Sunday 4 September 2011

Pledgebank - Under Consideration?

Back in January I submitted a pledge to the Barnet Council Pledgebank. My Pledge was as follows:

"I will pledge to give up 4 hours of my time every month to scrutinise and challenge all invoices over £10,000 to help the Council reduce unnecessary spending so long as five other people will make a similar time commitment to sit on the panel and that Barnet Council will genuinely participate in the process and listen to the advice and opinions given."

Now at the time I heard nothing back from Barnet Pledgebank; not posted, not rejected, not acknowledged. Having heard nothing I wrote to Barnet Pledgebank on 27 April asking what was happening with my pledge. Guess what? no reply, not even an acknowledgement.

On Friday Barnet Council published the response to a Freedom of Information request and guess what? My pledge was there at number 2 on the list. It hadn't been accepted as a pledge but equally it hadn't been rejected. It was Under Consideration. Well I have now written again to Barnet Pledgebank asking how much more time they need to consider my pledge. In my humble opinion, I think nine months is more than enough time to consider my pledge.

Setting aside the use of the site for Royal Wedding Street Parties (which would have happened anyway) and five Big Lunch street parties (which again would have probably gone ahead anyway)only ONE pledge has so far been fulfilled. To me it looks like the future of Barnet Pledgebank should be under consideration especially given the cost estimated in excess of £30,000.

I look forward to Barnet Council finally coming to a conclusion on my pledge and giving me the courtesy of a reply to my email!

1 comment:

  1. most amusing, Mr Reasonable: you have entered the twilight world of suspended animation, One Barnet style ... but what an outrageous waste of money these ridiculous schemes are.

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