Mill Hill councillor Brian Schama sends letter to council leader Lynne Hillan attacking her record (From Times Series)

Mill Hill councillor Brian Schama sends letter to council leader Lynne Hillan attacking her record

10:20am Monday 6th September 2010 in

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A NEW Conservative councillor has thrown his weight behind leadership challenger Councillor Mark Shooter in an open letter to leader Councillor Lynne Hillan.

In the note Mill Hill Councillor Brian Schama, accuses Cllr Hillan of being “cynically determined to suckle as much as you can from the Barnet civic teat”.

He said he felt compelled to write the note after thinking “long and hard” following the allowances scandal, where Conservative group members were ordered to vote for large pay rises for the leader and cabinet members.

Cllr Schama says he felt “manipulated” by being forced to vote for the “preposterous proposal” and said stripping Cllr Kate Salinger of all her committee posts after she abstained was “obscene bullying”.

He continues: “You and your cabinet members simply cannot impose a freeze on public sector wages and a dramatic decrease in expenditure on goods and services in our borough - having just awarded themselves a huge increase, however you dress it up.

“I have been a loyal and enthusiastic member of the Conservative Party for very many years but I consider your actions to be morally reprehensible and politically inept.

“I am a true Conservative and I want to follow the party line, unlike Barnet who under your leadership stand alone and are now mocked and derided.”

He adds: “I believe your authority, judgment and political credibility is shot to pieces in the public's mind. We cannot go on with poor decision after poor decision.

“The majority of the Conservative group shares this view. The correct course of action would have been for you to immediately admit your mistake and resign the leadership with dignity.”

Cllr Hillan faces a vote to keep her leadership of the Tory party next Tuesday, September 7, and a vote of no confidence at a full council meeting on September 14 which would see her lose the council leadership.