I have copied a picture from Thanet's KM Extra (which is a 'must read' as the best of our 'free' newspapers and is kindly delivered through the The Biggles' hovel's letterbox.)I am delighted with the sponsorship of The Big Event by Kent Messenger Group but never cease to be amazed by the sudden rush of philanthropic gestures by Mr Ken Wills. Last year it was £25,000 as a political donation to Dr Ladyman MP because he was such a good chap and now its sponsoring The Big Event. Will wonders ever cease?
I wonder what Mr Martin Hodge's view of Ken's largesse is? For readers who have not been visiting long, you can find all about Mr Hodge's on my posting of 11 March ("Breeze Blocks and some real strife"). In summary, Mr Hodges did £3,862 of work for Fire Technology (50% owned by Mr Wills) and didn't get paid as Fire Technology stopped trading but a new company called Fire Technology International was born in the same location. Mr Hodge's felt cheated and foolishly took it out on Mr Wills' Rangerover last Boxing Day and paid the price for it at Thanet Magistrates. It was just as well he didn't bash Mr Wills' Augusta 109 or we might not have seen Cllr Latchford sitting in it in the picture above.
There is of course no connection between Mr Wills' philanthropy and the fact that CGP (another company he formed with a Mr Seymour -Prosser) has an application for the biggest industrial estate in Thanet to be built on top of an aquifer providing a lot of Thanet's drinking water, in at TDC. That said, KM Extra refer to Mr Wills as managing director of CGP, the developers of the proposed China Gateway at Manston .
Most locals will know Ken Wills' name as being assosciated with Summit Aviation and today (Friday) at 10.00am TDC Planning Members will be having a site inspection with their new Chair Cllr Gregory,(because poor old Bill Hayton was sacked, sorry 'progressed') down at Manston Business Park to get an idea of what CGP propose for Phase 1 of China Gateway. They will be able to admire Summit Aviation's new, not being worked on, building. A source tells me the lads building it were 'paid-off' recently.
They might also notice a sign at the entrance advertising plots for sale. The interesting thing is that I thought KCC owned much of the Phase 1 site as part of its PLP with TDC? The sign is of pasing interest as contact details are given for Debenhams Tei Lung who were incorporated into China's TDZ (look at www.dtz.com/portal/site/en-cn ). DTZ are 'global real estate providers working with clients to create leading edge property, investment and business solutions worldwide.'
I leave you with Ken Wills talking to KM Extra, " We recognise the value of this event to the local community."
Why am I reminded of Roman Emperors laying on 'Games' in Ancient Rome to keep the plebs happy when the corn supply from Egypt was interrupted and the plebs were getting hungry and annoyed.? Could it be that we plebs in Thanet will be so pleased going 'ooh' and 'aah' on the 16th/17th June down at Palm Bay that we forget that 'Emperor Ken'and his Chinese colonialists are busy convincing Cllr Bayford and other Cllrs to allow them to build on top of our drinking supply and put it at risk of becoming permanently contaminated. I had better get the elastic band on the Sopwith fixed and join in the escape from reality.
13 comments:
Can anyone confirm that an ex thanet Cllr is commuting from the Wigan Chinese gatweay to Thanets Aquifer gateway?
There's an ex-Thanet councillor who works for CGP as liaison manager. Is that who you mean? He lives in Thanet, though.
I live in Westgate, and I have met Cllr Latchford, who is a good man, and does his best for Thanet.
He is not a young man, yet he has a lot of get up and go.
I also like Conservative Cllrs Simon Moores and John Worrow who I hope will be at the Big Event.
Sister Mary Coelho
Bertie, Surely you'll be dusting off the Sopwith Camel for some low dives over Palm Bay during the Big Event? Is that you I've seen lately in your biplane on manoeuvres over Deal and Whitstable in the last couple of weeks, practicing in readiness, no doubt?
Nick, WHits
CGP has ex Chair/Leader of Thanet Council, Barry Coppock, commuting between Wigan and Manston on the China Gateway cause. I hope he is being paid well by Ken and Mr Prosser!
Sister Mary, I have been impressed by Simon Moores and John Worrow and whilst I am sure Cllr Latchford is a good man I don't necessarily agree that his best is for Thanet.
If the rest of the councillors worked half as hard as Roger Latchford the council would achieve a great deal more.
The problem with the younger Cllrs such as Moores and Worrow is that they let residents have too much say
What an extraordinary comment,20.02! Forgive me, but I was under the impression that we live in a democracy and that our elected representatives are there to represent all their constituents. If Cllrs Moores and Parish Cllr Morrow reflect their constituents views and concerns, are they not fulfilling their democratic obligation well?
Bertie, while on the subject of democracy, spare a thought for the Chinese farmers who once farmed the land which is now the Olympic site. If Amesty international is right and I don't doubt they are wrong. The farmers were forcibly evicted and protestors were beaten and in some cases imprisoned. It doesn't just happen in China, multi nationals from democratic countries are just as ruthless when operating in countries where human rights mean nothing. They can be just as ruthless in obtaining mineral rights and exploiting other natural resources. Western economies also benefit from the injection of low inflationary goods produced by exploited cheap labour into their economies. Unfortunately this has become the way of the world dominated by capitalism or in China's case state capitalism.
Democracy is perhaps the only weapon ordainary people have to express their human rights. Like many people in Thanet I am very opened minded about the China Gateway as there are so many issues for and against, So therefore I am relying on the democratic proceess, unfortunately I am concerned that those with the power to bear undue influence on the final decision may do so and a wrong decision may be made.
I would have thought it prudent for our Council to have declined Mr Wills kind offer of sponsorship with a polite thank you.
It stinks that at the same time as looking at the most controversial, planning application for years, the Council accepts funding for it's events from the very applicant!
Cllr Latchford, and the rest, should be ashamed.
What is also raising a smell is that the Tory-controlled council voted to change the rules for site visits for anything coming before the Planning Committee at their recent AGM. No member of the public can speak at a site visit and only a Planning Officer, Chair of Planning and representatives from the parish councils could speak at the meeting held last Friday at the China Gateway Project site.
Could there be any connection between the two events? Stop the public speaking when they could point out features of concern and this being the most controversial industrial project to come before the council in decades. TDC should have refused the sponsorship as it could be misinterpreted.
The last 3 comments raise serious points about how our faith and trust in our local democracy can be undermined and I agree with Tony that like a prisoner in the dock, the electorate requires its Councillors to have open minds and to carefully weigh the evidence before making far-reaching decisions that will outlive their brief span on Earth, let alone Planet Thanet. They need to think long and hard and sponsorship by a developer with a sensitive planning application being examined should have been declined and a suggestion that a suitable charity of Mr Wills' choice would have been a more appropriate beneficiary!
Check again, the new Summit building is being well and truly worked on and never actually stopped! Perhaps look a bit closer and you might see not all work happens externally!
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