Mr Mustard didn't expect a DPR to be issued on Friday 23 December, the last working day before Xmas, as the world had largely stopped for Xmas. He checked the computer all the same as he thought it would be a good day to bury bad news. He found 3 interesting DPRs and here is the first one.
1494 Queens Diamond Jubilee Music
Having looked at the website for Tim Benjamin, here, he is at least a proper musician ( I have no gripe with you Mr Benjamin although your website is wrong. Barnet is not the UK's largest authority by any measure ) although he is not sure why we didn't use our own composer, the Deputy Chief Executive, Chief Financial & S151 Officer, Andrew Travers, who scores 1,000 notes a day?
Why at a time of service cuts are we throwing £1,000 at this vanity project? Couldn't the £1,000 have been better spent in ameliorating the worst of the service level cuts.
Mr Mustard has been helpfully supplied with this screenshot of Tim Benjamin's twitter page
Mr Mustard has been helpfully supplied with this screenshot of Tim Benjamin's twitter page
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| Look: Yorkshire! |
Barnet must now be the South Riding of Yorkshire? ( and before you feel compelled to write in I know that a riding is a third and thus there isn't a South Riding but let's not let that get in the way of Mr Mustard's little joke )
Mr Benjamin's wikipedia entry is here
Mr Benjamin's wikipedia entry is here
Yours frugally
Mr Mustard
This would be Tim Benjamin, son of Reverend Adrian Benjamin, friend of Brian Coleman?
ReplyDeleteWhattttttt? This has dragged me off my sick bed to cough my way to the laptop to protest ...
ReplyDeleteAnd they expect us to believe that there are no other, more qualified musicians in the London Borough of Barnet, do they?
Why could this not have been organised as a competition for local composers/musicians? And why are we seeing another excuse for a DPR using the basis of shortage of time? It's not as if the Jubilee is a complete surprise, is it?
Cynical, disgraceful, and yet another sign of the decadence of this shambling council.
Have I mentioned I am little feverish?
Grrrrr.
According to Tim Benjamin’s Twitter feed (@timthecomposer ), he is now based in Yorkshire. So much for his local connections!
ReplyDeleteHe previously tried to stand as a Conservative candidate in Chipping Barnet but did not get through the selection process.
Thank you DCMD for the inside info. I wondered if Tim Benjamin just happened to be a local composer who had perhaps been in a production with Cllr David Longstaff but it seems I have stuumbled over a different local connection, the Banner Snatcher.
ReplyDeleteIt seems that para 3.1 of the DPR "this will not give rise to significant public concern" is not true.
Para 5.2 "following significant discussion amongst steering group" - what is significant is that the cabinet member Brian Coleman is part of the steering group - gosh, he does work hard - all those committees, enough to drive someone mad.
Did anyone tell Julie Taylor who Im Benjamin was or was she presented with a fait accompli and being new to Barnet Council didn't know she was being stiched up like a kipper.
It is Boxing Day so Mr Mustard is not sending in FOI requests. Tomorrow is another day!
Mr Musatrd is just back from the cinema. He saw the latest Sherlock Homes film. A lady was snoring in the audience. Perhaps Cllr Braun likes the cinema and was getting in some practice for council meetings in 2012?
It has also been pointed out to Mr Mustard that on Tim Benjamin's website he advertises his website skills though Tienjin which works on and for theresavilliers.co.uk
ReplyDeleteIsn't it a small world in Barnet despite being one of London's most populous boroughs with, doubtless, many musically skilled residents.
Perhaps Mr Benjamin could donate some of his fee to replace the banner misplaced by his Dad?
ReplyDelete"a former winner of the BBC Young Musician of the Year award"
ReplyDeleteOh really?
http://www.bbc.co.uk/youngmusician/
Err, no. Seems he won the much less well known young composer competition.
8.2 of the DPR. The (steering) group also has representatives from the borough’s business, education, faith and community organisations.
ReplyDeletePerchance, would that include Tim’s father?
I'd have written one for a pint of beer and a packet of crisps
ReplyDeleteMrs Angry's brilliant idea to have had a music competition for barnet residents was a missed opportunity! Shame! LBBarnet would do well to invite Mrs Angry to be responsible for creative initiatives. Why are we not showing off Barnet music talent? Seems we "know the cost of everything and the value of nothing!" How do you spell nepotism?
ReplyDelete