Matthew Offord hosts meeting to discuss crime in Mill Hill at Hartley Hall - Part 2 - My personal view of events

Last night (Weds 7th Feb), our local MP for Hendon Constituency, Matthew Offord hosted a meeting to discuss the issues of crime in Mill Hill. Local residents received a letter (see left) inviting them to attend. The Barnet Eye attended as a Mill Hill resident and also as a blogger. I have decided to write two blogs on the subject. Part 1  is my account of the evening. Part 2 (this blog) is my critique of what happened.

I deliberately split this blog into two parts. If anyone wants to share a factual account of the evening, they can share part 1. I wrote as fair and balanced a blog as I could and I doubt anyone could disagree that it is a fairly unbiased view of events.  Part two is my view of what was wrong with the event Mr Offord organised.

I suggest that before reading this you read part one of the series. I don't want to repeat it here. My issues with the meeting were as follows.

1. The format. One of the things I do is I mentor young people. I show them how to speak effectively at public meetings and how to get the most out of presentations. The first thing that you should do when planning a meeting is to work out what exactly you are trying to achieve. Mr Offord got 200 residents into Hartley Hall. He had senior members of the local police on the panel. I assume that the purpose was to give people reassurance that our police and politicians understand the seriousness of the situation and have the matters in hand. When hosting a public meeting, the first thing you must do is establish who the panel are, why they are here and what their contribution will be. 

I would have expected Mr Offord to start by introducing himself, saying what he could and couldn't do as an MP and then ask each member of the panel to introduce themselves, say what their role in the community was and say what they intended to contribute to the meeting. That way everyone would know who they were and what they were doing. There was one chap in plain clothes and it only became clear halfway through the meeting that he was a detective. I would havce expected Mr Offord to have briefed the Police, asked them to produce a Powerpoint preparation on local crime and initiatives to deal with it.

PC Lisa from the Safer Neighbourhood team spoke about an app that allows you to see where officers have walked the beat. I would have expected a demonstration of such things. Many people in the audience stated they never saw police. If I was seeking to reassure the community, that would have been one of the first things I'd have considered. A few stats and facts and figures on a screen would have set the context. 

It was clear from the start, that Mr Offord hadn't briefed Commander Rose on what he expected him to do. He seemed taken aback that he was being asked to give a presentation. He struggled. I have sympathy. Three years ago, I flew to Pune in India to review a technical IT project I was working on. The chap leading the team had a panic attack just before he was due to speak and fled the room. I had to give a presentation that I was unprepared for. I had simply expected to answer a few questions. In my case, I accepted that my colleague was jetlagged and had a stomach upset. Being cornered as Commander Rose was last night was shocking. As I mentioned in the first blog, he had appeared at a meeting in December hosted by Richard Cornelius (Barnet Council Leader). He had simply been asked to comment on a few residents suggestions. I assume he was expecting the same. It seemed to me as if Offord and the Commander had only met and spoken five minutes before the meeting. If I was Offord, I would have ensured that everyone was singing from the same songsheet, given the difficult situation with crime in Mill Hill. 

The Q&A session was also badly chaired by Offord. Serious questions were not answered. This was partly because he'd take three or four questions and then ask the police for a response. By the time the police had answered, the audience were not sure which question was being answered.

I was also surprised that Offord didn't involve local schemes such as neighbourhood watch etc in the evening, to show that there are established schemes we can join and explain how they operate. 

2. The Panel. Mr Offord stated at the start that this was a non political meeting and that it was purely about local policing. He rather destroyed this pretence before he started byu ejecting a local Green party activist. If the meeting was truly set up to address local crime, he'd have had all of the relevant stakeholders. This was not the case. There are four main stakeholders. The Police who do the work (represented by three officers). Parliament who set the national budgets and make laws (represented by Mr Offord). The Mayor of London/GLA who manage the Metropolitan Police and the Local Council, who manage the local CCTV and set local bylaws etc. It is a matter of record that Mr Offord does not get on with our local GLA rep, Labours Andrew Dismore. However as Dismore gets paid to make sure the Met run properly, he should have been there to account for himself. I am also rather mystified why no one from Barnet Council stood up and explained how the Council CCTV was used and how the council work with the Police to deal with anti social behaviour. There have been major issues with the CCTV usage in the Broadway and it's use combatting vandalism and anti social behaviour. Whilst Offord stated that the meeting was non political, but by not having council representation when CCTV budgets are being cut, Offord was very much playing smoke and mirrors.

3. The Message. Mr Offord should have had a message he wanted to get across. That message should have been that all of the stakeholders are working together to make the situation improve. The Borough Commander did not help by stating that everything was better on the burglary front than it was five years ago. Whilst this may well be true in terms of stats, it does not give the perception that the issue is being addressed. I presume the Met have a burglary team and it would be good to hear what they are doing in regards to Barnet. If they are doing nothing, then Mr Offord needs to get on top of it. That should have been sorted out before the meeting. The Evening Standard recently produced an article saying Mill Hill was in the top five London Burglary hot spots. You don't have to be a genius to figure out that people would be keen to discuss. 

One resident mentioned that someone was trying to break down his front door with a sledgehammer. He asked whether the Police could deal with it. I was amazed that the Borough commander didn't say "If this happens, dial 999 and we'll have someone on your doorstep in X minutes". If the gentlemen dialled 999 and that didn't happen, the Borough commander should have said "Give me the details and I will find out what went wrong". The police must know how long it takes to get a response in Mill Hill. The commander mentioned that on any given night there are a maximum of 28 officers in the Borough. He didn't say how many crimes they had to deal with. My guess is that there is more crime on a Saturday night than a Monday night. Are such things catered for? We got no reassurrance. If the Borough commander had said "On an average night, the 28 officers attend to X number of incidents. Generally we have enough officers" then that would have placated the audience to some extent.

4. Non Political meeting. This was a myth, how can something as basic as a lack of police officers be addressed in a non political way. Offord used the meeting to get countless digs in at the Mayor, who runs the Met Police. Mr Offord either believes that the Mayor has enough cash to run the police and can back that up with stats, or he thinks that the Met is underfunded and as an MP should be going back to the Prime Minister and saying "London needs more cash". Simply to say "we can't discuss budgets at this meeting" was ridiculous. He should have said "What message do you want me to take back to the Prime Minister in light of these events? Mr Offords Tory predecessor, the Late Sir John Gorst, attended a similarly charged meeting in Burnt Oak when Edgware General was being closed by a Conservative Government. Gorst stood up and said "I represent you. I know that you do not want to see this hospital closed and I will vote against the Government if they try and close it". He was true to his word. If you are going to be an effective MP, you have to represent the people who elect you. 

5. What can be done. I made one of the few positive suggestions. I raised the possibility of a scheme similar to Watford Business Against Crime Partnership. I got a warm round of applause. Mr Offord replied that he was "seeing local business owners next week". That rather missed the point. He should have a look at some schemes and then see the traders.  A very hot topic was the one of private security forces. I was surprised that no one mentioned that we already have several local security forces. We see them outside the local Shul and outside local Jewish Schools. As far as I am aware, these schemes work well. Maybe there is a lesson to be learned there. Another resident I spoke to after said he was surprised that no reference was made to recruiting special constables. These are volunteer police officers. I think this would be an excellent idea. I was rather surprised that they didn't have a member of the Neighbour watch scheme handing out info and . This is such an obvious way we can all make a contribution. I also wonder whether there may be a way that volunteer members of the public could accompany Police officers on patrols. Give people a high visability jacket with "security" on the back. The officers could then swap knowledge with members of the community and build relationships. If I am elected as a councillor in May, I will commit to regularly joining local Police patrols. I will also work with traders etc to address issues. 

6.  The aftermath. When the meeting finished, I spent 20 mins chatting with residents, then joined some for a beer in the Services club, which is around the corner. Many said that they had been terrified hearing what has been going on. Many said they'd wished they'd not attended as they felt quite perturbed. I have no idea what Mr Offord intended, but the net result was that they now feel unsafe in their own homes. In the services club, once residents had had a couple of tongue looseners, I heard some very disturbing things. It all comes down to Leadership. Mr Offord had set up the meeting as the leader of our local community. He had 200 people turn up who were concerned enough to give up an evening. By the end of the evening a goodly proportion had been made to feel unsafe. That is not what I call leadership. His treatment of Ben Samuel was petty and spiteful. I expect better. His failure to involve Andrew Dismore showed that he is not secure in his grasp of the issues. As to not involving the Council and local schemes such as neighbourhood watch, that is just plain incompetence (or if it is to spare the blushes about the CCTV cuts it is scandalous). 

I feel quite despondent about the whole situation. We've lost a valued member of our community. We heard of residents being terrorised. We saw an ill prepared meeting and a very poorly run Q&A. We have people on Facebook talking about setting up a quasi private police force for Mill Hill. Is this really what Mill Hill has become in 2018? Mr Offord has been our MP for nearly eight years. What has he achieved?

Matthew Offord hosts meeting to discuss crime in Mill Hill at Hartley Hall - Part 1

Last night (Weds 7th Feb), our local MP for Hendon Constituency, Matthew Offord hosted a meeting to discuss the issues of crime in Mill Hill. Local residents received a letter (see left) inviting them to attend. The Barnet Eye attended as a Mill Hill resident and also as a blogger. I have decided to write two blogs on the subject. Part 1 (this blog) is my account of the evening. Part 2 will be my view of what happened and a commentary.

The meeting was very well attended. I've been attending public meetings locally since the early 1980's and this was probably the best attended session with an MP since the public meetings held to discuss the closure of Edgware General Hospital in the mid 1990's. I know Hartley Hall well and there were well over 200 people in the hall. When I arrived, I saw a smattering of the people I always see at such meetings. Richard Logue, former chair of Mill Hill residents association, Val Duschintscky and and John Hart, our local Mill Hill Councillors. Jon Klaff, local cycling campaigner. Ben Samuel, local green party activist, members of the Mill Hill Preservation society and Neighbourhood forum, there were also neighbours and friends who normally avoided such meetings like the plague. There were also local traders and business owners, etc. I also saw maybe a hundred people who I didn't recognise. I am pretty good at recognising faces and it was clear that Mr Offord had struck a chord with people by offering a meeting to reassure them that the Police were on the case.

Joining Mr Offord on the panel was Barnet Police Borough commander Simon Rose, a WPC called Lisa (sorry didn't hear the surname if it was mentioned) who works in the Mill Hill Safer Neighbourhood team and a detective who's name I also missed. Normally at such meetings, the host (in this case Mr Offord) invites each panel member to say a few words about themselves and explain why they are on the panel at the start. To my surprise this was not done, hence I missed the full names.

The first thing the panel did was move the tables from the floor of the Harwood Hall to the stage, presumably in reaction to the huge crowd. The next thing that happened was very strange indeed. I had assumed that as it was a public meeting, anyone could attend. People signed in at the front desk. As the crowds gathered, Matthew Offord jumped down off the stage and confronted Ben Samuel, the local green activist. Ben had been sitting quietly with his notepad awaiting the start of the meeting. Offord asked him to leave. I later ascertained that this was because "the meeting was for Mill Hill residents, not political activists". Ben seemed rather bemused and upset. Initially he refused to leave. Matthew Offord then invited the Police officers down to assist in ejecting Mr Samuel. I have to say that their body language appeared to indicate that they were not comfortable with being embroiled in the row. Apparently after Mr Samuel was ejected, the doors were locked to the hall. I don't know if this was because the hall was full of to keep him out. It is fair to say that the local residents sitting near Mr Samuel were upset by this and a couple told me that they thought it was unnecessary.

A local Tory activist explained after that Mr Samuel had a chair, whilst old ladies were standing up. I asked why they didn't ask him to give up his chair and go to the back of the hall. I was told that as the Hall was full, he was depriving a "genuine Mill Hill resident" a place. Mr Samuel tweeted after the clash

I care a lot about this topic: Looking forward to catching up on how it went... "Public Meeting" on Wed, Feb 7 https://t.co/SN25lgmd39

— Ben Samuel (@filosofical_140) February 7, 2018

I personally know Ben Samuel. Like many members of the Green party, he is a decent chap and cares about our community and the environment. I felt rather sorry for him and embarrassed about what happened. Anyway, as people had asked me to find out why he was slung out, I did and that is why.

Once the Hall was secured against Green infiltrators, Matthew Offord kicked off the meeting. He explained that he'd called the meeting in response to the recent violent incidents in Mill Hill and also the high level of burglaries reported. He stated that the panel would speak and then take questions. He then asked us to stand and observe a minutes silence for Vijay Patel, the murdered shopworker. He also stated that he wasn't going to make political points and asked the audience to refrain from doing so.

The silence was observed impeccably. When it was finished, Mr Offord said "I'd now like to ask the Borough Commander to outline what actions the Police are taking to address the spate of issues locally". To the amazement of everyone in the hall, Simon Rose, the Borough Commander, looked rather shocked and replied "What do you want me to say?" to Mr Offord. It became clear that the panel had not actually planned the event and Mr Offord hadn't briefed the Borough commander on the agenda or format. Offord, visibly irritated replied "I want you to tell the audience what the Police are doing about the incidents". Rose seemed rather surprised at this. I can maybe give some context that would be missing for many. I attended a meeting in December hosted by the Leader of The Council, Richard Cornelius. Commander Rose attended. Richard did a presentation and then referred questions to the Commander. I assume he was expecting a similar format. He was clearly unprepared. He reeled off a stream of stats showing that burglary was down, that the crime rate was static and that everything was just fine. He explained that Barnet is a burglary hot spot due to the large number of roads that make it easy for burglars to come down, rob us and be home for teatime in the home counties. He implied that because Mill Hill is a rich area, there's more to nick, therefore it is rather popular with burglars. He then stated that the spate of violent incidents were unrelated. The three youths involved in the death of Mr Patel were from outside the Borough and had been apprehended. Another individual had robbed Yogopink twice with a knife and also the BP garage. He had been apprehended. The third major incident in Station road was caused by an altercation between a "member of the travelling community" and a member of the public. They were all unrelated, except by location. It is fair to say that the mood in the hall had darkened. People clearly did not thing everything was ok.

Then the Q&A started. This was really rather disturbing. We had a whole stream of residents recounting awful stories of robberies and violence. A local doctor stated that he'd had his fake Rolex nicked by a Machette wielding thug. He explained that he was thinking of emigrating and asked for some reassurance.  None was given. He also stated that he'd been told "only 40 officers were on duty that night" and asked if this low number was true. The commander stated "Oh no, it's much lower than that. At most 28, if no sickness and holidays".

Another told of a man attacking his front door with a sledgehammer, in the middle of the day, whilst his four young children were in the house.  He asked whether the Police could "do anything or do we have to do it ourselves". Again there was no answer. A very well informed chap asked a detailed question concerning youth initiatives and whether with the huge increases in local population through HMO's and other large developments, the police have enough resources. The Borough Commander stated that resources are allocated according to various factors and population was one of these, so if the population of Mill Hill goes up relative to other areas, we'll get more resources.

One lady, clearly irritated by the whole event accused the Borough commander of looking like he'd rather be anywhere else but here. Mr Offord intervened and said that he'd defied the whips and come to Mill Hill, missing a parliamentary vote, he told the whip that the people of Mill Hill were more important. A half hearted round of applause (I suspect mainly from local Conservatives) resulted.

A gentleman stated that his road had paid for a private security patrol for the last ten years. This has recently stopped and there has been a spate of burglaries since (Note : There is a very active discussion on the Mill Hill Families facebook page on the subject of whether we should organise a cross Mill Hill private security service)

I had come to the meeting expecting a plan and details of what was being done. It was clear that there was no plan and it was pretty much business as usual for the Police. I asked if the Police would consider a scheme like the Watford Business Against Crime scheme, where businesses get walkie talkies linked to police, access to Council CCTV and regular crime bulletins. I know the scheme co-ordinator and offered an introduction. The Borough commander asked me to "Give Lisa my number". My wife sitting next to me, gave me a dirty look at this suggestion, for reasons I can't quite fathom.

Another member of the audience asked whether the Neighbourhood watch was still active. Lisa said yes and said she could give out details.  Another resident  asked whether it was better to leave lights on or off to deter burglars. The Commander stated "Lights on definitely". He then proceeded to give a list of actions to deter burglars and crime.

* Don't have a hedge, as this can give cover to burglars
* Lock windows and doors
* Don't leave keys where people can get them with fishing rods and magnets
* Don't use mobile phones in public places
* Get a light with a timer for the autumn

Cycling activist,  Jon Klaff stated that he was on a Borough crime panel and asked the Police to explain what such panels did. They co-ordinate between the Police nad local community and help the Police set priorities. Jon is a facts and figures man and seemed a bit disappointed generally that the audience seemed to be driven largely by emotionally charged anger at what has been going on. He had hoped for better suggestions and a better prepared response.

The final question was from Harsha, who is a friend of the Patel family. She wanted to thank Mr Offord and the local councillors for their kindness and help in difficult times.

And that was that.

I then spoke to some residents and adjourned to the Mill Hill Services Club, with a gaggle of residents for a pint and to chew the cud. I felt that it was important to give as accurate a description of the night as possible. I must declare that as a prospective Lib Dem Council candidate in May, I have an interest in this, however as a blogger, I want to be as honest and fair as possible. So this is as much an unbiased report as I can manage. Part 2 is my personal view of the evening.



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The Wednesday Poem #37 - Action Shock

Distant hearts, Wont sleep tonight

They know their loved ones, 

Are going to die

A red stain on a battlefield

A drained body with a soul to yeild

Life, Mine's not for sale

Death, in an unmarked grave

One time, fun time come on son,

Forget peace man and grab a gun

Annihalate another man

It's easy son you know you can

Life, Mine's not for sale

Death, in an unmarked grave

You spend your life on a piece of land

But you are far cheaper do you understand

Bullets cost money, people cost food

That's the theory, where does that leave you

Life, Mine's not for sale

Death, in an unmarked grave

It's my life and you just can't save

It's my death, I'm not your slave

Distant hearts won't sleep tonight 

It's face to face, you and I 

One of us will not survive

Please not me I love my life

Life, Mine's not for sale

Death, in an unmarked grave

It's my life and you just can't save

It's my death, I'm not your slave

Copyright 1985 - Roger Tichborne, Allen Ashley, Paul Hircombe

I originally started writing Action Shock in 1982, whilst watching footage of the sinking of the General Belgrano. It was a surreal situation. I was in bed with my then girlfriend and the TV was on, with us ignoring it. Then there was a newsflash. At the time the MOD spokesman was a very dull, monotone person, who spoke with no emotion. I realised hundreds of people, who I had no argument with personally, had been killed. Whilst I despised the fascist junta running Argentina, both myself and Susan were frozen in horror. I realised that I wanted to write a powerful anti war song.

Many people say that religion is the cause of all wars. This is a complete fallacy. I believe that nationalism is. I have come to despise nationalist attitudes and wish that we could simply consider ourselves as citizens of planet earth. Following the battle of Goose Green, I rewrote the lyrics. The song is written from the point of an eighteen year old Argentinian conscript thinking of his mother as the far superior British Marines attack. He has realised the futility of his situation and is thinking of his mother weeping over his impending death. He is contemplating the futility of the situation he has found himself in "spend your life on a piece of land, but your far cheaper do you understand". But it is also a tribute to the bravery of our soldiers. Whilst I am in many ways a pacifist, when faced with fascist aggression such as the Nazi's and the Argentinian Junta, you cannot run and hide. The music of the False Dots is always with the men who have to fight wars for just causes. Our wish is that the politicians who never have to pick up a gun, never have to face personal loss and can rig the system so that their children and those of rich, powerful friends, can dodge the front line, finally get exposed and ejected from office and we start to see people running the country who value the lives of the ordinary citizens.

Like most of the lyrics and poems I write, it then got stuck in my shoebox, put in the sock draw and left. In 1983, Vanessa Sagoe, joined the band. She asked to see any lyrics I had. She loved the song. She asked if I had any music for it. Myself and Paul Hircombe then composed a very basic two chord pattern. We played it and Vanessa simply took the song and that was that. We never bothered to develop it any further musically, because Vanessa's delivery was so powerful.

When Vanessa left the band and Allen Ashley joined in 1985, I played the entire Falsedots set list from Vanessa to Allen. This was one of three songs that we took into the new line up. Allen made some minor adjustments to the lyrics.

The song has become our set closer.

Last year, we were working on the song and recorded a rough pre production demo. For Peace Sunday, I made a photo reel for it, chronicling the 100 years of wars that Great Britain has been involved in since 1914. We have since, finally properly worked out a more cohesive musical backing that does the lyrics the justice they deserve. However, this is how you would have heard the song between 1983 and 2017 if you'd seen the band.

I was inspired to post this as my Wednesday Poem today, in response to what is happening in the UK, in the wake of #Brexit. It seems that nationalism is rampant in the UK in a way we've seldom seen. We really need to wake up to the fact that we are all members of the human family. Labels such as British, American, etc simply mean that due to an accident of circumstance, we happen to be residing in a particular place and a particular bureaucracy have issued us a piece of paper that has those words on it. We need to recognise that anyone who seeks to get us to pick up a gun and kill someone over a turf war is intrinsically an evil person and not fit to be in public office.

I believe that one of the purposes of art is to inform. As an artist it is my duty to try and open peoples eyes and make them look. If we don't start looking behind the curtain, we could very well find ourselves in a situation where those we pay to lead us end up destroying everything we hold dear. There is one other point of note. I used to believe (at the time I wrote these lyrics), that the British were generally the good guys. Tony Blair and his Labour government destroyed that belief for me. Blair mislead parliament and started an illegal war. Hundreds of thousands of people have died or been injured. The middle east is in flames. We have a massive erosion of civil liberties, brought in to combat a threat that has been caused by these foreign policy disasters. All I can do to try and change things is write songs, make videos and write blogs. Is it enough? Probably not. Will anyone take any notice? Probably not. Does that mean it isn't worth trying? Well if we don't try then we will definitely lose, so yes. We should try. I daresay that Wilfred Owen in the trenches felt that writing his poetry was futile at times. He is a shining example of why art is important. His work had a reach that he could never have dreamed of. It is something that every artist  should aspire to.

The False Dots will be appearing at The Midland Hotel on Saturday 24th February. Entry is free. Please join us. We sing songs of love and war and people tell me we are rather entertaining. I guess we should be after 39 years. 

Cuts to CCTV monitoring, rent increases for community sports clubs? Is this really what Barnet voters want?

There are some rather disturbing cost cutting measures being proposed by Barnet Council. These will be debated next week. I hope that all members of the community take note.

Page 503/4 of the latest council papers for the Council Policy and Resources committee has some rather interesting proposals buried in the detail (http://barnet.moderngov.co.uk/documents/g8742/Public%20reports%20pack%2013th-Feb-2018%2019.00%20Policy%20and%20Resources%20Committee.pdf?T=10 )

Here are the key points I have identified - The deadline forquestions fo this meeting is Thursday 8 February at 10AM. Requests must be submitted to Kirstin Lambert; 02083592177 kirstin.lambert@barnet.gov.uk

Rationalisation of CCTV contracts across ANPR / MTC / ASB. Increase income generation. Further rationalisation of control room function. (Saving £200,000) 

Asset Management: Anticipated to be achieved via the review of Green Space asset across the borough; including fees and charges applicable to leaseholds. (Saving £100,000) 

Reduce Demand for Services through targeted enforcement and Education - increase the investment in enforcement and public communication activities to reduce the amount of fly tipping, littering and ASB - provides a reduction in overall operating costs and a small revenue stream above investment costs. A procurement process is being carried out to identify a future provider. (Saving £25,000)

Reduce Demand for Services through targeted enforcement and Education - increase the investment in enforcement and public communication activities to reduce the amount of fly tipping, littering and ASB - provides a reduction in overall operating costs and a small revenue stream above investment costs. A procurement process is being carried out to identify a future provider. ( Saving £200,000)

Invest in 3G Pitches (x3): This proposal will see the Council secure additional investment (in partnership with funding bodies such as The Football Foundation) in modern 3G sports pitches across the borough. These could be either new 3G artifical grass pitches (AGPs) on sites that are currently not laid out as grass pitches, or the conversion of existing grass pitches to AGP’s. Current feasibility work on the creation of sports hubs as required by the adopted Parks and Open Spaces and Playing Pitch Strategies will determine the locations for the new AGP’s, which will be compliant with the Playing Pitch Strategy and agreed with the Playing Pitch Strategy Steering Group which comprises, in addition to LBB, representatives of Sport England, England Hockey, England and Wales Cricket Board, Football Association, Lawn Tennis Association and Rugby Football Union. The council will benefit from a mechanism for sharing the additional income generated from new pitches with any delivery partner. The grass pitches that the Council provides for the playing of team sports are currently subject to charges for their use. Charging will continue for the new facilities. (100,000) 

Advertising on and near to Highways: A number of opportunities have been identified for additional advertising across the public realm, including; highways, bus shelters, parks and open spaces, and town centres. (Savings  £0) 

For purely ideological reasons, Barnet Council Conservatives are committed to a zero % Council tax increase (apart from a the social care precept). Now I am all for efficiencies and savings where sensible, but I believe that you should start by saying "what is sensible". This should primarily be based on what is happening in the real world in the London Borough of Barnet.

So lets have a look at these four proposals that aim to save £525,000.

Rationalisation of CCTV contracts across ANPR / MTC / ASB. Increase income generation. Further rationalisation of control room function. (Saving £200,000) 

Sadly this isn't broken down into where each of these savings will be made. There are three areas. The first is that they will "rationalise CCTV Contracts". I assume from this sketchy detail, that they currently have a plethora of suppliers and that by consolidating or renegotiation these contracts they will make a saving. This seems eminently sensible. I have no issue with this type of saving. I do however have a question. As this is a procurement issue, I assume that Capita will be involved and will presumbly be entitled to a "gainshare payment of possibly up to 30% of the saving. Gainshare is a system whereby Capita identify savings and then the council give them a large chunk as an incentive to identify the saving. The Barnet Eye cannot see how this delivers good value for council tax payers. We wonder whether the quoted saving is gross or net of Gainshare.

Then there is "increase income generation". This is a polite way of saying "increase stealth taxes". As it doesn't say what the income is, I can only deduce that it is likely to be further stealth taxes on struggling businesses.

Offord Letter

Then  we have "further rationalisation of control room function". Again, there is no detail. However it seems to me to be pretty clear that this means less people involved in monitoring of CCTV cameras. In Mill Hill, we've seen a whole spate of vandalism, anti social behaviour and even a shop worker killed. Is cutting CCTV control room function really a sensible move at the moment? Our local MP, Matthew Offord, after years of keeping a low profile has emerged to organise a meeting to discuss the ways in which the situation can be addressed. I wonder if "CCTV control room rationalisation" is on the list of things he'll be sharing?

Given that anti social behaviour is a growing problem and in many cases, the council gets left to clear up the mess, is this really a saving? I wonder if the increased stealth taxes also generate a payment to Capita? If they do, then it seems to me rather perverse that small local traders are subsidising multi national businesses.

Asset Management: Anticipated to be achieved via the review of Green Space asset across the borough; including fees and charges applicable to leaseholds. (Saving £100,000) 

 This is really rather disturbing. The question on Gainshare again needs to be asked. Again, we hear the words "fees and charges applicable to leaseholds" AKA stealth taxes. So lets ask who do these apply to? Well I know two organisations very well who are Green space leaseholders. One of these is the Barnet Eye Community Sports club of the year - Mill Hill Rugby club. They do absolutely fantastic work. They have recently organised collections for Colindale Foodbank. They also run disabled rugby training. Another is Mill Hill Village Cricket club. Again they are an absoilutely integral part of the community. Is it really a sensible idea to penalised and impose stealth taxes on these organisations that are pivotal to the community. They provide opportunities for all manner of young people to get fit, do something useful and play a role in our community. A decent council would be looking to help them rather than bleed them dry. Such organisations should pay peppercorn token rents, end of.

Reduce Demand for Services through targeted enforcement and Education - increase the investment in enforcement and public communication activities to reduce the amount of fly tipping, littering and ASB - provides a reduction in overall operating costs and a small revenue stream above investment costs. A procurement process is being carried out to identify a future provider. (Saving £25,000)

Ok. Here I will do something that may surprise you. I am going to praise the council. I totally support this initiative and I would be more than happy to work with the council and spread the word. I would like to hear more about the scheme and how it will operate.

Reduce Demand for Services through targeted enforcement and Education - increase the investment in enforcement and public communication activities to reduce the amount of fly tipping, littering and ASB - provides a reduction in overall operating costs and a small revenue stream above investment costs. A procurement process is being carried out to identify a future provider. ( Saving £200,000)

Now this is puzzling me. This is exactly the same paragraph as the previous one. This is whats in the report. The first instance has a saving of £25,000 and the second has a saving of £200,000. So is something missing?

Invest in 3G Pitches (x3): This proposal will see the Council secure additional investment (in partnership with funding bodies such as The Football Foundation) in modern 3G sports pitches across the borough. These could be either new 3G artifical grass pitches (AGPs) on sites that are currently not laid out as grass pitches, or the conversion of existing grass pitches to AGP’s. Current feasibility work on the creation of sports hubs as required by the adopted Parks and Open Spaces and Playing Pitch Strategies will determine the locations for the new AGP’s, which will be compliant with the Playing Pitch Strategy and agreed with the Playing Pitch Strategy Steering Group which comprises, in addition to LBB, representatives of Sport England, England Hockey, England and Wales Cricket Board, Football Association, Lawn Tennis Association and Rugby Football Union. The council will benefit from a mechanism for sharing the additional income generated from new pitches with any delivery partner. The grass pitches that the Council provides for the playing of team sports are currently subject to charges for their use. Charging will continue for the new facilities. (Saving £100,000)

 I support this. I am just rather disappointed that this is being proposed at the same time as proposals to hammer established community clubs are being put forward. It seems to me that the Council find large organisations such as Sport England and the FA more sexy than community sports clubs. 3G require less drainage and are easier to maintain once installed. Flooding is not an issue so there is more opportunity to use. I hope that charges will be reasonable.

Advertising on and near to Highways: A number of opportunities have been identified for additional advertising across the public realm, including; highways, bus shelters, parks and open spaces, and town centres. (Savings £0)

Now this is truly bizarre. Why are the council proposing more street clutter and advertising hoardings when there is absolutely no benefit to the taxpayer. Why on earth would they consider such a thing?

I will be submitting a series of questions to the committee. I daresay I'll get the usual inane answers, but I feel duty bound to at least try.

Here is the Email that I sent the council, containing questions and a request to address the committee.

Dear Ms Lambert/ Cllr Cornelius

I have reviewed the papers for this forthcoming meeting. There are several questions I have. I would also like to request the opportunity to address the committee, as allowed under the constitution of the Council. 

The subject I wish to address is the proposed changes to charges to leaseholders of community sports clubs as outlined in the paperwork. I believe that community sports clubs such as Mill Hill Rugby Club and Mill Hill Village Cricket Club do sterling work and should not have to endure large increases in leaseholder charges to help the council balance their books. I believe that they are community assets delivering huge benefit to the community at minimal cost to the council and the council should work with them to help them thrive, rather than see them as a useful source of income. 

I also have several questions. These relate to the following savings outlined

Rationalisation of CCTV contracts across ANPR / MTC / ASB. Increase income generation. Further rationalisation of control room function. (Saving £200,000) 

    Q1 - Are any gainshare payments due to Capita for this saving and how much will these be if so? 

    Q2 - What are the proposed "rationaliosations" of the control room functions. How will these 

    affect  the operational capabilities of the function.

Asset Management: Anticipated to be achieved via the review of Green Space asset across the borough; including fees and charges applicable to leaseholds. (Saving £100,000) 

    Q3 - Please supply a full list of leaseholders affected and the proposed increases and (including

    gainshare payments for Capita if these apply)

Reduce Demand for Services through targeted enforcement and Education - increase the investment in enforcement and public communication activities to reduce the amount of fly tipping, littering and ASB - provides a reduction in overall operating costs and a small revenue stream above investment costs. A procurement process is being carried out to identify a future provider. (Saving £25,000)

   Q4 - I fully support this initiative (based on this scant information). Please supply information as to

   how this scheme will offer and how the savings of £25,000 will be achieved. 

Reduce Demand for Services through targeted enforcement and Education - increase the investment in enforcement and public communication activities to reduce the amount of fly tipping, littering and ASB - provides a reduction in overall operating costs and a small revenue stream above investment costs. A procurement process is being carried out to identify a future provider. ( Saving £200,000)

Q5 - This paragraph appears to be a repeat of the previous one. The only difference being the amount saved. Please can you explain or provide a breakdown of the £200,000 savings if this is correct (including gainshare details)

Invest in 3G Pitches (x3): This proposal will see the Council secure additional investment (in partnership with funding bodies such as The Football Foundation) in modern 3G sports pitches across the borough. These could be either new 3G artifical grass pitches (AGPs) on sites that are currently not laid out as grass pitches, or the conversion of existing grass pitches to AGP’s. Current feasibility work on the creation of sports hubs as required by the adopted Parks and Open Spaces and Playing Pitch Strategies will determine the locations for the new AGP’s, which will be compliant with the Playing Pitch Strategy and agreed with the Playing Pitch Strategy Steering Group which comprises, in addition to LBB, representatives of Sport England, England Hockey, England and Wales Cricket Board, Football Association, Lawn Tennis Association and Rugby Football Union. The council will benefit from a mechanism for sharing the additional income generated from new pitches with any delivery partner. The grass pitches that the Council provides for the playing of team sports are currently subject to charges for their use. Charging will continue for the new facilities. (100,000) 

Q6 - We support this initiative. Please supply details of the proposed locations of these pitches and the proposed operational details.

Advertising on and near to Highways: A number of opportunities have been identified for additional advertising across the public realm, including; highways, bus shelters, parks and open spaces, and town centres. (Savings  £0) 

Q7 - This paragraph details a saving of nothing. What is the purpose increasing street clutter when there is no benefit to the taxpayer. 

Q8 - Will Capita receive a gainshare payment in relation to this item, please detail the amount if this is due?

I believe these items appear on page 503/4 of the reports pack. With regards to the possible typo/duplication, please correct and let me know as a matter of urgency.

Regards

Roger Tichborne

Why I rejoice at Donald Trump tweeting about the NHS

Every so often, the law of unintended consequences delivers a result so powerful that one has to wonder if a higher power really has decided to stick their oar in. At such moments, I fall to my knees and say "thank you Lord". Now I know a goodly, if not Godly proportion of my readers are atheists and so will not react in the same way, but today I had one such moment.

NHS March last Saturday

At the weekend, there was a march for the NHS, which was largely ignored by the press and the media. It is safe to say that if I did not have a healthy smattering of leftie friends on my Facebook friends list I may have completely missed the fact that the march was happening at all. However a huge number of people had participated. Ironiocally, my own plans to participate were scuppered by my nephew having a suspected aneurysm, and having to spend the weekend undergoing tests courtesy of the overstretched NHS services in Barnet general. So although I did not participate, I was very much with them in spirit ( I am pleased to report that my nephew is OK, following a CAT scan, an Angiograph and a Lumbar Puncture and associated tests).

As you can see, a huge number of people turned up. However, if you read the main stream press or watched the main stream news there was hardly a mention.  In short, it appeared to many of us that there was a press and media conspiracy to completely ignore the whole thing. I have to confess that I was rather preoccupied so didn't really give it much thought, despite various texts from friends asking what I thought was going on and how such a huge event could be missing from our news bulletins. I had pretty much resigned myself to the fact that a heartless government has brow beaten our media to such an extent that complete non stories dominate the front pages, whilst a huge display of support for our health service doesnt even warrant a by-line.

To be honest, I found the whole thing so completely demoralising, combined with a pretty awful weekend, that I decided to have a day off from blogging. But the good Lord clearly had other ideas and a quick check of twitter revealed something that half a million concerned British taxpayers could not achieve. In short the NHS march was suddenly all over the media. Was this because the media had awoken feeling shamed by the lack of respect shown to the half million? No, it was because the darling of the right wing press, the Leader of The Free World, Donald J. Trump had decided that he'd do Theresa May's struggling government a big favour and stick a knife between her shoulder blades.

He issued the following tweet.

The Democrats are pushing for Universal HealthCare while thousands of people are marching in the UK because their U system is going broke and not working. Dems want to greatly raise taxes for really bad and non-personal medical care. No thanks!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) February 5, 2018

Trumps intervention ensured a media storm followed. All of a sudden, the NHS march is the top global story.  Trump has his reasons for sticking the knife in. None are anything to do with the fact that the NHS is something that the British people value and care about above all others in our list of political issues. Deranged Brexiteers recognised this and used a massive porkie that the NHS would get an extra £350 million a week to buy the referendum.

Trumps malign plan to use the massive march for more resources for the NHS to try and make the case for the broken American system, offers complete vindication of what pro NHS campaigners have been saying. No British Conservatives can argue that they care about the NHS. They have allowed it to be underfunded to such an extent that even the US president sees it as having a funding crisis. Donald Trump is no friend to the British left, but he has dropped an atomic bomb on the claims of the Tory Party to be a party that cares for the NHS.

However much you may hate Donald Trump and his free market policies, he is telling the truth. The NHS is going broke. I would disagree with his claim that it is not working, although it is getting stretched to breaking point. It may well be that if the government of Theresa May lasts its full term, the damage will be terminal.

Whatever you think, the Tories have been exposed. Trump may be a malicious street fighter, who is prepared to stab friends like Theresa May in the back to win his own little battle in the USA. But for all of us, we surely must use this opportunity to ensure that the British public are left in no doubt that Donald Trump has told a pretty stark truth that the mainstream media in the UK did not want us to hear. For that I will be eternally grateful to him, much as I despise what he stands for and why he did it.

The Tweets of the week in the London Borough of Barnet

It's Sunday so here are the tweets of the week.

1. Burnt Oak Police are taking swift action to combat an invasion of Daleks

We would just like to remind residents that dumping rubbish is fly tipping and can be enforced by @BarnetCouncil they can also advise the best way to dispose of rubbish correctly. pic.twitter.com/qmW8iASW4y

— Burnt Oak Police (@MPSBurntOak) February 1, 2018

2. This weeks historical tweet of the week is Edgware circa 1880. Great picture

Edgware High Street - 1880 pic.twitter.com/zwR3L7dvqO

— Dickens' London (@dickens_london) February 2, 2018

3. As ever, we pay tribute to our brave fire service, risking their lives to keep us safe.

Colindale Avenue NW9 currently closed due to a hous fire @LondonFire in attendance. #ResponseTeamB pic.twitter.com/hjp4SD0mIm

— MPS Barnet (@MPSBarnet) February 1, 2018

4. We always try and do our bit to find those lost doggies!

STOLEN PUPPY HENDON North London SIGHTINGS NEEDED hopefully will be on Doglost soon. pic.twitter.com/94LdP8QYcu

— Lesley White (@reggiemollieros) January 26, 2018

5. Great picture from one of our regulare fave tweeters!

Thank you. Wanted to try this for years, but cloud, meetings, TV etc. have kept me away. Everything seemed perfect, angle of pass etc., so I went. Too much light pollution & passing cars. The snow shots last year were easier... The police EC135 was a surprise! pic.twitter.com/KFCYQ5mntu

— ❄⛄Donald Lyven⛄❄ (@barnet_rebel) January 30, 2018

6. Here's one for the fans of brutalist architecture

Photo: Health Clinic, Friern Barnet (1941) by Curtis & Burchett https://t.co/TZ7G5LpO7K #barnet pic.twitter.com/HtolHgU5rw

— Modernism in Metroland (@mod_in_metro) February 1, 2018

7. This one did make me chortle!

Barnet's Capita planners manage to call the Cricklewood depot

"Rail Fright Facility".

How true.https://t.co/eW6u8s2Hsb pic.twitter.com/mG07b835pb

— BrentCross Coalition (@BXcoalition) February 1, 2018

8. Lovely picture of a beautiful Tit in Golders Green Park

This little fella in Golders Green Park NW11 yesterday must be the Adonis of the bird population then... pic.twitter.com/LI5TEnkMoW

— Simon Dunant FLPI (@simondunant) January 28, 2018

9. Gordon the cat is on duty in Finchley!

Companion of honour #Gordonthecat helped to open the #Tescobagsofhelp #Piggery social centre pic.twitter.com/UqYL9yymLv

— Finchley Hort Soc (@FinchleyHort) February 2, 2018

10. Mill Hill is fast becoming the musical capital of London!

It's official. January 2018 was the busiest ever month at Mill Hill Music Complex with 822 bookings logged on our booking system. Many thanks for all your support! pic.twitter.com/hWAUWEmv6h

— MillHillMusicComplex (@MillHillMusicCo) February 1, 2018

That's all folks!

The Saturday List #163 - My top five tasty shopping tips for your Sunday Lunch in the Mill Hill area

The French call the British "RosBifs", because they believe that the British only eat roast beef for lunch. They believe us to be incapable of cooking anything else. I have a confession to make. My favourite Sunday lunch is indeed Roast Beef with all the trimmings followed by a nice apple pie and custard (although sadly I am off dairy). But we are lucky to live in an amazing place, where we have a choice of so much more. So here are a few tips for an alternative. I believe that Sunday Lubch should be a shared, sacred time for all the family. Here are some of my favourite dishes and where I procure the key ingredients from.

Elias Fish

1. Roasted Seabass. Why not nip down to Elias fishmongers in Mill Hill East. They do the finest quality fish. The seabass is exquisite. And if you want a fantastic tapinade to really make a great dish.. I wrap in foil greased with Olive oil and bake for 20 mins at around 170 degrees.
Elias fish do a whole range of absolutely top quality fish and other seafood. If you haven't tried them, I strongly advise that you do. We are lucky to have such an amazing resource in our community.


2. Tomato and olive tapinade. Make your own. There is a fantastic greengrocer in Mill Hill East. Buy plum tomatoes. Thinly slice the skin and then boil for five minutes. This will enable you to peel off the skin. Then mash the tomatoes and fry them on a medium heat to reduce. Add grated garlic, sea salt and pepper and sliced olives. A dash of white wine vinegar also helps bring out the flavour. When the mix has the consistancy of porridge it is ready to be sprad on the seabass. A good tip is to make a big load of it and freeze it in ice cubes for later use. One ice cube is enough to season one sea bass!

Boucherie Gerard

3. Choriso Sausages. Boucherie Gerard in Daws Lane do the most excellent Choriso Sausages. I'd recommend some of their English Providender Caramalised Red Onion chutney to go with it. They also do organic vegetables. The Shallots are particularly wonderful. These are best served with Chips. I have a little tip for you on the chips front. If you fancy doing the sausages, buy a bag of Chips from Cannons Fish and Chip shop on Saturday night. Put them in the fridge and then fry them up in Coconut oil in Sunday for about five minutes, turning frequently. They are delicious when refried. It may not be a traditional Sunday Lunch, but it will not disappoint!


4. Go Vegan! There is a myth that vegan food is like eating deflavoured cardboard. I eat vegan three days a week. I don't think eating too much meat is healthy or good for the environment, however when I was fully vegetarian, I developed health issues related to vitamin deficiencies. So I have come to the conclusion that a happy medium is the best way forward for me. I have a whole stack of great vegan dishes that I find most satisfying. Mill Hill East is a great place to source the vegetables. I don't do dairy, but my wife will often ask for cheese to be added.  Here is one of my favourites. Baked Stuffed Flat Mushroom. 1. Boil up amount of Red Lentil. Remove the middle stem of the large mushroom, chop up and add some more finely chopped mushrooms, a chilli or two to taste, a finely chopped shallot. Fry up with coconut oil  on medium heat until brown. Then mix in the cooked lentils. Fry for another couple of minutes, then spread onto the mushrooms, wrap in foil and bake for 16 minutes. If you've sprinkled cheese, you can cook for 12 minutes and then grill till cheese is melted.

5. The Mother of all Sandwiches! The very best lunch you can have in Mill Hill is to have it in the middle of a walk along the Totteridge Valley. Sadly this weekend is not looking too promising for this, unless you are hardy. The one thing I miss most about not doing dairy is cheese. A cheddar cheese and pickled onion sandwich is one of the most glorious delights known to man. These days, I buy the polish smoked ham from Rota Express in Mill Hill Broadway. It is absolutely delicious in a Sandwich. Gerrards Butchers sell excellent dijon mustard, which is an ideal accompanyment to the ham. We like to do this and take the dog along as well.

And finally.......

Mill Hill Wines

Why not wash it down with a bottle of the finest plonk from Mill Hill Wines. They have an amazing selection and they will offer the best advice to help you select just the right option for whichever of the tasty treats above you decide on.

The Friday Joke - 2/2/2018

 

When my son graduated from high school, he had to give a speech. He began by reading from his prepared text. 'I want to talk about my mother and the wonderful influence she has had on my life,' he told the audience. 'She is a shining example of parenthood, and I love her more than words could ever do justice.'

At this point he seemed to struggle for words. After a pause, he looked up with a sly grin and said, 'Sorry, but it's really hard to read my mother's handwriting.' 

Have a great weekend!

Does Stephen Pollard really want to destroy the UK Music industry?

Stephen Pollard, editor of the Jewish Chronicle and comment writer for the Daily Express, is a man who I have a great deal of respect for. Unlike many of the hacks who write for the Daily Express these days, he actually has something interesting to say and whilst I don't always agree with his every word, it is well written, well thought out and conveys an intelligent perspective. As someone who is right of centre, he has a very different perspective to me, but generally is sensible and sound. Last month he wrote an excellent article for the Daily Express on why action is needed to combat the scourge of waste plastic.  Given that the first book of the Talmud is pretty hot on environmental protection, I guess it should be no surprise.

I was therefore quite disturbed to read Mr Pollards latest column in the Express, which is a passionate argument for the case for ending free movement on the day when we leave the EU. To quote Mr Pollard

And yesterday EU officials were reported as saying that the demand that the cut-off date for residency rights be moved back to the end of the transition period was “non-negotiable” and it was “inconceivable” that the UK could avoid free movement during the transition. This is simply barking. And it shows how, even now, they still don’t get what Brexit really means. 

I fully accept that Mr Pollard is a #Brexit hawk. That is his right in a democracy. However as a musician and the founder of the #SaveLondonMusic campaign, I feel duty bound to spell out the stark reality of what Mr Pollard is proposing and how it will destroy the UK music industry, which currently generates over £4 billion a year for the UK economy. I run a music studio complex that employs 12 people directly, another 14 people indirectly and has a global customer base. Last month (January 2018), we had our busiest ever week. We had 822 separate bookings, and see over 1,000 artists a week pass through our doors. For me and my customers music is our life. You may say "what has all this got to do with Free Movement and Brexit?

Well for me it has everything. Mr Pollard primarily focuses on the rights of EU citizens to move to the UK to work. Lets put that to one side for a minute, although we'll come to that later. There is another side to the coin. That is that UK citizens also have the right to work in the EU. Strangely Brexiteers rarely mention this when they are ranting about immigration and free movement. For London based musicians, any change to this would be an absolute nightmare. For the mega bands like The Rolling Stones and One Direction, it will be a minor inconvenience and 'their people' will seamlessly sort out visa's etc. It will however, devastate the ability of the vast majority of working musicians and music professionals to earn a living. Let me explain with a couple of examples. Of my 12 employees, my studio tech is also full time musician. He is currently away on a tour of Europe. His band got a call last week. A band had pulled out and could his band drop everything and schlep around Europe for a week fulfilling their gigs. For his band, this was a very lucrative gig. In London, unknown bands are lucky to pay the bills with gig proceeds, however European promoters pay handsome fees and are great to work with. My studio tech is one of many musicians who is able to enjoy a decent standard of living because his band regularly works in Europe.

If Mr Pollard has his way, then it would be logistically impossible for my studio tech to fulfill such commitments. In the early 1980's my band used to travel to Europe to tour. That was before free movement of people. Everything required meticulous planning. Carnets were completed to list all of the equipment being taken and this would be checked at customs going both out of the country and back in. You needed to prove that you had permission to work and that could take months to sort out. Or you could do what our band did, hire the gear  when you got there and not tell anyone, working illegally for dodgy promoters, who would often try and knock you. As an 18 year old, being faced by a red faced 40 year old promoter, who was refusing to pay you, potentially leaving you destitute in Stockholm (as we'd borrowed money to get there), this was a disaster. Sadly, I discovered that such situations frequently ended in violence. I also learned that when you are on the wrong side of the law, you are vulnerable. In short, it was not practical for a young musician like me to take advantage of the lucrative European circuit. For my studio tech, there are no such concerns. They get booked to play in Hamburg or Brussels and they can be there in 48 hours.

There are thousands of UK jobbing musicians who can survive and be musically creative solely due to such opportunities. Then let me give you the next example. My chief recording engineer was also away last week. A studio in Portugal was doing mixing an album for a label and urgently needed an engineer to assist the producer. Could he drop everything and come over. He was booked on a plane and had five days half way up a mountain in the Algarve, not seeing the light of day, as they slaved to meet the deadline to finish the recording. UK music professionals do this all the time. I see many on a daily basis. The conversation is usually the same "I'm just back from Rome" - "How was it?" - "Dunno, I was in the studio all the time, but it pays the bills".

This is the free movement of labour in action. In both cases mentioned, the people in question will pay UK taxes on their earnings and in some small way have added their chunk to the £4 billion a year that the UK industry generates. These are the people that ensure that the UK and London in particular are the world capital for music production. As I mentioned, my studio has a global reach in customer base. But if my staff were unable to exploit the opportunities that working in Europe allow them, they would simply not be able to afford to live and work in London. They would either have to leave London or leave the industry (probably both). Once our technical base is depleted and our musician base is destroyed, we can kiss goodbye to our creative base and our music related contribution to the GDP. I have had this conversation with the likes of Mr Pollard and they always say "Oh, I'm sure that talented individuals will find a way to get around this". Or they will say "Well we did OK in the 1960's before free movement of people". Well first of all, given that no one knows what Brexit actually means (even the 20 people in the cabinet can't agree), how can he possibly say this. It is what is called wishful thinking. As to the argument about "We did ok in the 1960's". The contribution of the UK Music industry to the GDP was tiny compared with now. It was also the case that UK venues paid bands properly then. Live music was seen as an integral part of clubs and social occasions. These days a DJ and a disco is the preferred option. In short, there is simply not the money in the UK music scene to support our musicians.

But there is so much more to the UK music industry than just our musicans and technicians, important as they are. We also have the huge contribution that EU national artists make to London. Last month, our studio had it's busiest day ever for bookings. We had 40 different artist bookings on one day in our 21 studios. Approx 35% of our customers are EU nationals. We have musicians from every European nation using our studios. We have Romanian gypsies playing traditional music, we have bouncing Czech's,  funky Frenchmen, Gothic Germans, Punky Portuguese, Arty Austrians and Swinging Swedes (pardon the pun). Many of these have formed new alliances in our studio reception and cafe area. We hear some truly awesome music and London is where it is musically because we take all of these influences and make something new and better. These musicians have come to London to further their career. Whilst people might think that these musicians are simply lying around all day writing songs, doing nothing, this could not be further from the truth. Our studios are not a charity, they have to pay to use our facilities. Most are working night and day at a whole stack of jobs, to earn the money to pay for rehearsals and to build their career. They are investing in themselves and the UK economy is hugely benefitting. They want to be in London because we have world class and world known music venues (Ronnie Scotts, The Jazz Cafe, The Dublin Castle, The Roundhouse....). We have the record labels and the publishing companies. We have the talent scouts. We have the BBC, which although derided by many on the right has done more than any other global organisation to nurture new musical talent. Shows like Robert Elms and Garry Crowley on BBC London have given many new artists the chance to be heard.  Jools Holland is perhaps the seminal global music show in the world. It has launched artists like Amy Winehouse.

Brexit puts all of this at risk. Perhaps Stephen Pollard thinks that the £4 billion contribution to the UK GDP is insignificant or not worth the trouble. If he does, then he clearly doesn't understand the soft power this gives the UK. Foreign students pay a fortune to study in the UK, because we are seen as a creative hub. Talented executives and entreprenuers come from all around the world to live and work in London, because they know we have a vibrant city and a great music scene. In the event of an Uber hard Brexit, this will not disappear overnight, but the next generation of talented musicians will not be able to move to London from the EU. The technicians and musicians working in the UK on the second and third tier of the industry will find it harder and harder to survive. It may take five years, it may take twenty, but at some point we'll wake up and find that London has a sterile music scene and that people no longer see the UK as a first choice destination to live, work or be educated.

I am assuming that Mr Pollard has not really considered the UK Music scene in his opposition to free movement of Labour. I am assuming that, as he is an intelligent man, he will at least give the effects of his views on the musical community of London. I am assuming that he would not want to see the £4 billion music industry take a massive hit. I am assuming that he wouldn't want to see musicians lose their livilhoods and when he considers the issues he will work with us to ensure that whatever happens in the mess called Brexit that we have found ourselves in, he will work to ensure that it works for the UK music industry. As I mentioned earlier, Mr Pollard is the editor of the Jewish Chronicle. As such he is a staunch defender of Londons Jewish community. It gives me great pride that our studios have helped launch many fantastic Jewish artists, such as Amy Winehouse. Maybe 30% of our customers are Jewish (I've never asked, but that number feels about right). As part of the Mill Hill Music Festival, I've organised many amazing Klezmer concerts with brilliant artists such as Stewart Curtis K-Groove, Shir and KlezmerCo. Last year we had a sold out night for Balalaika at The Mill Hill Shul. We've recorded music for Holocaust memorial exhibitions and all manner of other events. We probably record five sessions a week for Bahmitzvahs. All of this happens because London is a key music hub and we have musicians, technicians and musical entrepreneurs who recognise the unique musical mix that makes London. The EU rules on the free movement of Labour are one of the key ingredients. I don't think it is unfair to ask him to have a little rethink about his stance on this issue.

I thought I'd finish this piece with a little music from Shir at The Mill Hill Music festival. I was proud to have engineered this session. London is a multi cultural hub and I think this is something worth fighting to preserve. I believe that great musicians, such as Shir, with their diverse influences make us the worlds greatest musical city. This will only persist if we have a greta grassroots music scene. (please note that I've not asked the band whether they agree with me on this issue). I hope Mr Pollard enjoys the track, even if he totally disagrees with me still.


Have a great weekend.



.

How will the Capita costcutting program affect the services Barnet taxpayers

There is one aspect of the latest and still unfolding Capita story which no one has mentioned so far. Capita have announced a huge restructuring, cost cutting and redundancy program. There are several aspects of this that  demonstrate the huge risk Barnet Council has loaded onto Barnet Taxpayers. Not least, how will already dodgy services be affected by the Capita costcutting, over which they have no control. We can summarise the main problems with the relationship as follows.


1. Barnet Council has no control over the way its outsourced services are managed or run.
2. Barnet Taxpayers can do nothing to influence the policy decision taken as to how those running our services are made.
3. Barnet Council can only challenge Capita over poor service when it has actually occurred.
4. If Capita provides bad services to Barnet Council, then if the fines are less than the savings, they may make a commercial decision to accept the fines and give bad service.

The stark truth is that there will be less people working for Capita. This restructuring will not mean a better quality of service to the Barnet Taxpayer. This blog has already seen examples of failing Capita services. We've seen IT failures from decrepit Capita systems affecting the function of Barnet Council operations. We've seen highly contentious planning applications passed as Capita haven't processed them. No one can argue that the One Barnet Outsourcing project has delivered better services. Over the last couple of weeks, Mr Reasonable has detailed how Barnet Taxpayers are actually paying Capita huge amounts of money for savings they've identified. What this means is that if Capita say "If you shut down this Library you will save £100,000"  to Barnet Council and the Council do it, Capita get paid up to £33,000. Despite all of this easy money, Capita are in finacial trouble.

The logic for handing over council services to the private sector was, according to the Barnet Tories, that the Private sector had better financial discipline. This myth has been cruelly exposed by Carillion and Capita. The markets don't lie and the Capita Share price (as I am writing this) has dropped nearly five percent today.

Capita are in big trouble. I used to invest in the company. I bought shares in the company in 2002 when they were £1.72. I bought £2,000 worth. I thought that they were a good bet with contracts such as the Congestion charge zone with The London Mayor. In 2011, I sold them them for £7.11. The reason? I did not want charges of hypocrisy given my objections to One Barnet. My investment gave me an over £6,000 profit on a £2,000 investment.

It is interesting to note that the share price today is £1.73. It is right back where it started. If I'd sold them at their peak in 2015, I'd have made nearly £11,000. I invested in Capita long before they were in involved in Barnet. After I divested, I kept a close eye on the share price. I had realised all along that the One Barnet deal was likely to be lucrative for Capita shareholders. What I didn't really appreciate was that Capita was in fact a very badly run company, that was simply lining its pockets on easy money from mugs like the Barnet Taxpayer. As it has become more clear that they've bitten off more than they can chew and more public sector organisations have had problems with contracts, the easy money has dried up.

The CEO of Capita has realised that if he doesn't do something drastic, then the company will fail. His solution has been to cancel dividends and seek more cash from the shareholders to sort the mess out. He is going to sell key parts of the business to finance "core functions". Had I not sold up and had bought a new kitchen with the dosh, I'd be looking at an investment that had made no money at all and a request for cash from a company that admits it is badly run. I fell for that one with RBS shares. I would not fall for it again.

As a major customer of Capita, Barnet Council faces the prospect of less people at Capita providing services that are already bad. Does that sound like a clever plan for the Barnet Taxpayer? It sounds like a recipe for disaster to me. It also appears that some of the services may not even be supplied by Capita in the future. It could well be that they hive off services provided to Barnet to other companies. Why would another company want to buy a bit of business from a failing company like Capita? The answer is obvious. They would buy it because it is a cash cow. And we, the taxpayer are the people who are being milked.

In short, the Barnet Taxpayer is caught between a rock and a hard place.

How have the Barnet Tories reacted? Now this is very interesting. The Deputy Leader of the Barnet Council, Dan Thtomas is a big fan of Donald Trump.

UK twitterati not quite grasping that the purpose of President Trump's speech is to make Americans feel great again. #Inauguration

— Cllr Dan Thomas (@Daniel_Thomas81) January 20, 2017

Intriguing how despite himself, media commentary and celebrity attacks, it seems #POTUS appeals to ordinary Americans. You wouldn't expect approval from almost half of Democrats and three quarters of Independents if you follow the news and twitter. #SOTU https://t.co/4sCH9dkLc4

— Cllr Dan Thomas (@Daniel_Thomas81) January 31, 2018

Mr Thomas has clearly studied President Trump and his tactics for dealing with difficult questions about the poor decisions he's made rather well. Whilst the Barnet Conservatives were reeling from the news that their "cunning planw" AKA One Barnet was unrevalling before their eyes, he launched a classic diversionary attack, in true Trump style with an offensive tweet. This was clearly done to distract everyone from the pending implosion of his outsourcing schemes.

Last night, a councillor called for British people to be prioritised when allocating social housing, a view shared by many decent people. Labour councillors called this a 'racial slur', a view not shared by most people. And they wonder why they're losing working class support.

— Cllr Dan Thomas (@Daniel_Thomas81) January 31, 2018

And you know what? To my eternal shame I fell for his cunning plan yesterday. When we should all have been trying to hold the Thomas to account for being a Capita champion, I got suckered into writing a blog about his awful tweeting.  It could not be clearer that Thomas does not want to discuss the problems of Capita. I don't blame him. The contract is his baby and it has grown into a monster that is about to devour his administration.

The difficult truth, which no amount of Trumpesque tweeting by Councillor Thomas can hide, is that Barnet Council now has a major risk on its risk register as a result of his policies. There can be nop doubt that the Capita restructuring will impact the operations of Barnet Council and the quality of services delivered to Barnet Taxpayers, which we've already noted are not great.

Back in 2012, I produced a film called "Barnet - The Billion Pound Gamble" which tried to warn residents of the fact that the One Barnet outsourcing project was a huge risk to Barnet. The trailer we made, has the Leader of the Council, Richard Cornelius admitting that the Council only has reserves of £15 million on a £1billion business. If Capita goes the way of Carillion, then it is clear what will happen. Barnet Taxpayers will be crucified financially. Don't say you weren't warned.