Wednesday 19 November 2008

The Barnet Eye Weekly News Round up

All part of the service. Here's a few news items and stories which caught my eye this week.

One that caught my eye was a story detailing the appalling way that the NHS treat elderly patients. Click HERE. This is a national scandal and credit to the Express for an excellent story.

On the local scene the Times reports of another car crash, the fourth since Partingdale Lane reopened. Click HERE. I suppose that Brian Coleman will be back in the news blaming the residents for having the audacity to park outside there own homes or some such other nonsense.

In the Barnet Press we have a story detailing how the £27.4 million lost (sorry I mean mislaid) in Icelandic Banks is going to affect the Barnet Schools rebuilding program. This is possibly the first tangible effect of this monumental cock up. Click HERE

Probably the most important local campaign is the fight against the Future Shape of The Council. This remarkably stupid scheme plans to "outsource" all of the council provided services. Avid readers of this blog know how good our council are at drawing up contracts (Underhill), managing Contractors (Aerodrome Road) and Outsourcing (Meals on Wheels) so I'd suggest you come along to the mass lobby of the Council Meeting. Here's a link to a video of the TUC public meeting on the 11th. It is well worth watching. A fine explanation by Professor Dexter Whitfield of what is going on. This is probably the best explanation of the process I've heard. No matter what side of the political fence you sit on, this will really help you understand what is going on. Click HERE. There is a great report from the Times HERE.

One interesting thing on the Barnet Council website. The Mayor and Mike Freer staged a reception for leaders of the Muslim Community. Click HERE for details. It seems this follows on from a reception for Cypriots and Hindu's. Am I being stupid in thinking it would have been better to get all of the various groups together for a reception, rather than holding separate events. This way divisions could be discussed and solutions to problems found. I don't think that giving a few top dignitaries a sausage roll really serves any useful purpose, whatever their denomination.

Anyway I'm off to do my Brian Coleman impersonation. Yes I've been invited for a free dinner at AWANA, London's finest Malaysian Restaurant in Sloane Avenue, near South Kensington. Joyce and Eddie who run it are good friends and they are celebrating it's third Birthday. Click HERE to find out how London Eating rates it.

5 comments:

Unknown said...

Yes it is stupid to suggest all Faith Leaders attend one reception! Use your brain.

Anonymous said...

Re: do call me dave

Well we can tell that you are a fully paid up member of the hard left 1970s multi cultural Livingstone, Jasper, Jesse Jackson Rainbow Coalition / keep all the different groups at each other's throats mob.

What a shame that this dangerous policy suite, one of the few that actively encourages and promotes the BNP success, is still Barnet's approach.

How long do we think it will be before Barnet ceases looking at it's citizens as members of various tribes, calling the 'tribal leaders' in, now and again, to have them tell it what 'their people' think? When will it start looking at people as people with a colour / enthnicity blind approach, pulling people together rather than pushing them apart?

Go and read Barnet's policies on 'equality' and cringe... Trevor Philips would...

Rog T said...

"Do call me Dave",

As I'm such a Moron, please could you explain why "it is stupid to suggest all Faith Leaders attend one reception!"

It seems rather sensible to me, but hey I wasn't up at 1.26am this morning smoking crack, so I maybe have a different view.

carots said...

Er Rog, do you really think the Muslims and Hindus..(or anyone else for that matter :) ) would enjoy a sausage roll?

Rog T said...

Depends what sort of sausage it is. Sausages come in many forms !