No lollipops at Brian Coleman's banquet

The ever-excellent Adam Bienkov has unearthed the detail about Brian Coleman's "completely excessive" £2,338.00 lunch - paid from Fire Brigade budgets.

Keen toad-watchers will already be aware that the full-bellied, green-skinned councillor plans to axe lollipop crossing patrols for Barnet's children.

So this got me reaching for my righteous calculator of justice and my back-of-a-fag-packet of truth. Hypothetically speaking, just how many school crossing patrols could be paid for with the money Coleman squandered on personal face-stuffing?*

If we assume that Barnet's lollipop-bearers are on the minimum wage of £5.93 per hour (this is 'EasyCouncil' Barnet we're talking about remember), and if we assume that they work for 1.5 hours a day, we can calculate that they cost a total of £8.90 each day. If we then divide the cost of Coleman's 'free' lunch by the daily cost of a lollipop patrol person we can see that Coleman's lunch excesses would pay for 262 days of lollipoop patrol. Given that they only work in term time, say 200 days per year - that's more than an entire annual post - which Coleman intends to axe - in the name of austerity of course.

*I am aware that the different budget lines makes this an impossibility

Brian Coleman's expenses mistake?

No doubt, when you have as many expense accounts as Brian 'Mr Toad' Coleman, it can be tricky to keep track of them all. Doubly so I'm sure, when you're in receipt of as many freebies as he is.

I suspect therefore, that the apparent double-dipping I have been alerted to by a public spirited contibutor is simply a genuine mistake - caused by the genuine difficulties inherent in keeping track of so much freely available cash and so much free feasting.

First there's this, from the LFEPA register of gifts and hospitality: Then, there's this, from Brian Coleman's expenses at LFEPA:

I feel sure that Mr Toad will wish to explain himself at the earliest opportunity. No doubt, if it is a simple mistake, he will croak a heartfelt apology. Perhaps, if that happens, we shall even witness a really extraordinary event - Mr Toad opening his wallet to pay the money back!

Big Society Brian

I see from my latest copy of Norwood Now magazine that c. £130,000.00pa Brian 'because-I'm-worth-it' Coleman has been presenting certificates to lucky charity shop volunteers.

Next week, I hear he'll be at the Beat Bullying charity, presenting awards to those who have had to overcome bullies time and again and again and again and again.

And then in the Autumn it seems he's due to give out the 'Conciliation Trophy' at Acas.

Top Barnet Tory: Coleman and Co are “immoral, disgusting and vile”

“immoral, disgusting and vile” - That's the view taken by no less a dignaitary than the Chairman of the Hendon and West Hendon Conservative groups, Adrian Murray-Leonard - who has bravely stuck his head above the parapet on the issue of Coleman and Co's naked greed.

In a Barnet Times article this morning he continues:

“Most of them are in it for themselves. They are living under an illusion of grandeur. Most of the people who are getting whipped to make the decision should stand up against it.”

Mr Murray-Leonard - hats off to you sir. There are loads of decent Conservatives like you around. But, as you rightly point out, Coleman and his cronies are "greedy vultures" with whom you do not want to be associated. Its no wonder that Chief Toad Coleman is such an embarrassment to the Conservative Party.

• 
  Sign the Barnet Times' Reject the Rise petition at: http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/reject_the_rise/

Brian Coleman - because he's worth it.

Brian 'Mr Toad' Coleman has justified the fact that the mega pay rise he voted through for himself and his cronies is even bigger than his infamous free lunches, on the basis that he believes he is 'worth it'. As he told the Daily Telegraph:

"I don't have to justify what I earn. Councillors are worth every penny they earn."

Yes Mr Toad. Of course you are.

Coleman Balls

I see Mr Toad is in Private Eye. Again.

PM launches 'The Big Pariah'

The Prime Minister: David Cameron was in Barnet yesterday - responding to the antics of long-time embarrassment to the Conservative Party: Brian Coleman - by launching his concept of the 'Big Pariah'. Here is his speech in full:

It’s great to be here in Barnet.

Before I get into the details, let me briefly explain who the Big Pariah is and why it is such a powerful idea.

You can call him Brian. You can call him Coleman. You can call him the king of bling. You can call him Mr Toad. I call him the Big Pariah.

The Big Pariah is about a huge freeloading councillor…

…where people, in their everyday lives, in their homes, in their neighbourhoods, in their workplace…

…don’t bother turning to officials, Barnet Council or the London Assembly for answers to the problems they face …

…but instead feel the pain of repeatedly paying out enough for Coleman and his fellow councilllors to help themselves.

It’s about people paying for his massive hikes in pay. Londoners forking out for his endless taxis. Constituents coughing up for yet more hikes in pay.

It’s about amphibious liberation –the biggest, most dramatic redistribution of power from the man and woman on the street to the Toad in the council chamber.

It’s time for something different, something bold - something that just pours money down the green-skinned throat of the ward councillor for Totteridge.

The Big Pariah is that something different and bold.

It’s about saying if we want Brian Coleman for the long-term, we need people to come together and hand over the cash together – because we’re all in this together.

Daily Express lays into 'Fat Cat' Coleman

The comment piece in the Daily Express today blasts 'fat cat' Coleman and his nose-in-the-trough behaviour. Here are some extracts:

"LIKE many people I’ve never been quite sure what David Cameron means by the “Big Society” but I am pretty sure it is not encapsulated by the figure of Conservative councillor Brian Coleman.

He is no volunteer giving up his time to serve his community.

It was revealed yesterday that Mr Coleman is pocketing £114,322 a year in allowances – more than the salaries earned by junior ministers in the coalition government. He receives £34,000 for sitting on Barnet council, plus £53,439 for sitting in the London Assembly and another £26,883 for being chairman of the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority.

While MPs have quite rightly been lambasted over the past year for their greed and excessive expensive claims, local councillors have been quietly feathering their own nests – and getting away with it. In fact, the worst of them are beginning to make MPs look models of self-restraint."

"Barnet, which this year increased allowances for its councillors from £17,454 to £27,580 and that of its leader from £40,893 to £47,027, was revealed earlier this year to be one of the lousiest councils in the country for carrying out adaptations so as to allow disabled residents to continue living in their homes – with residents waiting more than five years.

The council has also done away with full-time wardens at old people’s homes, instigating instead a system of roving wardens who cover the whole borough. Councillors defended the scheme by promoting it as pioneering and an efficient use of money.

But now it seems some of the money saved will simply be disappearing into councillors’ pockets instead. It is extraordinary that at a time of severe financial constraint a council which promotes itself as a super-efficient flagship authority can be awarding itself pay increases.

Far from nearly doubling councillors’ allowances a council which truly cared about giving taxpayers value for money would be abolishing them altogether."

"Anyone who genuinely cares about how their local community is run does not need to be paid for attending a couple of meetings a month and making decisions."

" It is disgusting that public service has been debased by a generation of councillors merely out to line their own pockets."

Bare-Faced Greed of Coleman's Conservatives

The 'Not The Barnet Times' blog reports this morning that Brian Coleman's Conservatives in Barnet are trying to force through proposals tonight that will see Coleman's already-inflated allowances rise to an austerity-busting £130,000.00+

Will it be enough to match his inflated ego?

Disgusting!

King of Bling Ker-ching!!!!!

£113,735.00

Coleman rides the gravy taxi

As George Osborne delivered the toughest budget in years today, news broke of yet another Coleman-caused embarrassment to the Conservative Party.

Proposals for a self-awarded 9 per cent pay rise would you believe, and a new title: 'Supreme Chief Toad and Eternal Croak Leader' (or some such).

Adam Bienkov has the scoop at the Tory Troll blog.

Does the new title come with any bling Adam?

Brian Coleman - 'underpaid' and "working all the hours God sends."

The Barnet Times have today, picked up on the story I reported yesterday - the official report which pointed out the fact that Brian 'Mr Toad' Coleman has his snout too deep in the trough.

They report that Coleman has responded by claiming to be 'underpaid' and by claiming that he's "working all the hours that God sends".

Of course you are Brian.

Still, nice work if you can get it eh?