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Mayor and a gentleman
7:33pm Wednesday 14th May 2008
Glowing accolades marked the election of Councillor John Marshall to the mayoralty of Barnet on Tuesday night.
Councillor John Harper, who proposed Mr Marshall for the post, described it as a "fitting crowning" for the new mayor's public service career.
Speaking at the handover cere-mony at Barnet Town Hall, he said: "During the past three years, I have appreciated the respect and affection with which Councillor Marshall is known, not just in Hampstead Garden Suburb ward, but across Barnet and beyond.
"Since 1998, when he joined Barnet Council, he has shown himself to be an energetic, diligent and effective member, and in his two cabinet posts he has proved to be passionate about education and the creation of a ladder of opportunity' for our young people."
Mr Harper commended outgoing Mayor Maureen Braun as "a hard act to follow," with her "great enthusiasm and dedication" to the job.
Councillor Melvin Cohen, seconding the nomination, described him as a "man of integrity and principle," and said: "John has a wealth of experience in local, national and international politics. Even his political opponents have regarded him as a true gentleman."
The mayor said of his appointment: "It is a great honour to be elected as the Mayor of Barnet and I hope to justify the faith that has been put in me."
Mrs Braun spoke warmly of her 12 months in office and thanked colleagues and family for support.
She said: "I have had an absolutely magical year."
Joining 67-year-old Mr Marshall as the 44th Mayor of Barnet is his friend Rosie Daniels as Mayoress, Councillor Mukesh Depala as Deputy Mayor and his wife Sadhana as Deputy Mayoress.
The Mayor's charities are Barnet Carers Centre, which supports informal carers in the borough, and Chai Cancer Care, which helps cancer sufferers and their families.
Mr Marshall, a financial journalist and former stockbroker, was born in London and educated at St Andrews University in Scotland.
Before Barnet, he was a councillor in Aberdeen and Ealing and was MEP for London North between 1979 and 1989.
He was MP for Hendon South between 1987 and 1997, including time as parliamentary private secretary to the Leader of the House of Commons between 1992 and 1995.
Your Say Your Times
Helen, Barnet says...
9:54am Thu 15 May 08
Helen, Barnet says...
9:55am Thu 15 May 08
Rog T, Mill Hill says...
10:14am Thu 15 May 08
Can we take it from your comment that you think everyone who disagrees with selling playing fields should stand for the council?
Has it ever occurred to you that maybe the reason we are seeing so many teenage murders is the lack of sports facilities, youth clubs etc in London? It seems even Boris Johnson has acknoweldged this. I just hope and pray that this unacceptable practise is stopped.
I am surprised that anyone would criticise Dave for caring about the youth of Barnet. Then again I'm not a Tory so I guess I don't understand your thought process at all really.
Helen, Barnet says...
12:58pm Thu 15 May 08
What most kids need are love and attention from parents and a clip round the ear to bring them back into line at times. Instead they get the rule of the land because their elders are too scared to discipline them incase they are hauled before the courts for child abuse.
I used to run a local youth club and do you know something I would never ever do it again, no one was grateful, I got a lot of abuse from the kids and more so the parents.
What these kids need are some discipline, love and a dealing with as soon as they begin to drift. More police powers to stop and search those who carry knives and a prison sentence which would worry someone who was caught with a knife. Instead we have a caution and a slap on the wrist.
Rog T, Mill Hill says...
2:07pm Thu 15 May 08
The type of kids who are killing each other often don't have two loving parents on hand. They join gangs to boost their self esteem.
What they need is to be diverted into more worthwhile activities, such as sports, music etc.
If you sell/close all of the facilites this is what happens. The solution is to stop kids joining street gangs, not locking them up.
I've been involved in all sorts of voluntary organisations. You don't do it so that people tell you hat you are marvellous, you do it so that some way down the line you see that you've made a difference in peoples lives. Often people tell you years later, when they've grown up and matured. I suspect you were running your club for the wrong reasons, based on you comments.
John, Finchley says...
4:24pm Thu 15 May 08
And is it strictly necessary for him to make personal remarks critisising the integrity of those who have differing opinions?
John, Finchley says...
4:24pm Thu 15 May 08
And is it strictly necessary for him to make personal remarks critisising the integrity of those who have differing opinions?
Rog T, Mill Hill says...
6:12pm Thu 15 May 08
In answer to your 1st question, I will post a response if someone says something I disagree with such as Helen. In answer to your 2nd question. Helen stated that she ran a youth club, with the implication she helped lots of underprivilidged people. She stated that she stopped running it because the kids & parents never said thank you. She stated they all needed a good thump to sort them out (or words to that effect).
Now I found her comment offensive because if all supposedly community minded individuals downed tools, purely because they didn't get praised, no one would do anything. It doesn't surprise me that bad mannered parents had bad mannered children. Helen had a chance to make a difference. She could have set an example. She chose not to. As such I object to her coming on here and making the statements she made.
I've tried and failed at many things in life, I wouldn't lecture other people on these subjects. If I feel I have been successful at something, then maybe I have something to say. Oh and you don't berate Helen for making personal criticisms of Dave do you.
Anyway, all of that aside, good luck with your year as Mayor John. I hope you have a good year and raise lots of money for whatever charity's you choose to help.
David Miller, Barnet says...
8:06pm Thu 15 May 08
livefromnlbp, says...
8:29pm Thu 15 May 08
John, Finchley says...
11:36pm Thu 15 May 08
Don't Call Me Dave, People's Republic of Barnet says...
1:04am Fri 16 May 08
On the one hand, we have the council telling us how much the population of the borough is going to grow over the next decade, and on the other they are selling off valuable land that is deemed to be surplus. What is the council going to do when it suddenly realises that it isnt surplus anymore? Perhaps it assumes that none of the incoming residents will have children? More likely, it simply doesnt care. Flog it all off to ensure that councillors and chief officers can have massive wage rises, and when the proverbial eventually hits the fan, none of them will still be in power to have to pick up the pieces.
So Helen, I will continue to moan and criticise because I have lived in Barnet for most of my life, hope to continue for a good while longer, and dont want to see a wonderful leafy borough turned into a sterile sprawling metropolis.
Callum, Barnet says...
11:37pm Fri 16 May 08
Rog T, Mill Hill says...
9:05am Sat 17 May 08
I'd be interested to know details of all playing fields sold or abandoned, libraries closed and other ameneties got rid of since the Tories took over at Barnet. Can anyone help me find out?
And Dave you continue to moan and I'll continue to agree with you until they stop their mission to turn Barnet into a suburban concrete jungle. And yes John, I will continue to try and get the final word and say nasty things about people who disagree with me until they stop trying to destroy all the good things in Barnet !!!!!
A far wiser and more successful politician than you said of their opponent Tam Dalyell when asked their opinion of his persistent questioning regarding the Belgrano "The great strength of our system are the awkward individuals who continue to ask the difficult questions".
John, Finchley says...
11:25am Sat 17 May 08
I love the way you compare yourself to "a far wiser and more successful politican", when you are mothing of the sort otherwise reporters would be writing about you rather than you writing about yourself.
If you want to ask the awkward questions, you should get yourself elected to Council or better even - Parliment.
Still if posting your own messgaes in this little arena makes you happy and feel self important, who are we to deny you your moment of self pleasuring.
Regards, John.
Rog T, Mill Hill says...
2:49pm Sat 17 May 08
Posting "my own messages in this little arena" makes me anything but happy. I post them because I am deeply unhappy with the performance and policies of the council which my business rates and council tax pay for. I chose to start posting here because I happen to agree with Dave's comments about the selling off of playing fields.
I wish the council did such a good job that there was no need to comment.
I wasn't comparing myself to anyone. I was pointing out to you that it is good to have a debate about policies and issues, a practice to which you seem to object.
As to self pleasuring, you seem to be an expert, maybe you should write a book on the subject. By the way, are you sure your name is John, your spellings and turn of phrase looks rather like someone else to me? I think we've had a little debate on this subject before? Why do you play these little games?
Regards
Rog T
John, Finchley says...
5:48pm Sat 17 May 08
Harry Griffen, Colindale says...
5:55pm Sat 17 May 08
Helen, High Barnet says...
5:59pm Sat 17 May 08
But I doubt it's the last we'll be reading from him.
Rog T, Mill Hill says...
9:25am Sun 18 May 08
"John" and Helen think that this forum should only be used to say nice things about the Tory Policy and people like Rog T are pathetic and derive sexual pleasure from observing council policy. Rog T thinks a bit of debate about what the council is up to is a good thing and thinks that current council policy is quite upsetting and in no way sexually arousing.
Helen and "John" think Rog T likes to have the last word. They are probably right. Rog T expects another post from them to try and get the last word, he's probably right as well.
Sword of Truth, Cricklewood says...
1:21pm Tue 20 May 08
Rog T, Mill Hill says...
2:18pm Wed 21 May 08
Truth be, Told says...
5:01pm Fri 30 May 08
Truth be told, Rog T beleives he's up against a senior Tory: be he's sadly mistaken.
Truth be told, if Rog T has an informant who suggests that a senior Tory is locking horns with him, then that 'informant' is just plain wrong.
Perhaps this informant works for the Barnet Times? That would explain why the BT is so left wing and why it never managed toswing the outcome of any election ever: Watergate and the Washington Post it's not, that's why the Reporters are working in Hendon not Fleet Street.
Truth be told, Rog T has delusions of grandure and yes, the sad little man always has to have the final word.
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Chain gang: Councillor John Marshall is the new Mayor of Barnet
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Don't Call Me Dave, People's Republic of Barnet says...
2:19am Thu 15 May 08