terrible quagmire. Attention to detail is the secret of success in any organisation and such things are indicative of failure.
Overall, I must say that I find the job titles confusing and misleading.It looks to me as if there are several positions where responsibility is less than clear. I think this could well be the cause of many of the problems. Over to you, what do you think?
Councillor Mike Freer
Leader of the Council, Chairman & Cabinet Member for Resources
Performance :
Well as the Council Leader, he's ultimately responsible for everything. As head of Resources he's responsible for the management of finances. This year, the Council lost (or should that be mislaid) £27.4 Million in Icelandic Banks. They've overspent on Aerodrome Road, they've spent £1.4 million on semi obsolete laptops, many of which went straight into storage. They've spent tens of thousands putting tellies on desks of top Council officials.
Areas for Improvement:
Take responsibility for mistakes. Ensure that proper scrutiny of decisions is performed. Stop wasting money on vanity projects (Leaderlistens.com). Hold senior officers to account for their mistakes.
Overall Mark : F (failed)
Councillor Matthew Offord
Deputy Leader
Cabinet Member for Investment in Learning
Performance :
Well I have three children at three different schools in the Borough. I have seen continual improvements at all three schools, with development of facilities. Performing well in Cabinet Position. Unfortunately must share some of the blame for poor overall decisionmaking in role as deputy Leader
Areas for Improvement:
Enhancement of physical education facilities in Borough. Provide more robust advice to leader as deputy
Overall Mark : B+ (learning) F (Deputy Leader)
Councillor Lynne Hillan
Cabinet Member for Community Services
Performance :
Stories abound of Rat infested estates with leaky roofs abound. Meals on Wheels services ran up huge debts due to system failure, causing much distress to elderly & disabled residents. Meals on wheel's food quality is extremely poor.
Areas for Improvement:
Sort out meals on wheels. Sort out the failing Barnet Homes team.
Overall Mark : D (below average)
Councillor Melvin Cohen
Cabinet Member for Planning & Environmental Protection
Performance :
A trip around the Borough shows many ugly monstrosities appearing where nice dwellings used to be. Builders are concreting over gardens and putting up disguised developments with no action taken. Areas such as Sanders Lane nature walk are under threat.
Areas for Improvement:
Get to grips with developers. Start taking firm action on environmental damage.
Overall Mark : D- (Below average)
Councillor Brian Coleman
Cabinet Member for Community Engagement & Community Safety
Performance :
The man who is responsible for Community safety, happily writes a column for a paper subsides by the Sex industry. Many girls are held as virtual slaves, having been brought over to Barnet under false pretences. If the member for community Safety doesn't care about human trafficking and sexual slavery, what does he care about?
Areas for Improvement:
Open your eyes to the damage caused by the sex industry in Barnet and insist that the Barnet Press removes the adverts or loses Barnet Council advertising.
Overall Mark : F (Failed)
Councillor Andrew Harper
Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport
Performance :
There seems to be a crossover here with Councillor Cohen. Who is responsible for protecting the envionment? I will give Councillor Harper the benefit of the doubt. At a leader listens session, Councillor Offord announced that over 300 cars per day were monitored performing an illegal turn onto Mill Hill Broadway from Goodwyn Avenue. Nothing has been done. There have been no road safety initiatives in Barnet since the Tories came in. Many friends have commented that much needed resurfacing has been done, so the picture is not all bad. Some road junctions have also been improved, so Councillor Harper is at least dealing with some nitty gritty issues.
Areas for Improvement:
Start making Road Safety a priority. Address the issue of Children travelling to school more urgently. Force compulsory travel plans on recalcitrant schools
Overall Mark : C (Average)
Councillor Anthony Finn
Cabinet Member for Regeneration & Development
Performance :
Again there seems to be a crossover with Councillor Cohen. It is not surprising that decisions are dodged when there is no clear supremo for planning & decisions fall between two stools. The plans for regeneration are a plan for destruction of the the essence of Barnet. Schemes such as the Montrose Park Road, Sanders Lane, Stonegrove etc are not going to improve the environment and there is already huge pressure on Schools and other Infrastructure.
Areas for Improvement:
Scale back development and regeneration to a sustainable level. Improve the standard of Rabbit hutch flats.
Overall Mark : E (Poor)
Councillor Fiona Bulmer
Cabinet Member for Children's Services
Performance :
As I mentioned, I have three children in the Borough and I am more than happy with the provision of services for them. There are many innovative schemes such as the Finchley Music School etc.
Areas for Improvement:
None that I know of.
Overall Mark : A (Excellent)
Councillor Helena Hart
Cabinet Member for Public Health
Performance :
Given that MRSA has virtually disappeared and C-Diff is down by 30%, I guess that Councillor Hart has done a good job.
Areas for Improvement:
Get rid of the Other 70% of C-Diff.
None that I know of.
Overall Mark : B+ (Very Good)
Councillor Richard Cornelius
Cabinet Member for Policy & Performance
Performance :
Well I disagree with most of the Council's policies and think that overall their performance has been pretty poor. I suppose he'll site his 4 *'s but I am not at all convinced by this. In a spirit of fairness I'll give him an average in recognition of the 4* Mark, but through very gritted teeth.
Areas for Improvement:
Ensure rigorous monitoring of investments and criteria is introduced as a matter of urgency. Develop some proper policies on personal and community safety and kick Brian Colemans butt if he doesn't implement them.
Overall Mark : C (Average)
Councillor John Marshall
Mayor
Performance :
I'd love to give him an F for his actions in selling Playing fields,but he's actually not too bad a Mayor. Certainly an improvement on Maureen Braun who was useless.
Areas for Improvement:
Buy a new Joke Book !
Overall Mark : B (Good)
---------------------------------------
So our star performer is Fiona Bulmer. I guess as she's named after a brand of Cider I'm probably more inclined to like her than some other Councillors, but they are doing a good job with Childrens services. I am not sure which one is responsible for the playing fields & leisure centre's in the Borough, but whoever you are, deduct a mark for the lack of Sand at Burnt Oak Leisure Centre on Sunday, which meant my son had to play in Goal in a terrible quagmire. Attention to detail is the secret of success in any organisation and such things are indicative of failure.
Overall, I must say that I find the job titles confusing and misleading.It looks to me as if there are several positions where responsibility is less than clear. I think this could well be the cause of many of the problems. Over to you, what do you think?
Sunday, 9 November 2008
Remembrance Sunday - Let us never forget
Today at the Burnt Oak Sports Centre at 10.25, 18 boys aged 7 and 8 formed a circle on a muddy field and stood in silence for 1 minute. Not a peep, not a movement just still and silent. Congratulations to the boys of Watling Club and Ruislip Town for an impeccably observed silence. Boys up and down the country have been doing this for 90 years. Some in fields, some at services, some watching the Telly or listening to the radio.
We do it to remember and give thanks for the millions who paid the ultimate price and gave the greatest sacrifice they could for our right to live our lives in peace and freedom. Had they not been prepared to give that sacrifice, even something as simple as my blog may be considered subversive and I'd be off to a death camp somewhere. That is why it is important that boys and girls up and down the country follow the fine example of the players of Watling Club and Ruislip Town Under 9 teams this morning and take a minute in a busy year for stillness, silence and Contemplation.
Remembrance Sunday has always meant something to me. My Grandfather was involved in fighting in the First World war and died an untimely death aged 66 as a result of gas damage to his lungs. In 1939, my Dad was working for the Charters Towers Electricity Board in Queensland Australia. His main interest in life was playing Cricket and he was a superb fast Bowler. He had ambitions of playing for the state Team and maybe even Australia. Unfortunately for him, in Germany, the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler had other ideas. He had a new vision for the world, it was a world under German rule. A master race of UberMensch would dominate and races considered inferior would be subjugated or exterminated. Eugenics was government policy, whereby anyone of disability was murdered by the state. The noble art of medicine was twisted into forming part of a state system of genocide. The first part of his plan had already been successfully achieved. he had created a greater Germany, annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia. He had assured British Prime Minister Chamberlaine that this was the extent of his ambitions. On the 1st of September 1939 we all found out what the Fuhrer's promise was worth. His Stormtroopers attacked Poland. On the 3rd of September 1940, after the Germans failed to withdraw, Great Britain, a country in a state of total unreadyness, declared war on Germany. Germany formed an alliance with Italy and Japan and several other countries such as Romania to form the Axis. At that moment, my Dad's ambitions of being a professional Cricketer died. He joined the Austrailian Army, transferred to the Empire Flying Scheme, learned to fly and by 1944 found himself a Flight Lieutenant in 40 Squadron, flying Wellington Bombers.
Let me share a few entries from his diary with you (and a little bit of commentary from me) with you. We forget how tough a job this was. The Wellington was obsolete by 1944, but was still widely used, mainly as a night bomber.
On the 1st January, he was on leave in London, but all of this soon changed.
Sun 9th Jan 1944. Came to Rabat/Sale 10.30 hours. Starboard engine conked out 100 miles out from Portugal but cam on again when in sight of Land and operated OK for rest of Journey.
Tues 11th Jan. Rabat - Enjoyed Sunshine, reminds me of Aussie
Fri 14th Jan - Maison Blanche, Algiers. Just a Dump
Sun 16th Jan - Came to Foggia (airbase in Southern Italy) gave up DF542 entered 40 Squadron (he drew a little picture of the badge & the Moto Nostem a Coelo Expellere).
Note : Foggia was a major Airbase for the RAF and US army airforce. My father's squadron were billeted in Tents and received a hard living allowance).
Mon 17th - Enjoying the liberty of squadron life
Tues 18th - First Op on No 40 Squadron. Transport Senegalia Railway (italy).
Thurs 20th - 2nd Op Plombino Railway - West Coast Italy
Fri 21st - Briefed and scrambled - hada party instead. Vino - Oh -h-huh
Sun 23rd - 3rd Op Marilian P/C works Yugoslavia. 1000 mile round trip. Weather very poor. being very heavy
Mon 24th - Breifed and scrambled. Had a quiet night. How I'd love to be back in England.
Weds 26th - air Tested "DF689" Wellington IV
Thurs 27th - Briefed and scrambled. Given V as my permanent aircraft. 'V is an aircraft' Low level it is OK but above 8000 ft it just won't
Fri 28th - Bombed Verona. Al (Bomb aimer)collapsed after delivering flashes.
Sat 29th - Had a party at 104 Squadron. Merry - Not Arf. Had a door thrown at me
Sun 30th - Snowed today. very cold
Tues 1st Feb. Bombed Maribou Yugoslavia. Aircraft hit by 6 bursts. Limped happily home with part of windscreen blown away, petrol tanks holed 2n'd airplane nearly lost
Sat 5th. Played cards today. Poker leaders choice. Won 1250 lira
Mon 7th Bombed Padria Italy 9X500HE. Bombs fell right on Marshalling yards full of trucks (target). Jimmy Keily and crew missing. Arrived back at 06.00 slept all day
Wed 9th - Went to Barletta. enjoyning wine tasting almost as much as we bought. Blagged our way through the door. Soaked on the way back
Thurs 10th - Innoculations for Typhus today. testing aircraft
Sun 13th - did two trips to Anzio - dropped 36 X 250lb HE bombs. Had bad weather freezing -29C Spud (rear gunner) had almost to be chiselled out of his box. Hope 36 X 250lb bombs did good work on the Jerries.
Thur 17th - Flying Kit stolen. 1 Blue Kit bag. 1 Leather helmet, 1 pr Gauntlets, 1 Suit, 1 pr shoes, 1 pr Sunglasses, 1 pr sick gloves. Bombed San Stefano. Had trouble all the way with 'B' but made grade OK. Brought back a perfect photo of Target.
Fri 18th - Went to flight and told 1-B had been repaired. Ken Lyon was blown up on take off in 'B' - the kite I had the previous night.
Sat 19th - My sweethearts birthday. I wish I was with her tonight and every night.
Sun 20th - Attended the court of enquiry on crash of 'B'. I gave evidence as pilot the previous night and the trouble I had.
Thurs 24th - Longest Trip to date. Bombed Steya, Austria 1200 miles. Flew over Berchdescarden. If I had only remembered I might have been tempted to give it one for the road!
Mon 29th - Mum's Birthday
March 3rd - 13th trip tonight. Zara Yugoslavia - really pranged it - had bad weather all the way, heavy using base base conditions. 10/10 closed from 900ft to 13000 ft. nuff said
March 4th - Took s/c Avent and Naples today. Flew around Vesuvius, good trip but bags of clouds. Air testing 'T' for Tommy. Hass cookie Disappear
March 7th - Air testing 'X' for X-Ray. Aircraft OK. To get away from some Fortresses (US air Foce), I opened up full throttle and did 265 mph slow and level.
March 17th - St Patricks day. Couldn't find anything green to wear , but many of the boys faces were that colour from the effects of vino drunk at our party last night
March 18th - Al's (bomb aimer) birthday today. he winged a bit about flying on it but weather was in his favour and he didn't have to go so had a party instead.
March 19th - Ops in 'Q' for Queen. Bombed Philipopolis (plodiv) 1250 miles round trip. Had a farly easy time apart from the usual clapped out weather.
Weds 22nd - Vesuvius has made itself felt. Clouds of Ash and Cinders fell all day. One couldn't go outside without getting eyefulls and cloths immediately soiled.
Thurs 23rd - Had a party with the boys of SAAF, NZ, Yanks RAF, RAAF, Newf, Polish, French airforce and infantry units about. Rather Noisy but very merry.
Sat 25th - Went to Positano this evening. Had dinner then did a pub crawl round the village. The town is built on the side of a cliff.
Sun 6th - Had tonight at 5th Army camp - drinking Sarti Cognac and Vesuvius special -champagne and cherry brandy in equal proportions. Really good
Mon 27th - Went to Pompeii. Saw the Cathedral which is most amazing and grand sight I have seen. Then visited the ancient city which has been excavated out of the pumice and dust of 600bc.
Tues 28th. Returned (from leave) to Foggia Today. Bumped in the back of a 3 ton Lorry for 120 miles. Shakes you. Had 6 letteres from Cecilia waiting. Worth the shaking.
Fri 31st - Briefed for ops and scrambled ditto last night. It's getting me down. If this keeps up I'll never get finished.
Sat 1st April. "Q" for Queen. Ops to Varese North Italy A/C factory. 1050 miles. Good trip for my Birthday. Got back to our mess by 5.30 am and to bed by 6am. Brought back a good target photo.
Mon 3rd April - Ops in 'Q' for Queen. Ops to Budapest - 1100 miles. Really pranged the Hun. The best show of Tracer hosepiping one could wish for. the whole target area seemed to be glowing red until we were shut off by the haze. F/sgt Redder Ditched on way home after being hit by a/a fire.
Weds 5th - Listening to Tommy Trinder on BBC. Describing here he said that there was hardly a building standing - and some more lines.
Sun 9th - Went to mass. The Bishop of Foggia celebrated it - Sermon given by American Padre. Tony, Max Hendry and I went.
Mon 10th - Ops in 'Q' Queen. San Stefans - Italy. Boy did we get hell kicked out of us with ack-ack. Spud (rear gunner) said he almost had kittens. Aircraft hit by several bursts but was brought home Ok.
Weds 12th - Ops in 'Q' Queen. Budapest Hungary. Fairly Hot. Coned in searchlights twice but dropped bombs on target. Encountered ME109 on way home but we got away OK.
Fri 14t - San Stefano Ack-ack not as hot as previously but backed up with 3 searchlights.
Sun 16th - San Stefano San Stefano - Italy, ack-ack not very accurate. I think their best gunner must have gone on leave. Trip done in 'R' for Roger.
Mon 17th - My poor old aircraft 'Q' for Queen was destroyed by fire tonight. Managed to get a few instruments and dials for momento.
Tues 18th - Big party tonight - rowdy.
Weds 19th - Got a leter from Cecilia asking if I was in Budapest on 12th - Was I !!!
Sun 23rd. Find our entertainment officer is so tired of planning updates of parties - has placed up a notice "party each evening".
Sat 29th - Ops to Leghorn. I dropped a 4,000lb HE bomb on the power station at Leghorn, Italy. Boy there was a flash and an explosion that shook the kite at 8,000 ft.
Mon 1st May. Ops to Spezia. 4,000lb Bomb dropped on power Croatia,. Good Photo taken of it.
Fri 5th May. Ops to Campina Rumania, Oil refinery hit. Fuel Oil exploded to Height of 4,000ft with clouds of flames. This place was really wrecked. Later intelligence reports as above.
Sat 6th. Moved under canvas. Tony (wireless operator), Spud and I share a tent. We have some wooden blinds for mats and a chiffonaise for furniture.
Mon 8th - Willy Wilham and w/o Bradshaw didn't return tonight. Bradshaw was on his last op to finish his tour (an op was 40 missions).
Mon 9th - Johnny Huggler lost on ops on his last trip of second tour.
Weds 10th - Swimming at Manfredonia beach. Enjoyable evening
Thurs 11th - Ops to Budapest, Hungary. Terrific electric storms all the way. Sparks on west wind. Screen looked just like a fireplace. f/s Goodlet NZ is our navigator henceforth.
Fri 12th - Air testing Wellingtons for Ops.
Sat 13th Ops to Orieto, Italy. Really good op. Target properly pranged. Crew cooperation and spirit improved 100% since Goodlet is our navigator. Waether very heavy. Had my helmet, gauntlets returned. recovered when station thief was shot and his house searched.
Tues 16th. Ops to Elba Island. Very happy landed at San Giovanni on return and was given a meal of doughnuts and maple syrup by yanks.
May 22. Ops to Valmontone, Italy. Bad weather with electrical storm that lit up the kite and flashed all around teh windscreen.
May 25 - Returned with Kite from Aindendola. Ops to Niterbo, Italy. Good bombing on transport of Jerries.
Tues 30 - Ops to Subiaco, Italy. Sgt McSweeney came along as an extra gunner as he wanted to see what the town looked like as he came from Subiaco, Western Australia.
Sun 4 June - Sgt McSweeney was lost on ops this week, together with Rod Hughes and crew.
Thur - 8th June- Ops to Nis Marshelling Yards, Yugoslavia. On bombing run we dropped bombs in formation. Really good prang
Sat 10th - Ops to Brad Oil refinery in Yugoslavia. Target really pranged and set on fire.
Mon 12th - Ops to Almasfuzito oil refinery. These oil plants certainly go sky high when they get hit as this was. Intercom trouble made us 30 mins late on take off but made target on time.
Weds 14th - Was stopped on runway by engineering officer when one tyre was damaged taxiying out due to inner walls going out.
Thurs 15th - Bathing at Mandfredonia - 236imig cove ! Beautiful day spoiled by the absence of Cecelia. Had a party at group's new mess on way home.
Fri 16th. Ops to Elba Island. Porto Longone. Bombing as a prelude to invasion. On way home flew over Rome Vatican. Ingris Battle area, Casino, Subiaco and Liria Valley in Broad Daylight. Landed at 7.30am.
Sat 17th. Bathing at Manfredonia. Had a real holiday. 40 Squadron ****** tonight. Must have been the invasion of Elba Island.
30th June 1944 - Shufti
-------------------------
On the 30th June 1944 My dad was shot down by an ME109 whilst bombing Ploesti. His good friend, Spud Murphy died. Tony Duff and and f/o Goodlet were all taken prisoner of war, to a camp near Bucharest. My father was taken by the Romanian airforce to identify his rear gunners body and his funeral. On seeing the large graveyard, he commented to the Romanian Airforce liaison officer that it was a shame to see so many fine airmen in the graveyard. The Romanian officer asked if he'd like to pay his respects to the fallen Romanian pilots. He was shocked to see that the Romanian cemetary was four times the size of the Allied cemetary. He was then given dinner and a drink and was returned to the POW camp.
On this remembrance Sunday, let us pause to think about all of those, on all sides who lost their lives. Lets all try and make the world a place worthy of their sacrifice.
We do it to remember and give thanks for the millions who paid the ultimate price and gave the greatest sacrifice they could for our right to live our lives in peace and freedom. Had they not been prepared to give that sacrifice, even something as simple as my blog may be considered subversive and I'd be off to a death camp somewhere. That is why it is important that boys and girls up and down the country follow the fine example of the players of Watling Club and Ruislip Town Under 9 teams this morning and take a minute in a busy year for stillness, silence and Contemplation.
Remembrance Sunday has always meant something to me. My Grandfather was involved in fighting in the First World war and died an untimely death aged 66 as a result of gas damage to his lungs. In 1939, my Dad was working for the Charters Towers Electricity Board in Queensland Australia. His main interest in life was playing Cricket and he was a superb fast Bowler. He had ambitions of playing for the state Team and maybe even Australia. Unfortunately for him, in Germany, the Fuhrer Adolf Hitler had other ideas. He had a new vision for the world, it was a world under German rule. A master race of UberMensch would dominate and races considered inferior would be subjugated or exterminated. Eugenics was government policy, whereby anyone of disability was murdered by the state. The noble art of medicine was twisted into forming part of a state system of genocide. The first part of his plan had already been successfully achieved. he had created a greater Germany, annexing Austria and Czechoslovakia. He had assured British Prime Minister Chamberlaine that this was the extent of his ambitions. On the 1st of September 1939 we all found out what the Fuhrer's promise was worth. His Stormtroopers attacked Poland. On the 3rd of September 1940, after the Germans failed to withdraw, Great Britain, a country in a state of total unreadyness, declared war on Germany. Germany formed an alliance with Italy and Japan and several other countries such as Romania to form the Axis. At that moment, my Dad's ambitions of being a professional Cricketer died. He joined the Austrailian Army, transferred to the Empire Flying Scheme, learned to fly and by 1944 found himself a Flight Lieutenant in 40 Squadron, flying Wellington Bombers.
Let me share a few entries from his diary with you (and a little bit of commentary from me) with you. We forget how tough a job this was. The Wellington was obsolete by 1944, but was still widely used, mainly as a night bomber.
On the 1st January, he was on leave in London, but all of this soon changed.
Sun 9th Jan 1944. Came to Rabat/Sale 10.30 hours. Starboard engine conked out 100 miles out from Portugal but cam on again when in sight of Land and operated OK for rest of Journey.
Tues 11th Jan. Rabat - Enjoyed Sunshine, reminds me of Aussie
Fri 14th Jan - Maison Blanche, Algiers. Just a Dump
Sun 16th Jan - Came to Foggia (airbase in Southern Italy) gave up DF542 entered 40 Squadron (he drew a little picture of the badge & the Moto Nostem a Coelo Expellere).
Note : Foggia was a major Airbase for the RAF and US army airforce. My father's squadron were billeted in Tents and received a hard living allowance).
Mon 17th - Enjoying the liberty of squadron life
Tues 18th - First Op on No 40 Squadron. Transport Senegalia Railway (italy).
Thurs 20th - 2nd Op Plombino Railway - West Coast Italy
Fri 21st - Briefed and scrambled - hada party instead. Vino - Oh -h-huh
Sun 23rd - 3rd Op Marilian P/C works Yugoslavia. 1000 mile round trip. Weather very poor. being very heavy
Mon 24th - Breifed and scrambled. Had a quiet night. How I'd love to be back in England.
Weds 26th - air Tested "DF689" Wellington IV
Thurs 27th - Briefed and scrambled. Given V as my permanent aircraft. 'V is an aircraft' Low level it is OK but above 8000 ft it just won't
Fri 28th - Bombed Verona. Al (Bomb aimer)collapsed after delivering flashes.
Sat 29th - Had a party at 104 Squadron. Merry - Not Arf. Had a door thrown at me
Sun 30th - Snowed today. very cold
Tues 1st Feb. Bombed Maribou Yugoslavia. Aircraft hit by 6 bursts. Limped happily home with part of windscreen blown away, petrol tanks holed 2n'd airplane nearly lost
Sat 5th. Played cards today. Poker leaders choice. Won 1250 lira
Mon 7th Bombed Padria Italy 9X500HE. Bombs fell right on Marshalling yards full of trucks (target). Jimmy Keily and crew missing. Arrived back at 06.00 slept all day
Wed 9th - Went to Barletta. enjoyning wine tasting almost as much as we bought. Blagged our way through the door. Soaked on the way back
Thurs 10th - Innoculations for Typhus today. testing aircraft
Sun 13th - did two trips to Anzio - dropped 36 X 250lb HE bombs. Had bad weather freezing -29C Spud (rear gunner) had almost to be chiselled out of his box. Hope 36 X 250lb bombs did good work on the Jerries.
Thur 17th - Flying Kit stolen. 1 Blue Kit bag. 1 Leather helmet, 1 pr Gauntlets, 1 Suit, 1 pr shoes, 1 pr Sunglasses, 1 pr sick gloves. Bombed San Stefano. Had trouble all the way with 'B' but made grade OK. Brought back a perfect photo of Target.
Fri 18th - Went to flight and told 1-B had been repaired. Ken Lyon was blown up on take off in 'B' - the kite I had the previous night.
Sat 19th - My sweethearts birthday. I wish I was with her tonight and every night.
Sun 20th - Attended the court of enquiry on crash of 'B'. I gave evidence as pilot the previous night and the trouble I had.
Thurs 24th - Longest Trip to date. Bombed Steya, Austria 1200 miles. Flew over Berchdescarden. If I had only remembered I might have been tempted to give it one for the road!
Mon 29th - Mum's Birthday
March 3rd - 13th trip tonight. Zara Yugoslavia - really pranged it - had bad weather all the way, heavy using base base conditions. 10/10 closed from 900ft to 13000 ft. nuff said
March 4th - Took s/c Avent and Naples today. Flew around Vesuvius, good trip but bags of clouds. Air testing 'T' for Tommy. Hass cookie Disappear
March 7th - Air testing 'X' for X-Ray. Aircraft OK. To get away from some Fortresses (US air Foce), I opened up full throttle and did 265 mph slow and level.
March 17th - St Patricks day. Couldn't find anything green to wear , but many of the boys faces were that colour from the effects of vino drunk at our party last night
March 18th - Al's (bomb aimer) birthday today. he winged a bit about flying on it but weather was in his favour and he didn't have to go so had a party instead.
March 19th - Ops in 'Q' for Queen. Bombed Philipopolis (plodiv) 1250 miles round trip. Had a farly easy time apart from the usual clapped out weather.
Weds 22nd - Vesuvius has made itself felt. Clouds of Ash and Cinders fell all day. One couldn't go outside without getting eyefulls and cloths immediately soiled.
Thurs 23rd - Had a party with the boys of SAAF, NZ, Yanks RAF, RAAF, Newf, Polish, French airforce and infantry units about. Rather Noisy but very merry.
Sat 25th - Went to Positano this evening. Had dinner then did a pub crawl round the village. The town is built on the side of a cliff.
Sun 6th - Had tonight at 5th Army camp - drinking Sarti Cognac and Vesuvius special -champagne and cherry brandy in equal proportions. Really good
Mon 27th - Went to Pompeii. Saw the Cathedral which is most amazing and grand sight I have seen. Then visited the ancient city which has been excavated out of the pumice and dust of 600bc.
Tues 28th. Returned (from leave) to Foggia Today. Bumped in the back of a 3 ton Lorry for 120 miles. Shakes you. Had 6 letteres from Cecilia waiting. Worth the shaking.
Fri 31st - Briefed for ops and scrambled ditto last night. It's getting me down. If this keeps up I'll never get finished.
Sat 1st April. "Q" for Queen. Ops to Varese North Italy A/C factory. 1050 miles. Good trip for my Birthday. Got back to our mess by 5.30 am and to bed by 6am. Brought back a good target photo.
Mon 3rd April - Ops in 'Q' for Queen. Ops to Budapest - 1100 miles. Really pranged the Hun. The best show of Tracer hosepiping one could wish for. the whole target area seemed to be glowing red until we were shut off by the haze. F/sgt Redder Ditched on way home after being hit by a/a fire.
Weds 5th - Listening to Tommy Trinder on BBC. Describing here he said that there was hardly a building standing - and some more lines.
Sun 9th - Went to mass. The Bishop of Foggia celebrated it - Sermon given by American Padre. Tony, Max Hendry and I went.
Mon 10th - Ops in 'Q' Queen. San Stefans - Italy. Boy did we get hell kicked out of us with ack-ack. Spud (rear gunner) said he almost had kittens. Aircraft hit by several bursts but was brought home Ok.
Weds 12th - Ops in 'Q' Queen. Budapest Hungary. Fairly Hot. Coned in searchlights twice but dropped bombs on target. Encountered ME109 on way home but we got away OK.
Fri 14t - San Stefano Ack-ack not as hot as previously but backed up with 3 searchlights.
Sun 16th - San Stefano San Stefano - Italy, ack-ack not very accurate. I think their best gunner must have gone on leave. Trip done in 'R' for Roger.
Mon 17th - My poor old aircraft 'Q' for Queen was destroyed by fire tonight. Managed to get a few instruments and dials for momento.
Tues 18th - Big party tonight - rowdy.
Weds 19th - Got a leter from Cecilia asking if I was in Budapest on 12th - Was I !!!
Sun 23rd. Find our entertainment officer is so tired of planning updates of parties - has placed up a notice "party each evening".
Sat 29th - Ops to Leghorn. I dropped a 4,000lb HE bomb on the power station at Leghorn, Italy. Boy there was a flash and an explosion that shook the kite at 8,000 ft.
Mon 1st May. Ops to Spezia. 4,000lb Bomb dropped on power Croatia,. Good Photo taken of it.
Fri 5th May. Ops to Campina Rumania, Oil refinery hit. Fuel Oil exploded to Height of 4,000ft with clouds of flames. This place was really wrecked. Later intelligence reports as above.
Sat 6th. Moved under canvas. Tony (wireless operator), Spud and I share a tent. We have some wooden blinds for mats and a chiffonaise for furniture.
Mon 8th - Willy Wilham and w/o Bradshaw didn't return tonight. Bradshaw was on his last op to finish his tour (an op was 40 missions).
Mon 9th - Johnny Huggler lost on ops on his last trip of second tour.
Weds 10th - Swimming at Manfredonia beach. Enjoyable evening
Thurs 11th - Ops to Budapest, Hungary. Terrific electric storms all the way. Sparks on west wind. Screen looked just like a fireplace. f/s Goodlet NZ is our navigator henceforth.
Fri 12th - Air testing Wellingtons for Ops.
Sat 13th Ops to Orieto, Italy. Really good op. Target properly pranged. Crew cooperation and spirit improved 100% since Goodlet is our navigator. Waether very heavy. Had my helmet, gauntlets returned. recovered when station thief was shot and his house searched.
Tues 16th. Ops to Elba Island. Very happy landed at San Giovanni on return and was given a meal of doughnuts and maple syrup by yanks.
May 22. Ops to Valmontone, Italy. Bad weather with electrical storm that lit up the kite and flashed all around teh windscreen.
May 25 - Returned with Kite from Aindendola. Ops to Niterbo, Italy. Good bombing on transport of Jerries.
Tues 30 - Ops to Subiaco, Italy. Sgt McSweeney came along as an extra gunner as he wanted to see what the town looked like as he came from Subiaco, Western Australia.
Sun 4 June - Sgt McSweeney was lost on ops this week, together with Rod Hughes and crew.
Thur - 8th June- Ops to Nis Marshelling Yards, Yugoslavia. On bombing run we dropped bombs in formation. Really good prang
Sat 10th - Ops to Brad Oil refinery in Yugoslavia. Target really pranged and set on fire.
Mon 12th - Ops to Almasfuzito oil refinery. These oil plants certainly go sky high when they get hit as this was. Intercom trouble made us 30 mins late on take off but made target on time.
Weds 14th - Was stopped on runway by engineering officer when one tyre was damaged taxiying out due to inner walls going out.
Thurs 15th - Bathing at Mandfredonia - 236imig cove ! Beautiful day spoiled by the absence of Cecelia. Had a party at group's new mess on way home.
Fri 16th. Ops to Elba Island. Porto Longone. Bombing as a prelude to invasion. On way home flew over Rome Vatican. Ingris Battle area, Casino, Subiaco and Liria Valley in Broad Daylight. Landed at 7.30am.
Sat 17th. Bathing at Manfredonia. Had a real holiday. 40 Squadron ****** tonight. Must have been the invasion of Elba Island.
30th June 1944 - Shufti
-------------------------
On the 30th June 1944 My dad was shot down by an ME109 whilst bombing Ploesti. His good friend, Spud Murphy died. Tony Duff and and f/o Goodlet were all taken prisoner of war, to a camp near Bucharest. My father was taken by the Romanian airforce to identify his rear gunners body and his funeral. On seeing the large graveyard, he commented to the Romanian Airforce liaison officer that it was a shame to see so many fine airmen in the graveyard. The Romanian officer asked if he'd like to pay his respects to the fallen Romanian pilots. He was shocked to see that the Romanian cemetary was four times the size of the Allied cemetary. He was then given dinner and a drink and was returned to the POW camp.
On this remembrance Sunday, let us pause to think about all of those, on all sides who lost their lives. Lets all try and make the world a place worthy of their sacrifice.
Friday, 7 November 2008
Carry on up the Council - Barnet Council remakes a classic
Stop Press. Following the fantastic success of Barnet's YouTube initiative, they have decided to make their very own full length feature film. As proven masters of Slapstick Humour, they are using our very own loved and cherished Councillors to play the part of your favourites. The likeness is uncanny !!! In a bold innovating move, they've even decided to use real council meetings and events instead of using studios and actors. Barnet leads the world. Councillor Michael Whitney Freer - I salute you !!!!
Unlike us humourless Trotskyite Labourista's, the Tories show they really have a great sense of humour. There are some fantastic special effects too. Be stunned as £27.4 Million pounds disappears before your eyes !!!!! Chortle as Council Leader Kenneth Williams puts poor old Alison Moore in her place. Guffaw as Ex Mayor Hattie Jacques tells Deputy Council Leader Jim Dale that what he needs is some Backbone !!!!! Snigger as Mayor Hawtree tells ex mayor Hattie Jacques that "If she's not being called stupid, she's not doing her job". And best of all, just follow licensing commitee chairman, Councillor Sid James eye's every time Councillor's Barbara Windsor and Fenella Feilding walk across the council chamre floor.
And if any of them ever get thirsty, there's always Councillor Bernard Cribbins to get the teas.
Oh come on guys, it's the weekend, have some fun and lighten up !!!!
Unlike us humourless Trotskyite Labourista's, the Tories show they really have a great sense of humour. There are some fantastic special effects too. Be stunned as £27.4 Million pounds disappears before your eyes !!!!! Chortle as Council Leader Kenneth Williams puts poor old Alison Moore in her place. Guffaw as Ex Mayor Hattie Jacques tells Deputy Council Leader Jim Dale that what he needs is some Backbone !!!!! Snigger as Mayor Hawtree tells ex mayor Hattie Jacques that "If she's not being called stupid, she's not doing her job". And best of all, just follow licensing commitee chairman, Councillor Sid James eye's every time Councillor's Barbara Windsor and Fenella Feilding walk across the council chamre floor.
And if any of them ever get thirsty, there's always Councillor Bernard Cribbins to get the teas.
Oh come on guys, it's the weekend, have some fun and lighten up !!!!
Thursday, 6 November 2008
Those who can stand for election, those who can't blog !!!!!!
So says my very favourite Councillor Brian Coleman. He's not alone though, Hazel Blears agrees with him. She says "Political blogs are fueling a culture of cynicism about politics" in an article on the BBC website - click HERE to see it.
So can I or can't I??? Is Brian Coleman correct in his assertion that "There are too many people out there who have no life except sitting in front of their computer". Given the way various Tory councillors were pointing at me at the Council meeting on Tuesday evening, I guess Brian and his cronies think I'm one of the Billy No Mates brigade, sitting alone with my blog, hour after hour, night after night, only trekking down to Marks and Spencers for my meals for 1. Strangely enough, the opposite is true and I really struggle to make time to write this. Along with running one of London's most successful independant studios (2 Brit award winners started with us in the last 5 years), running a punk rock band, organising music festivals (which Brian Coleman has been known to frequent) and charity gigs, playing football once or twice a week, running around after 3 children, cooking gastranomic feasts for my beautiful wife and drinking far too much, I somehow make time to fit this in.
Am I cynical as Blears states, no I'm generally pretty optimistic, although I must say that our current council has seriously pushed me. Unlike Blears and Coleman, I think that political blogs are part of a wider debate. If you don't like a blog don't read it, but I find it quite incredible that figures on both the Left and Right seem to dislike debate. Maybe they just dislike the unwashed masses criticising them and threatening their nice big fat juicy allowances.
As to Coleman's charge that we are "blessed with that most annoying of gifts - hindsight". Sure there is plenty of discussion of what has happened in the past, but there are plenty of cases of Barnet Bloggers setting the agenda and driving council policy and actions. David Miller's Barnet Council Watch blog was the first source of news to discuss the "Barnet Nazi video clip". Some days later Mike Freer trumpeted his "Swift action" to have this removed. It wasn't 20-20 hindsight that took both myself and David Miller to the council meeting and lead to us expressing our disgust at a Tory Councillor likening the Lib Dem's to The BNP for having the audacity to criticise the council's investments Iceland. If we hadn't reported this, it would probably have passed completely unnoticed.
It is interesting that Brian Coleman calls Twitter "a site for Twits". Well he is a cabinet member of Barnet Council and they have their own Twitter website - click HERE to visit it. Does he actually talk to his colleagues. He says "one facet of the world wide web is the desire of politicians to appear hip and trendy and have their own blog". Could he possibly be having a swipe at his boss, the Council Leader who recently had one set up at the cost of £400 to the taxpayer - Have a look at this fascinating site HERE.
Brian Coleman says "I have my doubts as to how many constituents want to know what their MP had for breakfast, of for that matter who with". Then he gives the game away by saying "I regularly glance at the blog of a North London Liberal Democrat MP ...". If it was as boring as Coleman claims surely a visit or two would be quiet enough. He reminds me of an old TV comedy sketch where an old lady accidently gets a porn video from the rental shop. "It was awful, awful, I had to watch it five times just to make sure how awful it was".
Which brings us quite nicely around to the subject of Mr Coleman's double standards. He doesn't like my blog, fair enough, that's his issue, but it isn't financed by prostitution. He has a Column in the Edgware and Mill Hill Press. It's on page 9 this week. On page 52 there is an advert in column 1 at the top announcing "High class service where fantasies come true, latest escorts online - Hotel visits to Home Visits" amongst other things with a rather appealing picture of a rather lovely looking lady. On the same page is an advert taking 1/3rd of the page from Barnet Council advertising planning applications. There is another one of 1/8th of a page advertising traffic enforcement. The council spent nearly £80,000 in The Press last year (compared with approx £30,000 in the Times group which recently banned adverts for sex). At Tuesday's Council meeting, Coleman was asked if he intended to ask the paper he appears in if it would ban adverts for sex. His answer "No". I would have thought the council would have a positive policy of avoiding papers which promote such services. I am alarmed to find the opposite is true.
There is a page and a bit of full colour adverts in The Press advertising a whole range of sexual services, all shapes and tastes catered for. Many of these brothels will be using girls who have been brought to the UK under false pretences to work in the sex industry and are held as virtual slaves. These girls pay for the paper on which Councillor Coleman's column is printed, in many ways, none of them very nice.
I would suggest Brian Coleman takes a long hard look at what he stands for before he starts criticising anyone else. Oh yes and let me put a lovely image in the mind of anyone choosing to use these sexula services advertising in his paper. The next time a young girl is pleasuring you, just remember you are ultimately paying for Brian Coleman's smiling face to appear on page 9 of the Barnet Press.
So can I or can't I??? Is Brian Coleman correct in his assertion that "There are too many people out there who have no life except sitting in front of their computer". Given the way various Tory councillors were pointing at me at the Council meeting on Tuesday evening, I guess Brian and his cronies think I'm one of the Billy No Mates brigade, sitting alone with my blog, hour after hour, night after night, only trekking down to Marks and Spencers for my meals for 1. Strangely enough, the opposite is true and I really struggle to make time to write this. Along with running one of London's most successful independant studios (2 Brit award winners started with us in the last 5 years), running a punk rock band, organising music festivals (which Brian Coleman has been known to frequent) and charity gigs, playing football once or twice a week, running around after 3 children, cooking gastranomic feasts for my beautiful wife and drinking far too much, I somehow make time to fit this in.
Am I cynical as Blears states, no I'm generally pretty optimistic, although I must say that our current council has seriously pushed me. Unlike Blears and Coleman, I think that political blogs are part of a wider debate. If you don't like a blog don't read it, but I find it quite incredible that figures on both the Left and Right seem to dislike debate. Maybe they just dislike the unwashed masses criticising them and threatening their nice big fat juicy allowances.
As to Coleman's charge that we are "blessed with that most annoying of gifts - hindsight". Sure there is plenty of discussion of what has happened in the past, but there are plenty of cases of Barnet Bloggers setting the agenda and driving council policy and actions. David Miller's Barnet Council Watch blog was the first source of news to discuss the "Barnet Nazi video clip". Some days later Mike Freer trumpeted his "Swift action" to have this removed. It wasn't 20-20 hindsight that took both myself and David Miller to the council meeting and lead to us expressing our disgust at a Tory Councillor likening the Lib Dem's to The BNP for having the audacity to criticise the council's investments Iceland. If we hadn't reported this, it would probably have passed completely unnoticed.
It is interesting that Brian Coleman calls Twitter "a site for Twits". Well he is a cabinet member of Barnet Council and they have their own Twitter website - click HERE to visit it. Does he actually talk to his colleagues. He says "one facet of the world wide web is the desire of politicians to appear hip and trendy and have their own blog". Could he possibly be having a swipe at his boss, the Council Leader who recently had one set up at the cost of £400 to the taxpayer - Have a look at this fascinating site HERE.
Brian Coleman says "I have my doubts as to how many constituents want to know what their MP had for breakfast, of for that matter who with". Then he gives the game away by saying "I regularly glance at the blog of a North London Liberal Democrat MP ...". If it was as boring as Coleman claims surely a visit or two would be quiet enough. He reminds me of an old TV comedy sketch where an old lady accidently gets a porn video from the rental shop. "It was awful, awful, I had to watch it five times just to make sure how awful it was".
Which brings us quite nicely around to the subject of Mr Coleman's double standards. He doesn't like my blog, fair enough, that's his issue, but it isn't financed by prostitution. He has a Column in the Edgware and Mill Hill Press. It's on page 9 this week. On page 52 there is an advert in column 1 at the top announcing "High class service where fantasies come true, latest escorts online - Hotel visits to Home Visits" amongst other things with a rather appealing picture of a rather lovely looking lady. On the same page is an advert taking 1/3rd of the page from Barnet Council advertising planning applications. There is another one of 1/8th of a page advertising traffic enforcement. The council spent nearly £80,000 in The Press last year (compared with approx £30,000 in the Times group which recently banned adverts for sex). At Tuesday's Council meeting, Coleman was asked if he intended to ask the paper he appears in if it would ban adverts for sex. His answer "No". I would have thought the council would have a positive policy of avoiding papers which promote such services. I am alarmed to find the opposite is true.
There is a page and a bit of full colour adverts in The Press advertising a whole range of sexual services, all shapes and tastes catered for. Many of these brothels will be using girls who have been brought to the UK under false pretences to work in the sex industry and are held as virtual slaves. These girls pay for the paper on which Councillor Coleman's column is printed, in many ways, none of them very nice.
I would suggest Brian Coleman takes a long hard look at what he stands for before he starts criticising anyone else. Oh yes and let me put a lovely image in the mind of anyone choosing to use these sexula services advertising in his paper. The next time a young girl is pleasuring you, just remember you are ultimately paying for Brian Coleman's smiling face to appear on page 9 of the Barnet Press.
Wednesday, 5 November 2008
Official Barnet Tory Policy - "If we're not being called stupid, we're not doing our job"
Yes, that is a quote from the Mayor of Barnet, the extremely honourable Councillor John Marshall at last nights Council meeting. At least the bit in quotation marks is. To be completely honest with you though, I've not given the context and it was actually a quite humorous quip.
So why would Councillor Marshall say such a thing? Well as the saying goes, you had to be there. It was actually a rather witty put down to his predecessor, Councillor Maureen Braun. Councillor Braun had submitted a motion regarding the RIPA regulations. This is a piece of legislation which allows the council to covertly video your dog pooing on the street, seemingly using anti terrorist regulations. Councillor Braun seems to think that we've gone back 24 years to 1984. She thinks "Big Brother" (in the Orwellian sense) is taking over. She is concerned that the council has the right to count the number of baked bean tins in your dustbin and video you placing your wheelie bin on the road. She is worried that a big DNA database is being used for malicious purposes.
If I'd lived in an ivory tower for the last 26 years, I'd probably agree with her. Yes, it isn't great that CCTV footage can be used to make you clean up Rover's Doo Doo. Then again stepping in the poo of lazy dog owners isn't great either. The point at which I decided Councillor Braun was talking rubbish was when she started ranting about the DNA database. Why did this bother me? Well 26 years ago I started my first really serious relationship. The girl I was going out with had been violently raped 18 months before our relationship started by a stranger. The perpetrator was never caught. Over the course of our relationship, it became clear to me that this horrible crime had caused lasting psychological damage.
Now I haven't spoken to her for 25 years, but I sincerely hope that the ******* who committed the crime has been caught. I hope he has been brought to justice and if this is by DNA evidence, then all the better. All of the fine words in the world do not change the fact that DNA evidence is the best possible way of bringing some extremely evil people to justice.
So why did Councillor Marshall make the quip? After Councillor Braun's long and rather rambling speech, Labour's Alan Schneiderman stood up and said she was rather stupid for making such a speech. From my vantage point, at least half of the assembled Tories nodded in a rather embarrassed manner (hoping no one saw, no doubt). Councillor Braun was rather unhappy. She demanded that the Mayor (Councillor Marshall) insist Schneiderman apologise for calling her stupid. The Mayor, rather sensibly, diffused her rage by stating that "If councillors weren't being called stupid, they weren't doing their job".
Well, having set the standard, many of the honourable Mayor's Tory colleagues, showed that they certainly were doing their jobs. Perhaps the most stupid comment of the night was that the LibDems were like the BNP, as they thought people were upset at the council losing £27.4 Million in Icelandic banks. I don't know how much the rather drippy looking Tory councillor who made the comment knows about the BNP and the history of extreme right wing politics in Europe in the last 100 years, but he managed to even make Councillor Braun roll her eye's and perform an olympic standard entry for the world gurning championship. I actually felt sorry for the Tories for a second, what do you do when one of your comrades has just entered the winning ticket in the plonker of the year award?
Not that any of them will ever tell me, but I hope they took the young man to a nice quiet area and explained to him what a fool he's made of himself. Yes, I do know his name, former Tory Councillor Hope told me. I'd just rather like them to put him straight privately to spare his comrades further embarrassment in future.
Councillor Marshall is right in his plea that Councillors need to be called names occasionally in a healthy democracy. I'm sure he'd agree with me that being called stupid is one thing, being a fool is quite something else.
So why would Councillor Marshall say such a thing? Well as the saying goes, you had to be there. It was actually a rather witty put down to his predecessor, Councillor Maureen Braun. Councillor Braun had submitted a motion regarding the RIPA regulations. This is a piece of legislation which allows the council to covertly video your dog pooing on the street, seemingly using anti terrorist regulations. Councillor Braun seems to think that we've gone back 24 years to 1984. She thinks "Big Brother" (in the Orwellian sense) is taking over. She is concerned that the council has the right to count the number of baked bean tins in your dustbin and video you placing your wheelie bin on the road. She is worried that a big DNA database is being used for malicious purposes.
If I'd lived in an ivory tower for the last 26 years, I'd probably agree with her. Yes, it isn't great that CCTV footage can be used to make you clean up Rover's Doo Doo. Then again stepping in the poo of lazy dog owners isn't great either. The point at which I decided Councillor Braun was talking rubbish was when she started ranting about the DNA database. Why did this bother me? Well 26 years ago I started my first really serious relationship. The girl I was going out with had been violently raped 18 months before our relationship started by a stranger. The perpetrator was never caught. Over the course of our relationship, it became clear to me that this horrible crime had caused lasting psychological damage.
Now I haven't spoken to her for 25 years, but I sincerely hope that the ******* who committed the crime has been caught. I hope he has been brought to justice and if this is by DNA evidence, then all the better. All of the fine words in the world do not change the fact that DNA evidence is the best possible way of bringing some extremely evil people to justice.
So why did Councillor Marshall make the quip? After Councillor Braun's long and rather rambling speech, Labour's Alan Schneiderman stood up and said she was rather stupid for making such a speech. From my vantage point, at least half of the assembled Tories nodded in a rather embarrassed manner (hoping no one saw, no doubt). Councillor Braun was rather unhappy. She demanded that the Mayor (Councillor Marshall) insist Schneiderman apologise for calling her stupid. The Mayor, rather sensibly, diffused her rage by stating that "If councillors weren't being called stupid, they weren't doing their job".
Well, having set the standard, many of the honourable Mayor's Tory colleagues, showed that they certainly were doing their jobs. Perhaps the most stupid comment of the night was that the LibDems were like the BNP, as they thought people were upset at the council losing £27.4 Million in Icelandic banks. I don't know how much the rather drippy looking Tory councillor who made the comment knows about the BNP and the history of extreme right wing politics in Europe in the last 100 years, but he managed to even make Councillor Braun roll her eye's and perform an olympic standard entry for the world gurning championship. I actually felt sorry for the Tories for a second, what do you do when one of your comrades has just entered the winning ticket in the plonker of the year award?
Not that any of them will ever tell me, but I hope they took the young man to a nice quiet area and explained to him what a fool he's made of himself. Yes, I do know his name, former Tory Councillor Hope told me. I'd just rather like them to put him straight privately to spare his comrades further embarrassment in future.
Councillor Marshall is right in his plea that Councillors need to be called names occasionally in a healthy democracy. I'm sure he'd agree with me that being called stupid is one thing, being a fool is quite something else.
Tuesday, 4 November 2008
Shake, Rattle and Roll - The Councillor Mike Freer Show
I thought I'd nip down to Whetstone to watch the emergency debate about the Council's missing (not lost) £27.4 million and the full general council meeting. Now I'll give a full report on the ins and outs of the meeting tomorrow, tonight I'll just give you a flavour of what you missed. It is always interesting to go to these meetings to see our chosen leaders in action. I sat down next to a nice lady from Unison who had come to take notes on the debate on the future direction of the council. It is always pleasant to have someone like minded for a bit of moral support in the face of the torrent of blather which we were about to be subjected to. Councillor Wayne Casey stood up to present the case for the Lib Dems. His case was that the council lost £27.4 million quid and it is Mike Freer's fault as he's in charge. Councillor Casey is pretty competent on the chambre floor. He made his points pretty well. About half way through his speech, the nice lady from Unison said "Look at Freer's leg!" Poor Mike was clearly nervous and his leg had developed a mind of it's own. Shaking does not do it justice, imagine Buddy Rich's leg during a bass drum solo. Strangely enough the other leg was completely still. I noticed Councillor Matthew Offord's body language, sitting next to Freer. He was leaning so far away from Freer, that he was nearly nestling in Councillor Braun's bosom. He looked momentarily as if he was seeking motherly comfort. All too soon Councillor Casey was over. It was Mike Freer's big moment.
As he stood up he was clear he was angry. How dare those pesky LibDem's have the audacity to ask such impertinent questions. Watching Mike Freer ranting away reminded me of Blakey in on the Buses. He had the power, he knew he'd win the debate as he had the bus company (sorry the majority) on his side, but Butler (sorry Casey) had made a monkey of him. The Tories made appropriate noises at the right moments and all managed to put their hand up at the same time to ensure the vote was carried.
Later during the meeting, as I recall as Councillor Moore was speaking, Mike Freer suddenly got up and frantically started fiddling with the venetian blind behind him. For a horrible second I thought we'd all gotten to him. I said to the nice lady from UNISON - "He's going to jump". His jerky movement's, each limb seemingly divorcing itself from the central control of the brain. Then he stopped. It was as if his brain was resetting itself. He sat down and suddenly seemed back on his brief. It seemed that order of the day was evade the question. I must hand it to Mike. He does this well. It seems that in the Barnet Tory councillors there are three ways to answer the question. Mike Freer just answers the question he'd like to have been asked. To give a potted example - Monroe Palmer asks "Will you take responsibility for losing £27.4 Million in the Icelandic Banks" Mike replies "I'll happily take responsibility for doing a marvellous job in restoring the council finances so we can do lots of marvellous things" (yes I know I'm not Hansard, but you get the drift). Then there's Brian Coleman. I quite like the fact he can't even be bothered to pretend to be bothered - example: Brian Salinger asked "Will you be asking the Barnet Press to ban adverts from Brothels" - Brian Coleman replied "No". Then there are the rest of the councillors, the finest example being Councillor Andrew Harper. He tries his best to give a proper answer and when he hasn't got the facts to hand promises to give a written answer to the questioner. Needless to say, of the three he's furthest down the food chain (and the allowance pot). I actually quite like Andrew Harper (I guess I shouldn't say that, as I'm probably the last endorsement he wants or needs). He just seems like a decent bloke, who wants to do a good job for Barnet and I can't argue with that.
Following the Q A& A session there were four motions debated. One of these was proposed by Deputy Council Leader Matthew Offord. This motion was one to say that it was great that Burnt Oak Library has had a makeover. Somehow Councillor Offord managed to turn this motion debate into a diatribe against the last 10 years of Labour Govenrment and how this had robbed people of opportunity. Now there was little old me thinking that you went to the Library to borrow a few books. Oh No, Barnet Library's have the power to transform workshy slobs into dynamic entrepreneurs, and turn Burnt Oak into the new Mayfair. Hugh
Rayner then added an amendment to say that all the ills of humanity are the fault of the Barnet Labour Councillors (or words to that effect). Labour stood up and said Rayner had ruined a perfectly good motion, so they had to oppose it. A vote was called and the Tories all put their hands up. So there you have it, Burnt Oak library is great and all the ills of the world are Alison Moore's fault.
People ask me why I don't stand as a Councillor. The reason is because every time I go to a meeting, I see a room full of people, most of whom are quite intellegent and who want to do a good job, wasting a perfectly good evening in pointless debate, evading reasonable questions, posturing and preening. My old freind Jane Ellison (former councillor) used to assure me that lots of good work was done behind the scenes in committee. The trouble is that from what I've seen (and this isn't just under Mike Freer and the Tories) the herd mentality rules. I can't believe that all 33 Tories were happy with what the council has done with Icelandic banks, but the arms say otherwise.
Until the day when independent and non aligned councillors hold the balance of power, I'm afraid things just won't change.
As he stood up he was clear he was angry. How dare those pesky LibDem's have the audacity to ask such impertinent questions. Watching Mike Freer ranting away reminded me of Blakey in on the Buses. He had the power, he knew he'd win the debate as he had the bus company (sorry the majority) on his side, but Butler (sorry Casey) had made a monkey of him. The Tories made appropriate noises at the right moments and all managed to put their hand up at the same time to ensure the vote was carried.
Later during the meeting, as I recall as Councillor Moore was speaking, Mike Freer suddenly got up and frantically started fiddling with the venetian blind behind him. For a horrible second I thought we'd all gotten to him. I said to the nice lady from UNISON - "He's going to jump". His jerky movement's, each limb seemingly divorcing itself from the central control of the brain. Then he stopped. It was as if his brain was resetting itself. He sat down and suddenly seemed back on his brief. It seemed that order of the day was evade the question. I must hand it to Mike. He does this well. It seems that in the Barnet Tory councillors there are three ways to answer the question. Mike Freer just answers the question he'd like to have been asked. To give a potted example - Monroe Palmer asks "Will you take responsibility for losing £27.4 Million in the Icelandic Banks" Mike replies "I'll happily take responsibility for doing a marvellous job in restoring the council finances so we can do lots of marvellous things" (yes I know I'm not Hansard, but you get the drift). Then there's Brian Coleman. I quite like the fact he can't even be bothered to pretend to be bothered - example: Brian Salinger asked "Will you be asking the Barnet Press to ban adverts from Brothels" - Brian Coleman replied "No". Then there are the rest of the councillors, the finest example being Councillor Andrew Harper. He tries his best to give a proper answer and when he hasn't got the facts to hand promises to give a written answer to the questioner. Needless to say, of the three he's furthest down the food chain (and the allowance pot). I actually quite like Andrew Harper (I guess I shouldn't say that, as I'm probably the last endorsement he wants or needs). He just seems like a decent bloke, who wants to do a good job for Barnet and I can't argue with that.
Following the Q A& A session there were four motions debated. One of these was proposed by Deputy Council Leader Matthew Offord. This motion was one to say that it was great that Burnt Oak Library has had a makeover. Somehow Councillor Offord managed to turn this motion debate into a diatribe against the last 10 years of Labour Govenrment and how this had robbed people of opportunity. Now there was little old me thinking that you went to the Library to borrow a few books. Oh No, Barnet Library's have the power to transform workshy slobs into dynamic entrepreneurs, and turn Burnt Oak into the new Mayfair. Hugh
Rayner then added an amendment to say that all the ills of humanity are the fault of the Barnet Labour Councillors (or words to that effect). Labour stood up and said Rayner had ruined a perfectly good motion, so they had to oppose it. A vote was called and the Tories all put their hands up. So there you have it, Burnt Oak library is great and all the ills of the world are Alison Moore's fault.
People ask me why I don't stand as a Councillor. The reason is because every time I go to a meeting, I see a room full of people, most of whom are quite intellegent and who want to do a good job, wasting a perfectly good evening in pointless debate, evading reasonable questions, posturing and preening. My old freind Jane Ellison (former councillor) used to assure me that lots of good work was done behind the scenes in committee. The trouble is that from what I've seen (and this isn't just under Mike Freer and the Tories) the herd mentality rules. I can't believe that all 33 Tories were happy with what the council has done with Icelandic banks, but the arms say otherwise.
Until the day when independent and non aligned councillors hold the balance of power, I'm afraid things just won't change.
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