Mrs Biggles was amazed to see Christmas has started in TKMAXX at Westwood but I had to remind her that for some its been Christmas since 2007, courtesy of Santa Wills and CGP.It all began in 2007 with a perfectly legitimate political donation to Steve Ladyman of £25,000 and South Thanet Labour in 2007 which quite properly was admitted to in Parliament's Member's Interests and noted by TDC Planning Commitee meeting in August when Labour members declared it. It has since come to my attention , via Big News Margate, that a similar generous offer was made to TDC Tories with £12,500 for Thanet North and £12,500 for Thanet South. It was clearly turned down and quite rightly so. Nice to see 'balance' though.
Santa's largesse did not end there. Acol Parish received a DVD Player and flat screen TV for a raffle prize earlier this year, courtesy of Santa CGP; did any other Parishes receive 'pressies'?
But more seriously, TDC Cabinet accepted sponsorship from CGP towards 'The Big Event' in Palm Bay on 14/15th June. I show you the pic from KM Extra with 'Woger' in Santa's shiny helicopter with Santa Wills and his little elf helper, Rob Prince.
I reported on 15th June that this was worrying. Let me elaborate further. CGP presented a Planning Application to TDC in April (08/0400) and for TDC's Cabinet to accept a contribution to it's Big Event (reputedly to be £12,500) was to say the least, un-wise. One of my team rang TDC on Friday to try and establish exactly how generous CGP was in June's sponsorship. A cagey response was then given 'Who are you?' and then that the Press Office would ring back. They never did.
The issue is quite simple here. What will be the Secretary of State's view that TDC's cabinet accepted a 'donation' from a property company whilst that Company's Planning Application was 'live' and under consideration by its Planning Officers and due to come before Council? It begs the question that TDC cannot possibly decide this Planning Application as a result and that it should be referred to The Secretary of State forthwith.
6 comments:
Bertie,
I used the Freedom of Information Act to establish how much was given to the Big Event and got a reply fairly quickly. Yes, £12500 was given without restrictions on how it could be used (interesting it was the same amount as was apparently offered to the Tory Party in each constituency). The money was used for peripherals at the event e.g. entertainment etc. so presumably the cost of the rest was met by tax-payers or any other sponsors.
Thankyou, 8.18. Why should TDC staff be so cagey on this issue?
Further to your enquiry concerning Commercial Group Properties.
I can confirm that this company donated the sum of £12,500 by way of sponsorship for the Margate Big Event held in Cliftonville on 14th-15th June 2008. In the absence of any specific direction from CGP regarding its use, the Council applied these funds to the payment of artistes and entertainers appearing on those days.
Yours sincerely,
Mike Gilbertson,
Business Support Manager,
Improvement & Performance Service
Thanet District Council,
www.thanet.gov.uk
I have removed my name from this e-mail but for all those who say the money wasn't from CGP but from Summit Aviation, here's the proof it was CGP who handed over the money while their planning application was on the table.
We first need to ask the reason why people give to political parties.
The answer should be that they believe in what the party stands for.
So why would someone offer £50.00 in total to both the Labour & Conservatives parties?????
Is this the act of a confused right wing leftie, or is there another reason?
In this case,19.31,I couldn't possibly comment on this generosity or even begin to imagine why it was inspired.
I suspect it's not out of kind heartedness but I remain open to evidence otherwise.
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