It seems Mrs Angry is not the only one to be staggered by the neanderthal-like political blundering of our Tory leadership here in Broken Barnet. The attempt to dismantle the procedures which allow debate and open decision making in this borough, and provide some accountability and transparency to the electorate, has now reached the national press.
Firstly the story was picked up yesterday by investigative journalist and former Westminster correspondant David Hencke:
https://davidhencke.wordpress.com/2011/02/08/barnets-new-pioneering-tory-policy-curb-free-speech/
And now this morning the story is covered in the Guardian Diary by Hugh Muir:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2011/feb/09/hugh-muir-diary-adonis
How much more embarrassment to the government by this lunatic council is the Tory central leadership going to allow?
Barnet's ruling junta has just sent a begging letter to Eric Pickles asking for a hand out, previous gaffes by the council having lost £27.2 million in the Icelandic bank fiasco, £11 million on the bridge overspend, etc, and with the easycouncil idiocy costing more money rather than the savings it was supposed to deliver.
If I were Mr Pickles, I would be writing back to say if you want bailing out, here's the deal: get your house in order, stand aside for a new leader, get rid of the centralised Cabinet system of decision making, oh, and stop trying to smother the democratic processes of local government.
Just a thought, Eric.
*Latest 2pm Wednesday: Barnet Council have at last got back to David Hencke saying that these are Tory proposals, so they cannot comment! Obviously Barnet Council is no longer Tory run: good news indeed, citizens!
**Friday: updated on David Hencke's blog -
"Richard Robeson, spokesman for the Conservative group on Barnet, would not enlighten people on the proposed curbs. The Facebook friend of Brian Coleman said tersely: 'We do not talk to bloggers or journalists.' "
Ooh er: who does a spokesman speak to then?
*** Tuesday: council spokesman quoted in David Hencke's blog as saying:
“A review group will be considering the issues and will report back any proposals to a future meeting of special committee (constitution review).”
Mrs Angry's spokeswoman says: "Translated from easybarnet speak, this means any new and radical changes will be shuffled about a bit, until nosey bloggers get bored and stop watching, when they will be introduced via the back door."
3 comments:
It's interesting that Coleman still feels obliged to grant a voice to the official opposition. Without it Barnet would become a one-party statelet.
I've no doubt that would suit Brian fine, but I think even he realises that for public relations reasons that is a line that cannot be crossed - in public.
hardly a voice, two minutes reply from one person! Let's face it, that does effectively make it a one party affair.
Lots of visits from the GLA and Barnet today: hello darlings, nice to see you all!
Ace! more of this kind of stuff please, the last 4-5 blogs have been superb.
I see it as opposition because, the opposition top down in the Town Hall, don't quite get it nor do they like being bruised. The Conservatves might say "these are Tory proposals." How True, pretty much in keeping with all the other flawed stuff coming from the heart of Tories who have changed little, from those years in the wilderness so no surprise, "they cannot comment!" Don't forget two of both Coleman and Hillan's friends have been sent to Parliament as David Hencke points out, included is one Palmer whose own record in a local coalition was not much.
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