Last night I attended two meetings at the Town Hall. First up was the Policy and Performance Overview and Scrutiny Committee. I am not sure what this committee does. It meets twice a year.

It is the largest committee. Thirty Councillors sit on the Committee. This is almost half the total of Councillors. All the Councillors are back benchers.

It turned out to be great fun. The Conservative members were in a restless mood. I would go further and suggest it was near mutiny.

The trouble, fun, arguments, or whatever came to a head over the Corporate Plan 2010/13. This is a document which sets out the Administration’s vision. It is politically led.

The Council Officers were asking us to make comments so that the Cabinet could take our views in to account. One problem though, the Plan was in draft and important bits were missing. The Committee made it clear they were annoyed that Cabinet Members were not present to listen.

My hand shot in the air immediately. I wanted to comment on page 3. This is headed “Forward –Cllr Lynne Hillan –Leader of Barnet Council”. “Yes” the Chairman asked what did I wish to say.”

“The page is blank I pointed out” laughter all round.

A Conservative Councillor was intrigued by a paragraph on page 6.The aim of the Council it seems includes “supporting prosperity while protecting and enhancing the things that our residents cherish”

This Councillor did not like the word “things” By illustration the Councillor explained that she cherished her “Grandfather Clock “but was not expecting the Council to include this in their list of priorities.

Another Conservative (the linguistic expert) chimed in. Why are officers not writing in Civil Service language so we can understand what is meant? Indeed!

Another Conservative could not understand the bit where there was a heading “Top 5 Improvement Initiatives” but listed below were 6 initiatives! My mind by now was in turmoil and my head was beginning to hurt.

Somehow we got through this item and moved on to another proposal. This was to set up a Crime and Disorder Scrutiny Policy. The arguments that then raged about this, makes a Teetotaller like me begin to understand why some people turn to drink. The proposal clearly had not been thought through. Smacked of box ticking to me It was an astonishing meeting. Something is up I thought to myself. A Labour Councillor summed it up better. They are “rudderless” was the comment.