Tuesday 25 November 2008

example of "Leader Listens" in action

I want my money back. Mike Freer, Leader of Barnet Council seems to have been caught wasting our money. We, the taxpayer, have paid £400 for a blog for him. We've paid for the council to set up leader listens meetings in Barnet. We've paid for these meetings to be video'd and put on you tube. If the council spends a load of cash on a program called Leader Listens and then he goes to a meeting and say's he's not listening, surely he should personally pay the money back and apologise.

If I buy a Steak and Kidney pie from Tesco's and when I get home find out that it is made from Pork, I can get a refund as I didn't buy a Pork pie. Similarly if Mike Freer spends a load of cash promoting a program to say he's listening, then he goes to his meeting and say's he isn't, that's a Pork pie we didn't want as well Surely we deserve a refund?

So what am I on about. Well on the "vickim57 (currently residing in Barnet)" blog I found the following quote (Click HERE for full story)

A Barnet resident attended Leader Listens in north Finchley. She was rather dismayed by the reaction she got from Leader of Barnet council Mike Freer when she asked why Barnet council weren't informing the public about their 'Future Shape' deliberations. He said (I'm paraphrasing): the residents of Barnet voted for councillors to act on their behalf, to make decisions, without any necessity to get the opinions of local residents. If local residents don't like councillors' decisions, we can vote them out at the end of four years.


Leader Listens? All rather sad. I want my money back.

6 comments:

Anonymous said...

Well if Freer said that, it is preposterous.

Firstly he wasn't elected as Leader, he and his pals stabbed Brian Salinger in the front moments after he delivered a tremendous electoral victory. No member of the public voted Conservative expected Freer to be Leader.

Secondly this wasn't in the 2006 Conservative election manifesto. Voters wouldn't have expected this and didn't vote for it. I'm all for private sector involvement to challenge this vast bureacracy but this isn't the way to do it.

Finally, for now, voters can't reverse this by 'chuck them out' as by that time it would be signed and sealed. The contracts would be set in stone.

Rog T said...

Dan,

Thanks for the comment. I saw what happened when honest Labour members said nothing about the state of the party 1979-83 and the shenanigans that were going on.

The Tory Party would be well advised to pay heed to your counsel on this issue. I'm a Labour supporter so I hope they don't (on a partisan basis) but you are quite right in your comments and the Tories would do well to pay some heed to them.

I wonder when we'll see the video of this comment?

Don't Call Me Dave said...

David Cameron has recognised the need for reform of local government to bring it closer to the people (whatever that means), so here is a radical proposal - which could apply to national government as well. If the ruling party wishes to introduce a policy that was not included in its manifesto, it must hold a referendum.

On a separate point, I see there is another political blogger in Barnet (vickim57). Beginning to loose count now! Is this a sign that democracy is alive and well in Barnet or are well all just fed up. It would be interesting to know how Barnet compares to other Boroughs. Brian Coleman always used to ignore his critics - now he responds to comments made by bloggers - proof positive that blogging works.

Unknown said...

"Firstly he wasn't elected as Leader, he and his pals stabbed Brian Salinger in the front moments after he delivered a tremendous electoral victory."

Oh Daniel please, it wasnt a stab in the back it was a vote of no confidence and if other councillors felt it was a coup they had their chance to say so, but didnt!

Don't Call Me Dave said...

To Do Call Me Dave. Please can you explain why it was necessary to have a vote of confidence in a leader who had just delivered victory with an increased majority? If the Conservatives had lost control - or won by a much reduced margin - then perhaps fair enough. This wasn’t an issue about confidence in the leader. This was about control and a lust for power and money.

Anonymous said...

"do call me dave" is up to her usual tricks..!

David Cameron is on record, on TV, asserting that a Leader who wins an election is entitled to loyalty. People, such as myself, who were horrified at the betrayal of Margaret Thatcher know that blood letting begets blood letting.

You all sat and plotted for months holding secret meetings and the legendary dinners against a man who was to deliver you a big majority. Whilst others were fighting for a Conservative victory you leaked to the press, stirred up discontent and salivated at the thought of the £10,000's you'd get your mitts on after your act of political violence. Unlike with Thatcher, this treachery had a evil stare on it's face, not a smile. Mike Freer played the role of Heseltine perfectly.

If you believe in 'judge a man by the company he keeps' you are in the proud company of Ken Livingstone and his mad lefties who did the exact same as you lot on the GLC.