Friday 16 September 2011

Barneteye Weekly Roundup - the Death of a blog ?

A great write up for the Shine London Night Time marathon in London's leading listings website - The Londonist - (http://londonist.com/2011/09/shine-night-marathon-makes-london-debut.php). The Shine event is in aid of Cancer Research UK. This blog is supporting this event in every way it can. My good lady is participating, as detailed yesterday, in memory of the many friends and family we've lost to cancer. As technology progresses, we really do have the chance to end the suffering caused by this awful disease, for future generations. We can only do this by sticking our hands in our pockets and donating money. To demonstrate my commitment to the cause, I stated yesterday that unless we achieve a minimum of £200 sponsorship for Clare, this blog will cease on 2nd October. This is a cast iron promise, that will be that for me & Barnet blogging. I'm pleased to report that after only 1 day, we have already nearly reached the three quarters mark towards our target. The current total is £146 raised - you can save the blog by clicking this link and making a donation now -
  http://www.sponsormetoshine.org/claretichborne

 we all know friends and family who have suffered because of this monstrous disease. This is the best way we can fight it. Clare says thank you to everyone who has sponsored her (and so do I).


On to a few other issues. Bumped into the chair of the board of governors of Etz Chaim School (new Jewish Free School in Mill Hill), Adam Dawson yesterday. Had a chat with Adam, who said how great it was to see the kids in the new school. He said that the building works had produced a really great environment for the children. Whatever anyone may think of the school, it's important that we keep it all in perspective. Interestingly the papers covering the assignment of the lease appeared on the Barnet Council website yesterday - http://committeepapers.barnet.gov.uk/democracy/reports/reportdetail.asp?ReportID=10634 - it mentions the "minimal financial risk" associated with the transfer. I also see that there has been a variation in the lease, to allow part of the building to operate as a "community cafe". It will be interesting to find out more about this. I believe that the Action Group, who oppose Etz Chaim are still investigating a possible legal challenge regarding the site. It would be good to hear the current status of this. The Action Group website is not really that helpful - http://www.actiongroupmillhill.com/index.php/current-situation - just to note, the current site for the school is the SS Barrosa building, next door to the ex Wyevale Garden Centre. The school plan to move into the Garden Centre site at the start of next year.

On the subject of Schools, Barnet Council today announced plans to turn the site of Mill Hill Sports Club into a new school - http://www.times-series.co.uk/news/topstories/9256796.Council_reveals_plans_to_turn_Mill_Hill_sports_club_into_school/  - I can absolutely guarantee that Councillor Andrew Harper is telling whoppers when he says he's working with local groups to help them find "new homes". The treatment of the club staff, members and wider community has been disgraceful. If  Harper has been "planning this for sometime" why didn't he work with those groups "some time" ago to help them find a new home. I guarantee he's upset many local people, lots of whom used to be Tories. Anyway Councillor Harper, I'm on the Mill Hill Music Festival organising committee and I look forward to the invite to discuss our new site.

Around the other Barnet Blogs

Mr Mustard has found a stack of reports showing that Barnet Council is failing to perform, by it's own measures - http://lbbspending.blogspot.com/

Mr Reasonable asks Barnet Tories "Is this what you voted for" - http://reasonablenewbarnet.blogspot.com/

VickiM57 discusses the recent council meeting & strike action - http://vickim57.blogspot.com/

Mrs Angry discusses the size of rivets on the Titanic & Councillor Rueben Thompstone's sense of humour (or lack of it when confronted by irate residents - http://wwwbrokenbarnet.blogspot.com/

And finally the Barnet Tory owned Barnet Bugle urged it's followers not to support this blog in its attempts to support Cancer Research UK - http://twitter.com/#!/barnetbugle/status/114420413920059392 - FYI the money isn't being "Given to me", it goes direct to Cancer Research UK. Anyway, I urge everyone to support the plethora of other good causes the Bugle Twittered today here - http://twitter.com/#!/barnetbugle - thanks for the publicity man.

On the subject of Twitter, we're introducing a new category, which will have it's own special post in future. This is the Barnet Tweet of the week. The winner this week is this -
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Mike Freer MP
Ed Balls says we must spend our way out of the debt crisis. Must try that line on my bank manager!
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Anyone who knows what happened to Barnet Council finances under Mike Freer's Leadership will permit themselves a chortle. Can we now add  "Balls'ite" to "Brownite" and "Stalinist"?
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And finally, as regular readers know, we like a Friday Joke. We already blogged this clip, but it is worth looking at again. This was from the Barnet Council meeting this week

1 comment:

rithompson said...

Brian Coleman on arrogant and obnoxious form, then.

Send this video to the Mayor of London's office, as I'm sure the scruffy haired one would be very interested.