Richard Cornelius Sees The Light

When Barnet Council announced the closure of Totteridge Library, local resident Richard Cornelius stepped up to the plate and put himself forward for election. But despite the rookie candidate knocking veteran councillor Brian Coleman into second place in the poll, Richard was unable to save the library.

Once elected, and with a few tasty allowances tucked under his belt, Richard soon discovered that the council was not quite as bad as he had previously thought. Speaking to the Totteridge Residents Association last year, Cllr Cornelius said:

“Once I joined the Council almost two years ago, I had to overcome one big misconception. I found that the Council is competent in most things that it does.”

Like investing £27.4 million of taxpayers money in Icelandic banks, contrary to the council’s own investment guidelines?

Or overspending £4 million on the Aerodrome Road Bridge project?

Or buying £1.4 million worth of near obsolete laptop computers, with half of them still in storage 12 months later?

Or spending over £91,000 on audio visual equipment (including £14,000 on wide screen TVs for chief officers) in order to save £4,400 annual hire costs?

Just imagine how much worse things would be if the council was run by incompetent fools!