Barnet Bugle: "Mayor of Barnet issues call for his Office to be respected"

"At the end of a loud and raucous Annual Council meeting, in a hot, stuffy and unventilated room, Barnet's newly elected Mayor, Cllr Hugh Rayner, called for opposition Councillors and those in the public gallery to respect his office."

(Link above to the two 'Barnet Bugle' videos)

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'TheMarathon28' video:

"Councillor Anthony Finn proposed to change a date in the draft council meetings calendar, so that it coincides with the opposition Labour Party conference, resulting in a vote of approval for the change. 

"The opposition Labour group boycotted the traditional all-party buffet after the meeting ended."

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Link to web site

Barnet Press:
"Councillors clash at ceremonial meeting"

"BARNET'S first full council meeting since the local election descended into anger and recrimination as Labour councillors accused the new Tory administration of sinking to new depths in its 'outrageous' treatment of the democratic process.

"Last night's meeting at Hendon Town Hall, in The Burroughs, had been intended to be largely ceremonial, with the appointment of a new mayor, the agreement of meeting dates, and appointments to the new council committees, to be followed by a celebratory buffet to be attended by former Barnet mayors, community leaders and visiting delegates.

"However, the Conservative administration drew anger in its decision to break with convention in terms of meeting schedules and committee appointments, before introducing an allowance system that strongly favours the ruling party.

"With tensions already high over the agonizingly close-run local election, which saw the Tories hold onto their majority by two seats and more Barnet Labour councillors elected than ever before, newly appointed Conservative Mayor Hugh Rayner had barely taken his seat at the front of the chamber before he was forced to deal with heckles and barracking from opposition councillors and the public gallery."

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"Barnet Borough Council adopts committee system of governance" 

- Barnet Times

"Barnet Borough Council will make its decisions by committee, rather than having a cabinet in charge.

"... Council leader Councillor Richard Cornelius said:

“We are still only half way through a decade of austerity, and there are many tough spending decisions ahead. However we are committed to dealing with these challenges in as open way as possible."

The committee chairmen [sic] will be as follows:

• Adults and Safeguarding Committee – Cllr Sachin Rajput
• Children, Education, Libraries and Safeguarding Committee – Cllr Reuben Thompstone
• Environment Committee – Cllr Dean Cohen
• Assets, Regeneration and Growth Committee – Cllr Richard Cornelius
• Community Leadership Committee – Cllr David Longstaff
• Policy and Resources Committee – Cllr Richard Cornelius
• Performance and Contract Management – Cllr Anthony Finn
• Housing Committee – Cllr Tom Davey