Cllr Borwick

No sooner had the Dame written up her little tribute to Glenys Roberts when her telephone tinkled; and no, it was not, for once, Pootin Cockell. It was a senior Conservative and respected activist. Insolently, he started by saying, " Dame, we know you are subject to many 'senior moments' but that is no excuse for ignoring one of the most powerful and well qualified candidates for leadership. For five minutes the Dame had to endure a litany of the attributes that would make Cllr and GLA member, Victoria Borwick a perfect leadership solution. Thinking about it, a character similar to her counterpart, Cllr Roberts in WCC.

CLLR VICTORIA BORWICK

Leadership Material?

Glenys Roberts-A Real Leader

The Dame rarely pokes her nose over the fence into Westminster, but today she could not resist it.
Westminster is in the throes of finding a new leader and one of the names that keeps coming up is Glenys Roberts.
If you remember Cllr Glenys Roberts was that rare commodity- a councillor with common sense, integrity and courage.
She immediately saw the flaws in 'Boy' Rowley and Barrow Boys' parking strategy and did the right thing: the only thing and voted against it.
The Dame likes the sound of Cllr Roberts, so she did a little research and came up with this. Read it and you will see why Cllr Roberts is as she is. It is all about integrity
We need the likes of Cllr Roberts in the Rotten Borough. If the Dame could vote, Cllr Roberts would be the only choice. The other contenders are just windbags. The Dame hopes she succeeds. If she does Roberts will repair the huge reputational damage done to Westminster.

This is what she had to say announcing her campaign.....

Leader in Waiting

"This Wednesday I am conducting a daring experiment. Is it possible to stand for a major political post without succumbing to the culture of secrecy, doublespeak, cover ups, spin and downright lies which we have come to associate with politicians these days?"

The Dame thinks she means what she says.

Your Turn Ahern

Time now for us to meet Cllr Tim Ahern. Like 'Boys' Moylan he
hails from the Emerald Isle, but the similarity ends there.....
An Amplefordian he could be viewed as a safe pair of hands. 
Maybe tainted by over weaning loyalty to Pootin
Is not a 'taker' putting up his own money during his Mayoralty.

CLLR TIM AHERN

Cockell Refuses To Step Down

The Dame has commented on the similarity between Cockell and Pootin of the Kremlin.
Merrick Cockell now spends little time on his duties at the Town Hall, for which we taxpayers pay him nearly £70,000 for a 2 day a week. The rest of his time is spent at the LGA, where he collects a further £53,000. He has no other declared income source, so is desperate to cling on like a limpet.

Cockells and Limpets

He has been Leader for an unprecedented 13 years and has warned  colleagues that he intends staying for a further two years-doubtless sanguine that by then he will have got his job in the Lords!
This is a dangerous situation for local democracy and specifically for residents, councillors and officers of the Borough. 
Last night the following comment was posted: it is highly relevant and seems to emanate from within the Council Member's Room......

Anonymous said...
Dearest Dame. We love you and admire you for all you have done in the name of the Sacred Borough. We do not wish to cause you the slightest offence for you are greatly revered and respected. But may we suggest in admonishing us on speculating about the succession to our Blessed Leader you are being just a little sanctimonious. Our great Conservative Councillors as they sit in their member’s room calculating their special responsibility allowances, graciously bestowed upon them by Blessed Leader, talk about little else other than how Blessed Leader can be helped on his way to a better place, where all Blessed Leaders (or most of them) have gone before him.
Dear Dame, abandoning the silly language, something like 90 per cent of the Council and a lot of the senior officers just can’t wait for this to happen. You have to admire his thick skin even if you don’t admire anything else about him.

28 February 2012 23:32

 Paraphrasing that great Englishman, Oliver Cromwell, the Dame says to Pootin Cockell..." You have been sat too long here for any good you have been doing. Depart, and let us have done with you."

Calling Coleridge

Time to introduce another councillor for inspection....

Step up Councillor Tim Coleridge. Tim is an all round good egg.
Noted for opposing the abomination that was Danny Boys Moylan's
hideous plan for Sloane Square...Pooter delayed
his mayoralty for a year, as punishment.

CLLR COLERIDGE

Popular Mayor

"Upbeat message from affluent visitor": Pootin Cockell Marches Into Jarrow

A boastful message from Pootin Cockell regarding his trip to Jarrow and Hebden. He sent a link from the Jarrow& Hebden Gazette describing his visit, where he showed off to locals about his huge £130k pa allowance. You can read all about it under the rude comments link. Not content with making a local fool of himself, he now travels the UK doing so. What an embarrassment the man is!
So impressed were these country folk that the paper headlined his 'Royal' visit......
 "Upbeat message from affluent visitor, Sir Merrick Cockell!"
Yes! Seriously!
Anyway, the Dame wants to share the story; particularly the comments left by the men and women of Jarrow. Clearly, less than impressed, they had done their research and left a number of very funny rude comments
The Dame liked the bit when the journo wrote, " Sir Merrick is passionate about the arts"-as if he was some latter day Medici.
Anyway, he had a jolly nice day out patronising the locals. He was reported as having gone for a stroll along the Jarrow promenade with many 'locals' turning out to watch him 'strolling.'Someone should have told him that Jarrow folk are not taken in by poseurs like Pooter! They are tough: they are resilient and they don't like to be patronised by twerps.

Sir Pooter Cockell strolling on Jarrow Esplanade with admiring 'local' looking on.

Grenfell Tower In Dire Need Of Modernisation

This rather good letter deserves our close attention....The Dame


Subject: Grenfell Tower in Dire Need of Modernisation
Importance: High

Dear Cllr Coleridge,

We would like to bring this matter to your attention and also the rest of the recipients of this email. We refer to the heating system, windows replacement, security, cleaning, repairs, heath and safety issues at Grenfell Tower.

Please see below the extract about the Edward Wood Estate, a short walk away from Lancaster West Estate and in the London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham. The RBKC has a good working relationship with LBHF and should be very aware of the work which is well under way. They have made every effort to make a significant improvement under their 'Community Energy Saving Programme' (CESP) to convert residential tower blocks to the energy-efficient social housing of the future”.

The irony is that the proposed academy is going to be built right next to Grenfell Tower, an academy with a 21^st century heating system and double glazed windows. The council and the managing agents K&CTMO are allowing Grenfell Tower to remain a building which is stuck in the 60’s. The area can not be considered to be regenerated without an upgrade to Grenfell Tower.

It was confirmed the Estate management Board(EMB) and you also heard at the stakeholders meeting dated 29^th November 2011, the EMB existed before the K&CTMO allowed heat to be wasted from the chimney. The heating cost is 1/3 of all service charges at Grenfell Tower. It is because of heating that rent and service charges are so high. It was also discussed at the meeting how dangerous and inhabitable the heating system is at Grenfell Tower. The council’s managing agents has reduced the Grenfell Tower to slum and it is quite sad for the residents of Grenfell Tower.

The residents of Grenfell Tower only use heating a handful of times during the year in extreme cold. The main boiler has to be turned on 24/7 to provide for the hot water for 24/7 generating extremely excessive bills which are unacceptable. We the Grenfell Leaseholder’s Association (GTLA), want to know how you can pay for something you are not using in this day and age.

The rents and service charges at Grenfell Tower are the highest in the Borough and this is most certainly not reflected in the level of services. The K&CTMO are only interested in raising a large tender from the RBKC and provide the bare minimum work to the Grenfell Tower.

It is totally inconceivable that the council and the their managing agent s are not prepared to improve the living standard of the resident of Grenfell Tower with a  21^st century academy on its door step. How will it be of any benefit to the residents of Grenfell Tower?

Extract from the stakeholder meeting dated 29^th November 2011.

3.3       RB stated that loads of money has been spent on the heating system, new pumps/valves but it seems to have had little affect or no effect.  He stated that there needs to be some genuine work done to rebalance the heating and it controls.

3.9       RB Robert Bryan (EMB) stated that a survey was carried out by the EMB Board and it showed that a lot of heat was being wasted from the chimney.  This poses the question why are we wasting heat (Wasting heat?) and not recycling?

Edward Woods Estate - London Borough of Hammersmith and Fulham

Brayer  Group were successfully appointed by Hammersmith and Fulham Homes to carry out an exemplar energy efficient programme of overcladding and environmental improvements, including the installation of extensive solar voltaic panel array systems and wind turbines to the Edward Woods Estate in West London, as part of major refurbishment programme to overhaul three hard-to-tackle inner city high-rise tower blocks.

The aim of the programme is to improve the living environment for residents, as part of an ongoing regeneration on the Estate, benefiting the community as a whole. The works will only improve the living conditions of residents and aesthetic appearance of the blocks as wells as delivering significant reductions in energy consumption, costs and CO² emissions.

Refurbishment project in Hammersmith (London)

The Edward Woods Estate, three 24 storey blocks near Shepherds Bush in West London, is a 1960’s social housing development which is being refurbished rather than demolished and replaced.

Preparatory works started in October 2009 with the main project underway a few months later.

About the project

The £12.2 million refurbishment of the Edward Woods Estate is intended to extend the life of the towers through comprehensive repair works as well as undertaking a thorough thermal and visual upgrade. In addition, the scheme establishes a flagship for building-integrated renewable technologies within the Borough. The project will see all of the tower blocks given a combination of Rockwool Rockshield and Rockwool Rockpanel that will smarten up the estate and improve the buildings whilst lowering resident’s heating bills.

Residents have been involved in the scheme from the start, with representatives from each block working with the design consultants, using their local knowledge to help steer the proposals for the benefit of all who live there.

Project objectives

The project has a number of key objectives:

·         to extend the life of the building for another 40 years

·         to improve SAP ratings (energy efficiency ratings) and improve thermal comfort for residents

·         to reduce fuel poverty concerns for many residents

·         to improve the appearance of the towers in line with the wider regeneration of the area

·         to establish an exemplar of building-integrated renewable technologies

This 18.000 sqm sustainable scheme comprises of completely thermal overcladding upgrade to current building regulations, Photovoltaic panels, Solar Thermal Collectors and condensing boilers.

We thank all the recipients of this email for taking the time to read this email.

The GTLA (Grenfell Tower Leaseholder’s Association) also appreciate the offer of regular monthly stakeholders meetings. It allows us to discuss our issues and concerns with the management of K&CTMO and their sub-agents in relation to Grenfell Tower and the Lancaster West Estate. 

We welcome the suggestion made by Mr Robert Black the Chief Executive of K&CTMO directly to the GTLA that he wished to establish a strong working relationship. But, Mr Black has failed to realise that GTLA has been liaising with K&CTMO for the past two years, have raised countless issues and concerns over this period and are yet to see any tangible improvements to Grenfell Tower.

GTLA has no desire to hold any meeting individually either with the council or their appointed managing agents. It has to be the LWE (Lancaster West Estate) Stakeholders who collectively make an effort to bring real changes for the resident of Grenfell Tower and for the wider community. It has been almost three months and there has no follow up meeting.  Now is the time for some real action. It is inconceivable that a modern 21^st academy can be built aside a tired, ugly building that is Grenfell Tower and is in definite need of an upgrade.

I have enclosed a document containing pictures comparing the plans for the Edward Woods Estate and Grenfell Tower.

Kind Regards,

Mr Tunde Awoderu

The Vice Chairman

The Grenfell Tower Leaseholder’s Association

WHY ARE POOTER AND PUTIN SIMILAR?

A senior RBKC officer with a wicked sense of humour said that officers now refer to Pooter as Pootin.

The Dame, being a little slow, asked why...."Well, Pooter won't go and nor will Putin."

PUTIN...WON'T STEP DOWN

POOTIN...WON'T STEP DOWN

Let Officers Judge

As usual, Council Officer makes a very good point. On such a beautiful Sunday afternoon the Dame gives permission for Council Officer to lift us out of the Slough of Despond by nominating a candidate, from either side of the political fence, who is likeable....and not a total moron. No...not you Danny "Boys' Moylan

Council Officer has left a new comment on your post "Is She Any Good? Cllr 'Betty' Campbell":


Dame. Please, this is just so excruciating. Can't we talk about one or two of the Councillors who are likeable and not brain dead?

Is She Any Good? Cllr 'Betty' Campbell

Next up...... Betty loves to meet celebs
when she is not doing Education. Not to be confused
with popular Cllr Barbara Campbell.....



CLLR ELIZABETH(BETTY) CAMPBELL

MEETING CELEBS MAKES HER SMILE!

Clocking Our Councillors

The Dame has decided to throw open to everybody the chance to assess our councillors.....one by one.
She wants to know who is good: who is bad: who is lazy etc. You get the idea. It's a chance to build up a picture of our councillors.
The Dame has decided-in absolutely no coherent order-to start with the man who spends our hard earned taxes. Step forward.....

CLLR WARWICK LIGHTFOOT

LIGHTFOOT..ANY GOOD?

Notting Hill Greengrocers And Pears

Trevor Pears: Maybe Charity Starts In Notting Hill

Pears Group recently acquired the 4.5 acre Notting Hill Estate.... 

Anonymous says, 
"Peers Group is buying up the whole of Notting Hill Gate around the underground station and they will knock it down and redevelop the whole area.

The Council needs to keep a close eye on this and make sure that they are on the side of residents and don't get too "developer friendly".

Cllr Ahern is on point duty for this one. He is in charge of planning and has told friends that the Council has been far too developer friendly in recent years.

The menace Cllr Campion has been running around "consulting" for the last two years on the council's grand "vision" for Notting Hill Gate. This is one weasel who needs to be watched closely by the Dame"

Locals say they are boosting rents to retailers- with the usual dire consequences to local shops. 
http://www.change.org/petitions/landlord-save-our-shop 


Here is the irony....Trevor Pears backed Cameron's leadership campaign to the tune of £20,000. 
Cameron has also backed Mary Portas and her plans to save small retailers. 
One of her 'planks' was to persuade landlords not to strangle struggling retailers with huge rent increases and to reduce parking charges; an idea persistently ignored by RBK&C and other councils.

Pears Group is valued at over £1 billion: it can afford to be generous.


Maybe it needs to remind itself of it's own corporate responsibility statement....
 "At the core of the Group’s philosophy is a recognition of its responsibility to our tenants, employees and society generally."
And perhaps the Prime Minister should have a quiet word with his friends, the Pears family: after all, he was once resident of Notting Hill.
But perhaps the Pears family could look to the example of the benevolent de Walden family.
When Hugh Seaborn was CEO he took particular trouble over the small, independent retailers. It paid off. That is why Marylebone High Street is a pleasure to walk down. 
And that is why Seaborn bodes well for Cadogan.

Local Resident, Sophie Gunther writes...

Dear All

Please would you sign the petition and share this information to support our local pharmacy! 

We are losing all our local shops – the fishmonger has gone, WHSmith has gone, Oddbins has gone and now both Tylers and our chemist Calder are under threat from ever increasing rent hikes from the landlord, the Pears Group, who owns this whole area.

We need to “live local” and support our local retailers. Please act to help keep our shops that support our valued community.

Thank you in advance.

Warmest regards,

Sophie

Save Our Surgery (Kensington Place Surgery) http://www.change.org/petitions/nhs-innernorth-west-london-pcts-save-our-surgery-kensington-place-surgery

 

The Dame Puts Down A Boastful Pooter

The Dame was readying herself for an evening 'on the town' with that old reprobate, disgraced Ex Mayor Mr Phelps, when her 'hotline' phone tinkled. It was a very puffed up Pooter on the 'blower'. "Well, Dame, you will be pleased to hear what I am going to tell you: I am going to freeze your council tax".
"Excellent news, replied the Dame, but Pooter the majority of Council's are doing that; in fact quite a few are cutting council tax.... so not much to crow about.
The Dame then took Pooter to task...."and, had you not indulged your ego blowing £25 million on Exhibitionist Rd and £100 million on the Holland Park School, we might have had a tax reduction."  Piling on his discomfiture the Dame accused him of building up the £178 million in reserves by blatantly overtaxing residents, year in, year out, just so he could build monuments to his vanity. "

What No Tax Reduction?

Ending her conversation the Dame took one last swipe at a now deflated Pooter, " I won't go on talking to you: I read that you cost us taxpayers £260 an hour.... nearly as much as the £250,000 a year we pay to keep Exhibitionist Rd clean".

With a faint click the line went dead.......

Exhibitionist Road Slammed by Expert

An Expert slams Exhibitionist Road....

 

 

Dear local residents,

 

Please find attached a copy of my letter to the editor of Building Design, a shortened version of which was published in the 10th. February issue of BD.

 

Having been directly involved in diverse environmental improvement schemes in Westminster and other London boroughs - including Trafalgar Square - during my time as Principal Conservation and Urban Design Officer (for the South Area of the City) with Westminster City Council between 1976 and 1991 and as Regional Architect and Assistant Regional Director for English Heritage London Region between 1991 and 2004, I am appalled that the respective Council's and TfL not only endorsed this poorly thought-through and insensitive project but were prepared to spend so much on it when cutting spending elsewhere; not least, as a perfectly decent and more fitting result could have been achieved at a fraction of the cost using York Stone paving, granite kerbs and limited areas of traditionally dimensioned and cut granite setts of the normal London mix (of grey, buff and pink) for the areas for car-parking and bus lay-bys, as used in many other areas of Westminster and K. and C.      

 

May I wish you success at tomorrow's rally and in your efforts to secure modifications to the scheme to render the junctions safe for pedestrians, and to provide a decent treatment of the rond-point at the junction of Exhibition Road and Prince Consort Road.

 

Kind regards,

 

Paul Velluet.

 

PAUL VELLUET, RIBA, IHBC, CHARTERED ARCHITECT

9, BRIDGE ROAD, ST. MARGARETS, TWICKENHAM, T.W.1. 1.R.E.

e-mail: paul.velluet@velluet.com; 

Kensington Place Surgery and Cllr Freeman

Residents Applauding Cllr Freeman

The Dame has just received a report from a Campden Hill resident: the news seem discouraging. However,  Cllr Freeman continues to bat doggedly away on our behalf.
The Dame met Cllr Freeman some years back. She was struck then by his intelligence and commitment to the welfare of those who elected him. There are other cllrs so disposed. Every so often the Dame will pull them out from the crowd and give them one of her famous 'hugs'-as she did the other week to Cllr Gardner.
Which brings her on to her next 'hornet in her bonnet'....Officers, at junior and mid rank level, are increasingly demoralised by the organisational chaos within Hornton Street. So the Dame had one of her clever-but simple ideas.
Dear reader, if there is an officer or a councillor who you feel has made Olympian(the Dame likes to be topical) efforts, on behalf of residents, then drop her a comment on this blog: Pooter may be incapable of inspirational leadership so the Dame has decided to step in and assist him.
Well done Cllrs Freeman and Gardner....your Council needs more like you. The Dame will next focus on Cllr Emma Dent-Coad. Officers tell the Dame she is an exemplar. To the Dame it matters not the least whether the councillor is Conservative;Labour or Lib Dem: she just wants commitment.

Who Is/are The Dame/s?

As the Dame loyal followers mount up...87,000 unique visitors so far...questions are being asked. Who is this remarkable old lady who has Pooter 'on the run'?
Everybody want to know this mysterious lady-so pivotal in the life and affairs of our Rotten Borough. And she does seem to have a rather snobbish disdain for poor Pooter..
The Dame boasts to her many friends that Pooter has agreed to let her use the Town Hall Great Hall to celebrate her 100,000 unique visitors; and in recognition of  the Dames' advice has given her the left over Krug from the opening of Exhibitionist Rd.

Un-drunk Krug from the £30k Exhibitionist Rd Do

Guess Dames's identity and a special VIP invitation will be yours....and the Dame promises... there will be no boring speechifying from Sir Pooter.

Name The Dame Competition

Scrutiny Committee To Examine whether Pooter Cockell is 'Worth It'

A Typical Fat Cat Council Leader

The Rotten Borough have finally got around to setting up a Scrutiny Committe charged with deciding if Pooter is 'worth it'.  Terms of reference will then extend to other £100k a year plus Cabinet members-not the least lavishly rewarded, Baronessa Ritchie.
It transpires that, as ever, the dear old Dame is correct. 100 year old Dotty Weatherhead has taken over licensing boozers and thus gets £40,000 a year-or nearly £1000 per week...but we are the Royal Borough!
Buffy Buckmaster no longer does the job as he is about, on the advice of the Dame, to become Mayor. Still when he gives that up another well paid sinecure ( to pay for his luxury Colorado skiing trips) will come his way. That is what you get for greasing up to Pooter.
Back to the crux of it all...Pooter, our SuperGlue Leader. Pooter costs taxpayers £230 an hour. It's made up from his whacking great allowance and the establishment costs to pay for this superfluous, unqualified bag of wind. Is he worth it? Doubtless, the buffoon Palmer aka Up Yours will come to his aid...he generally does...poor Pooter to be defended by such an idiot! With friends like the buffoon who needs enemies.

'Palming It Off On The Unions'

The Dame understood Cllr Campion to be a rational and reasonable councillor.  So she suffered a jolt to hear from a senior officer that he had joined Cockell's Jester,  Cllr Palmer,  to set up a two man team. The two man team has been set up-not to examine members' telephone charges- an area Cllr Palmer has expertise in (please explain Dame, Ed....No, Ed it could get me into trouble Dame)- but to endanger good Town Hall management/union relations. These odd bedfellows have been authorised, (one assumes by Pooter,) but if not the Dame apologises in advance, to find out whether the work union representatives do “value for money”. The team’s first meeting will be devoted to a slide show of the photos “clandestinely” taken by Clouseau (see the Dame’s evidence) of the recent Day of Action. Cllr. Palmer dismissed the offer that he would be better served by the official photographs that the union themselves took. Here is that grossly embarrassing picture of Palmer snapping union members on their Day of Action. Yes, it proves a picture is worth a thousand words!

A Giggling Buffoon

Our Council buffoon now dedicates his time to proving that paid time off for three union representatives and a small basement broom cupboard of an office is costing Council Tax payers dear. At a time when the union representatives are extremely busy negotiating the tri-borough staffing changes, new ways of working and assisting their members with relocation and redundancy, Clouseau conveniently forgets that rights of representation at such times is a statutory one. Without the union reps the Council would have to employ at least four more highly paid human resources professionals to deal with all this work. The unions also provide two extra telephone lines, one of which is totally dedicated to receiving idiotic enquiries from Palmer and his councillor colleagues. In addition, the unions subsidise the Council through a range of other facilities. No doubt all will be revealed to Inspector Clouseau once he has finished his slide show.

But how much does our very own Inspector Clouseau cost the Council? The basic allowance per councillor per annum is almost £11,000. In addition to this Clouseau gets his own computer, printer, photocopier and office space within the Members’ Room. Most of the time he has all these facilities to himself, given his colleagues’ reluctance to share the room with him. He is then able to use these facilities to support the work of Councilskills.com, whose annual accounts are now eagerly awaited. He can also( should he wish) check his share portfolio, make telephone calls,  get all his photocopying done for free and so on and so on.

So does Clouseau  provide value for money for the Council? This question has to be answered by officers and councillor colleagues. They are the ones forced to go on his councilskills.com courses. As they admit, ' we have much better and more important things to do with our time' And senior officers fear this is the wrong time to harass union officials-that sounds logical!

Lensman 'Palmer' 'on the job!

 

Cllrs Freeman and Buckmaster/ Kensington Place Surgery

The Dame would like to make 100% clear that Cllrs Freeman and Buckmaster are 'on the case'.

Campden Ward's 8,000 Residents to Lose Only Surgery

The Dame is has just been told of the extraordinary story of the loss of Campden's only NHS practice.
She encourages lots of comment on this one.....and more importantly let M/s Sands know what you think of her ideas.

 engagement@inwl.nhs.uk  

 or

  NHS Inner North West London PCTs, Chief Executive’s Office, Engagement Team, 4^th Floor, 15 Marylebone Road, London, NW1 5JD

Camden Residents In Knots

Campden Ward has one NHS practice, Kensington Place It serves over 5,000 patients from a Ward population of 8,000. On the 3rd February the Assistant Director of Primary Care, North West London, Julie Sands sent out a letter to it's 5,000 patients telling them to find other NHS practice's as Kensington Place would be closing down on 30th April. The reason given for the closure was that Dr Bronsdon, one of the three doctors, was leaving after 21 years. Campden residents are- putting it politely, shocked by this arbitrary decision.

This is what M/s Sands suggested........

• That patients find themselves a new GP

• The NHS advertises the need for a new surgery and invites GPs to apply (those GPs will, however, have to find premises themselves). At best, this is a process that takes 9-12 months.
  

M/s Sands is determined to wash her hands of responsibility and suggests that patients register with another GP practice in the local area, as existing GPs have spare capacity, and as it will be difficult for a new GP team to find suitable and affordable premises in the area. In other words the NHS will do nothing. Adding insult to injury she asks for feedback by 3rd March saying, "before we make a final decision, we want to hear your views". And we need any such views by 2 March"!

Ward residents' view is simple-even for the disorganised NHS to understand

Kensington Place Surgery is the only GP practice in the Campden Ward and serves 5,300 patients.

Telling those 5,000 to find themselves a new GP, instead of ensuring that a replacement is created, goes against the very idea of the NHS; plus, it is unlikely that nearby practices will be able cope with the flood of several thousand new patients in any efficient way.

The Campden Ward needs at least one GP practice for it's 8,200 residents (2001 census figures).

There is a desperate need for a dedicated surgery and RBKC  needs to come behind residents to ensure Campden is not the only Ward not to have it's own surgery. There are options...maybe the landlord of the current surgery could be persuaded by the NHS or the council to allow it to continue as a surgery-at least until a new surgery has been established within the ward? If so, a new team of GPs could probably be found much quicker and easier. And maybe a temporary team could keep it running in the interim?
Or maybe the remaining two GPs and staff  may be interested to take it over.

These are ideas that Julie Sands should be feverishly pursuing-not taking the lazy way out of closing down a vital Ward resource

Paget-Brown Sounds Alarm

Another incisive insight from PFWTS.
This breaking ranks with Pooter Cockell could cost Nick dearly. But, of course, he is right. There is a groundswell of mounting resentment against this council. They think they have sorted one leak and then another appears. 

Pooter Cockell trying to stop leaks

Person Familiar with The Situation said...
Cllr Paget-Brown, Deputy Leader of K&C, has confided to friends that he is deeply disturbed by recent press coverage of Borough affairs and the extent to which Town Hall initiatives have become out of step with the times and current political climate.

Spending on capital projects is a particular concern, especially those that have high profile visibility.

Cllr Paget-Brown has said that he wants these projects to have less focus in council deliberations and where possible, expenditure needs to be curtailed. As an example, he is working towards a complete stop of the £6 million pavement renewal programme which is what K&C tax payers are funding every year

The Dame's Bow To A Punchy Councillor

Nothing that gives the Dame greater pleasure than being able to post up warm congratulations to a councillor: one who has done an excellent job for residents. Most sadly are the exception rather than the rule. The Dame now hopes that Cllr Gardner will persuade her colleagues of the advantage of a 2012 Backbench committee. It is the only way for clever councillors, like her, to ensure their voices are heard and prevent Cabinet colleagues making one damned silly mistake after another.
Did Rock FM break ranks on the Tesco vote? If so well done Rock. We like independence......

Well done Cllr Gardner. The Dame knows the writer of this tribute to you; it represents the views of many.

Good Work Cllr Gardner

"Cllr Joanna Gardner appeared happy this morning at a special Planning meeting on Portobello Market. She will soon chair a long overdue Markets Scrutiny Committee. She is also deservedly happy to take credit for this week's decision of the Major Planning Committee. By a decision split 6:4, Tesco in Cromwell Road will get its new extension. This is largely due to Cllr Gardner's years of work to securing public swimming facilities for local residents out of the deal.
Shaftsbury Place will also get its fence. Committee members were scathing about Tesco hiking rents in its coachpark; ensuring that the coaches disappeared. Elected Members were equally dismissive of a shopping assessment that concluded that a vastly enlarged store would have no substantive effect on local shops. Labour and Lib Dems voted against, as did one Conservative. Labour and Lib Dems did succeed in obtaining approval for leaving the tower pinnacle untouched.
It was strange to see an architect praise Cllr Gardner in effusive terms, for ensuring the approval of the project through the inclusion of the leisure facillities. There is no question that without them, the application would have failed."

Pooter Cockell Calls The Dame About Mr Downes

The Dame has so many important 'personages' calling for advice.....
Just now the Dame's hot line from Pooter Cockell's Town Hall penthouse suite trilled.
"Dame, I am absolutely furious. I have just seen a letter in the Standard today. Your supporter, J. Downes, accuses my Council of forcing NSL to issue a minimum of 309,000 tickets, 15,000 clamping and 9,000 towings. He says it has stopped shoppers driving into the Rotten Borough and shops were closing down. Then he said I was making £130,000 a year from being Leader and chairman of LGA-that's not true: it's only £122,000. To cap it all he accused me of not making the LGA do anything to persuade government to reduce business rates: I am going to write an angry letter, but what shall I say"?
The Dame was pensive before coming out with this advice. " Pooter, firstly, put this Downes fellow in his place. Say he got your allowance wrong and you just scrape by on £2,400 a week or £123,000 a year. That will get you a sympathy vote"
Then say that it was Cllr 'Boyo' Moylan who organised the NSL contract.
Finally, say that it's not the role of the LGA to embarrass Dave when you are waiting to be made Lord Pooter Cockell"
" Dame, you are such a genius...thank you, but just one thing. My lad, Rock gave a bash for local business; should I mention it? "  "Of course not, Pooter, replied a weary Dame, it cost taxpayers thousand of pounds and was an utter waste of money". "Very well, Dame, I will get on with my letter writing".

Click on text to read Downes's annoying letter

From The Standard Today

 

The Dame says the major issue now is whether the Rotten Borough's insurance will cover accidents on Exhibitionist Rd. A good lawyer will claim that the road signage is quite illegal....over to you 'Boyo' Moylan... 

 

Should ambulance be on permanent standby?

 

 

Man hit by lorry in first crash on 'shared space' of Exhibition Road

Mark Blunden
16 Feb 2012

A man suffered head injuries when he became the first to be knocked down in Exhibition Road since it was turned into a "shared space" for pedestrians and drivers.

The victim, 25, was in collision with a Scania lorry less than two weeks after the new layout was officially opened by Mayor Boris Johnson and senior Kensington and Chelsea councillors.
The £29 million redesign of Exhibition Road - home to the Victoria & Albert Museum, Natural History Museum and Science Museum - allows drivers and pedestrians to mix on a high-grade Chinese granite surface.
The redesign levelled the road and pavement, with no yellow lines or road signs to mark the two surfaces, only textured paving to assist blind people.
Officials had hoped the new 20mph speed limit would cut accidents by 30 per cent.
Traders and residents now want the limit reduced to 5mph.
Decio Barroso, manager of The Kensington Crêperie, said: "The guy was crossing the road and a huge truck drove slowly and hit him. The guy was lying on the floor, shaking and screaming. The driver jumped out of the cab to help and a couple helped too."
The accident happened near the junction with Thurloe Place.
Police said the driver was not arrested and the crash is being investigated.
A rally is planned in Exhibition Road a week today by residents, blind campaigners and the Association of British Drivers, to urge the council to improve pedestrian safety.
Gordon Taylor, of the West London Residents' Association, said: "The royal borough appears more concerned with the appearance of Exhibition Road than the safety of pedestrians."
A council spokesman said: "The police have reported that a pedestrian was knocked over by a truck on Monday evening. They are not classifying the accident as a serious one. There are no plans at the moment to lower the 20mph limit but the council will continue to monitor how the new layout is being used."

A Wise Reader Comments......

As usual, The Dame picks out particularly pertinent observations from residents: this one is superb.

The Dame implores you all to make sure all your friends read-not just her wisdom, but the wisdom of her followers. So please send off the site link to everybody you know.  

The Dame notices that we are now climbing towards 100,000 readers so Pooter Cockell has been told to arrange an 'Event' when we hit the momentous number...Ideas please Pooter!

 

This reader has summed up to perfection our Council

 

 

Anonymous has left a new comment on your post "King's Road Dying In Part Thanks To Parking 'Terro...":

The lack of understanding of what happens in the real world outside of their large salaried boxes demonstrates that they represent no one but themselves. They ignore the vulnerable who access exhibitionist road. They will end up putting them in hospital (the start of which we have seen today) and then charge their families a fortune for visiting them.

They hoard this money under the illusion that its to mend the roads, and improve transport, whilst they have achieved spending millions on prisoner of conscience hewn stone (as a resident I am appalled by this) it is not an improvement its a death trap. They parade their hollow tin elephants, circus acts (besides themselves) to celebrate the opening of this sham, and in their parrellel universe are trying to take money from accessible transport companies and possibly charging disabled people to have a blue badge.

They are destroying local businesses from Portobello Road to the Kings Road, but then why expect them to understand what it takes to run a business, they never have, they only understand 'take' .

So much for their Big Society, BS, Caring for the most vulnerable, blah blah. Pooter and his mob care only for what they can get, not what they can give.

Get rid of them.

No More Business Rates

The Dame says.....a great cause.... and hopes we will all sign and forward on to friends

Anonymous said...
Hi All Please support our campaign No More Business Rates by signing an e-petition at http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/29483
Also like us on facebook at
http://www.facebook.com/pages/NoMoreBusinessRates/379854918698257
And visit our campaign website at
http://nomorebusinessrates.co.uk/

King's Road Dying In Part Thanks To Parking 'Terrorism'

Unemployment rate hits 16-year high.....   Bank: UK set to avoid recession.....   PM to tackle drink abuse 'scandal'.....   Witness 'put at risk' given payout.....   Clergyman 'found dead at vicarage'.....   Murder probe after girl, 13, dies.....   Bid to rescue crisis-hit Rangers.....   Legal challenge to pensions reform.....   Poll reveals GP hospital care fears.....   Inequality 'hits child development'.....   

In a previous post the Dame pointed out the lunacy of Rock Fielding Mellen and his master Pooter Cockell, pontificating about the state of the K&C retail economy. The two clowns, instead of wasting thousand of pounds on their self promoting 'event' for local business, should read today's Standard and the plight of retailers in King's Road . As one reader wisely commented."Traders have also struggled to pay rising rents or business rates as well as  the criminally high parking charges which are being inflicted on motorists"

The 'criminally high' parking charges directly result from Cockell's outrageous decision to force NSL to issue a minimum of 309,000 parking tickets; 15000 clampings and 9,000 tows. No wonder no one wants to shop in our Borough! Any normal council would have moved to relax parking. Instead, our brainbox, Pooter decides to kill the goose that lays the golden egg. And of course Cockell has done nothing as chairman of the LGA to persuade Government to lower the economy killing Business Rates-hopeless guy!

This is what the Standard reports

Closing time in King's Road as shops fall prey to the slump

 

 

Jonathan Prynn and Tom Harper


Under pressure: 'Rodney Baldwin of the Green and Stone art materials shop said small businesses are being 'squeezed from all angles'

Traders have also struggled to pay rising rents or business rates. Some have been shut for months, others have gone under in the last few weeks.
Surviving shop owners fear they could be next, hit by the "contagion" of boarded-up windows and locked doors.
Bills and letters from the Inland Revenue can be seen piling up behind the glass front of what used to be Pylones boutique gift shop.
Some traders claim its owners, along with numerous others, shut up shop because they could not pay their rent.
It comes in the wake of a report that found a quarter of business owners say the outlook is so bleak they would rather close and work for a company.
Paul Dowling, 64, the owner of Classic Prints in King's Road, says small businesses on the once thriving stretch are now "staring into the abyss".
He said: "It's so tough, much worse than this time last year. Landlords are living in a different age. They are just not tuned into the realities of businesses and it is killing us.

"Just before Christmas, I counted 19 empty shops and empty shops are contagious. Plus they mean people just won't come here any more. Landlords don't differentiate between big chains, and when one moves in they raise the market rents and expect us to pay.
"It has killed the character of the King's Road. It used to be artists, independent boutiques and small shops but it's fast turning into any UK high street. It's very sad.
"The next rent review worries me deeply. Landlords just don't listen to us - and the big ones can afford to have empty shops. We have been in the King's Road for 20 years and this is the worst it has ever been."
Stores including, Noah's Ark gift shop, Chelsea Pianos and Love Bakery are also sitting empty.
Rodney Baldwin, 62, is manager of Green and Stone art materials shop and framers, next door to the old Chelsea Piano store which closed last year.
He said traders were being "squeezed from all angles", adding: "We just don't know what is around the corner. My main concern is landlords. They treat it as a game and just smell profit. I would like to see a more European model, where landlords have to be more creative with small businesses. I also think the Government should put a freeze on business rates. They are crippling us.
"For us trade is no different over the last five years, but inflation has squeezed our margins as well as people getting stuff online. The area has also changed. I've been here for 40 years and there are hardly any families here any more - properties are bought up as investments and the owners live overseas."
Shailesh Patel, 50, owner of the Chelsea Food Fair convenience store says trade is 20 per cent down on last year.
"Lots of places have opened and shut almost straightaway in the last year. Soon the only places that will survive are restaurants and coffee shops."
The owner of Lloyds Pharmacy, Ebrahim Kharodia, 62, said: "We have been here for 23 years. Times are very tough. Even wealthy people are cutting back on non-essentials. The banking crisis had a real effect here because a lot of people lost their jobs.
"It's as bad as I can remember, but I will always fight to keep the business going. Our business rates were something like £36,000 this year. They've doubled and people just can't afford to pay it."

Man in Hospital With Head Injuries-'Not Serious' Say Council!

The K&C Chronicle report an accident on part of the Exhibitionist Rd shared space but Council say 'nothing to worry about'! This man might have got off relatively lightly, but read the comments of local residents- they fear worst to come. How strange that the Council spokesman had not the courtesy to express any form of concern for this man; clearly worried that he is about to sue them and it could be seen as admitting liability.Head Injuries

An Accident Waiting to Happen...

Disturbing news has reached the Dame, her ex-Mayor walker Bazza Phelps today has heard of an accident on the £20.000.000 paved Exhibition Road.

Early indications are that a vehicle has hit a pedestrian in the hair-brained scheme that was the love child of Moylan and co. "shared space" he calls it.

Fortunately so the Dame hears the injured party suffered no major injury and has already left hospital following treatment.

So come on Pooter, does someone have to die before you do something about this accident waiting to happen?

306,000 Tickets/15,000 Vehicle Clamps/9,000 Tows. Rock's Way To Encourage Business

Keeping Rock Fielding Mellen busy is an exhausting business for over stretched officers. Bending to   Pooter Cockell's will they were forced to put on an expensive event to give the impression that RBKC helps business: a subsidiary intention was to elevate the profile of Rock FM- so dear to Pooter's heart, as he busily pushes his protegee forward as leader in waiting. 

Cllr Fielding Mellen

All this pushing and shoving led Rock to organise a bash at the  Natural History Museum. If you can be bothered, read about it here Another £10k Bash
Rock, the Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea's Cabinet Member for Civil Society, said: "I firmly believe that one of the factors that makes Kensington and Chelsea...blah...blah...blah

One thing we all firmly believe is Rock's infinite capacity to come out with tedious platitudes.
Entrepreneurs do not need the likes of Rock telling them how to run their businesses: he has nil experience.
The irony of all this is that local business relies upon trade. Yet it appears that driving trade away from shops to generate vast revenues from parking enforcement is the real priority for Rock and his foolish 'business lite' cabinet. Not one Cabinet member has had a successful business career. And  never forget this Cabinet forced NSL, the parking contractors, to harass and persecute 'motorist shoppers'. No wonder people avoid our shops.

Last week's Standard had this to say. So much for encouraging trade and shoppers into the Borough!

 "Parking wardens were told to ticket more than 800 drivers daily or their firm would face huge fines from council bosses for not hitting targets.

A previously unpublished initial contract between contractor NSL and Kensington and Chelsea shows its wardens needed to issue 306,000 tickets annually, clamp 15,000 vehicles and tow 8,250.

NSL oppo told by Rock and colleagues to issue 306,000 tickets

'DIS' LA DAME-AT YOUR PERIL!

A loyal-and well informed follower of La Dame- is 'Person Familiar With The Situation'.

When PFWTS speaks the Dame listens:for he/she seems better informed about the shenanigans at the Town Hall than the dear old Dame.

PFWTS  says ...'Cllr Cockell has mentioned in passing, on a number of occasions, to his poodle Cllr Palmer that he would like the Hornet to be shut down'.  

The Dame takes threats against democracy seriously-and she is angry!

Ex Mayor Phelps After Clashing With Dame

But she sends a warning to Pooter and his lickspittle Palmer: 'better men than you two nincompoops have tried to stop the Dame'. 

So, when Pooter asks Palmer, 'who will rid me of this turbulent Dame' Palmer had better remember the ruthless way the Dame dealt with ex Cllr and Worshipful Mayor Phelps. Phelpsie is now a shadow of his once ebullient and boorish self. Like a black garbed ghost he is seen forever cycling the highways and byways of the Rotten Borough on a broken down boy's bicycle. He has been consigned to utter darkness. 

Palmer...the Dame knows much about your past that....well, let's just say best left alone-for the moment. You have been warned-and La Dame never warns twice.....

The Dame Says Sorry!

AN APOLOGY FROM THE DAME

It seems that some comments have been lost through the total incompetence of the
Dame's Technical Division. Please do continue to share your thoughts: they are essential to the
vitality of the blog and the issue has now been overcome. It was not caused by any malevolent
enemy of the Dame.....

POOTER COCKELL's LGA RIVAL SURVIVES....

Anoraks who follow the expenses habits of Pooter and Parsons will be interested to see that Cllr Parsons- beaten by Pooter to the LGA chair- has been cleared of expenses impropriety.  

At least he was investigated....Pooter's expenses involving First Class air travel; 5* hotels and $500 dinners for two with guests whom he cannot remember were never the subject of any independent investigation. 

Pooter Cockell's Upper Class Cabin

They bloody well should have been: an outrageous waste of thousands of pounds of taxpayers' money. 

Leicestershire's Parsons survives leadership meeting

The leader of Leicestershire County Council, Cllr David Parsons, appears to have survived a crucial meeting over his stewardship of the authority - held in the wake of allegations about his expenses. Cllr Parsons, one of the most senior members of the Conservative Party in local government, attended a party group meeting this afternoon following revelations – published by themj.co.uk and LocalGov.co.uk – about an internal investigation conducted by his authority’s chief executive, John Sinnott.
It emerged earlier this week that Cllr Parsons faces a local scrutiny committee investigation into expenses relating to his trips to the European Committee of the Regions (CoR).
Cllr Parsons told The MJ this week that he had nothing to hide over his expenses and that he would co-operate fully with the scrutiny committee investigation.

THE SMOULDERING ROW THAT IS CHELSEA CARELESS

The mother of all rows has erupted out over alleged attempts to “suppress” Cllr. Palmer's slapdash whitewash report on yet another of Pooter Cockell's failed business ventures-Chelsea Care.
The Dame is of an advanced age and much relieved that her unpleasant and grasping nephews did not try to force her into one of Pooter's care homes!

Cllr Palmer, on his 18-30 Club trip to Shama Al Shaikh, missed the scrutiny committee when it was discussed. 'Up Yours' was very keen to pontificate upon it at the following full Council meeting. 

Cllr 'Lickspittle' Palmer-relieving himself?

Sadly it did not appear on the agenda.
A witch hunt is now on to find out why. Was it Cllr Blakeman-deliberately suppressing it for fear of revealing Palmer to the world as the incisive scrutiniser and profound business guru he thinks himself to be? Or was it Pooter Cockell, out of abject shame that his trainee lackey had produced such a dire report? Or was it a kindly Council officer not wishing to show the world quite how intellectually challenged Cllr. Palmer is?
The Dame has been told that once this particular row has blown over, more background detail to Chelsea Careless disaster will be revealed

PARKING LIES

The RBKC PARKING TEAM

Is it just the Dame who reads the drivel the near £1 million a year RBK&C PR unit churns out?  Fitzpatrick and Co who run this abysmal waste of money attempt to say that there was never a contractual pressure on NSL. When RBK&C state this they are lying through their rotten back teeth.
This extract from the Contract, written up in the Standard, makes it very clear.
Pooter and his lackey, Fitzpatrick need to remember the maxim..."there are times to lie low and times to lie loudly"!

"Parking wardens were told to ticket more than 800 drivers daily or their firm would face huge fines from council bosses for not hitting targets.

A previously unpublished initial contract between contractor NSL and Kensington and Chelsea shows its wardens needed to issue 306,000 tickets annually, clamp 15,000 vehicles and tow 8,250.
The Evening Standard

From RBKC Press Dept....
"You may have seen press coverage of parking in the Royal Borough indicating that we pay our contractor NSL to meet Penalty Charge Notices (PCN) quotas. BBC Online 3 February ‘Parking fine quotas revealed by leaked council contract’
This is not the case. To ensure we are spending your money, public money, efficiently we closely monitor our parking contractor’s activities but they are not rewarded or penalised for issuing more or fewer PCNs.

Parking enforcement plays an important role in keeping traffic flowing in the Royal Borough and reduces the risk of accidents, by tackling obstructive parking. It also ensures a turnover of parking spaces throughout the day, which is essential for local businesses, and of course it prioritises parking spaces for local residents.

It is hard to imagine how roads in the Royal Borough could function without parking controls and effective parking enforcement.  

In 2008 the Department for Transport issued guidance to local authorities that prohibited setting contractual targets. When this guidance was introduced we changed our practices and amended our formal contract in 2010."

STRENGTH IN NUMBERS- A 2012 COMMITTEE FOR RBK&C ?

The Dame has to report something with blushing pride. The talk of councillors and officers in K&C is The Hornets Nest! Enquiries reveal that there is a deeply held feeling that the Conservative monopoly has been operating without checks and balances for too long and democracy has failed. The Hornet’s Nest has become the de facto opposition and for the first time in living memory is 'telling it like it is'. 

Mix in the deep seated unease about Cllr Cockell’s leadership amongst Conservative rank and file and the answer is that there is an urgent need for change.

Are there lessons from Westminster, the Mother of Parliaments, that could help to restore the democratic deficit in Kensington Town Hall? The Dame says a resounding YES

In 1923 the Conservative Party established The 1922 Committee to give backbenchers a mechanism to determine their views independently of the front bench and shield individuals from bullying. Bullying is something Cockell revels in. Voting is limited to backbenchers but the Cabinet (except for the Leader) are invited to attend meetings which take place every week. The Chairman of The 1922 Committee has always been a powerful Tory and there is an Executive Committee which oversees the election of a new Conservative leader. Also, a vote of confidence in the Leader is triggered if 15 percent of Conservative backbenchers write a letter to the Chairman asking for such a vote.

Graham Brady, Chair of the 22 Committee

The Dame believes that the time has come to establish a “1922 Committee” of backbench Conservative councillors in K&C. The suggestion is that this should be christened The 2012 Committee.

This blog is an open invitation to Cllr Buckmaster, Chairman of K&C Conservatives, to take the initiative. Cllr Buckmaster has told friends that he considers there is a need for change in the way that K&C has been operating. If he really believes this then he should be the champion for change: The 2012

Committee is the vehicle for change.

Come on Cllr Buckmaster...the residents of RBK&C need you now!