THE SAGA OF TDC's 'SCHMIDT MACHINE'

Readers might need some light relief from the will it/ wont it Euroferries Bonanza Express story, although that said the 'Schmidt Machine' seems to have cost the tax-payer a considerable amount of money. That said, what has the Euroferries business cost us so far?
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My picture shows a 'Schmidt City Jet 6000', one of which, I have been informed by a TDC employee, was purchased in 2003. If you have been fortunate enough to see it operating in Thanet, you will have been looking at £94,000 or so of kit. However, rumour has it that this bit of kit doesn't do a good job; it polishes stuck gum on the pavement rather than removing it and if you are silly enough to stand to its rear you are likely to be sprayed with regurgitated dirty effluent.
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I am interested in this tale because it appears to be yet another example of utter waste of tax-payers' money by TDC. This machine has cost us £15,000 per year so far to operate. It would appear to have been a dubious spending of Regeneration Budget money authorised by the then Cllr Ingrid Spencer( now 'Our Leader's choice in Dane Valley as a candidate), without reference to any Committtee; without following Contract Procedure Rules and without really grasping that staff needed training to operate it.
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Sources tell me it has spent more time in the depot gathering dust than keeping our streets clean, mainly due to lack of trained staff to operate it. If it had been doing its stuff for 30hrs per week for 50 weeks of the year for 6 years, the capital cost would be down to just over £10 per hour now. The real question is, how many hours has it done? This Schmidt machine is more likely to have cost us over £100 per hour for each hour it has actually been operated!
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Is that really a good use of regeneration money?

EUROFERRIES ALL SET TO GO IN RAMSGATE?

With 12 days to go untill the first Euroferries sailing from Ramsgate by The Bonanza Express, a staff photographer dropped into Ramsgate Port this morning to take some pictures of the preparations afoot for the 'dedicated Euroferries terminal'.

All a bit odd really. No signs; no evidence of a dedicated terminal; no reserved Euroferries lanes; no staff running through procedures etc etc. Clearly a lot will have to be done in the next 12 days. All a bit disappointing as we had hoped to report on a Euroferries set up like the Trans Europa chaps shown in the pic below.
Tried to make a reservation and couldn't on line but got flicked to a general ferry ticket site but no mention of Euroferries. I then started wondering.
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Does anyone know of staff recruited to run Euroferries operation in Ramsgate? Has anyone started training? Have uniforms been decided yet? When will the dedicated terminal be ready? Has anyone succeeded in booking a journey? Where is Bonanza Express? Have any plans been made to have training runs across the briney so ferry skipper and crew practice getting into and out of berths and the hazardous business of crossing the busiest shipping lanes in the world?
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As Bertie isn't a jolly jack- tar sort of guy and barely knows starboard from port, he can only assume that the way ferry services get set up is all in a last minute rush or if that is not the case, then is the 14th November going to see Bonanza loading and departing?
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Rumour has it that BBC South East are taking an interest in the start of the service and Maritime affairs at Ramsgate in general, as their Inside-Out Prog visited last spring and chatted to 'Woger' down at the Port. Well we know TDC have had all sorts of odd financial 'goings on', going on, in its Maritime Services in general recently and at Ramsgate in particular, with a major sacking involved but with no explaination, so a continuing muddle is to be expected perhaps. Hope Beeb doesn't ask too many embarrassing questions this time round.
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Off to LD in Dover instead, as they seem cheaper and at least have real ferries up and running; rather glad I couldn't make a booking with Euroferries as I still have nagging doubts; this is after all the THIRD start date so far this year - "Left hand down a bit"!

TDC's WARPED VISION FOR THANET

What an extraordinary vision for Thanet, Ezekiel and his cronies seem to have for Thanet's future. If you haven't done so yet, you need to read TDC's vision for The Future that is up for 'consultation' as Thanet's Local Development Framework and can be accessed on TDC's website.
It seems to favour big-business, developers, covering the Isle in concrete and regarding current local inhabitants as deprived, dependent plebs. The picture above gives you some idea of the problem. I find it amazing that the document includes phrases like; "high level protection for the environment" - "sustainable development" and " development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own neeeds". So when the aquifer is gone and Thanet's versatile agricultural land is built on, what about food and drink as basic needs?

The first 50 odd pages seems a justification to redesignate Eurokent (owned by EKO i.e TDC/KCC/us and Rose Farm Estates) as residential land and not employment land as shown in The Thanet Plan 2006. I warned readers early last year that this was likely to happen and in September 2008 this was confirmed by the 'vision' in the pic below and now in the LDF. Instead of employment land, they want Eurokent to be 600 odd houses etc for....... you make your own mind up!
What is one to make of quote after quote of which these are just a few illustrations:
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"a good supply of QUALITY family homes in pleasant residential neighbourhoods (i.e Eurokent)
is an important factor not only to meet existing aspirations but also to attract investors in high value job creating development."
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"discourage in-migration by economically dependent households and meet aspirations of households in high value employment."
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" It is particularly important... to plan for an increase in the type of homes that will meet the aspirations of employers and economically active households aspiring to higher value jobs and to dampen further homes of a type attracting in-migration by dependent and vulnerable people".
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Now forgive me but how many Thanet residents that TDC Councillors represent can afford £250,000 + houses in what will be the 'posh' suburb of Westwood Cross? ( now designated as THE PRIMARY TOWN CENTRE FOR THANET!) Excuse me while I reach into an old Tesco Bag and dig out the bits about about 500 Chinese staff at China Gateway needing housing for their families.
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But you might say, that Ezekiel is on public record as saying that'no further farmland will be designated for employment purposes for China Gateway Phases 2 and 3.' So he is, but what do you make of this from the LDF? You must appreciate that whatever lame excuses used to depart from The Thanet Plan 2006 to re-designate Eurokent as 'housing', the following from the LDF on Page 43 should make you realise that China Gateway or similar can get the go ahead:
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D9: Set out specific based criteria to be WEIGHED AGAINST OTHER POLICIES (all those nice ones about preserving Thanet's highly productive farmland etc) when determining applications for job creating development WHOSE REQUIREMENTS may not be met by existing allocated or safeguarded sites".
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Let me put this in plain English. Most of Manston Business Park has already been developed or has China Gateway Phase 1 approved by Planning last year and if Eurokent is taken out what is left for employment? CGP or CGI has already been in negotiation with EKO about the rest of Manston Business Park. So what this means is quite simple, give TDC a big employment development plan and it will now have the LDF to justify granting planning consent for the building of wharehouses or whatever, on any site left in Thanet on open farmland.
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Who says China Gateway Phases 2 and 3 will not happen?
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This is the same Council that made sure Dreamland's owners doubled the value of its property by a quirky decision that led to its dereliction for 5 years . What other developers will see their land increase in value with this open ended policy that has no restriction to it.
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So the cheap imitation of a poor US shopping Mall, Westwood Cross, is, at the scribble of a TDC pen to become the 'premier' town centre in Thanet whilst Ramsgate, Margate and Broadstairs just have to get on with it. Does anyone in their right mind, other than TDC, think Westwood Cross can be described as a 'town centre'? As for the poor common man in Thanet, you don't come into the equation if you cannot aspire to a £ 250,000 house in a nice suburb that used to be called Eurokent Business Park. Even if you go down to sit on the beach and wonder how your minimum wage salary will get you through the month, you will find that your peaceful view to the horizon, that is meant to be a real plus point for visitors, has been blighted by the positioning of Thanet Wind Farm and The London Array.
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If you have persevered, dear reader, with this post, could I leave you with the TDC view in its LDF document about that industrial estate outside Birchington, called Thanet Earth. (A recent post and its comments confirms that there are few Thanetonians employed there!) :
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"The Thanet Earth was exceptionally permitted on land outside Thanet Business Parks in light of its significant potential to strengthen and diversify Thanet's economic and employment base."
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Really?

SUPPORT THE LABOUR CANDIDATE IN DANE VALLEY ON 3rd DEC!

As an ex North Thanet Conservative Asssociation chap, Bertie finds it strange to be advocating support in his ward for Mrs Sandra Hart, the prospective Labour Candidate for Dane Valley Ward and of course Clive Hart's wife.

There is no doubt that since 2003 when Labour Candidate Ken Gregory (yes,'Our Ken' who seems to switch Parties like a yo-yo) lost to Conservative Ian Gregory, Labour has had a tough time in Dane Valley.
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Since 2007, it would be fair to say that the only Conservative Councillor of the 3 elected (all had my votes at the time), who has served Dane Valley properly has been Cllr Mike Jarvis. The problem,as Bertie sees it, is that Watt-Ruffell, our teetotal strict methodist, has been busy being Mayor and inviting psychics to his parlour; Jarvis having upset 'Our Leader' by thinking for himself on Planning and thus getting sacked (would Bradgate have got its extension on farmland with him and Cllr Bruce on Planning still?) has legged it to KCC, perhaps disgusted with his own Tory Leadership in Thanet; and the less said about Broadhurst the better, although unkind comments are that he took himself off to sulk in Panama, when his firm lost TDC's Security Contract.
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So why do I recommend Mrs Hart? Simple really. Dane Valley needs proper representation by a hard- working local Councillor. With the exception of one or two very hard working Conservative Councillors, who get stuck into their wards; Simon Moores over in Westgate being an excellent example of a good ward Councillor; too many Conservative Councillors barely know where their ward is, let alone actually do very much in it.
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So on the Thursday 3rd December, the electorate in Dane Valley might like to put national political prejudices aside, and ask themselves who is the most likely to come and knock on their doors throughout the year; hold weekly clinics; get stuck into issues that worry people; be instantly contactable by phone or e-mail and represent Dane Valley residents of all political persuasions. The answer, I am afraid, is Mrs Sandra Hart.
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Who are likely to be her opponents in this election?
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Well, we have a Conservative 're-tread' in Ingrid Spencer who lost out to Tom King in Westgate in 2007 and who has the misfortune to be an Ezekiel stalwart. Bill Furness of The Lib/Dems who would be a lone voice in the present 'Wild West' environment of TDC and like-wise any Independents like Wendy Allan. We certainly do not want a BNP representing Dane Valley and their literature has already appeared through the door!
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The 3rd December is an ideal opportunity to send a message to Ezekiel that Thanet people are as fed up with him and his Council as they are with Brown and his Westminster Government and in the process add strength to the 'opposition' in TDC to fight the nonsenses in TDC that make it the laughing stock and butt of jokes, even among the KCC Conservatives at Maidstone.

THINK LOCAL - NOT NATIONAL - VOTE HART

A TALE OF TWO PLANNING APPLICATIONS

This is an interesting tale of how perverse the Planning set up at TDC can be.

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The pic above, taken by one of the 'Strife' team was used, to support the case for a new illuminated sign at The Swan in Westgate. The application for the sign above the door had been refused by Planning Officers as The Swan was now in a conservation area. The applicant re-applied and the application was 'called-in' to The Planning Committtee last Wednesday. The advice by Officers to our Councillors was that they should refuse the application. The applicant sent all members concerned pictures, including the one above together with the case for 'improving' the situation by removing the sign on the right and in its place having the tasteful sign 'The Swan at Westgate'. Here is another pic of the new sign.

The applicant put his case in person to our Councillors on Wednesday and was supported by two of his Westgate Councillors who both urged the Committtee members to support the application on the simple grounds that the removal of one sign to be replaced by a more tasteful sign actually enhanced the objectives of the new Conservation Area. After discussion and the twilight activities of one Cllr being mentioned, The Planning Committtee unanimously approved this application.
This is a pic of another application considered by The Planning Committtee last Wednesday. Some readers might remember that an extension to Bradgate Caravan Park, at Lydden was resoundingly turned down by a Planning Committtee last year ( F/TH/08/0892). Our Councillors at the time considered that enough prime agricultural land was being lost in Thanet already.
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Well, with some self thinking Conservative Councillors kicked off The Planning Committee since last year, to be replaced by Ezekiel 'yes men/women', you might be amazed at how the re-application for exactly the same extension to Bradgate Caravan Park was dealt with last Wednesday. Officers were quite clear on their advice to Cllrs that the application( TH/09/0515) still ran against all sorts of TDC policies (CC1, CC2, CC9 etc) and that there was no case economically etc for this application to be approved and recommended it be turned down, AGAIN.
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A fascinating turn of events then ocurred. There was no plea before the Committtee from the applicant or any of his representatives, but Cllr Shirley Tomlinson quickly moved it to be approved, followed by a seconder; what a surprise that it should be her husband, Cllr Mick Tomlinson. A vote was quickly taken without any discussion or consideration by the Planning Committtee of the report to them by their own officers and every Conservative members hand shot up, including that Ind Cons, Cllr McCastree to approve. Such is the casual way that prime agricultural land is now developed on in Thanet. Heaven help us!
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Readers should be aware that Conservative members meet together before this Committtee for refreshments and that all members are required under Planning Law to consider an application on the basis of what they hear or discuss in Committtee, WITHOUT PRE-DETERMINATION.

I may just be a simple chap, but if there is no discussion or debate in Committtee and the only evidence presented to you is a recommendation to refuse from your Planning Officers and no pleas from the applicant, then the natural consequence should be TO REFUSE and a move to approve, without discussion, by a Cabinet Member, who also serves on the Planning Committtee, seems perverse.
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But this is democracy in Thanet at work, isn't it?
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The Swan may have needed to argue its case about a simple illuminated sign and have two local councillors argue the case cogently and well, to get approval in the face of Officer's advice but Bradgate can now take acres of prime agricultural land out of food production without any discussion at all in the face of Officers' advice.

BACK TO BLOGGING

Family matters have occupied my time to the exclusion of all others for some time. With resolutions to problems in place, I am glad to be able to get back to Thanet issues.

If a wheezy, troublesome PC allows, I hope to be able to get posting again. Sorry to find out ECR appears to be laid up in plaster after a near death experience and Tony Flaig in low output mode due to other commitments. Michael Child has been busy regarding The Pleasurama development or lack of it and new bloggers are livening up the scene. I must add some more links in due course.

Like Panama Broadhurst's removal from TDC, Mrs Tree's bench has gone from Westgate and is unlikely to be seen again. Odd to find the Labour Goverment's 12 years in office has so distorted Conservative thinking that like Labour, the answer to problems caused by yobs is to remove a bench enjoyed by the rest of us. When will we learn to stop kicking the poor dog when it is the cat that soiled on the mat?

Better see if this will load on Blogger and then on to other matters!

OH DEAR ! GOT TO SHOOT OFF AGAIN AS THINGS GET INTERESTING.

How nice to be back in Thanet, even if for a short time.

Glad to see that what may turn out to be an interesting scandal in the affairs of our Council has been reported on by IOTG. Is this just the start? Readers may recall that at 'Strife' we have been reporting on odd matters going on at Maritime Services and Ramsgate Harbour; Housing Maintenance and Repairs and utter disregard by officers for Contract Procedure Rules since July. TDC has a duty to tell its electorate more about what is going on and what it is doing about reports it has had from its Internal Auditors (EKAP) for the past 18 months and why it has at last decided to act on these reports.
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Had to laugh at the video taken of Mayors bowing and scraping to a Chinese delegation hosted by Mr Wills of CGI (aka CGP) about 10 days ago. If I had not laughed, I would have been weeping to see our Civic Leaders bowing as if these people were HM Queen or The Lord Himself! Is this loss of dignity on the part of our Mayors and the cynical exploitation of our history and tradition, acceptable? I would rather see the end of a fine civic tradition than see it exploited in such an undignified way. The only good thing was that a TDC 'Mole' tipped off ECR!
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Catching up with blogs, I see the Blue/Red Blog War has quietened down with boredom reached about whether a D.Phil (Oxon) has a higher status than Ph.D (Calcutta -failed) or even a Ph.D (PWU). Interesting to see a TDC Blog Protocol appear when its existence seemed to be denied by a certain cabinet member but with hostilities being joined between ECR and Tony, attention can be diverted from serious issues for some light relief.
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The liklihood of seeing Bonanza Express in Euroferries livery scuttling across La Manche now seems as remote as a Dane Valley resident hearing from their 'Panama' based , about to be ex, Ward Councillor. Rumour has it that consorts of Margate and Westgate Councillors might be out soon seeking votes in Dane Valley; financial hardship seems to have many facets.
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To be honest, 'Strife' has never really believed we would see Bonanza. That said, what response will the residents in St Peter's get from their 3 Ward councillors as they start a campaign to save the limited parking in the Village from being flogged off by a short sighted Leader and his team? On past form, some of the Ward Councillors do not even appear to know where St Peter's is and will they have the 'balls' to support their constituents to fight this short sighted 'sell-off' ?
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I regret to say that Bertie now has to shoot off again to look after aged P's living in St Radegonde close to La Rochelle as one of them has had to go into hospital. I hope to be back in a week or so and who knows, Thanet might have quietened down a bit more as San Antonin did after a mass arrest of drug addled Liverpuddlians the other week.

Au revoir.