Following on from my previous blog, which discussed the hypocrisy of Barnet's Conservative Councillors I'd like to say a few words about Brian Coleman who seems to have become the poster boy for the whacking increases given to himself and his fellow Councillors.
Brian Coleman is not just a Councillor but also serves as London Assembly Member for Barnet and Camden.* He's also been helping Boris Johnson gerrymander the London Fire and Emergency Planning Authority, serving as its Chair. I don't have the time or the space to detail what a confrontational job he's been doing as Chair. A quick glance at the London Fire Brigade Union's Webesite News Section can do that better than I: http://www.london.fbu.org.uk/news/index.php
He's also been keen to avoid transparency regarding his expenses: http://www.thisislondon.co.uk/standard/article-23716430-mayor-blasts-senior-tory-for-not-publishing-his-expenses.do
So it would appear he doesn't give a flying toss about upsetting the leadership of his own party both in London and nationally.
Grant Shapps, Con-Dem Local Government Minister was not impressed with Barnet:
"At a time when there's a public sector pay freeze councillors should think twice about rewarding themselves with bumper pay rises. Whether it's a Labour council in Newham or a Conservative one in Barnet, increasing pay when others are losing their jobs both looks and feels wrong. I think councils will struggle to justify such a casual approach to spending taxpayers' money and I urge them to think again."**
But Councillor Coleman isn't bothered. He's quoted by Paul Waugh of the Evening Standard as saying, in response to Mr Shapps:
"My response to Grant Shapps is this: localism, localism, localism We are delivering efficient services and should be trusted with devolved decisions."***
I look forward to Mr Coleman's words being used by Council staff who are clearly doing an excellent job "...delivering efficient services". Mr Coleman will of course only be taking "...the money I am entitled to, no more and no less."***
What a fine attitude to have. He won't take any more than he's ENTITLED to. That would be greedy but he's not going to take any LESS than he's ENTITLED to. Does anyone see what's wrong with that whole sentence? The pathetic nose in the trough stench of it.
Mr Coleman clearly thinks he and his Barnet comrades deserve a bigger share of the pot even as the government cuts services to the bone. They are doing such a great job they DESERVE to be rewarded. I suspect that attitude wouldn't cut much ice coming from the public sector employees expected to actually deliver those services.
However as Mr Coleman is a 'here today and gone tomorrow' politician with a potentially short career he might feel, like a Premier League footballer, that he should earn as much cash as he can before it all goes pear-shaped. After all no one knows what might upset the voters of Barnet.
As a counterpoint to Mr Coleman's huge sense of entitlement I should credit Conservative Councillor Kate Sallinger who voted against the rise saying:
"It was a policy she disagreed with and could not in conscience vote for. Councils should be leading by example. I don't think our example is very good."****
Ms Sallinger's reward for this stance? She was removed from the Committees she served on as a punishment for voting with her conscience. She talks about the vote here: http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/8272018.I_voted_with_my_conscience__claims_shunned_Tory_councillor/
How lovely these Barnet Tories are and how nice to see the 'contraversial' Brian Coleman leading the way.
*http://www.conservatives.com/People/London_Assembly_Members/Coleman_Brian.aspx
**http://conservativehome.blogs.com/localgovernment/2010/07/grant-shapps-hits-out-at-councillors-in-torycontrolled-barnet-and-labourrun-newham-for-giving-themse.html
***http://waugh.standard.co.uk/2010/07/the-limits-of-localism.html
****http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-10635391
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