For those living in St Peter's , could I show you a picture of one of your Ward Councillors just in case you didn't know she was your Ward Councillor..
Perhaps Zita Wiltshire needs to take the example on how to to be a 'good Ward Councillor' from Cllr Simon Moores in Westgate in view of the problem with Gas Main work in her ward. (My understanding from locals in Westgate , was that when similar problems ocurred in Westgate, Cllr Moores visited businesses; listened to concerns and did his best to ameliorate the disruption and talked to contractors doing the work.)
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Cllr Zita Wiltshire's approach worries me, though. I know she is one of 'Mauwice's Exalted' as a Cabinet member but she seems to have forgotten she also represents St. Peter's. Let me explain why.
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Cllr Wiltshire was actually in St Peter's earlier today to visit The St Peter's Village Tour 'stalwarts'. She was heard to complain about 'how difficult it was to get to her meeting'!!!
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Where has she been for the past few weeks? As Ward Councillor for St Peter's had she not noticed the impact of traffic restrictions and chaos on residents and on the livliehood of businesses in the centre of the ward she is meant to represent? Whilst she may not be able to dramatically alter the situation, does she not think that her 'constituents' may like to see her taking an interest and not just when Elections are due?
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I could of course have it all wrong and she has actually been very busy doing her utmost to get Scottish Gas Networks to sign more effectively and get on with the job, like I am sure her other TDC Ward Councillors in St Peter's, Cllrs Gregory and Savage and KCC Councillor Hayton have been doing?
6 comments:
I have to disagree Cllr Wiltshire is a hard working and very dedicated councillor and works very hard in Broadstairs and Thanet.She takes issues very seriously.If all at Thanet Towers were as hard working as she is Thanet would be an ideal paridise.The Gas works is a Highways issue after all Cllr Tim Seed has a florist shop in Church street was his eye on the ball?
Doesn't this lady have the portfolio for communities. Doesn't seem she has much of a grasp of the word.
Ken Gregory boasted in a blog after the St. Peter's Village Tour was awarded a prestigious tourism trophy, that he walked his ward twice a week. Really, Ken? It's odd that no-one seems to have seen you in the past few weeks when local businesses are struggling to cope with weeks of upheaval. Your colleague, Cllr. Savage, lives on the village green and must be facing difficulties every day but has he visited any of the businesses? Not one. Cllr. Wiltshire was in one of the businesses having a 'cuppa' yesterday but seemed surprised to find most of the area inaccessible. She didn't, so far as I could see, even commiserate with the coffee shop owner or ask how she's been affected. I guess she doesn't walk the ward twice a week either.
Wake up, councillors. You'll be up for re-election soon enough and the locals won't have forgotten this chaos and your failure to even take the trouble to see anyone. Even if there's little that could be done to speed things up, you could at least have tried to get the right road signs up telling people which streets are closed/open.
We have the same problem in Hereson road Ramsgate. It must be a priority that works goes on for seven days a week on Major schemes that cause disruption.
Apparently changes were put immediately in place to protect traffic to Pfizers and the new Electrical scheme for the wind turbines so why not Broadstairs and Hereson Road.
St Lukes avenue is going to get the gas closure treatment shortly, this being an annual event the locals are better prepared, unless you come from the outside the area then expect chaos.
Walter
Cllr. Seed is a Broadstairs and St. Peter's Town Councillor for Viking ward. Cllr. Wiltshire represents St. Peter's Ward on Thanet District Council. The point is that no councillor from any ward has done anything to help the traders.
I live in the area and have never seen Cllr. Wiltshire out and about getting involved. Perhaps anonymous 23.57 you'd be kind enough to enlighten us. The issue is she was in a business that is being affected but didn't even bother to raise the topic of the road closure with the owner. Not even a sympathetic remark. that was Bertie's point.
Some help with getting the road signs sorted would help.
The traders say, contrary to the report in the press, no-one was warned about the coming disruption. There was a notice up at the church hall and one on a lamp-post. Hardly keeping people informed.
There is no sign up at Green Lane or on any junction for St. Peter's Road to say there is no way through. Not surprisingly the pub landlord is less than thrilled at the number of vehicles trying to turn in his car park, causing chaos as there is a taxi office there so not always much spare room.
No-one from the company has liaised with anyone affected.
After barely three weeks the work is already running over. Hardly surprising when it's never more than two men working and some of the equipment has broken down and is standing idly.
Bertie,
I notice no response from Cllr. Gregory on here. Odd that, when he's usually quick to defend himself and his colleagues.
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