Lady Hanham to lecture Sir Merrick Cockell on Local Government profligacy

When Merrick Cockell was 'roasted' over his vast expenses, including $400 dinners for two in New York and elsewhere; Virgin Premium class flights and luxury 5 star hotels in US cities, his keenest advocate and moral support was his predecessor, Lady Hanham.
When he twisted the arms of fellow councillors to force through the quite unnecessary purchase of a £100k plus Bentley Lady Hanham was at his side, supporting his extravagant and reckless spending. 
Indeed Lady Hanham saw no dichotomy in RBKC being one of few councils to allow councillors to travel first class whilst MP's, top military and other more suitably qualified public servants were forced into cattle class.
Doubtless she will be using the late lamented Chelsea Care(£1 million down the plughole)  and the hundreds of thousands of pounds spent on Holland Park Opera as examples of local government efficiency. Or maybe, that flop of an idea the Wedge...cost £350k .

left: Lady Hanham's ideal of driving local government efficiency RBKC1!

When the Dame received her invitation to attend an event themed: Baroness Hanham:driving efficiency across local government she assumed it was some sort of jest on the part of the organisers.
In fact, the organisers say it is no joke and that they expect the septuagenarian Baroness to be a huge draw! So great a draw that Mr Sheppard at the Town Hall even dropped in the fact that entry is free and the venue local-Olympia Two......



The Dame is sure the event on 6 March 2012 will fill Olympia with hordes at the gates fighting to hear this champion of £130k a year double jobbers like Cockell talk about local government efficiency.

We don't forget the Baroness never told her friend, Sir Cockell, that her colleague Mr Pickles, is dead against the vast allowances grabbed by her ex RBK&C colleagues, and the vast salary paid to Mr Myers. But then why would she? After all, her other friend, La Baronessa Ritchie is cooling collecting well over £130,000 a year. Now that is really efficient! No wonder she was so efficient in the Grand Met typing pool...

Another Reason Why Moylan Should Never Lead This Borough

 

Left: a vulgar show off

The Dame had her attention drawn to a vulgar, self promoting blog operated by Daniel Moylan. What an embarrassment! Packed full of tedious detail as to how brilliant he thinks he is. Someone really needs to tell him that it is terribly poor form to show off  in this way: it gives us sophisticated locals the feeling that he is not "one of us". But, of course, he is not. And this is the reason that he would be the worst kind of Leader. He has no idea how to encourage and motivate. Great leaders need to inspire affection and loyalty. Moylan is devoid of these qualities. The Borough is home to some of the cleverest and most successful of residents. They really don't need to be told by a small time local politician with no track record in business, " I know best". He tried this on in Sloane Square and was sent packing. But if you can take the trouble to read his self-aggrandising blog you will read, 'plans for Sloane Square are merely on hold'. What arrogance! It should make one very nervous. If Moylan ever got power there would be open and continual warfare between the Council and residents. Moylan thrives on confrontation- a lousy recipe for democratic participation.

Anyway, the Dame was very impressed by this damning indictment of another failed Moylan project from her excellent rival, The Chelsea Blogger.....


"Anybody following the London news recently will have heard the furore over the initiative to ‘pedestrianise’ the SE corner of Sloane Square. Protests have occurred and petitions have been delivered to the relevant authorities summing up the locals opinion on this half arsed attempt at ‘going Dutch’. The result is an Amsterdam type arrangement where pedestrians and vehicles occupy a shared space. What I mean is that there is no physical boundary from the pavement to the road – a kerb to you and me. The resultant layout is one of overpriced fancy paving blocks extending from the area outside the tube station right across the road to the east of Hugo Boss in one uniform pattern and, here’s the scary bit: at the same level, with no change in colour or texture and no tactile strip (big dimples at the edge of the pavement).
What happens? People walk straight out of the station thinking the area  is pedestrianised, right into the oncoming traffic!  Now it would be easy to launch into a rant about the ‘ idiots at the council’ wouldnt it? So let’s assess the evidence and give them a chance….. First off they recognized the problem i.e. One of people – generally children and the infirm – walking into a busy road  and came up with a solution. Signs, yes big red signs. So much for an easy on the eye public realm? Anyway, the signs were placed so high that only horse mounted police and basketball players could read them! So they lowered the signs, scratching the nice new street furniture they were attached to on the way down, to ensure that even 7/8ths of the cast of ‘Snow White’ can  now read them should The Royal Court Theatre opt for a more commercial production this Christmas.
Let’s face it we’ve all been to Amsterdam (plus some other European towns) and seen the street layouts there, hell most of us have probably even come close to sparring  with the odd tram after a session sucking on a bong in the Bulldog bar. But it works in The ‘Dam and it works because:
A) generations of locals have had this kind of full integration for as long as there were cars and trams being introduced to the roads, and
B) because it’s everywhere, it’s uniform and they don’t have to think, it’s what their autopilot is set to. In fact the Amsterdam residents are so used to it that they influence the legions of stoned tourists who float  around in relative safety following the crowd.
I’ve drawn a blank on trying to find out the rationale behind Kensington and Chelsea planners causing so much disruption to such a busy part of London and ending up with a completed project that falls way short of safety compliance.
What are we left with? Some egotistical ‘vision’ that cost £350,000 to install – that’s almost £1000 per square metre of grey monotone street covering reminscent of a Moscow suburb. Great if you are an inline skater, no good if you’re: blind, partially sighted, infirm, old, out with the kids, out with the dogs, out in your high heels/MBT’s, out of your head on 5 pints of Stella/a bottle of Pinot Noir after a sesh in The Botanist.

POOTER BANS THE DAME

UPDATE
The Dame was excited like a young girl on her first 'date' when she heard loyal followers had successfully lobbied the Mayor, Cllr Mills, to have the Dame's hard work cleaning up the Rotten Borough recognised by a Mayor's Award. However,  the Dame now knows the Award was not in the gift of the Mayor, but Sir Pooter: it always has been, so in fact it is 'The Pooter Award'-not the Mayor's
When Pooter heard of the plan he threw a Germanic tantrum and pronounced the Dame....

A loyal and devoted reader has written these kind words. The Mayor's Award will go down a treat, but maybe it would be a kind gesture for her fans to organise  a small cocktail party in one of the Town Hall entertaining areas. Ex Cllr and Worshipful Mayor Mr Phelps said he is happy to show the Dame how to get into the capacious wine cellars..don't ask how he knows...

left: Town Hall venue for the award to the Dame by the Mayor and Sir Pooter

                  Right: The Dame's ghastly hat designed for the occasion

"I think the Dame is doing a splendid job in tracking down sleaze and poor service. I have been speaking to my friend Councillor Up Yours who was kind enough to find a few minutes to talk to me in a short rest period from his duties as chief sycophant and chief detective for Sir Dear Leader. A task that he was asked to take on after the sad departure of a previous and devoted mayor. He has promised to nominate Dame Hornet for an honour far greater even than the title of Dame awarded to her on the recommendation of David Cameron, and that is a Royal Borough Mayor's Award for outstanding service to the Royal Borough. May I be the first to congratulate her. "

An Apology to Cllr Wade

Nothing gives the Dame greater pleasure than to be told she is wrong and have the chance to make amends. And this is the case with Cllr Wade.
The Dame has had a flood of comment from fellow councillors and residents saying what an admirable and hardworking councillor Linda Wade is.

The Dame has been told that she drills down deep within her ward to help those in need, and at meetings her preparation is first class. So the Dame bows her head in shame and sorrow and pays tribute to a first class councillor. Well done Cllr Wade and profuse apologies.

However, she hopes that Cllrs Jones and Caruana will follow the example of Cllr Wade

Cockells' Coalition Partners

Above: Cllr Linda Wade on the day she was elected to serve residents.....

These three Lib Dem councillors have done nothing to stick up for residents.
For all the good they have done they might as well join the Majority Group.
At least they then they might be assured of getting the SRA they so craved-for
being an Opposition Group!

Below: Cllr 'Brainless of Britain' Jones and Cllr Caruana

COMING SOON: WHY MOYLAN WOULD BE A WORSE LEADER THAN RockFM

The Dame will shortly be sharing her thoughts on why Daniel Moylan, as Leader, would be the worst thing that could happen to our Borough: worse even than the boy, Fielding Mellen getting the job.....

Watch this space......

TELEPHONIC ABUSE-BUT BY WHO?

The Dame has had her attention drawn by her trusted 'walker', ex Cllr and Mayor Phelps, to some highly salacious comments about a certain councillor and his unauthorised use of Conservative  Party communication facilities to call friends in some of our far distant ex colonies.

left: hot telephone used by miscreant Conservative councillor-but who?


It appears the councillor was forced to repay a very substantial phone bill or face more serious action.
The Dame is not one to distribute rumours: she insists whoever is spreading these horrid stories contact her. Then we might learn a little more...

The Dame has had this interesting comment from a Conservative man in the street

left: a man in the street





"I am not unusual. I am a dyed in the wool Conservative. Sometimes I summon up the energy to vote in the local elections: most of the time-like the majority of residents, I don't. 
Someone told me about the Hornet so I logged in. What I have read is hugely saddening and though I will continue to vote Conservative nationally, I will not bother to vote at Council Elections.

I don't know who the Dame is but the feeling I have is that the issues she points out don't exaggerate a deep sense of corruption and wrong doing by a clique whose motivations seem very much based on making as much money for themselves as possible. 

I doubt that there is much difference between our council and any other where one leader and one political caste rule, year in, year out.

I have spoken to one or two Conservative councillors and I can understand that they don't like the Dame but maybe they should be thinking, that were they to be an effective backbench opposition, then the likes of Cllrs Cockell and  Moylan would not treat residents with total contempt. As for the idea of promoting Cllr Feilding Mellen to leader...well that is just incredible.

Sometimes the Dame is harsh but before she came into being people told me that there was no curb on the behaviour of the Council. It does seem now we have a voice. I hope more and more residents will read the Hornet and get involved."

LAST NIGHT'S VOTE

 left: Conran...rolled over Moylan

Sir Terence Conran is having a good old laugh at how he managed to extract £2.6 million from the taxpayers of the Rotten Borough last night. Perhaps an FOI to see which of our councillors had enjoyed his hospitality is now in order. So who were the Moylan sycophants who bowed down to him at the expense of taxpayers of the Borough?
Well, a big thank you to Cllrs Buckmaster, Blakeman and Foreman for their valiant effort to save our £2.6 million from going down the plughole.
Now to the turncoats. The Dame has been told that to be fair to Cllr Taylor she intended to vote against the loan, but was overwhelmed by 'Danny Boy' Moylan.
The Dame can sympathise...BUT her job is not to placate Moylan. Her job is to follow her conscience.  To allow herself to be pushed around shows no stamina or character

Then there is that apology for an opposition, Cllr Jones. The Dame is beginning to see less and less of the point of the Lib Dems:utterly useless as an opposition, and of no value to those who voted them in.
So gutless when asked to jump by Cockell or Moylan they ask how high.
The Lib Dems are becoming a shame on the Borough. Whereas in Cllrs Blakeman and Dent Coad we are seeing fighting spirit.

MEDICI MOYLAN BATS FOR CONRAN

Residents, councillors and officers are hopping mad to hear taxpayers are lending the multimillionaire, Terence Conran's Design Museum £2.6 million. It is not just the principle of using taxpayers' reserves as if the Council were a bank: it is more the fact the loan is unsecured and offered at the derisory interest rate of just 3%. It does not even cover the corrosive effect of inflation.

One angry resident association chairman said, "no bank would lend on this basis; on their track record with 'Chelsea Care- less our money' looks very unsafe"

As usual, the man behind this gift to Conran and his clique is none other than Daniel Moylan. And, as usual, he is using his bullying techniques to railroad everybody into agreeing the deal.

Left: 'Medici Moylan'

We have to ask the question 'Why'. To answer it we need to look at Danny Boy's social insecurities.
Nothing makes him feel better than using his power and influence to snuggle up to the aristocratic, the rich and the powerful. He was excited like a child at the idea of dealing with Native Land, boasting about how he was dealing with not one, but two dukes.
He likes to feel he is some sort of Medici figure. This he does by toadying up to Lord Rogers and Terence Conran and littering the Rotten Borough with passe pieces of old painted metal beams posing as art.
These childlike pretensions would not matter if Danny Boy was digging into his own pocket to pay for them. But he is not. He is using the Council to enhance his prestige amongst the 'big shots'.As the Dame's  hard riding grandfather would say about social climbers, " they can't take oats"

If Conran needs £2.6 million let him use his own resources-he is rich enough.

REVOLTING TIMES IN ROTTEN BOROUGH

A Resident 'in the know' has written to the Dame as below: it is frightening stuff.....

Cllr Cockell has initiated a propaganda programme to "sell" the Tri Borough. There many reasons it is not working, chiefly because Mr Fitzpatrick's £ million a year dept is running the campaign.

left: Propaganda is a form of communication that is aimed at influencing the attitude of a community toward some cause or position so as to benefit Sir Cockell

Leaders and Chief Executives need to be careful when they push out bold initiatives like the Tri Borough project. The risks are great and it is vital to adopt a balanced approach when reporting progress and making promises to residents and staff. 

The last thing that is needed is a propaganda exercise to over-ramp what is going on. But this is precisely what seems to be happening. A straw poll of Kensington and Chelsea councillors has revealed deep disquiet about progress. Officers are in near revolt. So it is not surprising that the propaganda war has started.

A few weeks ago an article appeared in the Evening Standard that the Tri Borough had already saved £1 million. Now any businessman knows that what matters is cash flow. Paper projections are just that. The idea of £1 million saving after so short a time, a matter of days, is almost certainly an exaggeration. It is a "hope". It is certainly not "cash flow". And of course it does not reflect the huge start up costs of redundancy payments and reorganisation charges.

And then a few days ago there was a curious Press release on the Council web site entitled "Two More Directors Appointed". The two Directors are K&C Officers. But the Press release says that their appointments are subject to confirmation by Hammersmith. So they are not "appointed". The Fat Lady has not sung yet'!

Why this rush to "announce"? Because Cllr Cocckell wants to manage opinion. And he knows that officers are up in arms and the councillors think there is a 'sell out' to Hammersmith going on.

You can fool some of the people all of the time, and all some of the time. But Pooter needs to learn that he cannot fool all of the people all of the time

A DUMB RATE=A DUMB RATE OF INTEREST

Below is an extract from the report to the Cabinet Committee on the Design Museum loan:-

An officer with a sense of humour decided to inject a sort of 'faux amis' into the planning paper. He used that fine verb,to Adumbrate.

Obviously, he was being tongue in cheek, for as we all know, the loan interest rate translates into what it is for us taxpayers ... A DUMB RATE

It is good to see RBK&C officers have a sense of humour!!!

5. RELATIONSHIP WITH PLANNING DECISIONS

5.1 A decision by Cabinet either to grant or deny the offer of a loan to the Design Museum does not ADUMBRATE the decisions of the Major Planning Development Committee in relation to the redevelopment of the site or the specific decisions regarding elements of the scheme that must be determined by the Committee or the Executive Director for Planning and Borough Development

 The Dame offers the translation


: to foreshadow vaguely : intimate

: to suggest, disclose, or outline partially

: overshadow, obscure

DESIGN MUSEUM HAS DESIGNS ON OUR MONEY AND MOYLAN GETS INVOLVED

The Dame has received an urgent message from her friend-an ex cllr of disrepute and failed ex financial journalist. He has asked whether the Dame has seen the Design Museum accounts and understood how generous that local Patron of the Arts(on the back of our money) Pooter Cockell has been to the Design Museum.

Sir Cockell has decided that residents should lend money to the Design Museum on a basis that makes the eyes water with envy. Cockell is planning to lend OUR money- £2.6m of it- unsecured at a fairly nominal 3%. Astonishing when front line services are being hacked to pieces.
But as a person most familiar with the situation has said 'The Legal and Finance departments in the Town Hall have had their arms twisted by Cllrs Cockell/Moylan. Smart senior officers are dead against the unsecured loan to the Museum.
They know that when the loan gets written off they will take the rap.
The other interesting area which the Dame will be exploring is the role of Cllr Danny Boy Moylan. For those of you who thought his influence had waned....think again...and be very worried......

When this guy sticks his nose in the welfare of residents' goes off the agenda. Those who doubt should remember his conniving/bullying on Sloane Square. Moylan's only interest will be to serve those who he thinks important.

Left: Conran  cocking a snook at Cockell


No wonder that old fox, Conran is laughing his head off. 
He was even bold enough to say that his cash is not guaranteed and, some say, laughed at how fawning Cockell was in his presence. 

More interesting are the Design Museum accounts.....
.....An expert says....

"The latest filed are to March 2010.  They have been prepared on a 'going concern' basis and unless they have raised a lot of money for the new museum there is no way that the Rotten Borough should be lending them money.  The surplus is small, and they desperately need income.  No doubt why they want a change of the operating hours to let them have lots of late night events to raise money.  No so much a prestigious design museum, more a night club and with so much owed to the Council, they will not be able to say no to any late night events that the Trustees want to impose on residents." 

The Dame is no accountant. Fortunately she has teams of those to look after her billions. But she is going to ask Mr Holgate to 'take a look' or anyone else with a forensic accounting skill.

The Dame feels another Holland Park Opera and Chelsea Care moment coming on....

Weasel words have been strung together to find a basis for the loan. A Lord Goldsmith/Iraq moment

Breathtaking

Cllr Holt Greases up to Der Leader

The Dame has received a report Cllr Holt called a meeting with Cllr Cockell to say how disgusted he is by the "dreadful" Hornet. He likened The Dame to a pox on the Royal Borough. It reminded the Dame of John Wilkes's riposte to Sandwich, who told him he would die of the pox or on the gallows: "that will depend on whether I embrace your mistress or your politics". Anyway, that bon mot does not apply to Pooter or Cllr Holt. The Dame threw it in just to show that she is not just a pretty face.....

Evidently Pooter thanked Cllr Holt for his 'solidarity'.
Holt may wish to consider whether the predatory interest in underage youth displayed by certain councillors is the real pox on the council.
Pooter has now asked other councillors to 'get solid' with him and use every artifice to attack the Dame.

The Dame can see Pooter's point. In just a month another 4,000 unique visitors came to meet the Dame.

The Dame hopes that Cllr Holt's obsequiousness will be rewarded by Pooter.

left: Cllr Holt kissing Pooter's hand, which he hopes will feed him.


Something like this deserves a Special Responsibility Allowance. These are awarded to councillors who suck up to Pooter.

Can anyone suggest what SRA might be relevant to Cllr Holt's unique skill sets?

Support Nick Paget-Brown says the Dame. He is 100% right

 Pubs and clubs in the Royal Borough may soon be able to put on music without first having to get a licence from the Council if a current Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS) consultation becomes law.

Alarmingly the DCMS consultation is not proposing the deregulation of small-scale events but those with audiences of up to 5,000.

 Left: Keep up the pressure Nick P-B

Councillor Nick Paget-Brown, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

"Far from being meddlesome, pointless bureaucracy, entertainment licences are actually how we ensure that noise is controlled, that events close down at a reasonable time and that landlords generally act responsibly.

"It's no secret that councils and constabularies are hard pressed right now and indeed for the foreseeable future. We for one simply do not have the resources to cope with a serious rise in complaints and urge the DCMS to rethink its proposals."




In Kensington and Chelsea there are currently 878 venues which, under the DCMS proposals, would be able to lay on unregulated events. The Council is worried that not only would this result in a sharp increase in noise and nuisance for Royal Borough residents, but a spike in associated antisocial behaviour.

Another implication for the Royal Borough is that it hosts one of Europe's largest events, the Notting Hill Carnival. In the interests of public safety it is essential that the Council and the Metropolitan Police bring Carnival to a close at a reasonable hour. With complete deregulation any premises within the Carnival area could legally provide live and recorded music 24 hours a day over the Carnival period, as long as any alcohol sales they make are within their permitted hours and their audiences are not more than 5,000.

Councillor Nick Paget-Brown, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Environment, said:

"Far from being meddlesome, pointless bureaucracy, entertainment licences are actually how we ensure that noise is controlled, that events close down at a reasonable time and that landlords generally act responsibly.

"It's no secret that councils and constabularies are hard pressed right now and indeed for the foreseeable future. We for one simply do not have the resources to cope with a serious rise in complaints and urge the DCMS to rethink its proposals.

"In addition to our formal response to the consultation, I have written to the Secretary of State at the DCMS to express the Council's grave concern about the adverse impact this proposal will have on densely populated inner-city residential areas like Kensington and Chelsea."

You can have your say on the consultation by visiting link  "Consultation on proposal to examine the deregulation of Schedule One of the Licensing Act 2003".

COMMENTS

Certain comments about Cllr Rock FM have been deleted.


The Dame likes to keep an eye on this young councillor. He has made clear his ambition to lead the Council in the very immediate future. Her view is that his interpersonal skills, on a political level, leave a huge amount to be desired. He conducts himself in an abrasive way at council meetings and puts the back up of fellow councillors by interrupting them and showing off. He is too young and too arrogant. It is debatable whether he should even be in the Cabinet, let alone pitching himself as Leader.
The press release he signed off yesterday underscores that....

However, let us not make comments about him which are clearly untrue. In ten years time he may well have developed and matured to the extent that he could take over the reins of power. However, he is not leadership material at the moment.

RBKC PRESS DEPT.....APOLOGY REQUIRED

The Dame suggests an apology is in order from the RBKC Press Office for putting out the scam press release.
The content was wrong in every respect. It caused needless alarm and distress to residents. If the press department have nothing better to do then maybe it should be wound down and the money saved spent on front line services.

A Fool Fooled...Rock And A Hard Place

Councillor Rock Fielding Mellen is supposed to be the 'heir presumptive' to the disaster that is his master Pooter Cockell. Pooter told him to use the PR Dept to put out a press release regarding a scam that was closed down years ago...but the naive twit Fielding Mellen got caught out causing needless fear amongst residents.  What a bloody idiot!! Read below to see how our sharp Leader in Waiting was thoroughly conned... This scam first came to the attention of PhonepayPlus, the UK's premium rate telephone services regulator, in 2005, when it originated as a chain email scam. PhonepayPlus said it shut down the service (operating on 0906 661 1911) in December 2005 and fined the company that was operating it (Studio Telecom, based in Belize) £10,000. It assured us the service is no longer running and has not been running since December 2005. this says everything about the useless £ million K&C PR Dept- and the man who would be king-the naive twit RockFM

Rock Hot To Trot-except he got it totally wrong

As part of his profile raising programme Sir Cockel urged Rock FM to find any opportunity to gain community kudos. When Royal Mail gave details of a scam involved Premium Rate numbers our £55,000 a year councillor was hot to trot. With the full force of the £ million a year PR Dept behind him Rock gave this dramatic warning....except the scam was closed down 6 years ago...what a waste of if our time and money. The NUMBER IS UNOBTAINABLE ROCK!!!

                                       

 
Left: Leader in Waiting warns of scam


"I urge all residents to be aware of this nasty and costly scam. In the run-up to Christmas people will naturally be expecting to receive parcels and could be fooled into ringing this premium rate number".

Making these sorts of 'statements' would  normally fall to the Trading Standards Officer; it is a job for an officer.  Fielding Mellen should be spending time on Ward duties: something he is much criticised for neglecting.
We are beginning to see various odd councillors trying push themselves into the limelight to make it seem they have some sort of executive power: it's all to do with justifying their outrageously high Special Responsibility Allowances. In Rock's case this is the first year he ever been paid for anything! He maybe jockeying for position in the Leadership stakes, but for goodness sake leave these sorts of statements to responsible officers. You just make yourself look as if you are scrabbling around looking for something to do



The Dame has left  details  here..

Residents are being urged to be aware of a postal fraud which could cost them hundreds of pounds.

Royal Mail has given details of just how the scam works to the Council's Community Safety team.

A card is posted through your door from a company called PDS (Parcel Delivery Service) suggesting that they were unable to deliver a parcel and that you need to contact them on 0906 6611911 (a premium rate number).

DO NOT call this number, as this is a mail scam originating in Belize.

If you call the number and you start to hear a recorded message you will already have been billed £315 for the phone call.

If you do receive a card with these details, then please contact Royal Mail Fraud on 020 7239 6655.


"Please do not ring the number on any card you receive from PDS but get in touch with the Royal Mail's fraud team."

Rocks in the Road Ahead

Left: Rocks Ahead

The Dame has noticed much informed comment from those 'in the know' that the Tri Borough arrangement is a prelude to a deepening and broadening relationship with 'Steve' Greenhalgh's Hammersmith & Fulham. This should make us very fearful.

H&F is a very different animal, in every way, from the very regal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea: we have little in common and, as wise heads have pointed out, H&F could quite easily return to it's Labour roots.

It's like an old dowager duchess marrying Ronnie Wood-it just won't work....

So far anticipated savings have been mere chaff. Celebrated local government guru, Professor Tony Travers has emphasised that savings would be at the expense of service levels.

Cockell and Myers have implied if things don't pan out everybody can pack up their tents and go home. The Dame fears it will not that easy. If there is a political change there will be much horse trading and if there isn't you can be sure tough guy Greenhalgh will not give the Rotten Borough a smooth ride home in the Leader's £115k Bentley.

Those with long memories will remember how the ghastly Heath mis-sold the Common Market. It was, he said, merely a way of trading together without tariffs. Only decades later we realised we had been sold into slavery.

There are parallels with the Tri Borough arrangement. The top jobs are firmly in the hands of the Greenhalgh Gang and the prospect of Rock Fielding Mellen becoming Leader is not comforting-

if (and when) there are tears before bedtime. Once in we will never escape.

The Dame leaves her readers with this thought...

Sir Cockell blithely fritters millions on pet projects, such as Holland Park Opera or Chelsea Care,

yet refused to spend a mere £150k or so with a top line management consultancy. Any management consultancy would have quickly seen the dangers on the road ahead. Could it be that Cockell and Myers were so determined on the Tri Borough project that they feared a professional might force a review?

This project could seriously affect the health and wealth of residents, yet Cockell refused to bring in a management consultancy professional. Has anyone ever heard of two companies merging without having sets of skilled advisers on board? But what is really scary is that neither Cockell nor Myers has an iota of business experience. Lambs to slaughter comes to mind.....

Nicholas Holgate congratulated by The Dame

 left: a first rate officer

The Dame was delighted to hear that Nicholas Holgate, our Director of Finance, is to become Town Clerk. The Dame applauds this appointment. Mr Holgate enjoys a superlative reputation in the Council and will ensure the proper conduct of Council meetings. Even better news is that he will assume, in addition to his existing responsibilities for finance, information systems and property, the oversight of  planning, housing and policy.

Holgate said of his role, "it's different and not without challenges as an arcane point of order can pop up at any moment, so you really need to know your stuff and be on your toes."

A graduate of Trinity College, Cambridge, Mr Holgate had worked at HM Treasury for many years before becoming Chief Operating Officer at the Department for Culture, Media and Sport. He has worked for the Royal Borough for three years.

The Dame wishes this exemplar of a first class officer good luck in his new role.

Young Feilding Mellen talks Ghetto

Dave Hill(The Guardian) has pointed out to the Dame a comment made by the Young Pretender  concerning Wormington Green Estate. Rock, in discussing the Estate inferred it was a 'ghetto' and that 'ghettoes' can be "full of fear and paranoia". Clearly his own 'Family Estates' are free of this! His bizarre, insensitive and quite crass observation was made as feelings rose to boiling point over demolition plans. Naturally, this sprig of the aristocracy with a canteen of silver spoons in his mouth failed to understand that it would cause residents to fume with anger. According to the Kensington and Hammersmith Times

"Tenants of a tight-knit housing estate threatened with demolition are fuming over incendiary comments made by the Council's housing chief about "ghettoes" that can be "full of fear and paranoia." Councillor Rock Feilding-Mellen, lead for planning policy and housing policy, made the comments as tensions over Kensington Housing Trust's (KHT) plans to demolish Wornington Green Estate reached boiling point at the Kensington and Chelsea council meeting on January 20".

 left: massed peasants from Wormington about to attack Rock

A Labour activist from that part of town points out to me that K&C leader Merrick Cockell was on the guest list for the semi-legendary Stephen Greenhalgh-Localis round table discussion about Hammersmith and Fulham's radical Decent Neighbourhoods regeneration programme. It was a shame Pooter was not able to put a sock in the Young Pretender's mouth. His senseless remark was doubtless picked up by Greenhalgh.
So Fly on the Wall; can you now understand the dangers of 'off the wall comments' made by a total ingenue?

Fielding Mellen and the Reverse Alchemy Business

For years residents have had to endure a leader whose business acumen has been nil. This absence of business skill has left Merrick Cockell weak when taking decisions on how to spend resident's money. Holland Park School, Exhibition Rd, Holland Park Opera and, more latterly, Chelsea Care bear testimony to this. And we don't even include his inability to properly complete his expenses so we were never able to find out who he spent $400 dining with in New York.
Sir Cockell is now set upon foisting young Rock upon us. So the Dame has undertaken some research to see exactly what qualifications Rock has to manage a billion pound budget. The results are very concerning. Fielding Mellen is just 32.  He has not one iota of proper business experience. We are in tough times. We need a leader able to cope.

 Tough Times= Tough Leadership

 

ROCK FEILDING-MELLEN PROFILE

Born 1979, he is 32, a child. He has no relevant work experience whatever.

LinkedIn says he is Director of Alro Group Ltd, but this company does not appear to exist any longer, at least they no longer file accounts and this isn’t mentioned in his Members’ Interests: 

Info from Members’ Interests:

http://www.rbkc.gov.uk/az/CllrPublicInfo.aspx?tab=3&seed=Councillor Rock  Feilding-Mellen&key=bguj9HrvkxxTidKXDYAGuQ==

We then take a look at Socially Conscious Capital Ltd. Again this seems to be somewhat amateurish. Based at his home it has just a £2,742 cash in the bank and net worth of £1,126.  

Besides Rock the directors are Dominic Lawson, Aldred Drummond, his Mum and step-Dad-a sort of family affair!

http://www.sociallyconsciouscapital.co.uk/

The next company is Melfield Developments Ltd:

This is an estate agency set up 2005. It has £30,000 cash at bank and negative net worth of £66,000. The office is at his Mum's on Chelsea Embankment.

 

Vilnius Investment Management Ltd:

This company was set up in 2009. It has cash in the bank of £2 bank and a net worth of £2. The office is based at Mum's on Chelsea Embankment.

VIMV2LLP

-      set up 2007, cash at bank £0, net worth £1,000

-      cash 2008 £45,000, cash 2010 £0

-      office at Mum’s, Chelsea Embankment

Not much evidence here of a dynamic business career to date...

Residents need a Leader able to manage a complex business, which is what RBK&C is. There is no evidence here that Rock Fielding Mellen has the skills required, nor the maturity to lead a work force of thousands.

He comes with a major Health Warning. The Dame will be looking at other leadership contenders as time goes on

The Rotten Borough 'Bentley Boys'

City grandee, John Nelson enjoys an illustrious City career spanning top positions in major banks.
He has no need for displays of grandiosity....

left: Nelson...no need to show off

He has now taken over as Chairman of Lloyd's of London. Being a man with little need to amplify his dignity, or that of the world's oldest insurance market, he has raised eyebrows by sending the chauffeur driven Mercedes limo back to the garage and replacing it with a Toyota Prius.

left: the 'wheels' of the chairman

As one insider said the only person sad about all the changes is the chauffeur who now has to drive the boss around in rather less status filled 'wheels'.

The Dame raises this as an object lesson to Sir Cockell. Cockell seems to think that the motor car makes the man. As Nelson's downsizing proves it doesn't. What it does say is this: if the oldest and most powerful insurance market in the world can replace it's limo with a Prius then so can RBK&C.
It is all about setting an example. That is true leadership. It is something our Leader has never managed to get his head around....

Off his Rocks

One has to hand it to Sir Cockell. He is determined that effete young Rock Fielding Mellen is the 'boy' to replace him.


       Below: Rock Fielding Mellen

This, despite the fact that he has done nothing in his short life to qualify him to lead the Rotten Borough. Up against tough guy Steven Greenhalgh, Fielding Mellen will be  history and the needs of K&C residents forgotten. The Tri Borough arrangement is one of the most flawed, ill thought through and dangerous of projects: it poses a grave threat to us, the residents. So one has to wonder why Merrick Cockell and Derek Myers are so keen to promote this young 'aristo' to the job.

Many conspiracy theories abound. Two have caught the attention of the Dame.

Socially, and without being snobbish, (surely, an impossibility for you Dame Ed) Myers is very much more at home in the Hounslow end of H&F.

He knows that in Steven Greenhalgh he has a ruthless and strategic brainbox-and a leader vastly superior to his puppet, Sir Cockell. So delivering a young ingenue like Rock Fm will score him many points with SG and also allow Derek to continue to operate as the Rotten Borough puppet master.

The other theory is that Sir Cockell is terribly impressed by the fact that Rock's stepfather is the Earl of Wemyss. Wemyss is a nice chap and, like Rock's mum, keen in 'cerebral experimentation'. Sir Cockell is very anxious to move in high, aristocratic circles. Wemyss has vast estates and doubtless-once Sir Cockell gets his peerage, he will expect to be invited to Downton Abbey style house parties.
It would be wrong for K&C residents to be sacrificed on the alter of Sir Cockell's social ambitions....


As part of the Myers/ Cockell strategy to elect young Rock they are sending him off on all sorts of errands. Here he is..
Rock FM looking self important

The Leadership race is on. Warwick Lightfoot is saddled up and ready for the off. However, with the clown Palmer as his 'trainer' the odds are not good for his chances.....

Here to Help Ourselves

 A worker from Hornton Street says staff have come up with rather a naughty 'play on words' concerning the livery on RBK&C vans. Under the RBK&C arms are the words, 'Here to Help You' or some such nonsense.



Staff are saying it should be adopted and adapted by £130k a year, Cockell and   £280k a year, Myers to read....... 'Here to Help Ourselves'.
The Dame thought it most witty.......and rather apposite.

An Overwhelmed and Emotional Dame

The Dame reports being quite emotional over the emails she has received from jealous residents of Mr Barrow's autocratic regime in nearby Westminster. They all want a bit of her....

 left: The Dame...tremulous and emotional

Quite a few have asked why the Dame cannot buzz over to City Hall and peep inside. Sadly, the Dame has to focus on Sir Cockell and his team. But that should not deter others from emulating the Dame. Her following grows daily and her benign influence, despite Cllr Holt being so unkind, is doing much for democracy in our little, old Rotten Borough of K&C.

And by the way, the Dame loves to hear(anonymously, of course) from disenchanted Hornet St worker bees with mischievous stories that Pooter and Mr Myers would prefer not to be exposed to the disinfectant of sunlight. And your secrets will be safe with The Dame.

Help Save Mayfair And St James's

Extraordinary news from the normally sensible Westminster City Council. Ordinarily the Dame would not butt into the affairs of her neighbour, but with so many Westminster people reading her she could not ignore the topic. Greedy, short sighted WCC, looking for easy ways to create revenue, has decided to kill and cook the gold egg laying goose and ban free parking on meters and yellow lines from 8.30am until midnight, Monday to Friday, and from 1pm-6pm on Sunday.  This all happens on January 9^th 2012 so time is running out fast.

If you have friends in Westminster send them the link and warn them they need to vote NO to this madcap scheme. And remember if you are a K&C resident who shops at Waitrose Belgravia you will be caught in this stupid plan.
We should be fortunate that K&C has enough sense to realise that such a scheme would imperil the already fragile local business economy and make life hell for residents. And if it goes ahead in Mayfair and St James's that is what will happen.

If you are a local business or resident vote NO here  The petition is being lodged shortly so don't delay.