“ You had some very good points there until the 'I pay your wages' comment about council employees. You do not pay council employees wages, you pay council tax. It doesnt quite work like that. To hear this from anyone is pretty insulting, to be honest. You can probably guess I am a council employee, and I have heard this line many times before. I am not a parking warden-and must add that i dont agree with their tactics-but even if I was, I would mostly just be 'following orders'. The parking situation is dire in barnet, the shop rents are astronomical, there seems to be no effort (or successful one) to attract businesses that would make people want to shop in Barnet, there is not exactly a good range of shops (unless you like coffee and getting your eyes tested). So blame the council, blame the fact that the majority keep voting the same council in, while moaning about the past and futures decision of the party you voted in. Blame greedy landlords. A low level council does not deserve this 'I pay your wages' crap, they are just trying to do there job, have probably had a pay freeze for 5 years (essentially a cut every year), who most likely has to fight for their job every other year after the latest cuts, is expected to.deliver a better service with less year on year-and have to still listen to this rubbish. Blame the policy makers; the ones who decide how YOUR money is spent...blame the council who is privatised YOUR services right under your nose...blame the politicians, and vote with your feet. Most council employees are hard working, decent people. So decent, in fact, that we 'pay our own wages(!) Guess what? I pay council tax too... ”