Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Haringey council cabinet members ... signalling a new direction for the borough?
Here's the list of the Haringey council cabinet members.
Or download as word doc councillors%20list.docx
Some of the new titles/responsibilities seem to suggest a possible change in direction in some policy areas. There's the;
- Cabinet Member for Corporate Services and Insourcing. At some point during the election I think I heard/read about the possibility of bringing some services like waste collection back in house. Also talking about bringing adult services back in.
- Cabinet Member for Housing and Estate Renewal and Deputy Leader of the Council. This may signal more that the council will look to refurbishment/upgrading rather than wholesale demolition and rebuild but, who knows. It's obviously early days.
I can't remember the cabinet titles of the last administration but this one seems new; Deputy Cabinet Member for Broadwater Farm Resident Engagement. Maybe there are other new titles as well?
Parking; who's responsibility is this ... Civic Services or Environment? Zena Brabazon is responsible for the former.
Joseph Ejiofor
Leader of the Council
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by Alan Stanton on
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The key text here* seems to be a book by Peter Latham called "Who Stole the Town Hall. Subtitled "The end of local government as we know it", it lays out the (newish) system and suggests that the real purpose of the local government deforms introduced from 2000 onwards was to facilitate privatisation and centralisation of power.
There's a useful review of the book here from a Croydon perspective.
In Chapter 1 Latham explains how the powerful "leader" role with the "payroll vote" of "Special Responsibility Allowances" has helped to undermine democratic accountability. Haringey had what may have been an extreme example of "Command and Control" regime under Dear Leader Kober, when any dissent was frowned upon, seen as "uncomradely" and in some cases punished.
I didn't go to the Mayor Making and other nonsense, so I don't know if Cllr Ejiofor was elected for four years or a year. Obviously the latter is preferable. And probably essential!
*I'd appreciate any other serious suggestions for useful reading. (Trolls will be ignored.)
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Permalink Reply by Straw Cat on
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As I recall, the old system was suddenly abolished by Blair and his Sec of State on the grounds that the old committee system was inefficient and the new one would promote democracy, accountability and transparency. This was done without any pilot trials, academic studies or any evidence base whatever. And yes, the real model for the Cabinet system pushed by Blair's north-east mafia seemed to be Newcastle City Council in the sixties, as helmed by its Leader, the charismatic but corrupt ex-Trot T Dan Smith (model for the Our Friends In the North character played by Alan Armstrong).
It doesn't seem to me that this system has produced any great increase in efficiency or transparency. Instead it led to a Koberite bunker mentality where the Leader imposed an unpopular and untested policy on her colleagues, mostly in secrecy. I believe a referendum could be held to go back to the old committee system - and Basildon has done it. Perhaps the new council movers and shakers might look into it?
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