For those of you wise enough to read Dennis Signy's blog, you'll know that we met up at the Mill Hill Music festival Jazz shows last week. Dennis is a top guy, full of stories and anecdotes. I've always thought that if you like football and music and you will always have something to chat about and Dennis certainly proved that! The one thing he said that did surprise me in our chat was a story that got his goat up.
Dennis said that he was contemplating having one of my trademark rants about Mike Freer's plan to give Priests, Mullah's, Rabbi's et all park where you like permits. I agreed that this was probably the most ridiculous scheme ever to come from the town hall.
Well I was wrong. They must have a special unit thinking up stupid plans to irritate me. I think Mike Freer must think if he comes up with enough rubbish ideas maybe I'll blow a fuse and stop criticising him.
I am referring to the new Barnet Council Victim Tax. If you are the victim of a theft the council charge you £50 for your trouble. At the moment this only applies to your wheelie bin, but I'm sure if it successful they will extend it to other areas.
Now one of my favourite commenters on this site is "Dont call me Dave". I don't know him but I suspect he's what I'd call a "sensible Tory". He left a comment on my last rant calling Mike Freer a Brownite. Now I asked what a Brownite is, as I really didn't know. DCM Dave shot back that it is someone addicted to Stealth Taxes. He reckons Mike Freer’s Brownite policies include his plans to introduce a supplementary business rate, local stamp duty for homes sold in the borough and a levy on cars driving to Brent Cross. Now I've not extensively checked this, but I suspect that DCM Dave has a point. The Bin charge certainly looks like another StealthTax to me.
Now if we have a Brownite standing as a Sheep in wolf's clothing in Finchley, maybe someone should stand as a "Real Tory". Maybe DCM Dave should? It seems strange to me that Freer should chose to emulate the least popular Prime Minister in living memory, but then so do Mullah Permits and Victim Taxes. Surely the Barnet Tories have someone in their ranks who could just come in and do the job of running the council properly. It's not too much to ask is it?
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereComments are closed on this article