TOY TOWN - THE TESCO BAG CHRONICLES (Part 6 - The Tesco Bag Finds a New Home)

The sun rose over a peaceful Toytown as Dennis sleepily scratched at a flea and yawned. He heard some-one in the kitchen and cautiously padded along the hall.

" LARRY! You scared the living daylights out of me. Where have you been?"

" So-ooorry, Dennis. I have been hi--iding out with Mr & Mrs Noah, they always have plenty of space." Larry replied. " Did everyone believe my cover story about being in Penrith?"

" Worked a treat, Larry. Townhall Mole burrowed in to say that Mr Mayor and The Bumbling Magician seem to think that The Tesco Bag was handed in to the police in Penrith, which means Captain Brass and The Pirates will think that too. By the way, where is the Tesco Bag?"

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"Ba-aacck under the stairs, Dennis." Larry paused and scratched his belly with his front hoof. "You haven't got little guests again have you, Dennis? Anyway, we'll sort them out later. Mr Goose was at The Noah's and he gave me an idea .We've got some work to get on with."

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Later that morning the telephone rang in two offices.

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"Come on Window!" shouted Det Sgt Topaton in The Serious Economic Crimes Unit Office in Arkville to his colleague DC Window. " You and I are off to Toytown in pursuit of a lead and to look inside a Tesco bag. There is nothing I like better than getting on the trail of a little bit of graft and corruption, m'boy. Put that Lodge Newsletter back in your drawer and for goodness sake roll down your right trouser leg".

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"Fillet !" shouted Boris the Bear, breaking the normal somnolent quiet of The ToyTown Gazunder newsroom. Fillet the Fish, woke up with a start. "Grab the camera, tape-recorder and sharpen your pencil. We're off to peer into a Tesco bag and find out why 'Your Toytown' felt a story was too hot to handle."

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Dennis, in between regular hard scratches behind his ear, was nervously hopping from paw to paw.

"Larry" said Dennis, as he watched Boris The Bear scribbling into his note-book whilst Fillet the Fish was recording telephone messages and photographing papers, " What will happen if the doorbell rings and the Serious Economic 'whatsit' guys are at the door?"

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The doorbell rang. "Hello, hello, Mr Lamb. Here is my ID and could I introduce my colleague DC Window. Now where is this Tesco Bag?"

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Down at The Toytown Gazunder Office, Fillet the Fish and Boris the Bear were in deep consultation with The Top Predator.

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After two hours of scribbling into his note-book, Det Sgt Topaton said "Well, Mr Lamb, that's an interesting story and we will have to look into this matter a litlle further. Would you sign here that you have transferred the Tesco Bag into my posession, sir."

"Gla--aadly" said Larry, "You've no idea what a relief this is."

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As Det Sgt Topaton and DC Window were going out of the front door, Topaton stopped and turned round. " You know Mr Lamb, that you would have been better getting in contact with us at the beginning. You realise that any self-respecting scoundrel would have removed any incriminating evidence by now. Is there ANY-ONE in Toytown who has not dipped into the Tesco Bag?"

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That evening, Larry and Dennis were lying on the balcony enjoying the sunset and admiring the way the light was reflecting off the spiralling smoke coming from the icinerator at the back of Toytown Townhall.

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"Did we do the right thing, today?" asked Dennis.

"I just d0---ont know, De-eenis." replied Larry. "We will have to wait and see 'till we get back from our jaunt to Ibiza. Are your bags packed? You know the taxi is due anytime and for goodness sake, stop scratching!"

TOY TOWN - THE TESCO BAG CHRONICLES ( Part 5 - The Great Toytown Mystery)

Larry nervously waited for Ernest The Stout Policeman to arrive and waited and waited.

He needn't have bothered.

Ernest had already done what he was required to do and had made sure that Mr Mayor, The Bumbling Magician and Captain Brass ThePirate, all knew that the blogger 'Binkie Boggles' was actually Larry The Lamb.

It slowly dawned on Larry, that all didn't seem right. Why should Hamish The Highland Steer and Squaller The Seagull have a threatening Ernest visiting them? Who directed Ernest to them? All Ernest had to do was carry out a 'P' check on Larry The Lamb and come round to his house. Was he acting on 'his own initiative'; were his enquiries 'official'? Was this odd business just a way of 'neutralising' potential opposition in the Toytown Council? It was such a mystery.

Larry trotted off to the 'safe-house'. "De--nnis", he said , " This whole business doesn't ring true. I think the Maa-yor and others want to flush me out to go and hand in that Tesco Bag as lost property. If they seem so worried about the contents, is there something we have missed? I know what I am go--oing to do". Larry trotted off with the Tesco Bag without enlightening Dennis.

"Now let me assure you, yet again, Mr Lamb, that there have been no reports of a theft of papers and Toytown Police have better things to do than chase bloggers called 'Binkie Boggles'. There are no official reports that Ernest the Stout Policeman is in pursuit of you ."

Inspector Bloodhound of Toytown CID then sat down again in The Interview Room to listen to the rest of Larry's tale.

"From what you have told me I think the best thing for you to do is to keep the Tesco Bag and hand it into The Serious Economic Crimes Unit ar Arkville as soon as you can and I will send a report to them tomorrow morning. By the way, I enjoy following your 'blog'!". Larry left Toytown Fort and trotted home with the Tesco Bag.

"Larry, you've been gone ages." said Dennis. "Inspector Bloodhound has rung to say that he has checked again and that there is no uniformed police investigation trying to track you down and that you should not be worried about it."

"Oo--oh, De--ennis, " replied Larry, "It's all so confusing. I don't know who is telling the truth anymore. Take the Tesco Bag back to the 'safe -house' and I will make myself scarce for a bit, just in case Ernest does come round or we get a late-night visit from some Pirates".

When Dennis returned, he found the house in darkness and a scribbled note from Larry, sellotaped to his dog-bowl.

'Tell peepul I hav gon two weddins in Penrith and will be wiv my Herdewick Cousans and I mite be gon sum thyme. LARRY ' .

(To be continued)

TOY TOWN - THE TESCO BAG CHRONICLES (Part 4 -The Extraordinary Affair of Ernest the Stout Policeman)

Larry the Lamb stretched his feet one by one as he gazed out of the window at the rising sun on the last day of July. " De--ennis," he said, " Your plan seems to be working! Minister Windy rang last night to say that he had tackled Mr Ma--ayor and The Bumbling Magician; then went onto discuss matters with that Cabin Boy of The Good Ship Venus and then urged me to get my letter to The Secretary of State to 'call-in' this application of Captain Brass so he could he then support it!" Baa--aa, life is good!"

Larry spoke too soon, but he didn't realise it yet.

The phone rang and Larry answered the call.

"Great news, Dennis! " said Larry, "Squaller The Seagull, Igneous The Inventor and Hamish The Highland Steer have gone off to tackle Mr Ma---ayor down at The Town Hall about various things from the Tesco Bags. Integrity does exist in Toy Town after all."

Later, The Mayor and The Bumbling Magician were deep in conversation in The Town Hall. What were they going to do? What was in The Tesco Bags and who the hell had them? Was it a blogger? How could they suppress the release of information? To put it simply, they were in a bit of a funk! They had rung Captain Brass and told him that his Bosun Bob had appeared to have lost some papers that were acutely embarrassing and why the hell did Bosun Bob not have a 'shredder'? Captain Brass was un-perturbed; as far as he was concerned he had nothing to hide, but cleary Mr Mayor and The Bumbling Magician were in a flap.

At Larry the Lamb's house the phone rang. It was Davina the Mare; " Larry, they are onto you! I have just had a call from The Stationmaster. He said that Mr Mayor had just rung him and that he could hear The Bumbling Magician in the back ground as he listened. The message was that 'Captain Brass has reported 2 bags of documents stolen. If you are approached by the press or anyone , just be aware. They think it is a blogger called Binkie Boggles".

The Mayor's cover-up and suppression plan had started, Larry realised. Mr Mayor quite clearly had been told something by one of four people who had been to see him and now knew Larry's blog persona.

Larry's mind went into over-drive. Captain Brass, wouldn't have any ideas about anything lost or stolen; the Tesco Bag was now 6 weeks old and was clearly rubbish thrown out when the Pirates re-furbished their cabin earlier in the year. The only people with anything to worry about, thought Larry, must be Mr Mayor and The Bumbling Magician. What would be their next move? He did not have to wait long to find out.

The phone rang. " Larry" said Squaller, " Ernest The Stout Policeman, is on his way to visit Hamish The Highland Steer and then is coming to me. Ernest is making enquiries about 'stolen documents' and is looking for a blogger called Binkie Boggles".

What on earth is going on?, thought Larry the Lamb. Captain Brass and his crew at Commerce General Property wouldn't know which Councillors had seen the Tesco Bag papers so it must be Toy Town Town Hall involved in this. Hang on, he thought. Hamish, The Highland Steer had not been involved at all and hadn't even seen a Tesco Bag, so why should Ernest the Stout Policeman be going to see him? This is very suspicious, he thought.

The phone rang again. " De--ennis," said Larry, " You will not believe this but Squaller has just told me that Ernest the Stout Policeman has just left him. Ernest knew that I was Binkie Boggles and was asking Squaller if he knew my address! Squaller, told Ernest, he didn't have a clue!"

"Larry", replied Dennis, " what nonsense is this? If Ernest the Stout Policeman doesn't know your address, a quick radio call to Toytown Hill would soon provide him with details! You cannot be serious? Well, if Ernest The Stout Policeman is working officially on an investigation, he will be here in the next 20 minutes. I would suggest that I disappear to a 'safe-house' with the Tesco Bag and leave you to talk to Ernest, the Stout Policeman when he arrives. Good luck!".

Larry the Lamb looked out of the window and waited for Ernest The Stout Policeman to arrive; and waited and waited............

(To be continued)

TOY TOWN - THE TESCO BAG CHRONICLES (Part 3 - The Disgraceful Business at Larry's)

Weeks passed and in July, Larry and Dennis trotted on down to see Davina The Mare and ask why 'Your Town' would not go to print with the story contained in the Tesco Bag. All Davina would say was 'neigh, neigh'.

" I de--espair with this business, De--nis" said Larry, in late July. "We only have a short time before 'Our Ken' gathers the Toytown Planning Committee together to 'nod' through Captain Brass's plans to cover Toytown with a Gateway. You remember what a faa-arce the 'Site Visit' was. If we don't do something soon, Mr Maaa-yor and The Bumbling Magician will deliver Commerce General Property the 'approval' it seeks without this issue going to a Full Council. Oh, wha---t are we to do?"

Dennis scratched his ear with his right back leg and then said, "Larry, my old friend, I think I have a cunning plan". He paused for another scratch.

" We need to leak the contents of this Tesco Bag into the public domain. We also need to talk to some of our Toytown Councillors who are not happy with The Mayor's antics at The Arkvlle Mayor's Ball and his conduct and that of The Bumbling Magician at The Toytown Wool Shop. If they see what's in the Tesco Bags and the goings on with Mr Mayor and Captain Brass and his crew, they might want the Full Council to look at this Gateway thing and even put pressure on Mr Mayor to have a re-think. By the way Larry, what does 'f*****g t****r' mean?"

Larry did a quick twirl on two back trotters; shouted, " Dennis, you are brill!", and then sped out of the house.

Larry returned in a short while with what looked like a Tesco Bag and began to play with his computer. "De---nnis" he said, " if we pass some material onto the Toytown Bloggers Society in advance and invite people to visit for coffee and show them the contents, then in no time at all, this whole business will be in the public domain. Ring up the following people, could you?"

That evening just as dusk was falling, Squaller, The Seagull and Igneous, The Inventor called at Larry's but without Hamish, The Highland Steer. "He can't make it" said The Inventor and it was just as well that he did not hear Dennis' growled remark, "That's the problem when you have no b***s!" In quick succession in the following days, Minister Windy; but not Mr Spots The Ladybird (Dennis said he had thousands of reasons to support Captain Brass); the garrulous Station Master; Mr 'Ten-point' Deer and Mr Pond Frog, all came to peer inside the Tesco Bag.

"Oh, Dee--nnis", said Larry The Lamb, "Your cunning plan is going to work marvellously". If Larry had realised that a murky train of events was already in motion, he wouldn't have sat there enjoying his Ovaltine.

TOY TOWN - THE TESCO BAG CHRONICLES (Part 2)

"Larry" , said Dennis The Dachshund, "The longest day of the year has come and gone and you are still poring over the papers in that dreadful Tesco Bag. What is worrying you?"

"Oh , De ..nnis, my friend," said Larry, "its so confusing and worrying. What on earth are we to do?"

"We have Captain Brass and his bosun Bob, drafting thankyou letters for Our Mayor to a Chairman Hao and revealing that Mr Ma--yor can't write properly; we have meetings with Bosun Bob of Commerce General Property with The Bumbling Magician at Toytown Council Buildings with no minutes being kept by Toytown staff at any of their numerous meetings, which must be a matter for Scrutiny. On the 4th January 2007 they agreed 'to liaise with each other before releasing any information to the press'; to make a whole load of Toytown 'baubels' to give away to these Chinese visitors and even have signs in English and Chinese on the roads saying " Welcome to Toytown, the home of Chinese Globalisation'. No one has asked us in Toytown whether we want to be home to the Chinese thingamejib...."

Larry paused and rested his wooly head on his hooves as despondency overcame him.

"De---nnis" , he said, "it gets worse. Mr Ma--yor's carpet business is fitting carpets for Captain Brass and his crew and Bob the Bosun is even writing letters to The Mayor's Chief Executive, thanking him ' and your 3 colleagues for keeping expenditure to a minimum by for instance, not using the room minibars' and at the same time asking them to forward any out of pocket expenses so that Commerce General Property can pay for them. What do you make of Captain Brass having to buy a 'ransom strip' and land for a Gateway from the company that the Bumbling Magician is involved with? It's all so complicated. There is even reference to lots of ECO housing for 500 Chinese workers and their families and where are they all going to live in our small Toytown? Oh, baaa.aaaa, what are we to do...oooo?"

"Get a grip, Larry, " said Dennis the Dachshund. " I have the answer. Why not send all the Tesco bag's contents to 'Your Toytown' and let Davina the Mare and her foal Tom , sort it all out and print it as a news story for all the good citizens of Toytown".

"What would I do, without you, Deee---nnis" said Larry as he bimbled off out of the door and on his way to 'Your Toytown' offices to talk to Davina.

(To be continued)

TOY TOWN - THE TESCO BAG CHRONICLES (Part 1)

The 19th June 2008 was a lovely day on the outskirts of Toy Town when Larry the Lamb and his friend Dennis the Dachshund were cleaning up litter on Acol Hill.

"De---nnis my old friend" said Larry, " some littering scroo---ooat has put a Tesco bag with papers inside, on our lovely verge. I will take it back to Toytown and see if I can find out who it belongs to."

Dennis, being a wiley Dachsund, had a quick look and saw that the papers inside seemed to have been thrown out of an office belonging to Commerce General Property , who wished to build a major development all over the lovely fields between Toy Town and Arkville.

"Larry, you had better take these home and read them closely, as they could shed some light on what our Mayor and The bumbling Magician are upto with Captain Brass from Commerce General Property."

Larry agreed and took the papers home to Toy Town.

When he looked at them he could not believe his eyes. There was Mr Mayor and The Bumbling Magician saying that their trip with Captain Brass to China in November 2007 was organised and paid for by Chinamex and The Chinese Government and yet Captain Brass and his merry crew at Commerce General Property, clearly organised it and paid for it. There was even a letter showing that Captain Brass' bosun had paid for rooms in The Grand Stanford Hotel, Hong Kong with his own plastic.

Even more interesting was the 'Pirates' conference minutes of November 2007 stating:

"When Bwian Mowitz (Chief Pirate) enquired who is paying for the travelling expenses of representatives from Toy Town, Captain Brass replied that Commerce General Property will be paying.

Bwian Mowitz expressed concern that by travelling with members of Toy Town and paying their expenses, then the 'Company' could be accused of trying to obtain a planning consent in respect of its various projects by unfair means. Captain Brass confirmed that action was being taken so that this impression was not given and re-imbursement by Chinamex should be forthcoming."

Larry the Lamb's eyes popped with amazement as he read on into the night, and he began to wonder, how best he could use the Tesco bag contents to delay or stop the covering in concrete of the precious grazing pastures of Toy Town.

(To be continued)

A VERY HAPPY AND JOYOUS CHRISTMAS TO YOU ALL

Despite the commercial obsession that now seems to surround Christmas, for most it is still a time to meet up with family and friends and reaffirm love and friendship and to celebrate the birth of a Child.

In ' A Christmas Carol ', Dickens wrote these words for Scrooge's nephew :

"I am sure I have always found Christmas a good time; a kind, forgiving, charitable , pleasant time; the only time I know of in the long calendar of the year when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow passengers to the grave and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys."

So, Happy Christmas to all my 'fellow passengers' to the grave!

RECYCLING WESTGATE 'CHIPPIE' STYLE

Westgate's Councillors and a 'fly-tipping' problem that seems to need to be addressed.

Bertie has been picking up comments about the anti-social habits of the new 'Chippie' on the corner of Crambourne Avenue with Lymington Road (see post below 'IS TDC ACTUALLY RECYCLING OUR RUBBISH?').

I have today received an e-mail from Tracy Byrd who sent the pic above. She says:

"Bertie,

I see you have a blog on rubbish that mentioned the new Fish & Chip shop in Westgate.
They're still at it and fly-tipped this load on the pavement this morning. Picture attached."
Tracy

I have advised her to contact TDC on amenities@thanet.gov.uk and let them know of the problem. I can understand local concern here as this is food waste presumably and will attract the rats with legs. If a man can get a £165 fine from TDC for discarding a cigarette carelessly, what does a pile like this beside the two local recycling bins by the shop deserve?

In addition I have suggested that one of her three Westgate Councillors might need to be contacted to help get some action taken; Cllrs Goodwin, King and Moores are Westgate's 'Three Wise Men'. Come to think of it, did Cllr Goodwin's Committee (Licencing) have to grant a licence for this shop to open as a 'chippie'?

THE FARCE OF TDC's 'ZERO TOLERANCE' LITTER POLICY

The

The business of re-cycling or not by TDC has yet to be answered but Cabinet Member Cllr Shirley Tomlinson really does need to get to grips with The Dumpton area. It looks like a pig-sty and TDC clearly needs to do something about it rather than posturing about £165 fines given to those throwing away a 'fag-end'. Dumpton seems to have a far more serious problem than a butt or two!

I attach pics from the Chair of The West Dumpton Residents Association taken today in West Dumpton Lane, Ramsgate Road and Dumpton Lane.

Here is a copy of an e-mail sent to TDC by her:

To: amenities@thanet.gov.uk

Sent: Monday, 22 December, 2008 4:07:14 PM

Subject: Refuse Department for West Dumpton Area
Dear Sir or Madam

I am again appalled at the collection of rubbish all over our area of West Dumpton Lane also Ramsgate Road around the bus stop area just past the Nissan garage.

As this seems to be a constant ongoing battle between the residents of this area and the Council I am once again making a formal complaint as the situation has become disgusting.
I wonder if you can answer a simple question, why is it we never see this level of neglect by the Council in a Tory run area but is a constant battle in Labour run area's. We all pay the same Council tax but never seem to get the same attention particularly in our area.

No 1 I am attaching photos of the corner of Dumpton Lane an ongoing problem area, which is never cleared unless I make a complaint.

No 2 photos of the mess which has been accumulating over the past 6 months
from 61-69 West Dumpton Lane, have never seen this area clear in 4 years.

No 3 The bus stop on the Ramsgate Road just past the pelican crossing. This area has definitely not been cleared for the past 4 months.

Do you not have inspectors that travel over Thanet to check the cleanliness of our Island? or do you rely on the public to keep informing you.

As I keep reading in the Papers especially from Cllr Tomlinson that TDC are having a purge in Thanet to clean it up, well the purge has never reached this area, in fact I haven;t seen a road sweeper since last year, no one else has either.

I would like you to look carefully and give me an honest answer do you really think it is fair for one area to have to contend with so much filth in such a small area. This is not taking into consideration all the mess we get from Dumpton House this is also a constant battle from the residents to get it kept under control.

If this continues I shall have no alternative but to give this information to the press as we the residents are thoroughly fed up.

Yours sincerely
Carole Russell
Chair
WDRA

I wonder if Carole Russel has heard about TDC's colour coding list for street cleaning routes that 'Our Shirl' has apparently refused to reveal?

Does it perhaps work like this?

'Blue' - Regularly Swept - TDC/KCC Tory Cllr lives in street.

'Red' - Occasionally swept - TDC/KCC Labour Cllr lives in street.

'Green' - never swept (Let the Environmentalists do it instead of TDC).

HOW MANY MORE PUBS WILL GO IN THANET?

I noticed on Saturday that the Victoria Crossroads ( a now much improved junction thanks to KCC) may have to be re-named. It would appear that The Queen Victoria is now an 'exciting new business opportunity in the Inn trade'. Some might recognise how boarded up shops were given a similar description in Margate earlier this year.

A regular reader tells me that the number of 'watering holes' in Broadstairs is due to decline with a strong rumour that The Olde Crowne, The Rose and most surprisingly of all ,The Charles Dickens, are all up for sale.

The combination of 'smoking-ban' and 'recession' would appear to be taking further toll. I wonder if 'Frank' will be interested in getting back The Charles Dickens, having had to give it up before?

IS TDC ACTUALLY RECYCLING OUR RUBBISH?

I was delighted in November when wheeled bins arrived at the Biggles terraced property and that the 'Heebies' planted last year in expectation of this event would screen them, as was the intention. I was sent a lovely pack of information from TDC with the title "LIFTING THE LID on your new service."


Not only has it made me feel better about doing my bit with my Council to 'save the Planet' but I am anticipating un-disturbed sleep in the spring and summer of 2009, as my neighbours bags will be safely sealed in the black lidded bin rather than providing breakfast for 'rats with wings' as dawn breaks at 3.30 to 4 am.

Having read my instructions for the Christmas and New Year, I am now a little concerned that our 'Recycling Queen', Cllr Shirley Tomlinson is wearing a tarnished crown. Having carefully sorted the correct items into my 'Blue bin' for the past 2 weeks I have been told that I have another two weeks of this careful recycling before it will be emptied on the 2nd January.

There is however a disconcerting piece of information for a 'Born Again Recycler' that Bertie has become: I have to put both BLUE and BLACK out on the 2nd and "Both ... will be treated as HOUSEHOLD WASTE."

So much for TDC's recycling credentials then.! Then an awful suspicion struck me ......

All over Thanet, dutiful citizens have been and are busy sorting out their recycled rubbish and yet could it be possible that its all a big con? In other words, is it all going to the same location as the Household rubbish dump and isn't being recycled at all? I would be grateful if anyone could , to quote TDC, " Lift the lid" on this.

NEW WESTGATE OFFICES?

You can look at the whole planning application on www.ukplanning.com under F/TH/08/1393.

My first thoughts are that this is a good idea, even if the ceilings seem low on the 1st floor. It certainly beats rusty railings and a weed infested unsightly storage yard.

The side elevation reveals what I think is the one poor aspect of this application. It all seems so poky with the 'railings' on the road boundary! I do not know if it is possible to put in a pavement instead so that the offices join the street scene without being hidden away behind an un-sightly fence. The line of the offices would then 'match' the other canopied pavements in Station Road.

Anyway, I hope 'Our Ken' and The Planning Committee do a good job on it if it is 'called in.'

WESTGATE TO BE IMPROVED?

For its size , there is no doubt that Westgate does Christmas in style that shames Northdown Road, in Cliftonville; from the Christmas Street Party on Saturday 6th December to the lights!

I have read Cllr Simon Moores expressing concerns about DJ Ellis Construction wanting to build on the narrow strip of land from The The Mad Potter down to the Public Conveniences. (see http://www.thanetlife.com/ ).

This strip, including about 30' that is used by The Mad Potter for storage, has long been an unsightly DJ Ellis storage area beside the railway. I have been unable to access the planning application (F/TH/08/1393) to have some idea of the proposals but believe that if done carefully and in keeping with the shops on the North side of Station Road, this has got to be good news. The picture below shows how the former ' Station Office' has been constructed in the same sized strip between Station Road and the Station platform.

Talking with the proprietors of Beano's and The Mad Potter revealed that they would support construction for offices and have no objections. I am sure that if a pavement is inserted and car-parking space is still available, a suitable modern office building in 'mock' Victorian/Edwardian style would fit in quite nicely and enhance this very unique area of Thanet that still retains its 'village' character and community identity. I hope that Westgate Councillors will 'call-in' this proposal and thus ensure that it fits in well into the 'village-scape'.

A hideous modern block would be visual vandalism and our Councillors have only to see what can be perpetrated on small plots of land in Thanet by looking at Cllr Day's building in Birchington. If they get this building right it would not only provide valuable construction work in the area but would also enhance this part of the 'village'.

CGP POSTS AT POUCES COTTAGES - LATEST NEWS

The barbed wire and fencing posts at Pouces Cottages on the B 2190 at Manston have been replaced today by a Canterbury based contractor (good to see local East Kent employment opportunities) with 2' high posts with reflectors. The Pic above shows work in progress into the evening gloom at 16.30 hrs!

One has to wonder why CGP are even bothering with this issue now. The new posts are certainly 1m away from the carriageway as requested by KCC Highways and the discerning will realise that these posts are still only running the few metres alongside Pouces Cottages and not the length of CGP's boundary , and that 'reflectors' are not placed to face the on-coming traffic but at right angles to passing traffic! Tut tut! Doesn't really make sense at all!

A resident has told Bertie that no-one has parked on this area since 5 December and has no intention of doing so now and will certainly not ask CGP for 'permission' to do so.

Could I suggest that CGP read Kipling's poem about the advice given to his son by a dying Norman Lord about the Anglo-Saxon mentality.

Perhaps they are otherwise engaged today, as their shares dropped by 5p to 20p after 1000 shares were traded. CGP shares have had a 20% decline since yesterday whilst AIM shares went up by 0.49% and Real Estate went up by 0.61%.

It would seem to the casual observer that as the little posts go up at Pouces Cottages, CGP share values go down! From 210p t0 20p is a 90% fall in 12 months.

IT'S ENOUGH TO MAKE ME BECOME A MARXIST

The news today that Goldman Sachs intends to pay out £1.67 billion in bonuses to its staff has me incensed. This 'Bank' has been bailed out by the US Taxpayer and yet intends to pay out bonuses at an average per employee of £55,000.

It is banks like these that have, in their greed and lack of caution, precipitated the world into recession and yet they insist in justifying their bloated 'bonus' scheme. For goodness sake, their employees are lucky to still have a job, given the bad news today that un-employment in the UK is fast on its way to 2,000,000, let alone receive a huge fat bonus.

This is highly insensitive and disastrous PR given the state of the world economy. I am off to read again 'Das Kapital' and wonder how much Goldman Sachs has moved towards the Marxist theory that Capitalism has the seeds of its own destruction embedded in it. Perhaps, the 20th Century was a 100 years to soon for Marxist dialectic to be fully grasped? Goldman Sachs has perhaps just recruited a new generation to a cause that had been shown to be a failure.

If I was the owner of the semi-detached two bedroomed house, auctioned after reposession in Margate last week for only £46,000, leaving me homeless and still in debt to the tune of £80,000, my thoughts tonight would be unprintable.

PRE-CHRISTMAS GLOOM FOR CGP?

Commercial Group Properties shares had movement earlier today. A trade ocurred at 09.56 with 2000 shares being sold. The market now values shares at 25p from a high of 210p a year ago.

The Market Cap of £5.25 million must be causing concern to Brian Moritz ( picture) as CGP's Financial Director and pain to Ken Wills and Chris Seymour-Prosser who hold between them almost 66% of shares. A 10p drop today is not good news for them.

On another note, I am reliably informed that as dawn broke yesterday on the B2190 at Manston, there was no sign of fence posts at Pouces Cottages. One must assume that KCC Highways concerns were actioned by CGP or that a 'Fannit' opportunist has some interesting logs on his fire tonight!

SHOES AND THANET SNIPPETS

A reader has sent me this picture, allegedly taken in the corridor outside 'Our Leader's ' Office at TDC earlier today. I cannot believe that staff and visitors are now required to take their shoes off, just in case they express disgust with his public conduct, in the Iraqi fashion!

On an equally gossipy note and equally unsubstantiated, it is reported that we had an architect from 'Eclipse' (never heard of them) in Thanet at the week-end. His firm look out for and buy land and then franchise it to Holiday Inns. He is reported as saying that Infratil are in advanced discussions with BAA or BA (source was not clear) and have earmarked land around Manston for one hotel and a premier Travel Inn. Just village gossip? Does Frank need to look out, over at Pegwell?

On the subject of Frank, rumour (again unsubstantiated) has it that 'Escape' is on the market and that 'Frank's' in Cliftonville will shut again after the Christmas and New Year is over. Unsubstantiated 'Thanet Village' gossip reports that Frank is taking an interest in Leisure and New Club facilities at Hartsdown instead.

Troubled times continue with trade in Margate with the splendidly re-furbished H2O having only 4 customers in it between 11 and 4.30 yesterday and news from 'Mauwices' old haunt, The Tea Stall in Market Place is not good. The difficult times there are measured by 'loaves of bread'.
Just 3 years ago they needed 20 loaves per day and now they are down to only 2! The fact that 'Mauwice' has gone up-market to frequent Cafe G cannot solely explain this dramatic turn-down in their business, can it?

WHAT MAKES A BREACH OF INTEGRITY?

On the 9th October, at The TDC Council Meeting to consider the China Gateway Planning Application for 'Phase 1' on Manston Business Park, Cllr Poole asked the Chair to consult The Monitoring Officer on a 'point of order' as follows:

"Would the monitoring officer please rule on the acceptance by Cabinet of a donation by the developer (CGP).......". Cllr Poole was making reference to the £12,500 'sponsorship donation made by CGP to TDC's 'Big Event' whilst its Planning Application was 'live' and under consideration by TDC.

Cllr Poole got short shrift from The Chair but the Monitoring Officer later made a reply. (Cllr Poole was clearly in order to raise it!). The reply, was as follows:

"...that was a payment received by The Council, not by The Cabinet and cannot create a personal interest by any member of the Council........ it cannot impugne the integrity and quality of the proceedings..".

I find this 'ruling' interesting. Whilst I agree, that no member could have a 'personal' interest, I have to beg to differ about it not affecting the integrity of the proceedings. Is there not a principle that is being carefully avoided by The Monitoring Officer, GOSE and now the Under Secretay of State, Mr Sadiq Khan?

Having seen the reply from GOSE to CPRE and many individuals asking for The Secreatary of State to 'call-in' the Planning Application, I am convinced that GOSE had 'pre-determined' such requests and even if it had been presented with clear evidence that Martians were beginning their invasion of Earth through Phase 1, would have replied in exactly the same way!

It has come to my attention that despite a constituent asking for his MP to request a reply from The Secretary of State that actually dealt with the issues brought to her attention, all the MP got was the standard letter to CPRE dated 17 Oct declining to call it in but at least dealt with by The Under Secretary of State! The person concerned, e-mailed Sadiq Khan with a letter attached, at the beginning of November asking for an answer. The 'system' avoids embarrassing questions of principle by not answering them and ignoring them. Having received no reply, he has since sent a letter to Sadiq Khan and I copy it below:

Sadiq Khan MP
Parliamentary Under Secretary of State
Department for Communities and Local Government
Eland House
Bressenden Place
London SW1E 5DU 12th December 2008


Dear Mr Khan,

THANET DISTRICT COUNCIL PLANNING APPLICATION F/TH/08/0400

Roger Gale my Member of Parliament kindly copied your reply to him of 29 Oct 2008 to me.

I e-mailed you on the 7th November with effectively the contents of this letter attached as a letter and have not had the courtesy of a reply.

I am surprised that quite clearly you have not grasped the issue here.

Could you please do me the simple courtesy of explaining or answering these two simple points:

1. How can GOSE consider IN ADVANCE a request that they had yet to receive from me for The Secretary of State to call an application in and then without reference to the points drawn to their attention in that letter, send me a standard reply addressed to CPRE? Is this not pre-determination in its most derisory form?

2. Could you please tell me exactly what amount of money donated to and accepted by a Council from a developer whilst that Council is considering its application would warrant concern by your Department that the planning process had been compromised and therefore warrant The Secretary of State ‘calling–in’ the application? Would it be £5, £50,000 £500,000 or £5,000,000?

I await your reply with interest.

Yours sincerely,

XXXX

How do you rate his chances of getting a reply?

OUT GO THE LIGHTS AS THE RECESSION BITES

This murky scene sums up the situation in just a few watering holes in Thanet tonight with Christmas less than two weeks away. The Swan in Westgate was the quietest I have seen it, ever; The Nottingham Castle closed at 10pm with just 6 customers since 4pm and The Wig & Pen was shut in Margate Old Town as Bertie was driven home 45 minutes ago.

This ominous quiet on a Friday night does not portend well for the future.

A post script: A reader has e-mailed that rumour has it that Cummins is laying staff off as orders shrink for generators. Not good news if this is true as they have become over the years a major employer f/t and p/t of over 400, mainly Thanet based, employees.

THE PRUDENT PAY A PRICE

Such is the dramatic shift in attitudes and distortion of values in this country after 11 years of Labour government, that no-one, from bankers, irresponsible borrowers, knife-carrying thugs and uncontrollable school children seems to be held to account or 'pay the price' for their folly. Excuses, 'counselling' and Government bail-outs abound.

This week Roger Gale highlights the plight of those who did make provision for their retirement and old-age whether here or elsewhere in Europe and who are now paying the price for their thrift. Such is the 'topsy -turvy' value system in this country that it seems that Aesop's careful hardworking ants suffer in winter whilst the irresponsible butterfly is baled out.

Anyway, read what our Thanet North MP has to say:

PENSIONERS HIT BY RATE CUTS

North Thanet's MP, Roger Gale, has this (Thursday) morning raised concerns at the manner in which the fall in interest rates coupled with the tumbling value of the pound is affecting North Thanet's retired community and other constituents who have moved to live elsewhere in the Euro-zone.

"The cut in interest rates might be good for those with borrowings, if the banks would pass on the reductions " says the MP "but it is most certainly not good for those very many more people who have led prudent and thrifty lives, invested for their retirement and now find themselves in receipt of dramatically reduced incomes. Bills that particularly hit the elderly - fuel and food costs - have risen at the same time that real retirement incomes have fallen.
Those who have moved to France and Spain, for example, where there is a large ex-patriate community, have been particularly hard hit. First, the amount of money coming in from savings in the UK has been reduced and then the value of the pound against the Euro has fallen making their money worth less still. Many of these people are trapped. They would like to come home but cannot sell their properties because the market is flat and such sale value as they might achieve is insufficient to obtain another home back in East Kent.
The government has mortgaged our future and our children's future to help the banks and has engaged in a futile reduction in VAT that has failed to stimulate the economy: it would do well to look at the income tax that pensioners pay on their savings and to make a significant cut there. At present the Prime Minister's claim to have increased winter fuel payments while at the same time `saving the World` has a pretty hollow ring about it for many of the elderly people that I represent.
It is high time that we started to help those, who, throughout their entire working lives have paid their way, served their country and, through savings, tried to help themselves. "

A SOUNDER ECONOMY IN CHINA CAN TAKE THE PAIN

Yesterday's Independent was looking at the Chinese Economy and its response to the Global economic downturn. Whilst its export markets have shrunk, its internal market is huge as are its foreign currency reserves. If the 'pain' can take place without internal turmoil, it will be set for business as usual in due course.

I am surprised they are not buying up Woolworth's sites in almost every High Street in the land for Chinamex outlets; if they were, China Gateway Phase 1 would become well placed to re-distribute directly to its own outlets.
Oh, dear, what am I suggesting?
Anyway you can read the Independent article here:

http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/asia/crisis-in-the-cradle-of-chinese-capitalism-1062910.html

THE SYSTEM WORKS!

It has come to my attention that Kent Highways has been busy in regard to CGP's Fencing down at Pouces Cottage in Manston. Those who contacted their KCC Elected members will be pleased to know that concerns expressed to Councillors and acted on by them, has come to fruition.

I am reliably told that CGP has been reminded that " barbed wire fences at such close proximity to the Highway would be viewed by us as being in contravention of section 164 of The Highways Act 1980." KCC Highways has asked them to remove it 'as soon as possible to prevent further action from the authority".

In addition, an Inspector from Kent Highways noted that some of the posts are less than 500mm from the edge of the carriageway and as such are likely to have been erected on Highways land!

CGP has given assurances that Kent Highways comments will be acted on quickly and that presumably they will follow guidance from Kent Highways to " ensure that your new fence is a minimum of 1m from the edge of the carriageway to alleviate any doubt that the fence is erected on Highway's land."

Bertie is a simple sort of chap and wonders in view of this advice, why CGP does not simply accept that the fence already marking their land is about 1m away from the 'edge of the carriageway' and bin their ideas to re-fence their boundary along the B 2190 as they remove the stakes and barbed wire erected last Friday. Is it really worth all the expense it will cost to move the existing boundary fence forward a few millimetres? Perhaps that 'contractor' who hopefully has now received his cheque from the previous owners of the land, was an experienced 'fencer' after all and made sure that the existing fence was 1m away from the edge of the carriageway!

It seems to Bertie that 'common-sense' should prevail in fencing matters rather than 'PR Company' prepared statements to extract oneself from a self inflicted predicament!

SAVIOUR OF THE WORLD?

I wonder how many households in Thanet, where income is gained by working at one of our four High Street stores owned by Woolworths ,would agree with Mr Brown's 'Freudian slip' in The Commons today? Quite frankly, we have to accept that Woolies was in trouble before the present recession and its expiry was just a question of time. Stock clearance, redundancy and closure are now the order of the day. The struggling High Streets in Margate, Cliftonville, Broadstairs and Ramsgate now await a further body blow.

With the German Finance Minister wading in with criticism of Labour's poor solutions to our present predicament, it might be wise to consider what the Brown solution really boils down to. Despite the big boom in the past 10 years based on 'credit', the only solution on offer seems to be that we must all be good citizens and carry on using our plastic and be voracious 'consumers' and carry on spending beyond our means.

Ignore the sinking pound, the balance of payments and the tax burden for the next Tory Government, let's now make those who we have supported on benefit now get out and work at the worst time in 10 years to go seeking a job!

I am a personal admirer of Frank Field whose attempts 10 years ago to reform and tighten up the benefit system were ignored by his own Government. The timing now is nonsense! I heard Frank Field on the radio today saying that of the 3 million jobs created in this country in the past 10 years, about 2 million had been taken up by immigrant labour. He regards his own Government's immigration policy dimly and I am not surprised with some forecasts putting the UK population as 70 million by 2028.

I fear we have a hard lesson to take on board. The good times are over.

Our manufacturing capacity has shrunk; we have relied on cheap imports and a retail boom created by 'easy' credit; we have relied on our 'financial services' to soften the balance of payments and they are now in melt-down mode. We have to wake up to the fact that our real standard of living is going to decline. The problem we face is accepting this harsh reality and how the British public will respond. I am concerned that we will start to see the most disadvantaged and the 'young' react to their 'stolen' expectations by taking to the streets and civil disorder next summer or earlier is a real and worrying prospect.

Bertie is in severely pessimistic mode tonight!

OUT OF THE STONE AGE

Many thanks to Dickie, as he sups hot toddies (made with single malts as I am sure he would not have a blended bottle in the Eastcliff Mansion) and recovers from his 'cod', for assisting me in putting some links in 'Strife'.

For those who might have thought that my lack of links was a matter of anal interest, could I make the point that Bertie is a pretty poor IT sort of chap, and isn't really capable of doing 'fancy stuff'. I had to get help earlier in the year to monitor some unpleasant posts (now switched off) and I can't even be bothered to count visitors. If you would like me to link to your blog in order to help expand the Mole Community in Thanet please add details to a comment to this post and I will do my best.

Should 'Strife' disappear for some strange reason don't think that CGP or 'Mauwice & Wodger' have nobbled me; it is more likely that Bertie has pressed the wrong ' bally' button at some stage whilst putting a 'link' on!

ROADS TO HELL

I was having a nostalgic moment listening to Chris Rea's song " Road to Hell" earlier this evening.
Some of you might know it. I have modified lyrics but only slightly:

"Well I'm standing on an aquifer,
But the water doesn't flow.
It boils with every poison you can think of.
And I am underneath the street lights and the light of joy I know
Scared beyond belief, way down in the shadows......"

As I listened I couldn't help thinking of our Thanet and then I heard the chorus lines:

"This aint no technological breakdown,
Oh , no, this is the road to hell."

Having avoided Westwood Cross, I see that Thanet Times is highlighting 'Christmas Misery' as grid lock on the newly opened and costly Thanet Access Road continues. The newshounds obviously read the letter in last Friday's IOTG from Mr R Smith from Ash in his letter 'New Road to Nowhere'. I suspect that poor Martin Jefferies at KM Extra is regretting his headline last week ' Road will ease Westwood jams' as much as 'Our Leader' regrets his words. This was the gem from 'Mauwice' (whose 'Edinburgh WoolGate' episode lumbers on towards a showdown in January), " but this road, whilst not a solution to all the problems will help ease congestion..."

The problem we have is that infrastructure and a strategic plan should have been established for Westwood Cross, way before it was developed and the road plan sorted in advance. TDC is now playing catch up with KCC and it is all too little and too late and makes a farce of sustainability and environmental considerations. A quick view of the area on Google Earth and with local knowledge would have raised the possibility of a 'clover leaf' arrangement utilising Poor Hole Lane; a road round Tesco site; a road round Sainsbury site and Star Lane/Nash Road. Heaven knows how it will all work out when 1000 homes along Nash Road come on stream and if 700 homes arrive on Eurokent ( if KCC/TDC's little property company gets its way).

There is however a fresh chance for TDC Planning to get 'strategic'. You will note how Infratil's Master Plan map below shows an access road that bangs through CGP's 'about to be re-fenced' Phase 3 land and its Phase 2 and dare I mention Phase 1 that is also affected despite Planning Consent on 9th Oct. The conflicting 'plans' need to be resolved before poor old Ken Wills has the front of his proposed 'Gateway Building' and nice pond having Infratil's road marching through it and the front has to be the back, like his nice Summit Building up by the B2190.


The eagle eyed will spot that the residents of Pouces Cottages are about to be stuck between a 'rock and a hard place'. If they can fight off Phases 2 and 3 of Gateway, they then have the problem of a main road (possibly dualled) at the end of their gardens instead of being surrounded by industrial sheds.

A RESPONSE FROM COMMERCIAL GROUP PROPERTIES

I suspect that phones have been ringing all morning down at CGP's offices down at Pysons Road Industrial Estate over a small piece of fencing on the B2190 at Manston.

This is the latest from CGP:

"We are simply following good practise by establishing the correct boundary. No one had written in or contacted us to request permission to park in the entrance to the gate or on the verge. We are merely establishing the boundary correctly since our purchase in 2007. The original fencing line was established by a previous tenant who was keeping livestock in the field adjacent to Pouces Cottages. This fence was originally constructed to keep live-stock safe and not to demonstrate the boundary of the land. With the agricultural tenancy coming to an end, CGP felt it important to erect a fence reflecting our ownership. We will be re-fencing the whole boundary line in due course with appropriate fencing material and not with barbed wire."

They are entitled to do so, as the new land-owners (this is the land earmarked for Phase 3 of China Gateway). Well its good to hear that safer fencing is going up! Pouces Cottages residents are not happy, understandably, and will need to advise visitors carefully about parking on this dangerous stretch of road but the owner's rights are the owner's rights.

I have reliable information that the original fencing contractor has been sent a cheque at the week-end by the previous tenants so we should not be seeing an angry man in a field rolling up his fencing and stakes. That said, he put in a jolly good fence along the road and it does seem an expensive and unnecessary job to put in a new fence; obviously CGP are not as 'cash-strapped' as some of us have thought!

THE COLD LIGHT OF DAY REVEALS A DEVELOPER'S FOLLY

The night-time pics of Commercial Property Group's 'first' development in Thanet did not show the full splendour of their tatty, petty fencing job to prevent Thanet residents at Pouces Cottages from parking on the verge near their cottages. The pic above shows clearly the intent behind it.

I am reliably informed that angry readers have already been in contact with KCC Councillors and MP Steve Ladyman. An interesting snippet that I have been unable to confirm with CGP yet, is that the contractor responsible for the professional fencing that was already in place and that has fenced off paddocks that are now not accessible from the road, has not been paid for his fencing work and has claimed that if he is not paid he intends to remove his work.

If this is true, then Andy and Rob and the CGP team will have a lot more fencing to do in due course!

A MEETING TO DISCUSS DEVELOPMENT IN THANET

You can go and pay £12 on Thursday for breakfast at Frank's gaff in Pegwell and listen to Rob Prince of CGP tell you about business opportunities that could be in the pipe-line if Phases 2 and 3 of 'China Gateway' get off the ground ( from IT , vending machines, signage and so much more?) or you might better spend your time in Ramsgate on Friday 12th at St George's Hall (free entrance) listening to Caroline Lucas , Green MEP for the South East, John Stewart of Airport Watch and Dr Hilary Newport, Director of CPRE Kent.

I would recommend the latter to save £12 and unless Frank has a new breakfast Chef go to your local Beano's first; reports from 'mole' who attended the 'Mauwice' & 'Wodger' Breakfast Show last month gave food a dismal report that was only slightly more inspiring than 'Wodger's Speech.

CGP GET NASTY AND PETTY WITH POUCES COTTAGES RESIDENTS

This was a notice received by residents at Pouces Cottages at Manston yesterday. One of the residents, Mr Brian Murray, rang up Andy at CGP to ask what they were going to do and why were they doing it. The reply related to me was along the lines of
" you weren't very neighbourly towards us (a referemce to Stop China Gateway Campaign presumably) so we are not being neighbourly to you". The pictures below awaited residents on their return tonight.




What CGP has done is deliberately block a parking space at the side of the cottages with a two strand barbed wire fence and to enclose a part of the verge where residents and visitors were able to park, partly off the road.

In one fell swoop, CGP has shown itself to be rather spiteful and vindictive and more worryingly has appeared to ignore safety issues by placing barbed wire strands so close to the Highway as to pose a hazard to pedestrians passing by. I am sure that KCC Highways, local KCC Cllrs and TDC Cllrs will have heard about this already.

Is this the way a major developer wishes to make friends and influence people positively? I would urge them to remove the fencing very quickly before Newspapers and TV Cameras descend on the fencing or before they are sued by a passing horse-rider or pedestrian.

WE WILL PAY FOR YEARS

How right 'Mauwice' is, I thought, as I arrived at Page 21 of today's IOTG. We will be paying for the Turner Centre for years.

However, the momentary thought that Bertie and 'Our Leader' might at last be agreeing on a topic was soon dispelled.

Of course we know that we will all be paying for Brown's profligacy with tax-payer's money for years ahead but cannot KCC and TDC realise that they are and have been part of the same game in wasting tax-payers money? How many extra posts have been created in local Government that could be dispensed with and should we really be paying the bloated salaries and gold-plated pensions? Before slinging 'brick-bats' at Central Government it would be nice if our Conservative Councils could exercise more restraint in profligate waste of our money.

IF YOU ARE A RAMSGATE RESIDENT, AND CAN STILL HEAR, READ ON.

I have held the view that Kent International Airport and its eventual success as an airport will be good news for Thanet. That said, my eardrums were blasted the other day as I was filling up with diesel at the garage on The Canterbury Road East and I looked up and counted the rivets on a plane going into land and I realised at first hand what the Residents of Ramsgate and ECR have to put up with. I therefore make no apology for showing you this letter that Steve Higgins has asked me to put up.


" Dear Residents,

I write to you with information from the Manston Airport Consultative Committee public meeting on Tuesday 2nd December 6:30pm
The meeting I felt was key to attend,
specifically as I live on the Ramsgate flight approach path and I'm very interested in developments at the airport suggested in its DraftMasterplan, published on 8th October. For those not familiar with its content, the Masterplan predicts growth, and sets out plans to accommodate 1.2 million passengers by 2010, 2 million passengers by 2013, and eventually rising to 6 million passengers by 2033. TheMasterplan also details how this will be achieved, and touches on the effect this will have on the surrounding environment. The full plan is available on the Manston Airport website.

Many facts and figures were discussed, but the points important to me and every otherRamsgate resident are obvious - increases in flights over our town will have a detrimental effect on our lives through continuous noise pollution. Flights will arrive for 70% of the time over Ramsgate, with planes only at 500ft creating noise levels of over 100 decibels for the noisiest aircraft, with the average maximum at 85 decibels. Nightflights, which have increased by 518% since the current owners took ownership, will wake you from your sleep on occasions. Ramsgate MainSands, the town centre and harbour will all suffer from increased noise levels. This will only work to discourage visitors and new business from coming to Ramsgate. House prices will depress at a greater rate versus other parts of Thanet that are not under the flight path.

Only two members of the public attended the meeting last night. The public has until 19th December to officially respond to the Masterplan. The next step for the Masterplan is to submit a full planning applicationto the council, who fervently support all development up to 10 million passengers a year at Manston.
You can voice your opinion in many ways; by electronic feedback on the Manston Airport website; by writing to your local councillor (details available onTDC's website); or by writing to your local MP, Stephen Ladyman.

If you think airport expansion is a bad thing for Ramsgate, you have to makeyour voice heard before its too late.

Kind Regards
Steve Higgins

GO AND NATTER TO TDC AT NORTHDOWN HOUSE NEXT WEEK

Item 7 on tonight's Cabinet Meeting includes consideration of the report By Democratic Services and Scrutiny on the petition "Say No to The Sale of Northdown House" signed by 1898 fellow citizens and presented to Council on 24 July. Having sought legal advice, TDC accepts usage or occupancy is subject to Covenant and it seems that this can be 'passed on' to a new occupier. (That's Bertie's reading of Paragraph 3.2.3 of Item 7 on The Agenda). Here it is in TDC gobbledygook and see if you can make sense of it.

"There are a (sic) community, charitable, social housing , social services, healthservice etc usage/occupancy of Northdown House. With the property (and therefore covenants) transferred to the new owner. Or, transfer of the Northdown House (with covenants) to the community itself."

Anyway, TDC will be moving carefully on this 'asset' issue and no report will be sent back to Cabinet in regard to Northdown House until there is public consensus on the best option. That will be music to the ears of 1898 petitioners.

Next week on WED 10th DECEMBER, you can go down to Northdown House between 3.00 and 7.00pm and talk to officers and make your viewpoint known. You can also ask them precisely what Paragraph 3.2.3 means, and let me know if the tree is still growing out of the chimney stack and how the 'gutter garden' is doing (see Picture above).

JOIN HOOT AND MAKE YOUR VOICE HEARD

Around the Isle people are objecting to development and over-development in their hundreds ad even thousands, and TDC still wish to proceed with Asset Disposal although now is certainly not the time to sell. No wonder it was reported that whilst Sir Bob was cheered by Thanetonians last Saturday, 'Our Leader' was booed. It might be sensible to slow down the whole process, 'Mauwice'?

HOOT has had to rekindle its campaign and if you have not already sent off your thoughts to TDC on the subject, please do so by close of play tomorrow. Just e-mail Hannah Thorpe at TDC hannah.thorpe@thanet.gov.uk .

You can also sign the on-line petition at http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/Hoot?e

DROPPINGS FROM THE MOLE HILLS

Mole minor reports that TDC Cabinet Meeting this Thursday 4th December, will be discussing the Annual Monitoring Report (AMR) and changing the Local Development Scheme. It would seem that GOSE has indicated it would support changes to employment land being re-designated for housing. So the moves to put 700 houses on Eurokent seem to be going nicely and that re-designation for prime agricultural land for CGPs Phases 2 and 3 Gateway will presumably follow in due course. It does seem odd that Minster Parish Council Minutes last month refer to KCC stating that Eurokent proposals (lots of houses) could " see the possible allocation of £3,000 to all Parish Councils in Kent". Anyone interested in how Thanet is to be over-developed in the next few years should attend The Cabinet Meeting on Thursday.

The news from the burrows in Ramsgate is that a member of a certain airport group was seen in the company of a London Financier this morning in a Mercedes Benz Mclaren Sportster (basic models start at £300,000) down at Ramsgate Harbour. Overheard snippets would indicate that Boris' Airport Island was being discussed and a local view was being sought about the viability of our Kent International Airport and its grand master plans.

Cousins in Maidstone ( Talpa eurpaea plodiensis) report that Tesco bag contents still have an "ongoing investigation into circumstances surrounding the disclosure of the papers."

The Talpa Clan in Minster are reputedly concerned about the lack of progress in the planting of Community Woodland there. It would seem that Minster Parish Council has sent constant reminders to TDC that funding for this woodland was the subject of a Section 106 agreement but nothing has happened. Mole control has suggested that they contact The Montefiore Action Group who were promised over £30,000 for woodland planting in Ramsgate years ago as part of a Section 106 agreement that has still not been enforced by TDC. The probability of The Community Woodland Project in Minster being completed before 2015, if ever, seems low.

The last report has come in from other cousins in Maidstone (Talpa europaea carterensis) that the KCC Cabinet Member for Highways, Keith Ferris, 'was not aware of Chinagate development proposals". Mole control finds this hard to believe but given the fixation on making mega-bucks from building houses on Eurokent , is not surprised.