Under the new scheme, mischieviously being sold as an imnprovement, the numbers of wardens will be cut by three quarters. The on-site wardens will be replaced by roving wardens. As these will have to travel the borough by car, this means that half their time on the job will be spent driving. At the cabinet meeting where this policy was passed, I asked if a "risk assessment" had been performed. The answer was yes. I asked how large this report was. Mike Freer replied "Um, half a page". This was actually a smaller assessment than the one for my boys football team playing at the park.
For all these reasons, Lynne Hillan, who is the cabinet member responsible for the change, surely deserves to have her personal and professional judgement heavily scrutinised. Don't Call Me Dave uncovered a major scandal concerning Lynne Hillan, at the time all of these decisions were being discussed. As this was such an important issue, which showed just how flawed Lynne Hillans judgement was, he contacted the Barnet Times. They planned to run the story, until Mike Freer personally intervened. Mike Freer ran the Barnet Times and said this "I ask you, as a personal favour to me, not to run this story". He went on to explain that Hillan was suffering from a life threatening illness and that such a story could have a terrible effect on her health and wellbeing. The Times, being a caring and responsible paper, pulled the rug on the story. Don't call me Dave was also asked to not run with the story. Again, being a caring and responsible guy, he dropped his plans. I don't know the details of the story, but I was also contacted and asked to lay off Hillan, which I did.
As it has become clear that Hillan is planning to take over from Mike Freer, a friend at Barnet Council has confirmed this, it occurred to me that if she's healthy enough to run the council, she's healthy enough to have her judgement held to account. Yesterday, Ex Barnet Tory Councillor Richard Weider, left the following comment on my blog :-
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Roger I disagree with your critism of Lynne, and am not completely against the policy on Sheltered Housing. However, to my former Conservative colleagues I urge someone else to stand for leader against Lynne. This is not necessarily because I don't want her to win. Rather, it is because I don't want you to suffer a similar disaster to Labour under the failed Prime Minister that is Gordon Brown. To become leader you need to show that you have the skills to persuade others, and that is best done through a leadership election. So I please urge someone to stand so that a proper debate can take place and the best leader can emerge, that can take the party forward to Conservative principles and for the residents.
23 October 2009 10:58
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Whilst there are many things I disagree with Richard Weider about, I thought he was spot on with his comments about Lynne Hillan.I thought that the fact that he chose to criticise Hillan publicly on my blog was rather interesting. I happened to be calling the Barnet Times yesterday and mentioned this comment. They were rather shocked. It seems that no one had told them that Hillan was planning to take over. They had been under the impression she was still at deaths door and that they had to lay off her. I suggested that their policy should be reviewed as a matter of urgency.
The sad truth is that for nearly six months, the local press has not been giving the Sheltered Housing issue the full scrutiny it deserves, as "a personal favour to Mike Freer". I in no way criticise the Times for behaving in a humane fashion. Lynne Hillan is well enough to want to take over running of the Council, she's well enough to organise strike busting measures for Barnet Council and boast about it in the Barnet Times.
I think she's well enough to be held to account for her terrible policies towards the Boroughs elderly and have her judgement held to account. Oh and I think Mike Freer owes the people of Barnet an explanation for his behaviour. If he felt that Hillan was too ill to be on the end of bad press coverage, then he should have advised complete rest, not schemed with her to enable her coronation as "Queen of Barnet".
1 comment:
Rog
I would not wish illness on my worst enemy and I was saddened when first told that Lynne Hillan was facing a serious condition. I was not prepared to go public with the information I had been given because you don’t kick someone when they are down.
I thought Ms Hillan would bow out of politics and concentrate on her health, so it was quite a shock to discover that she had been promoted to Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Resources. This is a very important portfolio - and an extremely tough job in the light of the council’s exposure to Iceland amongst other things.
Now we hear that Lynne is to step up to the top job. Of course there should be a leadership contest, although I see that as a separate issue. Her fitness for the job is, however, a legitimate matter for public concern and discussion. Naturally I hope she has made a complete recovery, but if she has not, that does not mean she should be entitled to kid glove treatment. The leader has to be fully accountable to the council and public for his/her actions. As the saying goes, if you can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen.
So if Lynne does become leader, she will have to accept all the legitimate criticism which naturally comes with the job. It’s not personal. Any leader of any council would expect their decisions to be vigorously scrutinised, debated and challenged. That is how democracy works.
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