Lynne Hillan digs in her kitten heels

Barnet bloggers have been wondering how Barnet council's Tory group would respond to their own government's advice to let residents film and tweet about council meetings.

It was predictable that they would not embrace the new era of transparency, and would only grudgingly bend to the winds of change. The Tory group, I've heard, had a stormy meeting about the issue. I can imagine how opinion might have divided, roughly along the lines of the close vote during the challenge to Lynne Hillan's leadership.

I understand Lynne Hillan was not at this meeting and therefore could not vote for herself on this occasion. But she has given an interview to the Times series clearly giving the line: there will be no filming, blogging or tweeting on my watch! Read the article here.

I am one of those who has pledged to test Barnet's stand on this. Apparently it does not say anywhere in the council's constitution that residents cannot film, blog or tweet from the public gallery. When the rules on the questions of public and media access to council meetings were written, such ideas as YouTube, Twitter and Blogger were but a twinkle in a geek's eye.

I think blogger David Hencke this morning adequately sums up Hillan's position:

This dinosaur attitude from a Queen Canute is breathtaking. Her ignorance about how the modern world works is absurd. Presumably her next step as Barnet leader will be to table a motion condemning Lady Thatcher for allowing the public by law to attend council meetings.

We will go ahead and attempt to assert our right to film, tweet and blog at the council meeting at Hendon Town Hall tomorrow night, Tuesday 1 March (6pm for the anti-cuts lobby, 7pm for the council meeting). I will have copies of the DCLG guidance for residents to brandish.

Finally, remember that Hillan has dug in her heels on previous occasions, only to be forced to climb down in the teeth of fierce opposition.

The public occasions I know about are Allowancegate, when she partially backed off raising senior cabinet members' allowances (committee chairs still went on to get a huge rise), and the case of Edward Meakins, where Barnet Homes relented in their threat to move him out of his home of 74 years. (Barnet Homes is separate - at arm's length - from Barnet council, but I cannot believe that the Tory administration did not put pressure on Barnet Homes to change their decision.)

We know, then, that Hillan can be budged, but we also know, from these examples, that it takes an almighty force of opposition to budge her - and that she doesn't give in graciously!

Lynne Hillan's brass neck

"Cllr Hillan said her announcement today was a direct result of her 'listening' to colleagues and residents. She did not mention Cllr Shooter's leadership challenge."

– Ham & High

Senior Barnet Cabinet members face destitution

When Lynne Hillan and her Tory group pushed through the changes to councillors' allowances that saw senior Cabinet members getting massive rises (you mean Allowancegate - Ed) there was uproar among the people of Barnet.

Defending her corner in an interview with the Barnet Press, Hillan said:

"The new system only allows for one allowance, and doesn’t mean a councillor suddenly loses or gains more money overnight – councillors have mortgages to pay and families to keep as well."

Now that Hillan has been forced to back down on the changes, the prospect therefore looms of senior Cabinet members becoming destitute. Have a heart! It behoves us all to show generosity at a time like this.

If you see an indigent Lynne Hillan or Brian Coleman round your way, slip them a fiver, check in the larder and see whether you haven't a Fortnum and Mason hamper going begging.

(It ill becomes me, this sarcasm, but I think you get my drift! Congratulations to Rog T on getting the scoop. What shall we win next?)

Barnet cuts will affect us all - protest 14 September

One can already, just a few months into the Tory-Lib Dem government, compile a list of the cuts affecting ordinary Barnet people. There will be many more in the months and years to come.

Today someone sent the trades council an email about their local park keeper service - it is going to be cut from one full-time park keeper (who has won awards for their work) to a team visiting once a week. The person that wrote said they were worried that the park would be taken over by "yobs", and go downhill. They also drew a direct connection between the priorities of Barnet council leaders - increasing their allowances - and this cut.

What else is falling victim to the cuts in Barnet?
- Building Schools for the Future: Bishop Douglas RC, Copthall, Oak Lodge, St Mary's CE High, The Pavillion and The Ravenscroft all lost the funding for rebuilding
- grants to voluntary bodies including East Finchley Advice Service and East Finchley Neighbourhood Contact (merged with Age Concern Barnet)
- Henlys Corner improvement plan under review

These disparate issues need to be drawn together. The Allowancegate scandal is a galvanising focus for the anger around the different cuts. The Times series reports today on Barnet unions' calculations of how many frontline staff the councillors' allowance rise could fund.

And former (Tory!) councillor Dan Hope's "Barnet Declaration" is gathering support, alongside the many petitions that have been started.

There is a full council meeting scheduled on Tuesday 14 September at Hendon Town Hall. The public can go and watch proceedings from 7pm, the trades council is also organising a lobby outside from 6pm. Come and let Barnet's council know what you think of Allowancegate and the cuts. Allowancegate: they think it's going to go away, but it's never going to go away.

Useless, I tell you, utterly useless. Unless...

Another picture by Anon. (First appeared on The Barnet Eye blog.)