Wednesday 21 April 2010
Council to sack Rabbi who convicted Coleman in standards investigation
Barnet Council’s Head of Corporate Governance, Jeff Lustig, has prepared a report recommending that Rabbi Jeremy Collick (pictured right) be dismissed as a member of the independent Standards Committee.
Rabbi Collick sat on the panel which found Brian Coleman guilty of breaching the Members Code of Conduct when he launched a vitriolic tirade against Barnet Blogger, Rog T.
The reason Rabbi Collick is to be sacked is because of his recent attendance record - he has only attended two of eight scheduled meetings. Clearly this is not a good record but it should be noted that Rabbi Collick’s absence was not because he was flying business class to America on a junket, like Frequent Flyer Freer, but because of his pastoral commitments.
Don’t Call Me Dave thought that Barnet believed in putting the community first? In any case, the report completely fails to take into account the many hours Rabbi Collick spent in preparatory meetings for the Coleman hearing and he is, if fact, one of the hardest working members of the committee.
Members of the Standards Committee receive an allowance of just £269 a year, so it is not as if he was doing this for the money!
But even if the council wanted to replace him, given that he is a Rabbi, shouldn't they have just had a quiet word and suggested that he resigned? That would have allowed him an honourable exit. To publicly sack him in this manner is a humiliating thing to do to a respected member of the community.
Interestingly, when the report came before the council yesterday, it was deferred until after the elections. The reason given was to allow councillors more time to consider Rabbi Collick’s proposed replacement. DCMD is sure that this unprecedented deferment has absolutely nothing to do with the fact that Mike Freer requires the support of the Jewish vote if he is to win Finchley & Golders Green at the General Election.
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6 comments:
I can only say that I was extremely pleased that such a wise man sat in judgement on the complaint I brought and thank him for his efforts for Barnet Council.
I hope that Barnet Council are able to find as wise, robust and independent a replacement.
As you say, to sack a rabbi in this public way is really inappropriate: wonder who will be put in his place? Someone more fitted to sleazyBarnet values, no doubt.
According to the report, Rabbi Collick is to be replaced by Ms Tanya Rachelle Elise Ossack who is:
a Barrister with 16 years experience at the Criminal Bar and an Independent Member of the Parole Board. Her previous experience includes, legal advisor to the National Association of Lay Visitors (now ICVA), press officer at the Serious Fraud Office, Information Officer at the Department of Environment and Department of Energy and a parent Governor of a School.
Well the message is sent out loud clear (as many of us know) challenge or cross vested interests at Barnet Council and you are for the chop!
On a related point are the vast bulk of people on the Council, co-opted to panels and committee from the public sector, quangos or work in regulated industries like the Law or Accountancy. The majority of people in the private sector or working 'in the real world' are excluded.
So Ms Ossack is experienced in dealing with criminals and fraudsters.I cannot possibly see how this could be of any help in sitting on a Standards Board and passing judgement on our councillors.
Reading the barnet times it looks like they will have another case to deal with soon!
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