The "Leader Listens" ?

A local correspondent has been good enough to telegram us about the King of Barnet's election campaign for Parliament new initiative - "The Leader Listens". It has been mentioned in dispatches but hasn't appeared in a single press release nor on the Council's website.

So what's the mystery? To us oldies it has a spooky feel about it; the sound of North Korean or Iranian dictatorship where the Great Leader goes out amongst his people. (Some will wonder what the £75,000 a month for Councillors are if the Leader needs to go out and find what's going on himself.)

Several thousand letters (apparently local Councillors are not told of these meetings - correct us if we are wrong) are delivered to local people telling them that their King, Michael Whitney Freer, is to visit, urging them to bring their babies to be kissed and blessed, sick to be healed and disputes to be solved.

We are *unable* to confirm rumours that the room is set out like a medieval court with a large throne with Councillor Lyn Hillan and Councillor Brian Coleman dressed as Court Jesters on either side of His Majesty, King Michael, wearing his Crown and robes.

Back to the main track armed with the Freedom of Information act, one local resident started to dig. Here are the responses from the Council.

Dates of meetings:

25 October 2006 - The Leader graces Hasmonean School (Jewish Secondary School)
25 January 2007 - Deansbrook Junior School (Hale Ward)
24 May 2007 - Chipping Barnet Library (Underhill Ward)

"The initiative is still current, and the next date is 24 May in Underhill Ward at Chipping Barnet Library. All local residents within a defined area of the ward were individually invited. Although provisional dates and wards have been earmarked for five other events in 2007, these dates are subject to change, and the exact part of the wards to be invited has yet to be
determined.

I hope this helps you.

Andrew Nathan"

Strangely the Council have no records or no idea about any costings of this initiative.