Translation into English of Non Stick Nick Walkley's Dictat to Staff

Today Barnet Council CEO plastered his latest blatherings on massive billboards all over North London Business Park (home of Barnet Council) urging Barnet Council Employees not to strike - See previous two blog entries for pictures and more details. As an act of public service, The Barnet Eye has transalated the message into plain English. The original text is in Black, the Official Translation is in red italics

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An open letter to staff - Dictat from your boss

As many of you are aware, council staff have been in discussion with Unison over "TUPE Plus" proposals for staff in services that may be provided by an external supplier in the coming years. As many of you are aware we have been trying to impose a very bad deal on you bunch of mugs, so that we'll be shot of you and a private employer can then shaft you

The council has listened carefully to the concerns put forward by individual staff members, Unison and other trade unions. We know best so why listen to you bunch of cretins

However the action of calling a strike on 13 September by Unison confirms that the offer has not been accepted. This package of measures is a substantial package of enhancements over and above the protection provided by TUPE. The key points of the package are: The Union have not fallen for our line of bullshit and smoke and mirrors deceit, so they are going on strike, here's how we plan to shaft you :

* all employees in services moving to a new employer will be able to continue their membership of the Local Government Pension Scheme uninterrupted and unchanged We will graciously let you hang on to the cash you've paid into your pension

* local union recognition will be protected for staff moving to external suppliers The new private companies have promised to recognise your union rights, honest guv

* terms and conditions of staff transferred will be protected for at least one year after leaving the council's employment After one year, you will get shafted big time

* any changes to terms and conditions after that first year will have to be negotiated with the appropriate trade union the Union will be F****d off out of it after a year

This offer of protection of pension rights and terms and conditions is a significant commitment at a time when both the public and private sectors are operating in challenging economic circumstances. If you are stupid enough to fall for this old bullshit, you deserve to get shafted, we've got our mates in the city to look out for

Regards So long Schmucks

Nick Walkley Non Stick Nick

An open letter to Barnet Council employees from the Barnet Eye

Dear employee of Barnet Council,

Today you will have seen huge billboards appearing all over North London Business Park with a signed message from Barnet Council CEO Nick Walkley.

Picture courtesy of http://vickim57.blogspot.com/

Many  Barnet Council employees read the Barnet Eye and regularly get in touch with us about all manner of issues within the council. The Barnet Eye is aware how embarrassing the continual examples of mismanagement, PR gaffes and hair brained initiatives are for the ordinary staff of Barnet Council. We know how galling it must be to see armies of consultants on huge fees earning small fortunes, writing reports which will never get read, describing processes that they know cannot be implemented.

In the face of such clear attempts to intimidate staff, almost unprecedented in local government industrial relations, many staff may be wondering whether an industrial dispute is a prudent move. As most staff live in Barnet and care passionately about the services they deliver and the people they serve, they may worry that industrial action is not the answer and there may be another way to go to prevent a calamity for them, the people they serve and the Barnet Council organisation.

The Barnet Eye is three years old next month. In that time, we have covered disaster after disaster at Barnet Council. We've seen dozens of reports, explicity saying that Future Shape and now One Barnet will fail. Many of these have been written by the Council's own auditors. We've seen a massive corporate failure in the shape of the Metpro  Fiasco. We've seen reports detailing how the Council have outsourced data centres and now they are dangerous. We've seen reports detailing how One Barnet has no proper controls, milestones or project plans. We've seen huge legal fees racked up as a result of previous outsourcing exercises.

If logic or common sense came into the equation, Barnet Council would have called time on the One Barnet process long ago and saved millions in consultant fees. Sadly we have a deputy CEO who is a consultant and is committed to the concept. Despite all the evidence to the contrary, he persists in ploughing on. His boss, CEO Nick Walkley, like any aggressive bully who is losing an argument, has taken the path of trying to shout louder, knowing that he's already lost the argument. He is seeking to win the argument by intimidatinon, using huge posters, because he knows he cannot win the arguments based on the facts.

Whilst industrial action should always be the last resort, the Barnet trades Unions have tried everything else. Logic, reason, expert advice, marches, discussions. There is nowhere else left to go with Barnet Council and it's current Tory leadership. It is clear that the executive of Barnet Council is worried, why else take such desperate action? This is why industrial action is a powerful tool in negotiation. It will not be easy. Barnet is hell bent on it's path. It is like a runaway train where the driver has had a brain haemorrage and it is heading for a cliff at full pelt with no one in control.

Do not be intimidated. Do not be fooled. The only reason Barnet have resorted to putting up these hugely expensive posters is because they know the game is up. Barnet Unison has a very long record of being a most reasonable Union. Barnet has not strikes by public sector workers or action on this scale for a very long time. It is clear to any rational person that Barnet Council is unreasonable. It is clear they have no coherent strategy. The sooner that the whole matter is settled and they think again, the better. If you let them get away with this, they will destroy the public services and public finances of Barnet Council. Even the the Conservatives know this. That is why last yeat, they nearly threw the former Leader out and replaced her with Councillor Mark Shooter, a man known to think One Barnet is a complete farce. He was only prevented by a few unprinicipled councillors taking promotions to switch sides.

In short, if you back down from this battle, you will lose everything. If you can force Barnet Council to see sense, you may just save the Council and the people of Barnet will owe you a huge debt of gratitude.

I have written this blog as a labour of love for the people of Barnet for the last three years. Unlike the army of Consultants I'm not paid to do it. Over this period I've read thousands of documents and talked to dozens of experts about one barnet. I've not seen a single shred of evidence which has credibly shown how it can be made to work or save the taxpayer money. If there was Nick Walkley would have put that on huge billboards around NLBP and other Tory councils would be beating a path to his door. That is how I know I'm on the right track in my analysis. Stick together, unity is strength.

Photograph of Barnet Council CEO Nick Walkley's Monster Erection

The day Barnet Council lost the plot.  All over the home of Barnet Council, monster 8' X 4' billboards have been erected today at huge cost to the taxpayer. They carry a message from Barnet Council CEO Nick Walkley, asking staff to refrain from industrial action.

Why Mr Walkley couldn't just send them an email, I don't know. As ever, no opportunity is wasted when there is the chance to squander your cash. Does Mr Walkley think his staff are so thick that they only get it if the message is spelled out on an 8' high billboard.

Sadly comments reaching the Barnet Eye indicate that Nick's bright idea have backfired. Staff have been sniggereing, nudging one another and saying "Did you see Nick Walkley's huge erection in the corridor". Barnet Council has been transformed in to the set of Carry on up the Council. You couldn't make it up.

I don't know who is in charge of communication at Barnet Council, but they'd be better off employed advertising Whelks on Brighton pier. 

Letter to the Archbishop of Canterbury re Adrian Benjamin

The Most Reverend the Lord Archbishop of Canterbury
Lambeth Palace
London
SE1 7JU
Via email to contact@lambethpalace.org.uk

Your Grace,

We the undersigned are writing to you to draw your attention to the behaviour of the Reverend Adrian Benjamin, the vicar of All Saints Church in Barnet.  As you are no doubt aware, the London Borough of Barnet, like many other London boroughs, is suffering huge cuts to public services. A campaign, Barnet Alliance for Public Services (BAPS), has been set up to defend these vital services and has been active in opposing many of the policies being implemented by Barnet Council. The campaign is broad based and not aligned with any political party.

As part of the campaign, BAPS intended to operate a stall at the Friern Barnet Summer Show, a local festival. Rev Benjamin is on the organising committee. Originally Rev Benjamin gave BAPS permission to have a stall, but withdrew that permission at the last minute on the grounds that he deemed the campaign to be political.

The campaigners from BAPS were offered space on another person's stall and they took part in the festival after all. When Rev Benjamin learned of this he brought some other men with him, dismantled the stall, confiscated the BAPS banner and asked the campaigners to leave the park. When later asked to return the banner, Rev Benjamin replied that it had been lost and could not be returned. Since Rev Benjamin was also extremely rude to the campaigners, an unseemly row has now developed. Rev Benjamin spoke to one of our local papers, the Hampstead and Highgate Express and made the following statement:

 “If someone came in with explosives then it would have been me who was responsible for disposing of it and as far as I’m concerned it [the banner] is as predacious as a bomb.’’ He referred to Mr Silverman (one of the campaigners) as ‘‘a rogue, a rogue.”

(The original article can be viewed here: http://www.hamhigh.co.uk/news/hampstead_archdeacon_called_in_over_row_with_minister_1_1009722)

Mr Silverman is a 74-year-old pensioner, who has worked tirelessly as a community campaigner in Barnet for many years. There are several questions raised by Rev Benjamin's behaviour, which we feel we must set out.

a) Shouldn't a minister of the Church set a better example in his dealings with members of the public? Publicly denigrating people who are clearly involved in community activities in the press is surely not acceptable.

b) Comparing local campaigners to terrorists is highly insulting and irresponsible. We believe that this shows an appalling lack of judgement.

c) The failure to respect the property of others and the failure to exercise a duty of care with materials in his charge shows a callous disregard for other people. The BAPS campaign has extremely limited funds and the banner will cost a significant amount to replace.

As Rev Benjamin is a part of the festival organising committee, we believe that he has brought the Church of England and the wider Christian community into disrepute. As leader of the Church, we call upon you to intervene. We believe that, at the very least, Rev Benjamin owes Mr Silverman a public apology and that he should pay for a new banner for BAPS. As to whether Rev Benjamin is a suitable candidate for such an important role in the community and the Church of England, we will leave that to your wisdom and judgement.

Yours faithfully,

Derek Dishman
John Dix
Vicki Morris
Theresa Musgrove
Roger Tichborne

(Concerned Barnet residents)

Belated Birthday Greetings to Councillor Hugh Rayner

The Barnet Eye would like to wish Councillor Hugh Rayner a very happy birthday for the 5th September. Unlike some of the lazier Barnet Councillors, Hugh actually spent his Birthday working chairing the Management and Scrutiny committee at Hendon Town Hall. The Barnet Bugle has accused me of ruining the good Councillors birthday. I sincerely hope that this wasn't the case, but if it was I'd like to cheer Hugh up. Did you know that Councillor Rayner shares a Birthday with none other than Freddie Mercury. Now I have no idea whether Councillor Jarse Rayner is a Queen fan, but if he is, I sincerly hope this is his favourite song by them. Just to cheer him up even more this version has the lyrics to sing along.

In tribute to Hugh for giving up his Birthday, I will be organising a choir of the finest lefties in Barnet to come down to his next committee meeting and sing this to him during the public question time. Surely that will cheer him up?

England 1 - 0 Wales - Wembley Stadium

******** Updated 23:38 ********
Stan Collymore has just tweeted that a fan was killed in a fight at Wembley. We saw no trouble inside or outside the ground. It just adds to my gut feeling that we are getting our priorities all wrong when it comes to Football as discussed below.
***********Update Ends *******

So off to see England Vs Wales tonight at Wembley. £92.50 for two tickets. One for me and one for my 11 year old boy. Gripe no 1. No concessions for children. Now there was me thinking that the FA were supposed to promote the game to young people. Some hope. Due to the wonders of modern ticketing systems, I was emailed tickets to the wrong address. This meant I had to ring up, wait 20 minutes in a queue yesterday and then be told they couldn't resend them to the right email address. Nope, I had to pick them up from the box office.

So off we went, nice and early. Despite my fears, sure enough two nice tickets awaited us. Off we trotted. We got a nice program (£6). A bet for me (England 3-0 winners, Lampard to score) and one for the boy ( England 3-1 winners, Lampard to score) - yup your never too young to acquire bad habits if you are  a Tichborne. Mind you it was only £1 each. A pre match tradition of mine. Sadly our lords and masters don't allow us to indulge in that other pre match tradition -  a pint.

As to the game, the only moment of quality in the 1st half saw Young score and ruin my chances of getting a free(ish) night out. I must say the welsh were in good voice. I don't really know what they were singing - Odes to dead relatives or dead sheep, but it sounded far more tuneful than the chants of ENG-ER-LAND.

At half time we indulged ourselves. A small Fanta and two bags of crisps. A snip at £5.50. Of course we're English. Robbery and mugging is allowed if it's done by corporations and large organisations. £104 to watch 90 minute of football with and eleven year old. Just as well I'm a rich man (or I was).

At half time, we had a moving advert for help for heroes. They've raised £110 million for injured ex servicemen, to help them rebuild their shattered lives. It made my blood boil. Not that people dig into their pockets to help our brave forces, but the shameful fact that this is done as an act of charity. This country should pay for the best possible care and recuperation for injured soldiers, sailors and airmen from the public pot. The fact we need a charity called "Help for Heroes" to pay for rehabilitation from injury is a complete scandal. As I watched it I thought of this £110 million to rehabilitate our servicemen. £50 million for Torres to Chelsea, £35 million for Andy Carroll to Liverpool. Ashley Young to Man United for £16 million, Arteta to Arsenal for £10. Add those deals up and it's more than the ENTIRE cash collected for Help for Heroes. I'm a Manchester City fan. I saw somewhere that the team we put out against Spurs is worth £175 million. Are they really worth one and three quarters what we've paid as a nation to help rehabilitate our injured servicemen?

I just couldn't help thinking of all of the lies which landed us in Iraq. Don't get me wrong, I love football, but when I saw that video and heard the figures, I felt sick to my core. Am I the only person who thinks that it is a national disgrace that we rely on charity to fix up the bodies of the fallen. Am I the only one who thinks it is a disgrace that four fairly mediocre premiership players, not a premiership winners medal between them, are worth more than fixing the bodies of our brace soldiers?

Oh and the second half? There was really nothing to distract me from my maudling thoughts of national self loathing in the whole 45 minutes, apart from a half decent save by Joe Hart towards the end. 

As the final whistle approached I finally started to cheer up. I suddenly realised that I'd watched 90 minutes of football completely devoid of diving, play acting, players waiving imaginary cards at the referee. How much injury time - nothing in the first half and 2 mins in the second half. Not a physio on the pitch in the whole game. I thought how odd it was. Then I realised that all of the players on the pitch were British. As a nation we do play fair. We may be mugs, we may get turned over, we may not be able to string more than five decent passes together without giving the ball away, but we do play fair. And that is why I am proud of us. I saw a recent interview with Mike Summerbee, the Manchester City legend. He said "You don't support a team because they win or because they play nice football. If that happens it's a bonus. You support a team because you support them". That is why, come the next England match at Wembley, I'll be there, more in hope than expectation.

As we departed the ground, the  stadium announcer said "The man of the match is Aaron Ramsey". A bald fat Chelsea supporter next to me said "Whoever picked him is a F*****ng Gooner". That's football fans for you. I suspect that with the prices and the people running the FA, they'd rather have a rather different sort of customer. I hope to God they never get their way.

If you haven't donated any money to Help for Heroes - please click this link :-

http://www.helpforheroes.org.uk

We have a national duty to support these guys. If twats like me can pay £104 to watch a game of football, we can damn well afford to donate a few quid to the people who have suffered from the stupidity of the idiots we've elected. And if you voted Conservative or Lib Dem in the last election or Labour in the three elections before that, then I'm sorry to say that you share some of the blame for the fact that we ain't paying to look after these guys properly - and before you ask, I'm on a four out of four roll in that respect (3 Lab, 1 LD).

(and if anyone is tempted to leave comments promoting extreme parties by this comment, I will delete them -because this post ain't a soapbox for you).

Barnet Unison Press release : 400 Barnet Council Workers taking Strike Action

6 September 2011

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

On Tuesday 13 September up to 400 UNISON members working across the following services will be taking strike action

Trading Standards & Licensing, Land Charges, Planning & Development, Building Control & Structures, Environmental Health, Highways Strategy, Highways Network Management, Highways Traffic & Development, Highways Transport & Regeneration, Strategic Planning & Regeneration, Cemeteries & Crematoria; Parking Services, Revs & Bens,

The Trades Dispute concerns the identity of the employer. Barnet Council is promoting the One Barnet programme which is just a ‘remix version’ of the ‘contracting out’ ideology from the 1980’s. There are already several contracts out for consultation with the private sector. The value of the contracts (fast approaching almost £2 billion) has already attracted the big Private sector FAT CATS.

Up to 70% of the council workforce could be transferred to the Private sector in little more than 16 months time.

Dave Prentis general secretary message to Barnet UNISON.

“To the 400 UNISON members taking strike action: UNISON members across the country are standing shoulder to shoulder with you as you challenge this council – a council that refuses to listen to its workforce, a council that refuses to listen to logic or sense, a council now embarking on a reckless gamble”

“Last week our union commissioned a report on the impact of outsourcing on the council’s pension scheme. The report gave a damning assessment of the serious financial risks to the pension scheme as a direct result of One Barnet programme.

Heather Wakefield UNISON's head of local government,

'The widescale privatisation at the heart of One Barnet should be placed under the severest scrutiny by Government, Barnet's scrutiny committee and the people of Barnet themselves. The council's failure to ensure procurement procedures and the obvious detrimental impact on the Local Government Pension Scheme of privatisation of local services are just two good reasons for challenging the path that Barnet has chosen. The third is the waste of public money involved in the procurement process through payments to consultants, procurement costs and payments to shareholders - money which should be invested in local people and local services.'

John Burgess Barnet UNISON Branch Secretary said

“The Council need to recognise that ‘political dogma’ also known as One Barnet programme cannot be allowed to continue to expose residents, services and staff to a high risk strategy and expect them to pick up the bill.

What we mean by ‘independence’

A recent article “Greensquare Field – Planning to Outsource Planning posted on the local Barnet Eye Blog encapsulates conflict of interest’s issues:

“At the moment Barnet Council is in the middle of tendering to outsource a number of services, one of which is the planning service. In the running are a number of companies: Capita Symonds, Atkins, Jacobs and E C Harrison. The planning consultants who represent Higgins Homes plc, and have done through 2 planning applications, 2 planning appeals, a village green application and the draft LDF, work for Capita Symonds. If Capita win the tender, they will decide any future planning applications.”

As council services for Barnet as a place to live and work, our decisions must be 100% independent and free from any ‘conflict of interest’.

Barnet Alliance have recently published a newspaper their front page spells out the dangers of the One Barnet here

Barnet UNISON is asking for the One Barnet programme to be put on hold.

End.

Contact: John Burgess Barnet UNISON on 07738389569 or email: john.burgess@barnetunison.org.uk

Useful Links

1. Outsourcing Planning – local blog

http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/09/guest-blog-greensquare-field-planning.html

2. The potential impact of reduced active membership of the London borough of Barnet Pension Fund,’ (First Actuarial LLP)

To read summary click on link below

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/UNISON%20Barnett%20Council.31%20August%202011.SUMMARY.pdf

To read full report click on link below

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/UNISON%20Barnet%20Council%2031%20August%202011FINAL.pdf

3. Barnet Alliance newspaper ‘Our Barnet’

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011-page-011.pdf

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011_centre2.pdf

http://barnetalliance.files.wordpress.com/2010/11/baps_2_aug_2011-page-041.pdf

4. Life not so easy for council facing £1.5m outsource bill

http://www.localgov.co.uk/index.cfm?method=news.detail&id=100493

5. The ‘shrinking by outsourcing’ models 

http://www.barnetunison.me.uk/sites/default/files/Barnet_Briefing%20No%206.pdf

6. Directors Cut for Barnet Independence Day

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3826zTEyhoI

                                   

7. Obama direct message to striking UNISON members

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3H4csb-Sgz4&feature=related

Letter from Andrew Dismore regarding Matthew Offord MP's visit to Belize

The following letter was received by the Barnet Eye from Andrew Dismore, Labour GLA Candidate for Barnet and Camden and former Hendon MP

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Hendon’s Conservative MP justifies his absence from the constituency during the aftermath of the riots and his failure to return for the recall of Parliament, because he was in Belize on the Parliamentary Armed Forces Scheme.

When I was MP, I was invited to join the scheme. I was offered all kinds of foreign travel: the Caribbean with the Royal Navy, ski-ing in Norway with the Royal Marines, jetting off with the RAF. However, I decided not to participate for two reasons.

Firstly and most importantly, the time commitment. I could not justify spending the almost one month per year in total away from Hendon the scheme requires to meet its demands, and still be able to honour my obligations to Hendon residents.

Secondly, whilst the MP states the scheme is privately funded, what he does not say is that this funding mainly comes from three major defence contractors. Personally, I did not feel it was right to take such hospitality and at the same time be free to raise defence matters without a potential conflict of interest. Indeed one Conservative MP was thrown off the scheme for challenging this very issue. Hendon’s Conservative MP has no such qualms. He has raised questions about promoting defence exports, increasing diversity in the defence market, and sustaining the defence industry in equipment procurement decisions. No doubt within the rules, I understand that he did not declare an interest when asking them.

Personally, I found the full and  detailed briefings on offer from the armed forces at Westminster more than adequate; Scotland Yard also were very co-operative when I was championing the campaign against extremism in Westminster; and the local police were well informed about the local crime issues ( including drugs).

I am sure the MP enjoyed his visit to Belize (as no doubt he did his previous jaunt to the South Atlantic) whilst other MPs answered the call back to Westminster, but he should not overplay his hand. The drugs operation for which he proudly claims credit would of course have happened without him.

The scheme has some value. But In the end, it comes down to priorities. Subsidised overseas travel for whatever reason should come behind an MP’s  duty to his or  her constituency  and constituents should come first ( as indeed the Hendon MP pledged at the time of the election, adding another to the growing list of his broken promises). When faced with such a choice myself  (when schoolboy  Kiyam Prince was murdered a few years ago), I decided to cancel a recess study visit to the Caribbean I had been  nominated to lead, so I could be available in  Hendon . Hendon’s Conservative MP yet again made the wrong call.

Yours sincerely,

Andrew Dismore, Labour MP for Hendon 1997 -2010, Labour’s Candidate for the London Assembly for Barnet and Camden

What does Hendon MP Matthew Offord have to say about Hendon Station becoming unmanned?

Today the Evening Standard reports that two local First Capital Connect Stations are to become unmanned. These are Hendon and Elstree. They are two of 675 ticket offices to be closed as part of the CONSERVATIVE governments cost cutting measures. Too bad if you need a ticket. Of course you'll still get the £20 penalty fare if you don't have one.

http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23983762-price-hikes-and-safety-fears-over-unstaffed-stations.do

What does our local MP have to say about it on his Twitter feed? Nothing - he's too busy scoffing cake

http://twitter.com/#!/HendonMP/statuses/110685701955260416

@HendonMP Matthew Offord

Thank you to Red Watch at Mill Hill Fire Station for the birthday cake!

9 hours ago via web Favorite Retweet Reply

 

 And nothing on his website either :-

 

http://www.matthewofford.co.uk/news.aspx?id=4

Amazing really? Does he know? Does he care? Has he complained to First Capital Connect? Has he lobbied the Government (which he slavishly supports).

Ex Mill Hill Lib Dem Councillor backs Andrew Dismore against Brian Coleman in GLA Election

Highly respected former Mill Hill Lib Dem Councillor, Wayne Casey, who retired from Barnet Council Politics at the last Council Elections, having won the 1994, 1998, 2002 and 2006 elections for the Lib Dems has issued a fulsome endorsement of Andrew Dismore's campaign to replace Brian Coleman as the GLA representative for Barnet and Camden.

"Andrew's reputation for hands-on hard work, leadership and tireless commitment to the community is well-deserved. He is appreciated for  his sound common sense, his deeply personal involvement with the  issues that matter and for the respect he always shows to others.  Whatever the battle - defending the health service, protecting the greenbelt or fighting for the local Post Office Andrew is always an asset to any  campaign. He was a first class constituency MP and a parliamentarian of distinction. He will be an excellent member of the GLA."