A Pink or Family Margate? What an apalling programme 'The Apprentice' is, and yet because Margate is featured, TDC think it worthy of a news release..
The sad reality is that the focus was centred on Margate Beach, a God given asset, and the stark reality of the decline in the past 6 years in particular was ignored. Yes, there was passing and almost missed reference to boarded up premises but what struck me most was the only activity the 'Family' team could come up with for a 'rainy windswept day' was clay modelling in a small local gallery.
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Unless we realise that TC is an expensive irrelevance and that a 'Heritage Funfair' is farcical, bloggers will be writing about Margate's further decline for years to come. An Independent Planning expert has already told us that the Dreamland Site and surrounding area is the key to Margate's regeneration and TDC has ignored his advice.
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When will TDC and others wake up to the reality of our climate and accept that unless Margate has capacity to look after visitiors in 'all weathers' and seasons with suitable facilities that can only be accommodated in the Dreamland/Arlington area, then Margate can never be 're-packaged' as a visitor attraction other than on fine days to visit the beach. The beach is our only attraction and will be for a long time to come by the look of it.
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A rundown Dreamland Amusement Park attracted 4 times as many visitors in a year as TC is aiming to attract, as recently as 2005; doesn't that register with anyone? Clearly not, as we have a thriving and expensive car-park on The Harbour Arm (does it have Planning Consent to be a car park?), the TC Mark 2 under construction and precious little else other than some struggling businesses hanging on for better times that are unlikely to come.
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It would be be petty of me to ask TDC or any of our Cllrs if we have recovered the £45,000 from MTCRC for fencing when we close our Museums for less expenditure and if they were ever serious about compulsory purchase of Dreamland vis a vis the burned down Scenic Railway and TDC's threats to do so 14 months ago if it wasn't restored. Has it been restored and has the tax-payer got £45,000 back yet? What a silly question to ask.
16 comments:
Bertie
The programme did not do Margate justice.
If you go to Rochester, they have an excellent museum based around the Dickens heritage - very informative for children and parents alike, and Medway council support it.
The sooner Sandy and his rabble realise that the Council has to spend/subsidise a bit of history/culture the betterEVEN IF IT COSTS MONEY,that is the only way forward - pain for gain! We only have Quex which is 2 miles away and not suitable for those who arrive by public transport.
You have to provide something for people to do on a wet day otherwise they won't risk the weather and bother to come.
I am glad we have found out who the man on the tv was - he didnt seem to offer anymore vision than the Apprentices and we're paying for him!
You are sounding so twisted and sour these days Bertie that I seriously worry about your state of mind.
While you are no doubt an intelligent fellow, have you never learned that it never does any good to continually throw mud at people who are doing their best, under very difficult circumstances, to turn things around. It doesn't help them, and it doesn't help you.
I expect that those who get involved in local politics, or in regeneration at the local council, do so because they genuinely want to change things for the better. When they get there I am sure that they get equally angry and frustrated as you.
If you believe that you can do a better job then I suggest you put yourself up for election. I might even vote for you. But you have already made your first mistake and misjudgement by resigning from the only party that could probably get you elected right now. So you are not so clever after all?
Looks like everyone's given up caring, Bertie. Or gone to Le Blackpool!
I agree we have a shambolic bunch of no-hopers running the council, but despite every blogger's best efforts they keep soldiering on, turning everything they touch to sh*te.
I agree Jeremy; no basic research done at all by the teams.
10.08, that's your view to which you are entitled. I think it was Cromwell who said about the Barebones Parliament that 'fools worried him more than knaves' and this could apply equally to TDC as we clearly have our fair share of both.
To point out that our primary site for regeneration of Margate has sat derelict for almost 4 years now as TDC was warned would happen by an independent planning inspector is fact not mud-slinging. With tax-payers and charitable money, we might get an art gallery and a Heritage Funfair? This misguided approach by TDC is almost as awful as the Apprentice make-overs.
As for standing as a Councillor, it would seem to me that joining Tom King as an Independent looks like a better option as a candidate than being attached to any main political party for some time to come.
ECR - I expect that when dear Shirl finds out who you are you will be spending weeks digging yourself out of all the sh*te that her boys will dump on your doorstep.
And when you do get out I expect that her Parks team will be waiting to ram their shovels up your a**e!
Yes, but you never get to MAKE the policy in TK's position. Just to vote on it. You have a lot to learn my friend.
Well said Bertie and there's others who will join you - you'd be able to offer more leadership than the current TDC what with your military training!
17.51, of course you are right if we assume that the electorate will continue to just tick Conservative or Labour without thinking.
However, I suspect that the past week's revelations about corruption and possible criminality on a massive scale amongst MPs from all parties and two Labour Lords might just create a desire to support Independents. We will have to wait and see.
I believe that a catastrophe has ocurred at Westminster which might have far reaching repercussions on June 4; either a very low turn out or a massive protest vote to Inds, UKIP, Greens, Lib Dems or heaven help us all, the BNP.
An earthquake has ocurred in the British political scene and what the ramifications will be and the 'aftershocks' might turn out to hold, may well surprise the 'established' Parties. Your assumption that Conservatives or Labour will control TDC in 2011 with Independents sitting idle on back benches might well be optimistic. A large proportion of Independents who might actually have a majority if they form an Alliance might well be the situation we will see. Interesting times lie ahead and perhaps the 'rules' in Thanet could be altered.
An Alliance of "Independents" is a contradiction in terms. Another mistake.
I think the most interesting point made on Question Time recently was from the lady in the audience who said "Never mind what you have done for yourselves, look what you have done to our country". And I think that is what future debate should be about.
Politicians have stood by and watched as the social fabric of our country has disintegrated. We the public know that many children don't understand what respect for authority means, that many adults expect to have rights but not responsibilities, and that standards of behaviour at every level have deteriorated to the point where anything goes and the rest of us are not allowed to question it.
We also expect that our rulers consider our interests above the needs of outsiders, and I am sure that we are all tired of their feeble excuses for failing to address all of the above points.
So I will vote for a politician who tells me that he understands and will address my concerns. And not for one who doesn't appear to have a plan to do do anything apart from criticise the efforts of others.
Forgive me 16.04, but an Alliance of independent nation states combined in WW2 did they not? I therefore see no contradiction in the term, an Alliance of Independents.
If the Telegraph revelations show us one common strand, it is that MPs from both Labour and Conservative are equally guilty of a lack of integrity. The cosy position in Thanet of a Labour administration handing over to a Conservative administration and vice versa over the years, has failed to solve the deep rooted problems in Thanet and in Margate in particular in 11 'boom' years. Who is to say that a bunch of Independent Cllrs with a majority on the Council could not do better?
By the way, isn't your own party Leader critcising this Labour Government at the moment with very little substance about how a new Conservative Government would do better? He is of course wise to be vague at this stage, as Blair showed how quickly good ideas can be grabbed and incorporated into one's own policies.
I remember meeting one of our current crop of TDC Tories and asked him why he'd gone into local politics. Not surprisingly the answer was 'to make a difference' but so far as I can see the only difference he made was to increase his income via his allowances. I cannot point to one beneficial 'difference' he or his colleagues have made locally. Meanwhile he gets over £4000 a year (plus any additional bits he may get for a supporting role to a cabinet member).
Turn out and vote? I will because if I don't one of the fringe parties could get a toe-hold and for four years run things in Kent, Ramsgate or Europe.
Tell us Bertie, so that we know why we should vote for you when the time comes. What great piece of wisdom or knowlwdge could you bring to the party that others at officer and member level at TDC have not already brought? What experience do you have of running anything? Do you have great communication and interpersonal skills that make people at party, officer, KCC, et al level want to listen and follow you?
We see every day that you are good at knocking things down, often without very convincing arguments, but this is a trait common to around 95% of the population.
So tell us about your positive characteristics.
10.54, I note the distinct change in nature of comments on Strife recently, epitomised by your latest offering. I cannot remember stating an intention to stand for TDC in 2011 as an Independent, but you have now got me thinking about it. Thanks. I will share my 'prospectus' with you should I decide to do so.
This of course has nothing to do with Thanet's first blogger, accepting a Cabinet post and acting as 'watchman' for his Conservative Colleagues has it? I am glad to see a campaign of hitting back going so well. Well done!
You are already acting like a politician Bertie. Honest questions are asked, and all you do is duck and dive to avoid answering.
Seeing as you publish a blog offering opinions on everything under the sun, it seems perfectly reasonable to put you on the spot to see if you have substance to support your many postings.
As someone has said before, blogging is the lowest form of political comment (short of dropping a turd through the letterbox of No.10).
Do you have substance Bertie?
13.38, hadn't heard that one about turds; like it!
I hope you enjoy the mix of opinions, (mine and other comments) and rest assured that you will be one of the first to read a 'manifesto' on Strife if I decide that my District needs me in 2011.
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