According to the Tax Payers Alliance UK LA's spent £4.5 million on Bentley's, Audi's et al.
When Justin Downes first saw the Council's new Bentley Continental Flying Spur sailing down Sloane St, replete with RBKC something or other on the plate, he emailed Sir Pooter Cockell.
His query to Pooter was simple, "why, when the Council claims poverty, does it spend over £100,000 on a car when it could have bought a Jaguar from Creamers for half the price or much less"
Pooter, an undignified ex-fag salesman, replied, "it is necessary for the dignity of the Royal Borough".
What a plonker is Pooter!
To be fair to councillors there was massive resistance but Cockell was so determined to be on a par with Westminster he bullied it through.
ReplyDeleteThe Tax Payers Alliance carried out a Freedom Of Information probe with 377 local Councils and found that 40% do not have cars for the "Mayor". But K&C goes overboard with a top of the line Bentley for Mayor No 1,PLUS a personalised number plate.
ReplyDeleteFor seven years the Dame has been urging that it is time to abandon Cockell's frippery, the utterly vulgar Bentley (which Pooter used to like using for personal transport to Heathrow for his holidays in America). Now the Tax Payers Alliance has decided to support the old girl.
When will the Royal Borough stop "listening but not hearing" and start "listening and hearing?
There report from the Tax Payers Alliance says that The Mayor "is seen as a ceremonial first citizen, a mundane and little cared for function"
DeleteSums it up perfectly.
Anyone who has ever attended the "Mayor making" ceremony at the May Council meeting will have seen the huge display of costumes, speeches, handing of the Mace, and packed benches of friends of the outgoing Mayor and friends of the incoming Mayor, followed by a lavish reception in the Mayor's Parlour for friends and dignitaries. All paid for by Council Tax. Tickets for the event (privately dispensed and the patronage of the "in" crowd) are coveted like invitations to Mrs Astor's Balls in 19th Century New York.
DeleteUntil this relic of procedure and expense is dispensed with and closed down, events like Grenfell will continue to be treated as a PR challenge, millions will continue to be pumped into Holland Park Opera, and North Kensington will continue to be considered a nuisance at best and an embarrassment at worst.
Stupid words 15.15. What is the connnection between the Mayor's car, Grenfell Tower and Holland Park Opera? stop stirring
DeleteDearest 19.40. The connection between Grenfell Tower, the Mayor's car and the Opera is something called "culture". Or what is important in Hornton Street. At the moment opera subsidy for toffs in Kensington is more important than resident housing for the dross in housing estates
DeleteThe reason why Pooter pushed for it was he like being driven down to meet real heavy hitting business people. Sad little fellow
ReplyDeleteThe "gift" of Mayor was a powerful weapon in the Pooter patronage stakes. It enabled him to buy out all kinds of opposition, blackmail and unpleasantness.
DeleteThe job of Mayor is no longer part of the power broking and patronage in Hornton Street. Dizzie is only interested in press releases and stories in the media to make her "top of mind" as part of her campaign to enter the House of Lords. The job of Mayor is languishing.
DeleteFor the second year, the underwhelming Cllr Rossi fills the position. Dizzy could not think of another name to be Mayor in 2018! Rossi has taken another Councillor to be her "consort". And shoes are also filled for the second Mayor, the Deputy, in order to keep the Jaguar busy.
A rotting and decaying set up. Time for change and modernisation. The Royal Borough, however uncomfortable it may be, needs to acknowledge that the 21st Century arrived 18 years ago.
Phelps of Ledbury! Cheeky.
DeleteImpoverished ex Cllr Phelps, one time Chairman of the Planning Committee, was buying properties in Kensington and a country house in Ledbury for cash. And hiding them in a British Virgin Islands offshore Trust. There were multiple credit cards and bank accounts, including offshore accounts. When all of this was exposed by a Resident Association it raised a few eyebrows in Hornton Street and caused some "wink wink". And then the Dame brought the house of cards down.
In the eyes of Pooter, Phelps could do no wrong. And Pooter went out of his way to ward off the Dame's attacks.
DeleteVery curious
Nothing curious at all 16.59. Birds of a feather......
DeleteThe Taxpayer's Alliance reported the results of their Freedom Of Information survey. They innocently assumed that they needed to find the cost of "the Mayor's car". They did not for a moment imagine that The Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea has TWO Mayors and TWO cars. A Bentley Flying Spur (for Mayor 1) and a Jaguar Sovereign (for Mayor 2). Both with personalised number plates: RBKC1 and RBKC2.
ReplyDeleteThe Tax Payer's Alliance did not inquire about the cost of supporting this nonsense. Two drivers, supporting staff, the Mayor's Parlour, offices, catering, receptions, event secretaries, costumes and expenses.
The Dame's Investigator estimates that all of this costs the Council Tax payer nearly £1 million every year.
What planet is Hornton Street on?
The Dame's campaign has not been entirely ignored. The new Chief Executive, Mr Barry Quirk, has decided that the Bentley will be replaced by a Toyota Prius.
DeleteA Prius? In the Royal Borough?? And what about the Jag? How can the Mayor drive around in a Prius and the Deputy Mayor drive around in a Jaguar?
DeleteHas Mr Quirk (that name again) thought this through?
PLANET? What fool you. What SWAMP are they are wallowing in would be more relevant a question.... Bottomless, fetid SWAMP, favoured by all and sundry from the Nest... All very pally, favour laden, incestuous environment.
DeleteIs this true? When will the Prius arrive?
ReplyDeleteThe decision has been taken and the plans are being prepared
Deletewhat decision? Please enlighten the myopic readers of this post
DeleteWill it keep the ludicrously 'Surrey Vulgar' licence plate, officer?
ReplyDeleteNow, now. This is just shit stirring. The Bentley is required for the Mayor and Dr Quirk to arrive in style at the various candle lit suppers with the Cheyne Walk Set. I just wonder, whether the Set is as pleased to see them, as they imagine that they are. Consolation is, that the Set remains, Mayors and CEO change, often.
ReplyDeleteOh, I forgot. I understand it was seen outside Harrods, collection posh nosh for the various soires.
ReplyDeleteUsual drivel from a sad person pretending to be a badger. How sad can you get? The Bentley has gone.
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
DeleteBentley gone! Excellent news.
DeleteAnd the Jag?
And while the tide is flowing, get shot of the Mayors too.
Anon 15:16. Obviously an axe to grind - ANONYMOUSLY. Guess one of those ghastly FTHN TROLLS. I can pretend to be whatever I want.
ReplyDeleteYou pretend to be a NONENTITY - anonymous one at that... However, nice to know that the Bentley is no longer there. Was the Dame informed?
Hang on, has the Tax Payers Alliance been peddling fake news? They just published a report criticising K&C for wasting money on the Mayor's Bentley
DeleteYes. The Bentley has gone but the TPA is always hungry for headlines.
ReplyDelete22.10, Has the Jag gone too?
DeleteNaughty, naughty, naughty TPA........
DeleteDid they sell the Bentley? I hope they'll use the fund to buy more properties.
DeleteI bet Dent Coad's bottom will grace the seats of this car sooner or later.
ReplyDeleteDumbing down the once great Royal Borough. We might as well go the whole way and paint the Town Hall in the Jamaican national colours, put a Steel Band in the reception and serve coconuts in the Freeman Suite.
ReplyDeleteAll very short sighted. The chickens will come home to roost.
You make a good observation 8.17. My Chauffeur (James) has a uniform. I would never employ a Driver.
DeleteThe Freeman Suite....well, today, Nicholas Freeman would end up being the subject of police interest....not least for his quasi illegal demolition of the old Town Hall the weekend before the Monday it was to be listed.
DeleteFreeman, of course, liked young coconuts
DeleteNaive comment 9.31. Where do you think local Government would get people of quality from to serve the Borough? Damaged goods is our silver lining - those banned from National Government or too risky to put on the candidates list. Freeman, Moylan et al. The list is long.
Delete16:17:- from a bottomless fetid swamp, full of like minded toads, none of whom would cut it in Central Government. They all rely on favours, introductions, incest.
DeleteCorruption just continues, doesn't it? Disgraceful.
ReplyDeletehttps://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-45354033
The real lesson is that the Grenfell fire should not have happened in the first place.
DeleteDoes anyone know how long she'll get? Also what happens to the missing money? Will it be paid back to the fund?
Delete