I hope that I have managed to precis what has been a complicated tale for readers but the question that now needs to be asked is where to next?.
Cllrs at Full Council on 23 April made it clear that they did not really want to consider the item but we still await the next move by TDC. Do they intend to accept that their grubby, cheap attempt to put a house on this land when having no freehold to offer a developer, has incurred waste of tax-payers money, Councillor's time and resident's not inconsiderable expense? Or could it just be possible that they carry on digging deeper into the hole they are in? I have heard a rumour that G. Day were the builders/developers who placed the present fence in the wrong position in the first place that has included land TDC has no title to freehold for. Was Cllr Day, who has been a keen supporter of this project on Planning, aware of this? What developers are showing interest in this scheme? Would TDC care to name them?
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I believe it is long overdue for TDC to comply with its own Cabinet directive of August 2008 and go back to the Ward Cllr and residents and re-commence discussions to dispose of the land as gardens to residents, which is where the saga began in 2007! The serious issue of what poor and incorrect advice was given to Cllrs by Officers and why, is up to Cllrs to ponder and then to perhaps act on?
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One has to ask the question whether Cllr Latchford and Mr White are prepared to admit that they got this issue wrong and apologise to all concerned? It seems to me that this is the only way, tax-payers are going to benefit from an asset disposal of this nature. There is a real danger that TDC might find itself owning scrub-land that is worth something as gardens but could be of little value at all, if it transpires that access to it is not possible!
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Whilst it is the duty of TDC to maximise the return for tax-payers on asset disposal, in this matter it seems to have not acted in the tax-payer's interests or considered the interests of the residents in Dumpton Park Drive.
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This saga would seem to have further to run yet. In the meantime, I intend to go along to support a Summer Fete organised by the residents, on Saturday 11 July on their 'village green'. I wonder if there will be a coconut shy with pictures of various well known faces glued to coconuts?
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9 comments:
Surely any project like this would have to go out to tender to developers. I wonder though whether the 'fencing' did so or whether is was just a job for one of the boys, G Day and Cllr Day being one and the same. I think there would be a case to answer if it went ahead and G Day were awarded the contract. I wonder how many other TDC building projects have been handed to this firm.
Where to next? any bit of garden or unbuilt space near you. Thanet should be renamed Concrete Island.
I have to say that your coverage of this issue is quite simply superb.
Once more, its clear to me if no one else that both elected representatives and officers of Thanet council are not quite as good as one would hope for.
You would need to make enquiries with TDC, perhaps through FoI,07:40?
Tony, thanks for that. Nice to know that efforts are appreciated.
You only have to be a mate of our Sandy or hard working member of the Tory party to get your way with Brian White's department, they will pursue your enquiries but if you are in turn the subject of any enquiries you are let off the hook because any enquiries are too expensive or inconvenient to explore!
Surely there must be conflict of interest that must be declared. Otherwise this must almost ammount to criminal deception!
I'm afraid it's called Conservative control in East Kent Bertie but nothing like David Cameron's touchie feelie politics here, any communications done with dirty deals and less than half truths and it is called Thanet District council, sad but true!Also reflects very poorly on the calibre of the executive officers who are too weak to stand up to the elected mafia!
Executive officers standing up to councillors?
No, more like 'officers working with senior Tory councillors'.
Great story Bertie, forensically told. Everyone who is disgusted by what they've read here should go along on Saturday 11 July at 2.00pm to the Dumpton Park Village Green Day. Shining a light on this shady affair is a valuable thing. It will be interesting to see what creatures go scuttling for cover as the illumination intensifies. These people need everyone's support. You never know, it could be you next. Let's put a stop to it here.
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