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| ERIC PRAISING THE DAME |
Last night the Channel 4 Dispatches team
took the lid off the waste and profligacy in Local Government spending,
which has now reached £144 billion (more than is spent on the NHS,
schools or defence). The Secretary of State for Local Government, Eric
Pickles, showed anger for the abuse and made it clear that it was up to
resident pressure groups to make sure that Town Halls clean up their
act.
Dispatches spent two years making FOI probes
into the inner workings of Town Halls and exposed abuses such as the tax
payer funded champagne lifestyle of disgraced ex
Leader of Essex Lord Hanningfiled, and Mayoral Cars and chauffeurs used
to collect and deliver personal laundry.
As the
Dame found out long ago, the Audit Commission (Board Member Merrick
Cockell) was a toothless monster when asked to investigate expense
abuse.
Pickles said on camera that the Audit Commission was so 'far gone'
that he decided to shut it down.
He said he has little faith in
self regulation and repeated that it is resident groups who need to keep
Town Halls on their toes.
So Mr Pickles not just endorses the Dame, but is a Hornet fan! That's official.
The cream always rises to the top. And the Dame is best Cornish....
ReplyDeleteClot?
DeleteThis was an "in depth" piece of investigative journalism and demonstrated just how far Local Government has strayed into wasting tax payers money and indulging the egos of self important councillors and Mayors. In an unusually candid mood, Pickles made it clear that it is only local residents who stand any chance of bringing local politicians to order by naming and shaming them. The Hornet is a model for others to emulate - with an outstanding track record exposing abuse and corruption, profligate spending and humbug
ReplyDeleteLong live the Dame!
DeleteAll credit to the Dame for exposing Merrick Cockell, disgraced ex Leader of K&C, as a shallow and self seeking local politician who was not averse to a tax paid high life in New York on the quiet. Until FOI probes found him out. The rubble of Cockel's Administration still needs to be cleared away and new Leader Cllr Paget-Brown seems to be dragging his heals. There is still no news about plans to eliminate the £1 million a year council tax subsidy to Opera Holland Park. An abuse that has been going on for far too long.
ReplyDeleteWhoever the Dame is she should be given....de minimus...a Mayor's Award or at best a life peerage.
ReplyDeleteWake up 08.48, DAME Hornet. The dear old thing was so honoured two years ago I believe.
DeleteThe Dispatches programme slammed Councils that bought Mercedes and Jag cars for their Mayors but praised those that bought a Skoda. The programme also pointed out that in major towns it was often quicker to walk than take the Mayoral limousine and certainly cheaper by taxi. Food for thought in the Royal Borough. Two Mayors, a Bentley and a Jag. Did our worthies ever consider using the tube or a taxi or a bus? Mayor Buckmaster might even have arrived at the Thatcher funeral on time if he had used the tube instead of getting stuck in the Bentley in a traffic jam. But it was nice for Buffy to feel puffed up and pretend not to notice the plebs looking in to see who the passenger was. After all, with that Royal Borough crest prominently displayed on the roof of the Bentley, IT CCOUL HAVE BEEN ROYALTY!!!!
ReplyDeleteThe Royals, even micro Royals, would NEVER travel by tube. Distance needs to be maintained from the commoners. And quite right too
DeleteBuffy is not even a nano Royal. Just a bloke who ADORES dressing up.
ReplyDeleteShe likes puffing up even more
DeleteThe usual, trivial, tittle tattle on this blog. Pathetic
ReplyDeleteCalm down dear!!!
DeleteCeremonial Mayors need to be dignified but a modest Rover, instead of a Bentley, would suffice. Opera Holland Park is excellent but should be subsidised by some of the expat Russian oligarchs who seem to avoid paying income tax either in Moscow or Knightsbridge.Full marks to Channel 4 for revealing a lot of waste in municipal bodies.
ReplyDelete12:16 reading the Hornet and its exposures of all your naughtiness is bad for your blood pressure. It is easy to see that you are reading the Dames's wise words daily....go and find something less upsetting to do
ReplyDeleteOn my way to High Street Kensington Tube Staion I saw the volunteer staff from the Marsden Hospital collecting money. NHS funding is not keeping up with demand and the hospital is running out of money. Their staff are on the streets collecting. At the same time K&C continues to use council tax to subsidise £1 million a year to Holland Park Opera and nearly another million to pay for two Mayors, a Bentley and a Jag. Plus supporting staff. Cllr Paget-Brown you and your colleagues need to get real. WHERE IS YOUR JUDGEMENT? You are not worthy of the Office of Leader if you allow this to continue.
ReplyDelete