Councillor Tim Coleridge said: "Merrick Cockell's Leadership has been an outstanding achievement.
Tim, his outstanding 'achievement is having clung on to power for a record number of years, with none of you having the guts to challenge him....some achievement!
Oh yes, and forcing you all to pay him £1200 a week....another 'achievement'!
The Tri-Borough of which he is so proud has resulted in reduced service levels
During the past 13 years he has dedicated himself to ensuring that the Royal borough remains one of the best councils in the country, both in service delivery and sound financial management.
RBK&C is the UK's richest and the most compact borough. It is not the work of genius to ensure that basic services work.
He has never been dedicated to anything except staying in power and finding second and third jobs
He has been an inspirational Leader ....
An inspirational leader is one who encourages a healthy 'gene pool' of potential successors. Anyone seen to threaten his rule was kept out of the Cabinet. Instead, he chose weak people to surround him
The thing he has always lacked is charisma and ideas. How can you inspire anyone without these?
The thing he has always lacked is charisma and ideas. How can you inspire anyone without these?
and the transformation of the provision of secondary education in the borough is down to his vision and determination, Holland Park School, the Chelsea Academy and soon the Kensington Aldridge Academy will be a lasting legacy to his time as Leader.
Tim, spending taxpayer's money on schools is not difficult...especially when you have over taxed residents so that £170 million of their money sits uselessly in reserves. Holland Park School breaks every one of the "Gove Rules"...Gove said no school should cost more than £38 million and should always add places. Holland Park School breaks both rules: it cost £100 million and adds not one extra place.
There will be no lasting legacy only relief that at last he has gone
"He has always fought for residents interests first, and during these difficult financial times has ensured that services are protected by his innovative idea of sharing services and therefore costs, with our neighbouring boroughs. He will be a tough act to follow.
Tim, have you forgotten Sloane Square? You and Victoria Borwick bravely stood up against Cockell and his plans to destroy the Square. I think you might find that this was AGAINST the wishes of residents. Cockell only backed off when threatened with residents putting up their own candidates.
Residents continually complain Cockell ignores all letters from residents....unless, of course, they are from important people! With his double jobbing it is no surprise that he has no time for those who elected him. He has always kept his own interests first
"I am considering very carefully at the moment whether to stand for the Leadership."
The Dame speaks for us all.
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ReplyDeleteWhy on earth is Tim Coleridge talking this nonsense. I do not believe for one moment that Tim Coleridge believes a large part of his appraisal of Sir Merrick's term of office; a term of office which went on for far too long in my view. I think that Tim Coleridge is in danger of losing credibility by speaking about Sir Merrick in such a glowing manner and I think that this is a misguided political manoeuvre. In my view, the next leader needs to have some exceptional qualities including fairness, honesty, responsibility and accountability. In my view Sir Merrick did not possess any of them.
ReplyDeleteHe is a creep. Instinctive response of a poodle who has been taking patronage handouts for too many years
DeleteCllr Cockell is a man who used the Bentley to travel to Heathrow in order to fly First Class to New York to stay in Five Star Hotels and entertain friends to dinner at the Four Seasons Restaurant on a Saturday night. Secure in the belief that he was out of sight and would not be found out. But he was found out. Instead of a public reprimand and insistence that the money should be paid back, the Town Clerk (Derek Myers) retrospectively changed the expense rules to allow first class travel and stated that he authorised the use of the Bentley to "save taxi fares". This is corruption. And now one of the Councillors (T Coleridge) who hopes to succeed Cllr Cockell issues a statement of fulsome praise to the local newspaper.
ReplyDeleteHow much more trash do K&C residents have to put up with?
Did Cllr Cockell charge up the cost of entertaining friends in New York?
DeleteOf course he did. And the expense claim was approved by Derek Myers. When a resident complained to Mr Myers he was told that "this is a matter for Cllr Cockell to consider". In other words, no checks and balances. A personal fiefdom is in operation in Hornton Street
DeleteThe Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate complained to the District Auditor and was told that "this is a matter for the Chief Executive to consider"
DeleteRats nest
DeleteFor the record, the Chief Executive was Derek Myers. Residents should have absolute clarity about this
DeleteConservative Councillors need some clarity too. Less of Nelson's "blind eye" please
DeleteWhen an angry resident approached Cllr Cockell to inquire who he entertained to dinner at the Four Seasons in New York he replied "I forget the name of the person". Well even a dim member of the public would understand the form. But our £250k per year Chief Executive Derek Myers still found it convenient to sign off the expense claim
DeleteConservative Councillors need to wake up and understand that things cannot continue as they have done. A line needs to be drawn under the abuse and corruption of the past
ReplyDeleteForget Coleridge for Leader- he is too weak and his praise of Pooter proves he has no political judgment and makes him look like another weak poodle willing to turn a blind eye to past abuses.
DeleteGive Cllr Mills the chance to bring a fresh start to the Borough and things will change for the better.
It is good that we have residents like Fly Swatter who are prepared to speak out so clearly about the double standards and hypocrisy that have unfortunately become part of life in Kensington and Chelsea
ReplyDeleteColeridge went to Eton. They are taught to be polite and gracious at all times. This is not the same as honesty and integrity however.
ReplyDeleteMaybe it is time for a Leader in K&C with less Etonian polish and more "what you see is what you get"
DeleteI hope that there is no suggestion that Pooter was anywhere Eton!
DeleteCommon sense keeps pointing the finger at Cllr Mills
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