‘FROM THE LEADER'

BY NOW, many Borough residents will have received the Spring Edition of Haringey People magazine. The council's propaganda publication is always full of good news, without end. It's one of the main planks of their PR strategy They've dropped the claim that it was distributed free or published at no cost, because the lack of credibility was clear. Our taxes pay for it.

Cat litter tray lining

Some years ago, past Councillor Alan Stanton once endorsed People mag as suitable for lining a cat litter tray. If I had a cat, I might take Alan's advice.

Purdah

Those who follow national or local politics may know of Purdah, which is the period before an election when council communications are frozen. 

It's become an arear of abuse (when I served on the Planning Committee, in the run-up to an election the planning department cancelled the next committee meetings on grounds of Purdah. At the end of that meeting, one Councillor from the majority Group also on Planning, came up to me and said:

"I thought Planning was supposed to be non-political". He was right. It was an abuse of Purdah and could been seen as an excuse by council employees to down tools.

As well as during Purdah, In the run-up to the start, mischief can take place. Here's one example:

'FROM THE LEADER'

On the inside page of People Magazine, the current leader has written two-thirds of a page extolling her leadership and what are claimed as achievements of her council.

"Labour" is not mentioned. But it is In effect, a Labour Party election publication in all but name. And paid for out of general taxation, rather than from Labour Party funds.

All perfectly fine before Purdah.

The Leader is one of three Councillors in Noel Park Ward and according to the Haringey Labour website, Peray Ahmet may be a candidate again in the same Ward. However their webpage appears to be out of date in several respects.