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Councillor Jack Cohen is the leader of the Liberal Democrat Group on Barnet Council. He has represented Child’s Hill Ward for more than 20 years |
Jack Cohen »
Warning this may upset you
Posted on 12:21pm Saturday 20th June 2009
Anyone wanting to know what is wrong with Politics needs only to have been at Barnet House on Thursday. I attended as a member of the spanking new committee named Business Management Overview and Scrutiny Sub Committee. Nothing else was new. The membership of the committee had changed slightly.
Jack Cohen »
A Tale of Two Cities?
Posted on 12:14pm Tuesday 16th June 2009
On Sunday morning together with my Lib Dem Ward Councillors we carried out our regular visits to meet our residents. This time we were on the Westcroft Estate in Cricklewood. The Westcroft Estate is owned by Camden Council but as it is in Barnet the residents pay their Council tax to Barnet and therefore also elect Councillors to Barnet.
Jack Cohen »
Breathe Easy
Posted on 11:55am Friday 12th June 2009
As usual on election days I did a spot of telling at the local polling station in Childs Hill. Telling is the job of collecting polling numbers from the voters .The number of people voting slowed to trickle during my stint. Unusually many of the voters stopped for a chat. Perhaps because this time the other two main parties did not have tellers on duty.
Jack Cohen »
The Phantom Door
Posted on 3:04pm Tuesday 2nd June 2009
The numbers of planning applications being determined by the Finchley and Golders Green Planning sub committee are fewer and fewer. Whether this is down to the recession or whether it is because of the tighter rules on what can now come to committee is unclear.
Jack Cohen »
Respected Comedian
Posted on 11:48am Saturday 23rd May 2009
The Annual Council Meeting on Tuesday was more surreal than ever. We were back at the Town Hall Hendon following refurbishment; except that the works still had not been completed. Someone told me that the Town Hall resembled a building site on the previous Friday. Staff had worked all hours to make the Town Hall presentable for the Mayor making. Well done to the staff, but I for one would have been just as happy to have continued at Barnet House. Goodness knows what the cost to the Taxpayer is for all the overtime.
Jack Cohen »
We'd rather live in Brent!
Posted on 10:56am Tuesday 12th May 2009
A lull in Council meetings provides an opportunity to catch up with the more important aspects of a Councillor’s work. But, just to mention the Planning Meeting last week. The Planning and Environment Committee is the main planning committee and usually deal with large applications which cross Ward Boundaries or development where the Council itself has an interest. This Committee seems to go along with Officer Recommendations much more than some of the planning sub committees.
Jack Cohen »
At The Races
Posted on 1:12pm Wednesday 6th May 2009
On Bank Holiday Sunday, I spent a pleasant afternoon at Salisbury Racecourse. Live Horseracing is a fascinating experience. Apart from the obvious it is a great opportunity for people watching. Horseracing crowds are a varied cornucopia of rural England. Certainly a world way from the ethnic mix of North Finchley; I did notice though that the stable staff are much more diverse.
Jack Cohen »
New Arrangements Same Old Story
Posted on 1:25pm Saturday 25th April 2009
Back to work after the Easter break. The Special Committee (Constitutional Review) met on Tuesday to discuss a paper titled “Overview and Scrutiny; New Arrangements “ You may ask why the Constitution Review Committee is called “Special”. I’ll tell you. I don’t know! On second thoughts may be it is because the Committee is made up of the Leaders of the three main parties with The Deputy Leader of the Conservative group thrown in for good measure plus a few more of the good and the great. And, like all Barnet Council Committees the Conservative’s have a majority so the result of any vote is normally a foregone conclusion.
Jack Cohen »
The Mayor gets The Needle
Posted on 12:48pm Saturday 11th April 2009
Tuesdays Full Council meeting (the last incidentally at its temporary home in Barnet House) produced the usual menu of confusion, the bizarre and general rancour.
Jack Cohen »
Wisdom of Solomon
Posted on 4:07pm Sunday 5th April 2009
It was an eventful Finchley and Golders Green Planning Sub Committee last Wednesday evening. The public gallery was standing room only; the main interest being a planning application for an orthodox Jewish School in Golders Green Road.
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