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Leader of Barnet Council, and the Conservative group, Mike Freer's blog provides more opportunities for two-way communication with the borough’s residents. |
Mike Freer »
Poundstretcher
Posted on 9:37am Monday 1st October 2007
A couple of months or so ago the Secretary of State for Local Government re-announced an idea dressed up as an initiative – that Councils would soon be able to sell unused buildings to community groups for £1. What’s more, Santa was going to provide £30million pounds of taxpayers money to help support the groups in running these buildings. Ooops they did it again, as Britney Spears once said! Doesn’t anyone in the rarefied atmosphere of Department for Communities and Local Government ever ask those of us on the ground how such a scheme might work – or more accurately, not work.
Mike Freer »
Putting my bum where my mouth is!!
Posted on 5:17pm Thursday 20th September 2007
Readers will know I have banged on about using my bike as often as I can when getting around the Borough, although admittedly I don’t get to use it as much as I should.
Mike Freer »
Putting my bum where my mouth is!!
Posted on 5:17pm Thursday 20th September 2007
Readers will know I have banged on about using my bike as often as I can when getting around the Borough, although admittedly I don’t get to use it as much as I should.
Mike Freer »
The Gorilla Wins
Posted on 3:21pm Sunday 16th September 2007
Well interesting how the media appearances can become addictive and build delusions! Having spent the past week or so speaking to the national media about the infrastructure problems facing suburbs like Barnet (Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail, Saturday Telegraph, Financial Times and BBC London) I was excited to be asked to go onto the breakfast programme for BBC London (Radio). The spot coincided with our launch, in conjunction with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, of the Barnet Financing Plan to various interested parties – so having received the invite I thought I’d better bone-up on the intricacies of local government infrastructure funding.
Mike Freer »
The Gorilla Wins
Posted on 3:21pm Sunday 16th September 2007
Well interesting how the media appearances can become addictive and build delusions! Having spent the past week or so speaking to the national media about the infrastructure problems facing suburbs like Barnet (Daily Telegraph, Guardian, Daily Mail, Saturday Telegraph, Financial Times and BBC London) I was excited to be asked to go onto the breakfast programme for BBC London (Radio). The spot coincided with our launch, in conjunction with PriceWaterhouseCoopers, of the Barnet Financing Plan to various interested parties – so having received the invite I thought I’d better bone-up on the intricacies of local government infrastructure funding.
Mike Freer »
A Funny Thing Happened to me on the way to the Forum
Posted on 11:46am Friday 31st August 2007
I’ve just returned from the Amalfi Coast in Italy where I went on my summer hols and had the pleasure of visiting Pompeii (so yes I really did go to the Forum). It’s an amazing experience to walk around a Roman town that has been so well preserved. What incredible foresight Roman Town Planners had to produce such wide, straight roads which seem to have lasted a damn sight better than our roads in Barnet. Then again the Romans didn’t have to deal with Gas, Water, Electricity and Cable companies digging up their roads. The thought of being able to send cable companies to the Colleseum to face the lions does sound rather appealing though - perhaps Artsdepot could be persuaded to introduce a similar spectacle?
Mike Freer »
A Funny Thing Happened to me on the way to the Forum
Posted on 11:46am Friday 31st August 2007
I’ve just returned from the Amalfi Coast in Italy where I went on my summer hols and had the pleasure of visiting Pompeii (so yes I really did go to the Forum). It’s an amazing experience to walk around a Roman town that has been so well preserved. What incredible foresight Roman Town Planners had to produce such wide, straight roads which seem to have lasted a damn sight better than our roads in Barnet. Then again the Romans didn’t have to deal with Gas, Water, Electricity and Cable companies digging up their roads. The thought of being able to send cable companies to the Colleseum to face the lions does sound rather appealing though - perhaps Artsdepot could be persuaded to introduce a similar spectacle?
Mike Freer »
On Yer Bike!
Posted on 8:54pm Sunday 5th August 2007
On Yer Bike! Yesterday evening I decided to cycle to the restaurant where I was meeting friends for dinner. Not too far, it took just 20 minutes on my new hybrid bike (a cross between a ‘racer’ and a ‘mountain bike’ designed for use in the city. As I weaved my way up Ballards Lane (admiring the new flower beds outside Victoria Park – flower beds that were so magnificent and colourful they might just keep one of my Council colleagues quiet for 5 minutes) and then across Friern Watch Avenue etc. I was struck by how useless cycle lanes would be). We appear to be on collision course with Mayor Livingstone’s Transport for London who seem intent on forcing the council to spend money on creating cycle lanes across the Borough. Well I like cycling but in suburbs where most of our roads have parked cars (and even the main routes are not clear of parked cars) what would be the point of bright red (or green or blue) asphalt being laid; I’d still have to weave in and out of parked cars.
Mike Freer »
On Yer Bike!
Posted on 8:54pm Sunday 5th August 2007
On Yer Bike! Yesterday evening I decided to cycle to the restaurant where I was meeting friends for dinner. Not too far, it took just 20 minutes on my new hybrid bike (a cross between a ‘racer’ and a ‘mountain bike’ designed for use in the city. As I weaved my way up Ballards Lane (admiring the new flower beds outside Victoria Park – flower beds that were so magnificent and colourful they might just keep one of my Council colleagues quiet for 5 minutes) and then across Friern Watch Avenue etc. I was struck by how useless cycle lanes would be). We appear to be on collision course with Mayor Livingstone’s Transport for London who seem intent on forcing the council to spend money on creating cycle lanes across the Borough. Well I like cycling but in suburbs where most of our roads have parked cars (and even the main routes are not clear of parked cars) what would be the point of bright red (or green or blue) asphalt being laid; I’d still have to weave in and out of parked cars.
Mike Freer »
You ruined my birthday!
Posted on 6:45pm Tuesday 17th July 2007
For once it wasn’t me to blame! Ken Livingstone came to talk to me and other north London council leaders the other night and after a pleasant meal a young woman came up to Ken and introduced herself.
Mike Freer »
You ruined my birthday!
Posted on 6:45pm Tuesday 17th July 2007
For once it wasn’t me to blame! Ken Livingstone came to talk to me and other north London council leaders the other night and after a pleasant meal a young woman came up to Ken and introduced herself.
Mike Freer »
No wonder I'm losing my hair
Posted on 3:22pm Wednesday 4th July 2007
I have just had a bizarre conversation with one of our excellent planning enforcement officers. We have an ongoing problem with a resident building structures alongside the main house. The house is in a conservation area so the structures are unsuitable and unauthorised. So far so good.
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