Councillor Alan Williams had a fearsome reputation in his eight years as Barnet Council leader. LEIGH COLLINS spoke to the Labour group leader about his time in power and his hopes for the future

Above the door to Councillor Alan Williams' office in Hendon Town Hall is a framed picture of Lenin complete with quotes in Russian.

"It's more important for what that poster says than who it is," explained Mr Williams. "What it says is: The party gets its power through the people and through the party the people get power'.

"The poster is there for no other reason as a daily reminder when I walk in the office, that this is what it's about."

Three months ago, the Lenin poster hung proudly above the council leader's office. But the Conservatives won control of Barnet Council at the May 2 local government elections after eight years of a Labour/Lib Dem administration led by Mr Williams.

He said he knew he would lose that election not because of anything his administration had done but because of a national swing away from Labour.

It was widely expected that Mr Williams would stand down as Labour group leader and perhaps try again to become an MP, but he chose to stay on to fight the Tories.

"It's only because I received wholehearted and strong endorsement from the party that I continue in the position that I do.

"I am first and foremost a councillor for Burnt Oak ward; I've been proud to be that for 16 years. I'm here to represent the people of Burnt Oak and to make sure they get a fair and proper deal.

"I'm not sure that being a backbencher in a government with a massive majority has any purpose at all."

Now 46, and a lot greyer than when he started, he spent his eight years in power working nine-to-five as an assistant director of housing at a London housing association before working another five hours at the town hall every night.

Now as Labour group leader, his workload is a lot less'.

"My children were four and two when we won the council and so for eight years they've had a weekend dad and they were eight of the most important years in kids' lives. So they're now 12 and ten and I want to spend a lot of time with them or as much time as possible. I'm reconnecting with my family."

In office, Mr Williams had a reputation for being a ruthless, dictatorial figure, demanding personal control over every single council decision.

When asked how he would describe his leadership style, he came up with impatient' and forceful'.

"People elect councillors to make a difference," he explained, "yet the whole system seems to be designed to stop things happening. I was very impatient, not because I'm the leader, because I want things done I was impatient because we've got an agenda and why can't we do it?

"I think we did an awful lot to make Barnet a better place to be. I think we were on the cusp of making Barnet a very exciting place, both to live and to work, but also to visit."

August 20, 2002 12:00