GREEDY BASTARDS

There we were thinking that finally the councillors in B & D were sensitive to the hardships being faced by residents and more importantly the workforce, they were going to cut the members pay budget and remove the allowance for Deputy Chairs. OK its not a lot of money, but is was a start. We should have known better. No Turkey is going to vote for Christmas. Sneaky Twomey brought a motion to the Assembly to keep the allowance for Deputy Chairs, he actually stated that the job of Deputy is more than chairing a meeting when the Chair is not there. Get real Twomey............that is all they do, its money for nothing. Still what can we expect?

WHAT A BLOODY CHEEK

A number of our readers have contacted us this week to point us in the direction of an article in a number of national newspapers last weekend. It appears that a local government award ceremony had been held in London, a real posh do by all accounts B & D council booked a table which cost quite a bit of money so that officers could go on this jolly, it was stated that the money to pay for the table, food and booze came out of the Children's services budget ???????? By mid week when the local paper reported on this someone on the council had changed their response and stated that the money came from the chief executives budget. Firstly we could ask the question why it was necessary for officers to go on this jolly for a job they get very well paid to do anyway. Secondly why does the chief executive have a budget, just how much is in this budget? These questions are quite legitimate for council tax payers to ask, after all it is their money. But, if you think that's bad just wait until May, this is when the council holds one of its bigger jollys. This is when the Mayor for the year is sworn in, all 51 councillors will be invited along with their partners, plus the families of the incoming and outgoing Mayor, and of course don't forget officers and the usual hangers on. There will be food and booze for all paid once again from your council tax. Don't you think that the councillors need or should be a bit more sensitive to the fact that they are imposing cuts on their residents? and more importantly they are making staff redundant. Of course we know that insensitivity is a watchword for the Barking mafia so we don't expect any change there.

OH DO STOP WHINING RODWELL

Once again in this weeks local press Rodwell is moaning because the 'council' are not dishing out money for Street Parties to celebrate the Royal Wedding, "he doesn't understand why" Rodwell says. Well lets just explain it for him shall we???? Just look at the cuts the council are having to make, look at the council staff that are being made redundant, doesn't that tell you why Rodwell? The council has already agreed to allocate a small amount of funding for St Georges Day which has been done for the last couple of years and has been accepted. Why should council tenants rent money and residents council tax money be there for you and your friends to dip their hands into for a 'jolly'? Over the years there is evidence to back up that Rodwell dipped his hands in and personally benefited from council funding. So a suggestion Rodwell there are 4 wage packets going into your household, if you want a jolly on the 29th pay it yourself.

THEY SEEM TO BE LISTENING TO US

We note with a great deal of interest that there are some financial cuts coming to members according to the report going to this months Assembly. Vice Chairs/Deputy lead Members will only get paid if they have to take the chair of a meeting. Ok its not a lot but its a start. Also we note that there will be no post of Deputy Mayor and therefore no payment. On the scale of things its peanuts but its a start.

WHAT AN AWFUL REPORT

Members of the Childrens Select Committee should seriously consider questioning why they even bother turning up for meetings????????? if we were in their position we would resign and just let the lead member get on with it. How on earth could they have agreed the wording of the report that is going to this months Assembly? Read it on the councils website, dont just take our word for it, it reads as though the Lead Member has done all of the work on her own...........the stupidity of officers allowing a report to go out worded like that really needs to be questioned. A committee is just that it is a group of interested people, not just a one woman band.

WALTER/LIAR

Well it didn't take him long..........we have been informed that our Walter/Liar has recently resigned from all committees he was on.

He now is only obliged to attend the Assembly meetings.

Why? well if we believe what he has said ????? he has a medical condition which prevents him from leaving his home. This also means he is no longer able to make visits to his ward to look at any problems raised by his residents.

No, you couldn't make this up, not been in place for a year and already ducking out of the work.

Nice money if you can get it.

CONDEMEND BY THEIR OWN SILENCE

Once again we have to read about the troubles at Queens maternity unity in the national newspapers.

Little or no news on the latest in the local press. Not a word from M Hodge MP no questions raised at the councils Health Select committee, we must ask Why?

We gather from the latest news that Queens have until next Wednesday to have made major improvements, if not, for the safety of Mums and babies the unity will close.

No words of reassurance coming through the local press either from the MP or the council that they are monitoring the situation, or even that they are asking questions.

How does that show that they care for Mums and babies in the borough. Queens is designated as a High Risk unity, that means that only Mums who have had problems in the past, or are likely to have problems this time round are admitted.

Do they not recognize the worry these Mums are facing now?

If Queens closes where do they go? don't even bother suggesting King Georges as we understand that the level of care there is none existent.

So come on Hodge and the council get your finger out and start representing all of your community.