Last night the Tory Administration in Barnet was too bust eating and drinking to come back in the chamber for their policy item.  The Mayor moved on to next business.  This is not a good start for the new leader.

Speaking at last nights COuncil meeting I dismissed the Labour figures intending to show that London COuncils are not being victimised in order to reallocate money to more fruitful Labout Territory. I also pointed out that Londoners are being hit by the double whammy of Conservative Mayor Boris Johnson’s 20% bas fare ruses and likely loss of Freedom Pass grant. However Barnet , whatever the cost to the Borough, will uphold the Freedom Pass for its residents.

Personally I think it would be a better consultation to ask people to list their top twenty Council priorities which would give a view of what residents find the most valuable and a query about the most annoying Council services which would tell the Administration where to make inmprovements. The budget simulator stuff on the website is to my mind not the way to go about the consultation.

At the last COuncil Meeting we had to decide whether to stay with the current Cabinet and Leader system or go for an elected Mayor.  Personally I am not in favour of either believing that the old committee system where everyone could play a decision making role was far better and kept COuncillors better informed.  However when push comes to shove it seems to me that an elected Mayor is more democratic than a Leader elected solely by the majority group. However, as you might expect the Administration voted through the status quo.

At Tuesday’s Council Meeting the Administration made clear that they are still sticking to this idiotic theory.  Do residents really want a Council run like a budget airline?

They also refused to sanction any real joined up thinking between Barnet Brent and Camden in the Cricklewood area.  However it does look as though we may get the ‘No drinking zone ‘pushed by my clleague Cllr Monroe Palmer which is very good news.

Splendid dinner in the new Rickett Quadrangle with entertainment from musical students and food introductions from the Chef!  I usually find dinner table conversation difficult but it all went with a swing.  I hope it will prove to be an annual event (and that I will be invited!.)

I rarely (never? well hardly ever!)approve of shadow Chancellor Osbourne but ‘The Times (Fri 11 Sep, p.28 notes “George Osbourne cited a number of Conservative Councils yesterday but Barnet which has been dubbed ‘EasyCouncil’ admits to a relentless drive for efficiency was not one of them.’ “

Quite right too. Their ‘no frills’ airline scheme of which the Tory Leader Cllr Mike Freer is so proud will cut services in all directions and, as usual, with this administration people who can pay will jump the queue of the merely needy

According to Friday’s Guardian the Leader of Barnet Council is planning to run Barnet ‘like Ryanair’, for example if you want your planning application to go to the front of the queue it will cost extra. I think Cllr Freer and Barnet’s Conservative Administration have missed the point. A Council is not a cheap airline but should be a body with social and communal responsibility. Ruthless cutting of services by a Borough (which already has a higher Council Tax rate than the neighbouring Liberal Democrat led Boroughs , Brent and Camden) cannot and will not provide the services that residents are entitled to expect.

This administration seems obsessed with ‘improvements’ to the ‘back office’ system.  This means replacing people with IT.  In the case of parking visitors permits it seems to have been singularly unsucessful.  The backlog is only now being cleared.  I have just dealt with a case outstanding since April.

I am told more IT is being applied to the parking permit telephone lines so that the ridiculously long waiting times will be reduced.  I hope it works.

Susette

Responding to the Ad Hac Scrutiny committee Deloittes seem to have found that according to the ‘governance at the time’ the Cabinet member (i.e.the Leader Cllr Freer also Chair of Cabinet Resources)was not responsible for the £27million currently locked up in Icelandic Banks. I thought that ‘power without responsibility’ was, throughout the ages, the perogative of an entirely different group of people!