Cllr Gerald Hargreaves has managed to wangle his way on to the Cabinet allowance payroll.
Cllr 'Major' Hargreaves is now paid over £30,000 a year as Cabinet member for Voluntary Organisations and Resident Engagement.
Whatever next: Cabinet member For Stray Dogs and Cats?
With his army pension Hargreaves is now 'in the money'.
 |
| ANOTHER OUT AT THE FRONT |
Like Captain Mainwaring, Gerry never saw a shot fired in anger.
Well, you don't if in the Royal Army Education Corps.
Looking at the picture of Gerry minded the Dame of GK Chesterton.
During the Great War, he was offered a white rose and told. "you should be out at the Front".
Looking down at his protuberant belly GK replied, "Madam, I think I am already 'out at the front'."
Odd isn't it...one of the most disliked and affected of councillors works alongside an officer similarly deficient in the charm department.
What balls. And what a waste of tax payer money.
ReplyDeleteWhat are Ward Councillors supposed to be doing? I thought "resident engagement" was supposed to be their job. If not, lets get rid of them, otherwise they will only have puffing to do in return for their £12k "allowance".
As for Voluntary Organisations, it is for Officers to monitor their stewardship of tax payers money and for the Leader to give them the benediction of an annual visit or a cup of tea in his palatial office in Hornton Street. For those who have not seen it, the Leader's Office measures 50 ft by 60 ft, a huge desk, armchairs, coffee making facility, a lounge area with three large Heals sofas and private facilities. Insecure persons need these props in order to function.
This is not to say that our Nick is insecure. But he could cut back on his pointless "Ask Nick" functions and spend a bit more time pumping up the Voluntary Organisations in his palatial office in Hornton Street. Funded by the tax payer.
The Leaders Office in Hornton Street also includes a very well stocked drinks cabinet with the finest wines and vintage malt. Beside it, there is also a champagne cooler which dates from the days of "boy" Freeman. Freeman was a malt man but he loved to offer champagne to his evening visitors.
DeleteNicholas Freeman was a vile piece of work and rumours abound that he had more than a platonic interest in young boys. The near criminal act of razing the beautiful Victorian Town Hall down hours before listing is somewhat resolent of plans to demolish Marlborough Primary School.
DeleteVile, dead, Cllr Freeman, disgraced K&C Leader, specified and ordered the "new" Town Hall that included his jumbo Office. The behavior and conduct of this rodent created the word "hubris" in the English language.
DeleteThe current Leader, Cllr Paget-Brown, is less interested in the high life. He is happier in his huge office entertaining the ancient lady Councillors for a cup of coffee and a gossip. Cllr Elizabeth Rutherford and Cllr Barbara Campbell are frequent visitors. In fact they are on such intimate terms with PB that they breeze into his office at any time of day and night without even knocking at the door. Our boy beams and is always thrilled to fall in with his own version of the Royal Borough kitchen cabinet.
I was surprised by the size of the Leader's Office. I have worked in three major Whitehall Ministries and only the Foreign Office has a Minister's office that is comparable in scale to the Leader of the Royal Borough.
ReplyDeleteThe Foreign Secretary needs to be able to impress and out show foreign dignitaries as part of diplomacy. It sometimes works. But Local Government? What is the justification for this extravagance?
Why does a tiny Borough like Kensington and Chelsea need TWO Mayors, a Bentley and a Jag, drivers and staff costing £1 million a year? It is all part of the same nonsense. Ego tripping at the expense of tax payers.
It is the 21st Century. What we need is a mean and lean high performance organisation. No frills. The froth attracts the wrong sort of people - persons whose desire in life is to puff.
However, unlike the FCO with its vibrant atmosphere, the Horton Street's air is as welcoming as that of Kensal Green Crematorium. Soon as you walk into the 'Customer Service' area, the sweet, acrid smell of intellectual morbitude hits you.... the intent is clear: for visitors to stay the shortest possible time and hopefully never return...
DeletePerhaps the Cllr should avail himself of the new facilities at the North Kensington Leisure Centre.... From what I have seen, they could do with new members.... at least with little effort, the Cllr should again be able to see his member.....
ReplyDeleteNo wonder our council states "lack of funding" as a motive for "redeveloping all low density social housing" allowing developers to profit whilst selling off public assets.
ReplyDeleteThey misuse all our taxes on themselves and their minority interests such as park opera, park gallery, etc, etc
The plight of the most vulnerable does not concern them.
Banana republics come to mind.
Self serving power hungry politicians.
We should reconsider voting them back in at the next council elections.
Read the motion under AGENDA:
ReplyDeletehttps://rbkc.gov.uk/committees/Meetings/tabid/73/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/Mid/669/Meeting/6848/Committee/1535/Default/aspx
Thank you
DeleteThat link produces a "Page Not Found Error"
DeleteApologies:
DeleteCouncil motion to develop all low density social housing passed two weeks ago.
Under "Agenda"
https://www.rbkc.gov.uk/committees/Meetings/tabid/73/ctl/ViewMeetingPublic/mid/669/Meeting/6848/Committee/1535/Default.aspx
When first elected Cllr Hargreaves was both approachable and helpful to the public. This lasted about a year. By then he'd worked out which way the wind blows in the rotten borough. He ceased helping residents and, metaphorically of course, jumped on the gravy train. He will doubtless go far.
ReplyDeleteJust like his colleague our ex-Mayor:
ReplyDeleteFavour those who canvass for her. Don't pay meals in restaurants where she protects their interests...
He is known as Matt Lucas in some parts of the council - purely on appearance
ReplyDeleteHe also shares other aspects of Matt Lucas's make up....
DeleteWas seen out canvassing in a rather smart open top car accompanied by a rather chic looking young man
He also shares other aspects of Matt Lucas's make up....
DeleteWas seen out canvassing in a rather smart open top car accompanied by a rather chic looking young man
How has Triple Dipper Borwick escaped the scrutiny of the Dame? She has three tax payer funded jobs and receives additional income from renting out her pool to a school.
ReplyDeleteThe Dame has shown herself to be human. Triple Dipper has been giving the old girl social favours, with the promise of more. And the Dame is bowled over. In the style of Beaverbrook, any bad words about the greedy MP, will be deleted from the Hornet.
DeleteDon't you dare accuse the poor old Dame of social climbing on an epic scale. She did manage to wangle an invite to a Buck House Garden Party though.....
DeleteVictoria Borwick is good, honest and hardworking and has promised the Dame that her other two jobs are very short term.
The Dame knows Borwick is not driven by money but by civic duty: something the long term triple jobbers were not much interested in.
How "short" is short term? If the dame has fallen for that then she is senile.
DeleteExactly. Other newly elected London MPs have managed to ditch their other jobs within weeks of being elected. That Victoria Borwick has not yet done so, two months after the election, is simply indicative of a lack of genuine interest in doing so and nothing else.
DeleteThe Dame's loyalty is touching and understandable, but all the civic duty and grace in the world does not add up to competence.
DeleteIn addition, VB has stated publicly that she intends to continue with all three roles until they expire. For the GLA, that means May 2016, for the Council, that means May 2018.
She did not state this before election.
We are still awaiting news of the Kensington office she committed to, and she must work closer with her staff, who we hear are struggling with casework and not responding as quickly as they did (same staff) under Riffers.
Altogether rather disappointing. She must up her game or reduce her commitments.
Gerry (mandering) looks like Buster Bloodvessel of The Band 'Bad Manners '. He now runs a b and b called ' Fatty Towers ' . If the chubster gerry is looking for extra dosh -perhaps he could fill in for Buster at weekends.
ReplyDeleteHe's self inflated along with his salary !
ReplyDelete