Mr Mustard's wise counsel

Mr Mustard doesn't only criticise from the sidelines after the event although there is nothing wrong with that and one can't stop the council making their own mistakes in secret which is where all the big decisions get taken. After Brian Coleman lost his GLA seat Mr Mustard had a think. Brian is a great loss to the blogging community simple in the light of the sheer amount of material he produces (has anyone else had a blog which listed 101 reasons not to vote for them?) but it would be better if he showed the sort of behaviour becoming of the pillar of a community that councillors are supposed to be (and we do have some in Barnet) and so Mr Mustard decided to write to Brian suggesting a change of image, and this is what he sent from his mrmustard@zoho.com email address which Brian is not very keen on as Mr Mustard isn't real (although there was a real name and address included):

4 May 2012

Dear Mr Coleman

Today has been a bad day for you. You have managed to turn a majority of, in round numbers, 20000 into a deficit of the same quantum.

This is, in my view, because you have taken so many unpopular decisions and not listened to anyone, least of all the residents and because you are too direct with people (some would say rude). You might recall that you threatened me with the police which rather guaranteed a vote for your opponent. I wouldn't have voted for you if you had been the only candidate on the paper.

I am looking ahead to 2014 and you might think that Totteridge is a safe Conservative seat on Barnet Council but if you carry on the same as you have done recently there is the possibility that you could also lose that. Mr Cornelius is also pursuing some unpopular policies but he is scrupulously polite and affable and that will save him.

If you want to be more certain of getting re-elected in 2014 in Totteridge (assuming you decide to stand and not start a new career of some sort) then I think you need a new approach.

It would involve:-

listening to others
treating them with respect
carefully considering their opinions
not forcing your own opinions on them
accepting that bloggers are part of the political landscape in 2012
reversing most of the decisions you have taken recently ( i.e. reduce CPZ charges and install parking meters, keeping public parks public and so on).

You need a complete change of mentality and image. You need to become Brian "Cuddly" Coleman or some other more people friendly image.

Please don't reply straightaway. Please think about this for a few days and then respond, or simply delete this message unanswered.

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard

Mr Mustard didn't put a read receipt on this email and so doesn't know if it was ever opened (too many councillors - labour and conservative but not lib-dems - delete unread messages that Mr Mustard and/or his alter ego send - you are going to be outed soon) and an email reply was not received.

Mr Mustard has noted however from this recent local newspaper report that if the message did get read by Brian it did not get through. Oh well, at least Mr Mustard tried.

Yours frugally

Mr Mustard