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.