Councillor Brian "live in the real world" Coleman gets a free holiday in Cyprus

On Monday 17th October, the BarnetEye printed an email from Councillor Brian Coleman, telling a single mother with a six year old child to live in the real world. Her crime? Having the audicity to ask him for advice with a housing issue - http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/10/when-will-councillor-brian-coleman-stop.html -
what is even more galling is that whilst Sharada Osman (the lady in question) is struggling to survive on benefits, Coleman not only gets £120,000 a year from the taxpayer for a series of part time jobs, but he gets a charity flat with a subsidised rent from the Methodist Church.

As if that wasn't bad enough, it has now emerged that three days before he sent Ms Osman the letter, he had been on holiday at the expense of the taxpayers of Cyprus. Full details of this holiday and associated free dinners are listed on his "gifts and hospitality" register at the GLA and LFEPA. How on Earth Coleman has the gall to tell a struggling single mum to live in the world, three days after getting back from a "ponceathon" sponging off everyone from the municipality of Morpheau to the local fire chief is totally beyond me.

These are the items off the gifts registers :-
10-OCT-11 Bottle of Greek Brandy    Mrs C Iacouidou
10th October Lunch at Evohia Restaurant Nicosia     Municipality of Morphou

08/10/2011 Lunch at the Hilton, Nicosia, Cyprus. Estimated value: £35.00 Mr Markos Trangolas, Chief Fire Officer, Cyprus Fire Service.

07-OCT-11Meals at restaurants in Cyprus during Visit to Cyprus to attend events organised by the Municipality of Morphou to protest against the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus. 7th October Dinner at Pavilion Restaurant in Nicosia 8th October Dinner at Hilton Hotel Nicosia 9th October Lunch at Stavros tis Asinou

07-OCT-11 Visit to Cyprus (7 - 10 October) to attend events organised by the Municipality of Morphou to protest against the Turkish invasion and occupation of Cyprus. Return flights with Cyprusair from London to Larnaca and 3 nights bed and breakfast at the Hilton Park Hotel in Nicosia    Municipality of Morphou

Full details here :-
http://www.london.gov.uk/pls/apex/f?p=135:2:3994349368602374:fsp_sort_2_desc::RP&fsp_region_id=10248804584908268

and here :-
http://www.london-fire.gov.uk/gh_brian_coleman.asp

It is interesting to note that Brian Coleman objects to other people staging protests that cost the taxpayer money - http://www.thecnj.com/westend/2009/060509/wnews060509_06.html - but is happy to be flown to Cyprus, scoff himself silly and be flown back at the expense of their taxpayers to "allegedly" protest against the Turkish Invasion (in a well known holiday paradise). Yet another example of the crass hypocracy of Coleman.

Tuesday Update : Barnet Eye war on Spongers and parasites : Words of Wisdom ?

In my war on the Spongers and Parasites of Barnet, I have enlisted a rather surprising ally. Read his words of wisdom from The Spectator :-

Some council leaders now receive up to £65,000 per annum and, for being an executive member, the average in London is about £30,000. To keep the backbenchers happy so-called 'Special Responsibility Allowances' now have to be paid for all sorts of minor, functionary positions: £2,500 for being vice-chair of the Trees and Cemeteries Scrutiny Committee or for turning up at a Licensing Committee once a year. In short big money for local politicians. The danger of this, of course, is leaders now win or lost their positions on the strength of who they had promised well paid jobs to. And I fear getting to form an administration in local government has more to do with how all the allowances are distributed than which councillor is best for which job.

Any idea who wrote these words of wisdom - CLICK HERE TO FIND OUT - yes that's right. It's Tory Barnet Councillor Brian Coleman. The man who told the Telegraph on Saturday

I don't have to justify what I earn. Councillors are worth every penny they earn. I'm not interested in this tittle tattle.

He also told the Hendon Times this

We have to look at allowances every four years and have done what 20 other councils have done. They recognise the changing role of the executive and services provided.

The cabinet is getting nothing like its entitled to according to Sir Rodney Brook (report author). I will take the money I'm entitled to. No more, no less.

This is the same man who, to quote his New Statesman article said

The repeal of the 2000 Local Government Act, the ending of executive powers for councillors and a return to proper, accountable, local democracy would be a first step to ensuring that service rather than salary was the driving force for Local Councillors.

Political service should be a calling not a career!

Mr Coleman told the Standards Board of Barnet Council last year that I had unfairly called him a hypocrite. Does it surprise you that they rejected his defence for his bad behaviour and found in my favour. I urge all the Tory Councillors who voted for the rise in allowances to read their beloved mentor, Mr Brian Colemans column in the New Statesman. Is this what he told you when he was asking you to vote for a pay rise. Maybe you feel happy indulging such hypocricy.

Mr Coleman knows exactly what is wrong with the system. Sadly, rather than setting a good example, he uses the very tools he knows to be wrong, for his own twisted ends. I can see no greater reason for sacking him than his own words. David Cameron should summon him, read him his own words and then strip him of the Tory whip for causing such a great embarrassment.

Who thinks the Standards Committee should be abolished then

My mole at the Town Hall texted me today in a frenzy of excitement. "Read your blog , had a peek at Ham and High. Did you see what Coleman said re Standards Committee. Did you know that only one Barnet Councillor has instigated a complaint about another one?"

What could he possibly be talking about? Is there something that Councillor Coleman knows and would like to share with us?

By the way, theres a great blog from Dennis Signy on the Times website.It seems that moles at the Town Hall and Mayoral clampdowns are nothing new in Barnet.

Speaker Michael Martin: A deluge of hypocrisy

If Michael Martin has been a naughty boy, sure he should go. Having said that, how many of those queuing up to stick the knife in are blameless. Martin didn't force them to fiddle thier figures or claim for outrageous items, which in any other walk of life, no one would dream of even thinking of claiming for. By all means sack him, but he should be just be one in the queue for the dole office.

Cameron, Brown & Clegg can't force Martin out & leave people such as Chipping Barnet MP, Theresa Villiers, who racked up a whole range of claims for second homes, whilst living less tham an hourfrom the job, in place. If they do they are being hypocrites.