"Self-serving, money-grabbing parasite"

Brian 'Mr Toad' Coleman is celebrating.

David Miller of the excellent 'Not the Barnet Times' blog - one of Coleman's fiercest critics - has posted what he claims is his last post. He explains:

I have come to the inescapable conclusion that the political system in this country is rotten to the core. The choice, therefore, is either to spend the rest of my life fighting it, or simply ignoring it as best as possible. I have chosen the latter.

As for Barnet Council and our beloved councillors, there is nothing more that I can add that has not already been said about the self-serving, money-grabbing parasites who run the Town Hall and I shall waste no more time on them save than to say that I fear it will take the death or serious injury to an elderly resident in sheltered accommodation before voters realise the consequence of re-electing the Tories to office.

David - I understand your reasons and respect your decision - but I very much hope you will have a change of heart.

Toad's Roads

Barnet have appointed Brian 'Mr Toad' Coleman as Cabinet Member for the Environment.

This is the same Mr Toad of course, whose environmental policies so far have included:

• Being the sole objector to a wind turbine at a Barnet school
• Turning Potters Fields into a multi-storey car park,
• Building a road across a primary school playing field,
• Partingdale Lane

True to form, Coleman croaked:
"My priorities are roads, roads, roads and roads." *

One can only assume that this is part of Barnet's EasyCouncil approach - so if we want someone in charge of the environment who gives two hoots about it, we must pay extra.

In separate moves, Barnet have made Ronnie Biggs responsible for safeguarding the money, left the cats to mind the mice and put the lunatics in charge of the asylum.

* He really did say this!

Coleman is Barnet's new chief toad

Following the resignation of Barnet Conservatives chief whip: Councillor Robert Rams - Brian Coleman has been appointed Chief Toad.

It was believed widely within the local party that someone with a thicker, greener skin, and a proven record for 'getting things done' was exactly the kind of amphibian needed to keep people in line.

And Mr Toad certainly has a record - as he has proven time, and again, and again, and again, and again, and (famously) again.

"My track record speaks for itself" croaked Coleman.

Brian Coleman: that acceptance speech in full

I see that the good people of Totteridge have seen fit to elect Brian 'Mr Toad' Coleman once again.

The Barnet Times reports that he has used the opportunity to magnanimously kick his political opponents while they're down.

Here then, is his acceptance speech in full:



You may recall that Mr Toad was investigated by the police after intimidating one of those political opponents. He croaked that she would:

"suffer after the election” because of her candidacy and added it is “now open season for everyone to have a knock at you and [your charity] The Larches will suffer...

You can prove Coleman wrong, by supporting the very good work of the Larches Trust at:
http://www.larchestrust.org.uk/

Why vote for the Residents' Association of Barnet?

The Barnet rumour mill has it that Mr Toad recently made an irate phone call (his speciality of course) to the editor of the Barnet Times. The rumour goes that he was incandescent with rage over the amount of (entirely justified) coverage given to the newly-formed Residents' Association of Barnet party (RAB) - which is fielding independent candidates for local election across the borough. Clearly, he is a nervous man.

Keen watchers of Barnet politics will remember that during the last London elections, the Labour candidate for Barnet and Camden never once made it to Barnet (or was there a single, pathetic visit to Brent Cross?). Either way, its indicative of Labours lack of appetite for a fight in what they view as a safe, Conservative seat. Its no wonder that independent opposition is springing up. The RAB candidates seem to have largely been involved in local campaigns on behalf of the communities they live in - working for their communites on some of Barnet's most contentious planning decisions, notably Brent Cross and New Barnet. They know first hand the massive dissatisfaction with what must be the UK's most complacent Conservative council. Suddenly, the incumbents are up against locally-connected, well-organised people who are up for the fight.

Here then, in full, is RAB's most recent blog:

________________________________________

Many Barnet residents were, and remain, deeply unhappy about the way in which Barnet Council is run. Amongst many of the concerns expressed is the character and integrity of those who were elected to represent residents in the one organisation that effects all our daily lives; and is paid for from our taxes

Set out below are the seven key principles that should apply to all aspects of public life as set down by the Committee for Standards in Public Life.

Now when reading them please consider and think very carefully. Do you believe that the Barnet Councillors seeking re-election have lived up to these standards in both the letter and the spirit of the principles over the past four years?

If you do, then vote with a clear conscience that your selection will, at the very least, be qualified for continuing public life.

If not; then surely you must vote for the people who will not only live up to these standards but embrace them wholeheartedly and unequivocally. The independent candidates supported by The Residents' Association of Barnet candidates, are these people.

THE SEVEN PRINCIPLES OF PUBLIC LIFE

SELFLESSNESS - Holders of public office should act solely in terms of the public interest. They should not do so in order to gain financial or other material benefits for themselves, their family, or their friends.

INTEGRITY - Holders of public office should not place themselves under any financial or other obligation to outside individuals or organisations that might seek to influence them in the performance of their official duties.

OBJECTIVITY - In carrying out public business, including making public appointments, awarding contracts, or recommending individuals for rewards and benefits, holders of public office should make choices on merit.

ACCOUNTABILITY - Holders of public office are accountable for their decisions and actions to the public and must submit themselves to whatever scrutiny is appropriate to their office.

OPENNESS -Holders of public office should be as open as possible about all the decisions and actions that they take. They should give reasons for their decisions and restrict information only when the wider public interest clearly demands.

HONESTY - Holders of public office have a duty to declare any private interests relating to their public duties and to take steps to resolve any conflicts arising in a way that protects the public interest.

LEADERSHIP - Holders of public office should promote and support these principles by leadership and example.

________________________________________


I look forward to my irate phone call :-)

Coleman makes Barnet a laughing stock (again)

Here's the latest from the 'Rotten Boroughs' column of Private Eye:

People of Totteridge ward - surely this is not what you really want. The Liberal Democrats beat Labour into third place in Totteridge last time around. If you also believe that Coleman has got to go, then its probably your best bet to vote for them. What's more, turnout was only 42.51%. A bigger turnout and a swing to the Lib Dems is probably the best hope of unseating this man, rather generously described by Private Eye as a charmless oaf.

Come on people of Totteridge! Mr Toad has GOT to go!

Disclaimer - I know nothing whatsoever about any of the candidates in Totteridge except Coleman - about whom I know far too much.

Coleman's Window Dressing Dressing Down

I don't know. You turn your back for a week and there's even more reasons why Mr Toad must go - like his appalling behaviour at the LFEPA meeting and the further evidence of his tirades at members of staff. What's more, there's a happy case of him actually going - sacked as chair of the National Joint Council for Local Authority Fire and Rescue Services. There's even a helpful suggestion for a method of exit for him :-).

In this post though, I'm going to focus on the public spat going on between Brian 'Mr Toad' Coleman and David Howard - the chairman of the Federation of Residents' Associations in Barnet (FORAB).

I recently reported just how badly the residents of New Barnet and East Barnet were being served by Brian Coleman and the Conservatives, not least over the terrible loss of power that so many households suffered over the bitingly cold Christmas and new year period.

David Howard gave evidence at the first meeting, chaired by Coleman, intended supposedly to scrutinise the events and hold those responsible to account.

This is the damning verdict he gave to the Barnet Times: “It was window dressing with an election in mind. It was a good opportunity to blame somebody else and be seen to be doing something when most of the problems are resolved."

Mr Toad hit back, accusing Mr Howard of having: "a political agenda" - rather than by defending his own (in)actions mark you. This, as one of the commenters on the Barnet Times website pointed out: "is despicable. The usual bull-headed, pig-ignorant Colemanballs. No doubt he'll accuse Mr Howard of being anti-Semitic or homophobic in a moment, his usual stock playground response to criticism of him."

I see that David Howard has (nobly) resisted the temptation to attack Coleman personally, and defended his actions on behalf of the community and his political neutrality in today's Barnet Times (Letters, page 18).

What he details is the uttter shambles over which Coleman has presided, with, it would seem, the sole intention of gaining political capital - and all the while showing utter contempt for his long-suffering constituents, the people of New and East Barnet:

Its time to do something useful, and wanted by the community for once Coleman - GO!