"GREAT COATS ON! GREAT COATS OFF!"

Some might be familiar with the title! In regards to Bonanza Express, it might be "Paint job on! Paint job, off!"

A reader has already told me, in commenting on last night's post (see below), "Bertie, got it wrong again." My answer is "Sir, I will wait and see".
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Here is yet another glorious press-release about Euroferries coming to Ramsgate not just with one boat, but TWO and by end of August!
www.thanet.gov.uk/news/latest_press_releases/ramsgate_ferry_deal_31-07-09.aspx

The picture above was recently taken in Tenerife with Bonanza Express tied up alongside the quay. At least it is nearer to Ramsgate than when in Las Palmas and it's lighter with its Euroferries logo missing.
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I made it clear when this whole saga began early this year, that I thought a thriving passenger ferry service from Ramsgate would be excellent news if it could be delivered. I was sceptical then and I still am. Recruiting and training harbour and reception staff has started? Services and ticket sales are on-line? Isn't tomorrow the 1st August?
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Until I see Bonanza Express arrive and begin zipping backwards and forwards across the briney, I remain a 'Doubting Thomas'. We have had enough of up-beat Press Releases that have proved worthless; let's hope today's latest Press Release isn't just another one.
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IS THIS WHY EUROFERRIES NEVER STOOD A CHANCE WITH TDC?

Here is PRC Architects concept for the commercial harbour at Ramsgate.
See http://www.prc-group.com/projects/projects.php?topx=2&codex=2&sub_code=40.
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My thanks to SMEG and Than.net for drawing my attention to the 'concept' plans. The question begging, is who has asked them to draw them up; TDC?
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Bertie is not that familiar with Ramsgate Harbour but it seems to me that with an expensive, up-market residential development like this with fine sea-views on the harbour frontage, close to one's expensive yacht moored in The Marina harbour close-by, there is no room for a working commercial port and much money to be made by someone building it.
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Could this be why TDC has been in no hurry to renew a contract with TransEuropa that expired in 2006 and why, according to quay-side gossip merchants, Euroferries were being 'beggared around' recently by TDC in terms of a contract signing? Does Thanet South MP, Steve Ladyman know anything about PRC's pretty drawings, having gone to a lot of trouble supporting Euroferries bid to get a high speed catamaran link going?
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Having seen TDC's EKAP audit reports about the shambles of financial mis-management at Ramsgate Harbour and its Maritime Services, is TDC contemplating the asset disposal to beat all previous asset disposals? I hope not. Let me explain why.
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I rather like PRC's ideas. Is Ramsgate ever going to be a serious cross-channel port again? In one fell swoop, PRC's project tidies up a bit of an eye-sore and will remove all those dreadful parking problems down by the port and those littering, peeing and defecating drivers up on Manston Loop at week-ends.! The problem that needs addressing though is how is it to be done?
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I would hope that any development could be a 'joint-project' with the Thanet Council Tax payer benefitting from a very healthy income stream for years to come and not be a quick asset sale to get some 'readies' in the short term, leaving a developer to make an enormous profit on the project. Should Ramsgate Council have some input and should the residents of Ramsgate themselves be involved and consulted?
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This of course is idle speculation. This could be PRC flying a kite of course or has TDC got some serious ideas in mind about its Ramsgate Harbour? We will wait and see.

THE FIRST CROP FIRE IN THANET THIS YEAR?

A crop fire in wheat growing between Broadley Rd in Millmead and Northdown Hill was started this afternoon at about 4.30pm. I am glad to report it has been put out.

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When I left the scene Kent Fire Brigade were still monitoring the situation to ensure no further flare ups ocurred from any hot-spots. The gusting wind and predominantly stiff westerly breeze meant that not only was the fire moving quickly but jumping, with flare-ups being started by hot embers blown down wind. The gusting shifts in wind direction were hazardous to fire-fighters beating the fire down from behind the fire-line as the fire was blown back on them. Not a nice job.

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I suspect that either a carelessly thrown cigarette or deliberate arson was the cause. Farming on the urban fringe, as most farmers do in Thanet, can be a soul-less task with litter, fly-tipping, car-burning, 4x4 offroading, moto-cross and arson of barns or ricks being a regular feature. Many ignorant Thanetonians seem unaware that plants growing in fields are 'food' and represent hard-work and investment to make a return.

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The dry weather in June has lead to early ripening wheat and barley that will need to stand until potato crops are gathered. A ripe field can dry out quickly in stiff breezes on a sunny day like today and I suspect this will not be the last crop fire this harvest season.

IS TDC GETTING TO GRIPS WITH ODD FINANCIAL GOINGS ON AT RAMSGATE HARBOUR?

Is there a bigger financial bad-smell emanating from the TDC run Ramsgate Harbour than from the gunge floating in the harbour?
(My thanks to ECR for the pic above and to Michael Child for the pic below.)
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I love Auditors. When they are unhappy with something they couch their language carefully and talk about 'levels of assurance'. For the average Thanetonian, a Limited Assurance rating, is probably interpreted as room for fiddling, graft and corruption, let alone that much repeated cry of 'brown envelopes'. A 'nil Assurance' rating presumably means we haven't got a clue if the tax-payer is being ripped off!
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The picture below shows the main uses of Ramsgate Harbour; the commercial port (Trans Europa Ferry Service and now Wind Farm support); and The Royal Harbour with the marina packed with expensive private boats and Ramsgate's fishing boats. The Business Objective for TDC is ' To ensure that the main services at The Marina are administered effectively and are cost efficient and provide a strong income stream to the Council.
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Despite what looks like a thriving set-up, Ramsgate Harbour cost us all £750,000 last year!
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Now I do not know enough of the details as to why Ramsgate Harbour made such a loss but perhaps the East Kent Audit Partnership report in the last quarter of 2008 might start to give an inkling. For those with time on your hands go and look at this link:

http://tdc-mg-dmz.thanet.gov.uk/Data/Governance%20and%20Audit%20Committee/20081209/Agenda/$Agenda%20Enclosure%205.doc.pdf

I have tried to precis the scandalous findings of EKAP and they are as follows:

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1. There has been lax charging or no charging for electricity and water supplied to rented properties at The Harbour. (In simple terms, TDC Council payers have been paying other businesses electricity and water bills for years! How much has this cost us?)

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2. Rents were not being reviewed and not being paid up to date.

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3. One lock-up had a TDC Cllr's car in it with no contract or charges being levied.

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4. A Port 'let' had no lease agreement or licence entered into or even a simple written agreement that led to a £10,000 debt. ( This probably cannot be enforced as a result!)

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5. 350 litres of gas oil has disappeared and not been investigated by anyone.

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6. Contrary to TDC's Contract Procedure rules, £138,000 was spent with a single gas oil supplier without market testing (i.e finding the cheapest supplier) when during the same period the Port purchased oil from another supplier at a cheaper rate.

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7. TransEuropa Ferries contract expired in Dec 2006! They are still paying charges (at the 2006 rates?). There appears to be a debt history with Trans Europa with the oldest debt being £73,000. (So what is the total debt owed by Trans Europa?)

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8. The technical dept at the Port is reported as having a distinct lack of awareness of TDC's purchasing rules. ( Considering the steps TDC has taken for a number of years to train staff about compliance with CPRs, this is amazing. Is it perhaps 'Audit speak' for ignoring the rules completely?)

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9. Electrical work and maintenance was carried out by Holbrook and Revell Electrical Ltd (HRE Ltd) for years without a CPR contract tender until presumably Audit stepped in, in Sep 2008 and it would now appear to have a 4 year contract.

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10. No checking or certifying of work invoiced to the Port by HRE Ltd , that was either emergency or planned work, ocurred. In other words, no checking if the work had been completed took place as invoices were presented and just paid.

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11. The Port seemed happy to pay general labouring rates of £19.50 per hour for jobs like cleaning leaves from gutters or sweeping up bird droppings. ( Are there that many trees in the Harbour?). This was done without seeking competitive quotes from other general labour suppliers. ( Audit speak for giving the work at inflated rates to mates?)

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12. Aggregating contracts to bypass TDC Contract Procedure Rule (CPR) Compliance. This was not only a problem at The Port but the EKAP report lists upto 30% of all TDC contracts might fail to comply with its own CPRs. (This will be looked at in another posting shortly).

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CPRs perhaps need explaining. Basically, any contract payment can be made below £10,000 by a TDC Officer without reference to Cabinet. So if you make 3 payments of £9, 999 for what is essentially one contract, you can handle £29, 997 of business without reference to Cabinet at the officer level and avoid tendering etc! CPR's are thus designed to stop unfair contracts and prevent in simple terms, bribery and corruption. Wilfully ignoring CPRs should be an instant dismissal offence, such is the potential for corruption. The Port spent £134,000 for one service alone by aggregating in this way. How many others were aggregated?

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The present Conservative Administration of TDC has been in charge of Ramsgate Harbour since 2003, with the Deputy Leader having responsibility for Ramsgate Harbour until May this year when Cllr Kirby took over responsibility. Whilst I am informed that the 'cess-pit' of maladministration at Ramsgate Harbour is being sorted by TDC, 6 years into the present regime, it strikes me that Cllr Latchford needs to shoulder some responsibility here, and perhaps his resignation from the Cabinet might be in order? I am more worried by this catalogue of inept management of our Royal Harbour than I am by his hilarious 'leaping salmon' antics in The Edinburgh Woollen Mill last summer. There is a time when all 'old warriors' need to enter retirement gracefully and perhaps that time has passed.

FLYING ANTS IN THANET

Today was an insect day for Bertie. I have seen more bumble bees, honey bees, butterflies, hover-flies and grass-hoppers in the past few weeks around the Thanet country-side than in in the past few years. Perhaps a colder winter and a drier and milder spring has helped?
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Today however, produced that combination of humidity (after last nights rain) and rising thermals when our common black ant nests all over Thanet let their winged 'queens' and males take to the air. At about 3pm, you might have noticed a swirling cloud of over 300 of our 'rats on wings' (herring gulls) above Margate and Cliftonville darting and turning in the air as they tried to join in with the swifts in an aeriel feast that made an interesting change to black dustbin bag tearing.
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A small flock of feral pigeons gathered on Wilderness Hill on the pavement to grab a quick meal as a large ants nest began releasing its larger 'queens' and smaller males. Why fly around when your 'take-away' pops out between the cracks in the pavement?
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By about 5pm, the 'queens' with or without little males still attached in coitus, began to descend as thermals died out, all over my back garden, providing further snacks for our young sparrows and driving me in doors! The swifts were noticeably absent until dusk and I suspect that the young screeching broods were resting for an hour or two with distended guts and indigestion!
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Having had a great 'Painted Lady' summer , and a good flying ants day today, I suspect that our next noticeable insect 'infestation' will be lady-birds. I saw hundreds on just one aphid rich weed on a headland near Birchington this morning.

YELLOW LINES IN ANOTHER VILLAGE - THIS TIME IT'S ST PETERS TURN!

It's that time again for 'Our Ken', Zita and her 'Road Gang' and any other TDC Ward Cllrs and KCC Cllrs to get down to St Peter's to talk to local businesses and householders about 'yellow lines' in High Street, St Peters, Broadstairs. The poster on the lamp-post below has got another small village upset about the extinction of its businesses as the yellow lines spread around the Isle. (See today's IOTG about yellow -lines in Minster)

(Click on the pic to read details).

A local resident has reported the following:

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"Dear Bertie,

KCC wants to extend the double yellow lines in St. Peter's High Street and remove virtually all parking spaces. There would be a handful left so residents and shoppers calling at the dentist, the hairdresser, the newsagent, the coffee shop, the butcher and the chemist will have to scramble for the few available. It is, I believe, to enable the fire service to access Alderney Gardens but do so many places have to be taken out?

The only notification for everyone is one notice on the bus stop. Sounds familiar? When the gas mains work was about to start there was no notification to traders and residents, just one notice on a lamp-post. the businesses had 6 weeks of severely depleted trade and fear this next step is one too far.

Interesting this has been announced after the KCC elections have taken place.

It is hoped the KCC councillors and TDC councillors for the area will be in talks with the local businesses and residents to see what can be worked out as the closing date for objections is August 10th.".

It seems to me that some commonsense is needed here. The minimum amount of yellow-paint should be used to make sure that a fire-engine has access if needed and discussion and consultation should now be engaged in by Local Cllrs to explain the whys and wherefores to businesses and residents and with KCC/TDC and the minimum impact on struggling village businesses should be the aim. The less yellow paint used the better!

SWINE FLU HYPE TAKES HOLD!

I begin to despair about the way we have ceased as a nation to show stoicism in the face of any adversity. Have you noticed how a swine -flu epidemic in this country is now described as 'pandemic flu'; sounds so much worse than a flu epidemic of course.
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Should anyone be surprised that 'cases' have 'doubled' to 100,000 this week? First we have the public told what symptoms to look out for in great detail and then told to make phone consultations, giving symptoms to GPs and NHS Direct to log in for one's Tamiflu and now a 'pandemic flu' website that collapsed with 9 million hits in an hour! Who is diagnosing these cases? The reality is that if you describe the symptons accurately from information given you already, you become an official statistic as a swine flu victim and can get hold of Tamiflu, just in case you need it when you really get swine flu!
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If you do not believe this is what has happened, then consider this little snippet from Chief Medical Officer today. He states that despite the 100,000 cases this week, the number needing hospitalisation this week has dropped below last week's figures when only 55,000 caught the bug. That is an odd trend is it not?
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The trend in Mexico ( outbreak source) and the USA shows the epidemic in these countries is already in decline. The sad but inescapable fact is that all influenza epidemics can kill and every year thousands do die, mainly the elderly, from influenza or complications brought on by it.
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Until, heaven forbid, we have a serious problem confronting us with swine-flu and the death toll rising into thousands, let's get on with enjoying a typical British Summer.
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If you were put off by a picture of local hack, Saul Leese in bed with swine-flu, in last week's IOTG, the picture below illustrates a really worrying case of swine-flu for you.