Barnet Council - The Truth (redacted)

I'm a blogger. I write blogs about Barnet Council. Anyone who is that interested knows who I am, what I do for a living and all manner of other info. I have at times been harrassed, threatened, insulted and smeared for some of the things I've written. Those who have tried these tactics, have learned that such behaviour is counter productive and if anything it makes me realise I'm on to something. When I first started blogging in 2008, the then Leader of Barnet Council first tried to silence me, by putting pressure on the Times group of Newspapers to drop my blog. This worked. That's why I started the Barnet Eye. When he realised that his cunning plan had blown up in his face, he made a podcast,  where he called me a "One Handed Blogger" and suggested I liked to pleasure myself with the other hand whilst blogging. Two weeks after my mum died and I wrote a blog in tribute to her, he wrote a blog on the Times where he talked about his "armchair critics, cossetted by family wealth".  When challenged, he denied that the reference was a dig at my inheritence (actually my mum left it all to charity).

There was also a blog set up called "Barnets Third Eye". This was allegedly set up by a young Tory Councillor and was dedicated solely to insulting people that were not Barnet Tories. It disappeared shortly after it produced a blog containing the pictures of all Barnets Labour Councillors with a scurrillously insulting caption. Needless to say, yours truly also was a target for it's ire. I had been told who was producing it and I was hoping they would really cock up, but sadly it got pulled before I was able to properly expose them.

After Councillor Brian Coleman sent me an offensive email, I decided that I'd had enough and reported him to the Standards Committee. It was as clear as day that he'd broken the rules, but the then Leader backed him to the hilt and arranged for a top lawyer to try and get off. It failed. What I did learn at the Standards commitee where Coleman was found guilty was that there is no concept of justice for the ordinary person in Barnet. Colemans Lawyer was able to spend two hours attacking my character to the committee. Much of what he said was untrue. I had no right of reply and no opportunity to make a statement. I had no represenative. Can you imagine a court where only one side is allowed a say? And yet Coleman still lost.

You would think that Barnet Council would have learned, but they haven't. This blog received an FoI response detailing how the Council tried to use the Information Commissioners Office to silence a blogger for having the audicity to publish information that the Council had already put on the net (full details here - http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/2011/11/barnet-council-foi-response-reveals.html ). The only thing they seem to have learned is to pick on someone else - This time Mr Mustard who blogs here - http://lbbspending.blogspot.com/ - was the one who was on the receiving end. Strangely enough, it seems that Barnet have decided that Mr Mustard is the blogger they hate most. Councillor Daniel Thomas was exposed recently making up porkies about Mr Mustard, claiming his FOI requests had cost Barnet Council £40,000.

My guess is that when they worked out the £40,000 a big chunk of it was possibly getting the legal opinion that suggested their could be a case to answer with the ICO. We all know how much legal advice costs. I've no idea if anyone could actually tell exactly how much the Bloggers of Barnet have cost the council. I guess that they have racked up a small fortune wasting time trying to thwart us.What they most certainly won't say is how much we've saved. The fallout from the Metpro disaster has doubtlessly saved a fortune, as they have now got a cheaper company which is operating legally. They have also had to tighten their purchasing system. We forced them to reverse the allowance raise for councillors which also saved a fortune.

I am sure in the fullness of time, we'll get them to abandon One Barnet, which will save millions. Sadly this victory will have only been won through a bitter campaign, sifting through dozens of FoI requests, where all of the relevant facts are redacted. What is truly shocking is the fact that Mr Mustard was not even told that the ICO were asked to investigate him. The email from the Council clearly revealed exactly who he was, to anyone with half a brain and a working knowledge of Barnet blogs. It was simple, just check the blogs for the date in question and see who wrote something which fitted the scenario in the complaint. Council officers dod all this, but we are not allowed to know who authorised the complaint to ICO. Mr Mustard only found out six months after the fact because I served an FOI and I then told him.

So this is Barnet in the year 2011. A council who wage war on their own citizens, yet hide behind a wall of redaction, where no one is ever to blame and no one can ever be named, no matter what they do. Why the hell shouldn't we know who at Barnet Council thinks it's ok to try and harass innocent citizens?

The only thing which continually surprises me about Barnet Council is how completely useless they are. BAck in 2008 they tried the same stunt that Mr Mustard suffered on the blogger Don't Call Me Dave (AKA David Miller). The publicly named him as the person who'd asked the most FoI requests and said he'd cost the council a lot of money. Miller complained. Barnet retorted that they weren't talking about him, but about a group of people known as "David Miller".

That was in 2008 - some things never change in Bonkers Barnet

Barnet Eye response to Barnet Council war on bloggers

The Barnet Eye has sent the following email to Barnet Council in relation to their response (Detailed here - http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/2011/11/barnet-council-foi-response-reveals.html) which revels details of an attempt to silence a local blogger. This email was copied to the CEO Nick Walkley, Council Leader Richard Cornelius and Deputy Leader Daniel Thomas. A separate response is being prepared by the United Front for Barnet Blogging
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Dear Mr S******r,

 

Thank you for your response.  Please would you be so kind as to do the following.

 

a) Please could you provide an explantion as to why this response was not completed within the statuatory period.

 

b) Please could you raise a new FOI reqest and provide copies of all internal  emails and other communications regarding the complaint to the ICO as detailed in your response.

 

c) Please could you raise a seperate FOI request and provide copies of all internal  emails and other communications regarding your response to my request for this information.

 

d) Please could you provide an explanation as to why the attached email was not included in this response and details of any other emails or documents which should have been sent.

 

I have copied this response to the CEO, Council Leader, Deputy Leader and Head of Legal as I believe that this matter is extremely serious and shows a culture of secrecy, obfusication and obstruction of transparency within Barnet Council.

 

I would appreciate a prompt response.

 

Regards

Roger Tichborne

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email1 (1)

Barnet Eye Exclusive : Barnet goes to war on the bloggers (and loses)

******** Updated  20:16 - The full transcript of this FOI + attachments is AVAILABLE HERE following approval from the blogger in question
http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/2011/11/barnet-council-foi-response-reveals.html ********

Today I received an FOI response from Barnet Council. It was a month late, which is usually a sign that they have been rather naughty. To be quite honest with you, I could not believe my eyes when I read it. It reveals how Barnet Council, in April of this year, lodged a complaint with the ICO about a Barnet blogger (I don't believe that blogger to be me). The move was a clear attempt to start a process of intimidation against that blogger, with a view to closing down their blogging activities.

Whilst the information in the email identifying the blogger has been redacted, it is clear to me who the blogger was and what the complaint referred to. I am currently awaiting their approval before the full details of the correspondence are revealed - I will post this on the http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/  website, where the Barnet bloggers are publishing all such lengthy correspondence.

What is reassurring is that the ICO rejected the complaint. Here is what the ICO had to say (amongst other things).

As so often has happened in Barnet Council's war with its residents, it has got it wrong and lost. Had I not submitted the FOI request, none of us would ever have known what they were up to or just how Stalinist they are getting. What is ridiculous is that nobody in Barnet had the wit to realise that they didn't have a leg to stand on. Does nobody in Barnet actually understand the law?

Barnet Council has complained about the cost of answering FOI requests from bloggers. Well I'm a Barnet Blogger, proud of it and I'd like to complain about the cost of Barnet Council being completely incompetent and waging war on it's citizens. Barnet Council somehow manage to combine the tactics of Joseph Stalin with the tactical know how of Mr Bean. God know how much this fiasco cost you and I, the Barnet Taxpayer.

Oh and finally, thank you to the Barnet Council employee who tipped me off about this in the first place. Barnet Council CEO Nick Walkley and Leader Richard Cornelius really should wake up to the fact that their staff will leak information when they find out that the Council are behaving in this manner. It takes us time to get the information out, but trust me, we do in the end !

Wear your poppy with pride !

Today as I passed through City Thameslink Station, I saw several members of the armed forces helping to promote the annual poppy appeal. As I already had mine proudly on my lapel, I nodded politely and smiled and they nodded back. November is the time of year when we get the opportunity to put our hands in our pockets and say thank you to the brave servicemen who risk their life and limbs to defend us.

We may not all agree with the wars our leaders entangle us in. This is irrelevant to the poppy appeal, which supports sick, injured and retired servicemen. Whoever you are and whatever you do in the UK today, the bravery of the our servicemen guarantee the democracy and the freedoms we have. This country is notoriously bad at repaying this debt of gratitude, which is why charity appeals such as this are necessary. The veterans of the second world war are now old and frail. Many young men from more recent conflicts also rely on such appeals for help.

I was asked if I would promote the White Poppy appeal. I'm afraid to say I cannot. Not because I don't agree with the aims, but because I believe it is plagarism and takes money out of the coffers of the Royal British Legion. Out of respect for those who have served this country, I believe that anything which could confuse people, affect the takings of the poppy appeal or confuse people as to what a red poppy means and is about, should simply not be supported at all.

As ever we are selling poppies for the Royal British Legion in the reception of Mill Hill Music Complex. We will be donating £2 of every session fee on the 11th November to the appeal. It is a small gesture, but I urge every company in the country to a) Sell Royal British Legion Poppies and b) Make an extra contribution to the cause from company funds.

Guest Blog - "Do what they tell you, but do not follow their example" - Fr Kevin O'Shea

Today's Gospel (31st Sunday of Year - 30th October 2011) reminds us of the saying "Do as I say not as I do". Jesus is contrasting what the scribes and Pharisees say about the Law - and how they act. They do not, as He says, practise what they preach. Not only that - but their teaching about the Law and its regulations placed great burdens on people while they themselves did nothing to help.

Their role, as they see it puts them above other people and they demand - and obviously get - plenty of attention and respect from those around them. Jesus is not impressed. He turns to His disciples and the people who have gathered to listen and states quite forcibly that this is not how it is to be among them. Their model of leadership was to be that of service.

Today people are more impressed by witness rather than by talk, and if they listen to leaders, it is because they see their leaders practise what they preach.

Sadly in recent years those in leadership in our Church have failed. Frequently we read about the sex scandals among the clergy & the irresponsible response of some Bishops who sought to preserve the status quo rather than let the truth be known. The harsh words from the prophet Malachi of his day echo through the centuries: "And now, O priests, this command is for you .... I will send the curse on you .... You have turned aside from the way; you have caused many to stumble..."

Let us pray God's mercy on our priests who have failed and be grateful those who have witnessed to true leadership through their faithful service. As a result of these scandals many may be tempted to leave the Church but Jesus is asking us to stand firm. Jesus' message is clear: we are a church of sinners from top to bottom. He warned us that there would be scandals, but we are not to lose heart. The message of the kingdom stands, no matter how corrupt the messenger. "Do what they tell you, but do not follow their example."

Unfortunately the clerical leadership in our church continues despite the call of the Vatican Council to usher in the era of the laity. In my opinion change will begin from the grass roots and not from the top: hence everyone of us must take our call to leadership in this parish seriously and not leave it to others - always remembering that Jesus has called us to servant leadership - those who exalt themselves will be humbled - and those who humble themselves will be exalted.

Fr. Kevin O'Shea, C.M.

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Fr Kevin O'Shea is the Parish Priest of the Sacred Heart Roman Catholic Church in Mill Hill. This article was orignally published in the Sunday notes section of the Church website - http://shmi.info/
The Barnet Eye is always happy to take guest blogs and articles which are relevant to living in London and Barnet. These will be published without editing/comments. We welcome interesting and thought provoking contributions on any issue. The editors decision is final. Guest blogs can be submitted via the link in the side bar.

The Kids are Alright

Listening to BBC London 94.9 breakfast show, I was shocked to hear a report this morning which says 44% of people think children are "feral" and "like animals". Last year my business sponsored the Sound Skool project, giving music courses for young people with problems. The course allowed youngsters not in education or training to attend music courses. Many had all manner of problems, but by the end of term, we'd seen a complete change in their demeanour and self confidence. The problem is not the young people but a society which gives up on them. The project finished in May, because we couldn't secure a second year of funding. Says it all really.

Robin Hood tax?? Barnet Council are more interested in the Reggie Kray system of taxation

There is plenty of talk at the moment of a "Robin Hood Tax". In my experience, Barnet Council are far more likely to look to a more recent example from the annals of the Criminal world. The CPZ is just one example of what I like to think of as a Reggie Kray tax. This is something which you are lumbered with paying because of your postcode. We are in the grips of a Gangsta Council, who decide taxation policy on who they can squeeze hardest and who won't fight back. The CPZ is a fine example. It hits families who can't afford mansions with huge drives, but who have cars and have to park on their streets. They have just enough money to be squeezed, but not enough to donate millions to the local Tories.

Money is taken from these motorists and spent on all manner of crackpot schemes. Perhaps my favourite scheme is the one where councillors give themselves a free parking permit, so they don't have to pay if they are unlucky enough to find themselves in a CPZ !

Last year, as the Coalition cuts started to bite, the then Tory Leader of Barnet Council, Lynne Hillan announced "we are all in it together". Not in a CPZ, we're not. Those of us who live in the real world (to quote Brian Colemans comments) have to pay for the privelige. Please feel free to give us any other examples of Reggie Kray taxes in Barnet.

If there is nothing to hide, why are the One Barnet Procurement Principles a secret document?

Yesterday, five Barnet bloggers sent the following communication to Barnet Councillors to draw their attention to a secret council document, with a restricted viewing list, which details the One Barnet Procurement Principles. We did this so that at the very least, our local Councillors are taking this huge punt, with your money, with their eyes open and no excuse that they didn't know about the risks. The time has come for these councillors to stop burying their heads in the sand and to start doing the job they get paid to do. Here is the letter we sent :-
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The One Barnet Programme: a high stakes gamble

Dear Councillor,

As you know the Council is embarked on a massive outsourcing project, the One Barnet Programme. This programme has never been put before the borough’s residents for their comments let alone their approval. It was not in the manifesto of the winning party at the local government elections.

No Conservative councillor or senior Council officer has ever appeared in a public forum to defend the programme. It has been left to concerned residents such as ourselves to make their own investigations into the scope and implications of the planned changes.

We have recently seen a copy of the procurement principles adopted by senior council officers in March 2011, early in the process of beginning the outsourcing. They would alarm any resident who cares about the state of the borough. You can read the document here: http://barnetfutureshape.blogspot.com/

We do not know whether these principles have been modified in the course of the process. The fact that that we do not know is in itself a matter for deep concern and only highlights the problem that residents are being kept in the dark about what the Council is doing with their services and their money. We must insist on residents’ right to know more about One Barnet.

It might well be that councillors themselves are also in the dark about what the Council is doing. Yet you have a duty to represent your constituents and we think you should therefore seek out and share information about One Barnet with them. You should feed back any concerns residents have to the Council Cabinet and senior officers.

The document was produced before the MetPro and other existing procurement failures came to light. Nevertheless and in spite of this, we think that the principles we have seen probably are those along which the One Barnet Programme is proceeding. Those aspects of them that alarm us most and which we think particularly need public discussion are detailed below.

One Barnet is likely to cost jobs in the borough

The Council appears to have decided that there will be no requirement on the companies awarded contracts to create new jobs within the borough. Moreover, they have decided that services do not have to be delivered locally: that is, staff currently employed by Barnet Council could be made redundant and their jobs done by people in another part of the county or even overseas, most probably in a call centre.

Staff made redundant will be offered basic TUPE terms, which, as we have already seen with outsourced services in Barnet, usually means that sooner or later staff will be re-employed on worse terms. That is bound to affect the quality of the service to residents.

There is a high risk that residents will foot the bill if One Barnet fails

The document is shot through with anxiety about who will bear risks, including financial risks. For example, the Council is looking into taking out insurance against contract failure, and it is worried about the implications of outsourcing for paying the pensions of transferred staff. Here is one particularly startling quotation regarding the pension fund:

“At the end of the contract period, there are risks of potential large deficits being built up by the new employer during the contract period. A recovery plan will need to be put in place well before contract ceases.”

The ostensible reason for going down the outsourcing path is to save money, but if contracts fail in any way, it will cost us money and disruption in our services. Other areas of provision will wind up needing to be cut to make up gaps in the Council’s budget.

The quality of our services is in jeopardy

In the document senior officers acknowledge that contractors are interested in the One Barnet Programme for one reason alone: to make money. Take this, for example:

“There are... many examples of long-term partnerships where the commitment and enthusiasm of the provider has waned over the duration of the contract. Major... organisations will generally resource extensively during the first year, or two, of a new contract but this level of resourcing diminishes as the contract moves to a more stable business as usual position.”

Residents, however, care about the quality of their services, and councillors should too.

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We believe that councillors have a duty to inform themselves about these issues as a matter of urgency so that they can discuss them with constituents.

The One Barnet Programme has major implications for the future of the Borough’s services and finances and for the way it is governed. One day the discussions behind closed doors must spill out onto the streets, as residents feel the impact of the changes to their services. That will be too late for them and you suddenly to be involved in the debate.

We therefore urge you to take an active interest in One Barnet now. Speaking for ourselves, we oppose the programme; we believe One Barnet will jeopardise local finances, the quality of services and democratic control over them.

You must act now.


Derek Dishman
John Dix
Vicki Morris
Theresa Musgrove
Roger Tichborne

2nd November 2011

Does Barnet Council listen to its residents?

In 2008 Barnet Council spent tens of thousands of pounds of taxpayers money (ie your money) interviewing residents on video and placing the videos on Youtube. The idea was to prove that they were engaging with citizens and listening to them. This clip is one of those residents and the clip was uploaded on 22nd August 2008. It was filmed in Mill Hill Broadway.


So what have they done since then about this ladies concerns.

a) Teenagers with nothing to do? They have closed the local sports club in Grahame Park way. They have sacked most of the staff at the Rithmyk Project in Canada Villa and they are flogging off the Watling Boys club building.

b) Problems with parking. They've abolished pay and display and replaced it with pay by phone. They've hiked the costs of parking in CPZ's and hiked the costs in car parks.

Which proves what we said at the time. These videos were a complete waste of money. Your money and mine.

The 12th December - A date for Councillor Richard Cornelius to fear?

Ronnie & Reggie

On the 12th June I wrote this blog - http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/06/congratulations-to-richard-cornelius.html - It was my congratulations to the new Leader of Barnet Council on his election. I said the following "In six months time, we'll see the true nature of the changes.".  I made a commitment to give the new leader time and space to formulate his policies and implement the changes needed to steady the holed below the waterline Barnet Council ship. I made a commitment to wait and see and allow Councillor Richard Cornelius 6 months to try and turn things around. I was assured by his friends that we'd see a more sensible and more pragmatic type of regime. One which would reach out to the people that the previous two leaders had completely ignored.

I was told that Richard Cornelius was a man who had a solid business background and was someone who would not be taken in by the armies of consultants, who produce endless reports for inflated fees, most of which will never be read. I was told that Richard Cornelius was a man who would have sensible dialog with Barnet trades Unions and try and find common ground, for the good of the Barnet taxpayer and resident. I was told that Richard Cornelius was horrified by the Metpro Scandal and would work tirelessly to ensure that no such scandal was ever allowed to develop in Barnet again. I was told that Richard Cornelius was a man of good manners and impeccable behaviour, who would not tolerate the sort of boorish behaviour towards residents, with which Councillors such as Brian Coleman had caused irrepairable damage to the reputation of the Barnet Conservatives. I was told that Richard Cornelius was a man of his word, but a quiet man. I was told that we wouldn't notice the changes in a day, a week or possibly a month or two. What I would notice is that six months down the line I'd be able to write a blog saying that the Barnet Conservatives had picked the right man for the job and the Richard Cornelius had made a change for the better in Barnet.

So I said "OK, I will refrain from criticising Councillor Cornelius, unless he makes any new mistakes all of his own". I gave my word that I'd give him six months to prove himself.  The only criticism of the Leader has been for any howlers he's made which are totally unrelated to the old regime and these crriticisms are mild compared to many of his colleagues who have also featured, here is an example - http://barneteye.blogspot.com/2011/10/yet-another-barnet-council-scandal-lies.html -  Many Barnet residents have queried why the criticism has been so muted? The answer is simple. I said six months and I meant it. That period is up on the 12th December. This blog will mark that date with an end of term report for Councillor Cornelius. We will assess whether he has fulfilled the promises made and the commitments given. We will answer the question "What sort of regime is Councillor Richard Cornelius  presiding over" and "Is he the man the residents of Barnet deserve?".

The other Barnet blogs will no doubt also be marking the occasion with their critiques of his performance.I am sure some may jump the gun, but the Barnet Eye is planning to make sure that we mark the anniversary with a big splash.  As regular readers of this blog will know, they can email me any information relating to Barnet Council and Councillor Richard Cornelius they like. If they are employees of Barnet Council, I'd urge them to email from home or even better drop photocopies of documents off. I've been informed of the fact that Barnet are a "little jumpy" right now, having their most secret meetings about Future Shape / OneBarnet  at top legal firms in the City   (I wonder if Barnet Council Execs have ever wondered if any highly paid lawyers are also secret Trots ? ). I'd love to tell more but that would give the game away completely.

Anyway, we are currently building up our stack of documents for the "Richard Cornelius Six Month Anniversary Special" blog on the 12th December,  so if you have an amusing anecdote about the dawn of the Cornelius era, please get in touch. The Barnet Eye is planning  a "One Barnet Richard Cornelius Xmas party". We can all have a glass of sherry, free Richard Cornelius masks will be provided, we'll outsource all of the catering. We're going to have exciting party games like doing a 180 degree turn whilst completely blindfolded, Walking backwards whilst pretending to walk forwards and best of all a game of Blind Brians Buffet, which has huge cash prizes (well a fiver). This is a game where contestants are blindfolded and have to find the buffet and eat  as much as possible in 30 seconds. They are guided by a "Consultant" who keeps all the prize money and tells them what to do. Just to make it interesting there will be 10 dishes, five of which are delicious yummy food of a standard which even the great Brian Coleman would approve of, as supplied by Barnet Councils fantastic in house buffet catering team  and five dishes which are of the standard provided to the local poor and vulnerable people who use Barnet Council's outsourced meals on wheels service.

Now until the 12th December will continue it's be nice to Richard campaign. What will happen on the 12th? Well if we find that he's lived up to the commitments we believe he gave (or has even tried to), we'll give him another six months. If he doesn't? Maybe he could have a chat with Brian Coleman and Councillor Robert Rams and asks what happens when the Barnet Eye decides you've let the people of Barnet down.