Monday 22 February 2010

THE 'ARSEHOLES' OF THANET?

 

I must ask readers to forgive the vulgarity in the title but I will explain why it needs to be printed in full.
Last week it would seem that Cllr Hart touched a raw nerve when pointing out at Council that officers at a meeting with Council tenants and leaseholders implied they were too' thick' to understand and reply sensibly to a consultation and 'ballot' concerning TDC forming an Arms Length Management Organisation (ALMO) with other Councils, to administer the maintainance of TDC properties affecting them. This arrogant attitude to its electorate would seem to be embedded at TDC.

Readers of Friday's IOTG would have spotted Mike Pearce on The Flipside discussing the cost for us all of the TC farce. How is this relevant you may ask?  Read on.
He quoted a reply from a very senior TDC Officer over lunch, a few years ago, who replied to his question "Why do you think people are so opposed to it? (The TC project)". The reply was revealing:

'He smirked and said, " If you ask a*******s , that's the answer you would expect".

It should therefore be no surprise  that TDC Cabinet has resisted consulting with and balloting its tenants and leaseholders about the administration of their properties being moved to an ALMO, formed jointly with other Councils, despite  being urged by its own Scrutiny Panel to do so (ignored) and had to be dragged by a Full Council to even consider a 'consultation' that 'might lead to a ballot', last week.

How demeaning and fatuous this statement, made by Cabinet Member Cllr Zita Wiltshire the day after Full Council insisted on a 'consultation', thus appears:

"It's vital that we properly consult with tenants and leaseholders about these proposals and they have the opportunity to voice any views that they have about the plans. I think it's encouraging that we were all able to agree on the importance of a detailed consultation with the tenants, before any further consideration is given to a ballot. I think we can all agree that we need to ensure tenants' and leaseholders' voices are clearly heard and their views are taken into account before any decisions are made."

Well, madam, your Cabinet ignored its own Scrutiny Committee but couldn't ignore Full Council and now you issue a Press release giving the impression that this is what you intended to do all along? This is 'spin' and balderdash that matches The Labour Government's spin and balderdash, that you claim to despise, yet you do the same.

It just confirms to us 'a*******s in Thanet that you do not really want to consult us and even when you do, you ignore us.


13 comments:

Anonymous said...

Seems to me that the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity (DETR Circular 06/2001) has been largely ignored by the anuses of Thanet!!!

derick97 said...

I see DM's throwing his toys out of the pram over you putting this on here, must have touched a nerve.
I must say his analogy to the alamo's about right when talking about TDC, they are cowboys

Anonymous said...

"It just confirms to us 'a*******s in Thanet that you do not really want to consult us and even when you do, you ignore us. "

Have you been bugging the council offices, it sounds a direct quote from the leader of tdc Hail Ezeikiel all hail speaking to the Chief of all the officers Richard Samuels on one of the odd days he manages to grace margate with his august being.

Anonymous said...

Arrr Bertie

here I am, Cpt of bugger all - and thinking of luggers,buggers and sea shanties, I am turning over a few thoughts (and Mabel) on this ere chartroom table, a thought crossed my mind of our first mate Kent and by God he is a farter, when the wind wouldn't blow, and when the fighting Contemporaire wouldn't go, Kent the farter would start 'er.

Avast yer Landlubbers and stand by to be boarded up as well as ye olde Shoppe and Taverns!!!

Arrrr

Cpt Flint (ard and sparky)

Message Ends:

Anonymous said...

Talking of a*******s, I see that you've provoked a reply from Moores on Thanet Life.

Now you know your onto something when he comes alive to deny anything!

Mind you, he is a Margate Charter Trustee so one must suspect that his memory is going as well.

Bertie Biggles said...

derick97, I think that DM's done a good job in explaining the ALMO set up in regard to TDC's Tenants and leaseholders. What I am unclear about is why Scrutiny needed to look at the process if it was going to be followed correctly. It is not the subject of Cllr Wiltshire's press release that is odd but its timing. It might have been better to have announced the process of consultation some time ago and surely it didn't require a 'motion' in Council and debate to agree to a consultation if one is required by The Sec of State?

I presume savings will come by making Council Officers redundant as their jobs are taken over by the ALMO. I wlll be interested to see if real savings accrue to the tax-payer.

Unknown said...

When a strategic decision is being sought, it's only proper that the subject goes before a politically impartial scrutiny group.

You can hardly accuse me of "throwing my toys out of the pram2 when I'm simply explaining both the process and the thinking that lies behind it!

Don Wood said...

Bertie savings you say in my experience all that happens is side ways promotion and any savings are only on paper in truth costs go up but are given another name. But then I know sod all cos I am one of the ARSEHOLES refered too

Anonymous said...

"The Respect Standard" Pledge for Housing associations was brought out November 2007 TDC have failed to even acknowledge this when other housing associations have respected this for the past 2 years, what does that say for our beloved TDC.

The lack of respect TDC shows to all and sundry makes me wince. Just how many times have we seen in the past 3 years councillors verbally abusing and attacking others even women in a public place. So why should we expect them to sign up to respect the tenancy and leaseholders agreements.
Over and over again we have seen their total lack of respect towards the properties they are in charge of. No enforcements are made to improve the lives of others whom are victims of other tenants, months go past before anything is done when tenants and Leaseholders abuse their properties, how much longer do we have to put up with this laxadaisey way of life, when noone is made to pay for their crimes.
The respect Standard was brought out for a reason, the reason being to protect the lives of tenants and leaseholders who are being victimised by others who do not care. Tdc and other Housing Ass should be working with the tenants who csause no trouble and show respect to others, not the other way round.
Perhaps we also have a lot of ignorant TDC workers who do not understand plain english. It works both ways you know!!!!!!1

Anonymous said...

I suspect Bertie that so few want to work at TDC that what we are left with are officers that are the dross that no one else will employ. I have experienced their level of 'expertise' on several occasions and have been very far from impressed.

The 'aresholes' comment is surely the pot calling the kettle black.

Anonymous said...

A strategic decision like turning the library into a benefit office you mean?
Or one that sees China mega-development at Manston maybe?
Scrutiny commitees? Don't make me laugh.

Anonymous said...

TDC officers generally have no saavy being alpha-meson brained a*******s with an iq of 38 who are only interested in their paychecks and maintaining a secret squirrel mentality to hide the nuts from the citzens. The quote exemplifies their crass ignorance and contempt for the populace. There's a saying "If you pay peanuts you get monkeys" which in TDC's case equates to "If you pay megabucks you get monkeys anyway".

The motto should be "Lets all hide behind bureaucracy!"

Anonymous said...

Crap, Anuses and Arseholes, is their a similarity here and how TDC operates...I think there is!!