Monroe and I attended the Barnet Schools Music Festival last night. It was brilliant . 78 schools are taking part over the 6 evenings of the festival and it really does your heart good to hear them. All the Barnet staff and pupils concerned are to be congratulated.
June 25, 2009
susettepalmer
So despite all the objections both from groups and from individuals the Cabinet decided to ge ahead with abolishing Wardens for Sheltered Accomodation. Disgraceful.
June 12, 2009
susettepalmer
My Cozy Glove Book is on its way to the publishers-really glad that deadline is out of the way. I feel the need to knit something quite different from the 30 pairs of gloves I had to do for the book! Hopefully it will be published for Christmas.
May 26, 2009
susettepalmer
As my colleague Cllr Macdonald reports on the new Mayor’s speech” We were told that he would not tolerate their attempts to bring down Barnet’s civic dignity (or words to that effect as we can’t listen to his speech as Barnet don’t publish Council meetings on the web). My view is that it is not Barnet’s bloggers that are the danger to local democracy, but rather the clinging to outmoded protocol that prevents valid critFirst up, where Barnet’s bloggers. We were told that he would not tolerate their attempts to bring down Barnet’s civic dignity (or words to that effect as we can’t listen to his speech as Barnet don’t publish Council meetings on the web). My view is that it is not Barnet’s bloggers that are the danger to local democracy, but rather the clinging to outmoded protocol that prevents valid criticism of both the system and the people running that system. “
Absolutely right Duncan. Anyway I don’t think Cllr Coleman will be able to ’stop the blogs’. The internet is more democratic than Barnet COuncil (not difficult).We are now only able to ‘call in ‘ a very reduced list of Cabinet decisions for scrutiny.
I have received an invitation from The Jewish Community Housing Assoc. to a Tea party prior to the Cabinet Meeting of 27th May ‘when the future of sheltered housing will be decided within the Borough’. I think the Association cannot be aware of how limited the effect of COuncillors other than the Cabinet are at this stage and how many of the Conservative back bench COuncillors had an opportunity to vote against this disgraceful decision but voted for it (see my previous blog about their disgraceful behavior and the Mayor’s dismissive comment on my request that they at least listen to the case for retaining wardens being made ,eloquently ,by opposition speakers.
May 26, 2009
susettepalmer
The last Council meeting before the end of the Council Year discussed the removal of wardens from sheltered housing. The Conservative administration remains adamant that it is not needed. It is. The Lib Dem group feel strongly that it is a needed and valued service.
I understand that the Conservative Party in Barnet has different ideals to ours. What I cannot understand is the apalling way that they giggled among themselves while this serious item was being discussed.
An appeal to the Mayor brough no reprimand to them, just the suggestion that “Cllr Palmer should go back to her knitting”.
How did they get to be so arrogant (and so wrong).
April 10, 2009
susettepalmer
Fed up with his constant allegations that the Lib. Dem group had more allowances in their salary per person than thery should, I instigated a little research. Per person 2007/8 Conservatives average salary of £19,796 per Councillor. Lib Dems Average Salary of £14, 103.
March 18, 2009
susettepalmer
In the Council Budget debate, in seeking to explain the effect of loss of wardens in sheltered accomodation Cllr Hillan only mentioned Council sheltered homes. This was economical with the truth which is that the grants made to sheltered residents in registered social landlord accomodation are also to be cut. This is a bad move and the Liberal Democrat Group are stronly against the cuts.
March 9, 2009
susettepalmer
Tags: sheltered wardens
Happy to attend Golders Green library last Thursday to celebrate renewal work including (at last) public toilet and ’self issue’ equipment allowing you to self issue books in 4 languages. Ceremony was followed by Programme of Storytime which my grandtwins enjoyed and an evening talk on researching family history for which we now have some web facilities. If anyone out there would like to join the Friends of Barnet Libraries please let me know.
February 18, 2009
susettepalmer
On Monday Barnet’s Cleaner Greener etc committee discussed the draft Corporate Plan. I pointed out that Golders Green was not on the ‘Prepare Town Centre Development Strategies/framework for priority town centres and that it should be. Of the 2 Cabinet members present Cllr Melvyn Cohen (Golders Green Ward) dismissed it with a ‘the Cabinet has already decided’ while Cllr Harper (Garden Suburb) saying it affected his ward too suggested we sent a resolution to the Area Environment Committee. This was agreed. Purists may say that Cllr Melvyn Cohen’s ward does not actually take in Golders Green HighStreet but it must be the nearest and most used shopping centre for a great many of his residents. I was surprised at his dismissive attitude.
February 18, 2009
susettepalmer
Tags: Golders Green
I am thoroughly frustrated with the habit of some officers of ignoring Councillor’s emails even when they are reminded . I have just had to take an advice case up to the Acting Chief Executive to get a response from the education department on an extremely sad special needs case. It is not rocket science to set the computer as I have so you can see emails are being read but not answered, which is what was happening. If the answer is too complex for an email they have our phone numbers.
On the subject of phones would anyone like to recommend a simple cameraphone (i.e.not a smart phone) with black, easy to read keys?
February 3, 2009
susettepalmer