Kent TV what went wrong? From a Kent Dissident

It seems that Kent’s establishment is finally waking up to public opinion, which in the case of Kent TV is almost certainly un-measurable, but there’s a feeling in the public at large that British society has split into two, the public sector in which members live a charmed life of job security, good pay and fat pensions and the rest of us look on from a harsher world where our jobs are constantly under threat, income under attack and pension non-existent.

So its no surprise that Kent council’s public sector establishment, think it perfectly reasonable to fritter away the odd million or two on some ego boosting project like Kent TV, or indeed Kent Health Watch which is totally superfluous to traditional provision of council services.

Still we have a general election in the next month or so and even Paul Carter’s Kent Tories have to be objective and think, how do things look from the world outside Kent’s bloated authority in which top bods get bonuses of 10’s of thousands pounds for just doing the job their paid for.

I was going to list this week, some of the non achievements of Kent TV but that’s history, although its probably a sobering thought even for blinkered functionaries of Kent Council that a Kent Dissident (at least that’s how I see myself faced with Kent’s establishment) can produce videos on a nokia phone and plonk them on Youtube and which have some cases, have been far more popular than Kent TV’s product.

Tonight I had intended to write about Kent Press office which I estimate, must cost upwards of £250,000 and from my point of view seems pretty ineffectual, since I am still waiting for a response to a question about Kent Health Watch from Monday last week, as far as I can see KCC need to get their act together.

It would be fair to say that Kent are right to look toward improving communication in the digital age but they could learn from amateurs like me and millions of others who have used low cost or no cost media like Youtube an Blogger to get our thoughts out to a greater world.

I hope KCC officers salvage something from the wreckage and perhaps move content already created to cheaper platforms like Youtube instead and maybe retain a couple of Kent TV personnel to advise schools and local organisation for instance how to produce content.

Kent council should review its media policy across the board like press, internet, lavish advertising budgets and stop treating the public like half wits or dissidents for wanting to know how our moneys spent and services run.

Contrary to allegations by one of Kent’s contractors who objected to me discussing Kent TV, I am sure that Kent TV staff are professionals who have done a good job.

I’d like to thank KCC officers and Cabinet members who supported me in my quest to comment on Kent council, unfettered but I can’t, so instead a big thank you to Thanet’s Blogging community and in particular Eastcliff Richard.

P S Finally why have I campaigned so hard against Kent TV, its simple really my money is hard earned and I’d prefer that Kent conservatives don’t throw it away like confetti on hare brained schemes.

ITS OVER FOR KENT TV

I just received news that KCC's bold and ill considered project Kent

TV has been cancelled .

As Im travelling home from north London it will be a while before I

comment further .

Try this link http://www.kentonline.co.uk/kentonline/news/2010/february/9/kent_tv_to_close.aspx&wsc=eb&wsi=c30d8da30e962fa7

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Ramsgate – Boulogne and wannabe experts – And what’s the fuss about

I know pretty much damn all, about the recent controversy concerning Euroferries, proposed ferry service from Ramsgate Port to Boulogne.

I’m vaguely aware that two local bloggers Adem Djemil (The Big Blog) and ECR were sent correspondence from legal firms acting on behalf of the ferry company, I’m also aware that this country has rather draconian laws of defamation which have created a new bread of customer for Britain’s specialist law firms which deal with Libel.

Please note before more avaricious lawyers get briefed, I’m not referring to specifics cases, but it seems the custom in this country that if you don’t like what somebody says about you and you’ve deep enough pockets, you can bully and threaten people into silence by merely suggesting taking legal action.

As many will know I had my own run in with a contractor working for Kent Council who made suggestions, that should I continue to comment on the project I was referring too they might well involve me in expensive legal actions, fortunately I had the support of the blogging community.

Tonight BBC 1’s “Inside Story” will I’m told by the Big Blog & Eastcliff Richard site report on Euroferries association with Ramsgate port and the long awaited and often delayed service to Boulogne. I see in the trailer for that show that multi talented local author Jane Wenham-Jones, sometime columnist and critic of this blog, has been dragged into comment, quite what she knows about maritime affairs etc I don’t know, I suspect its a case that the BBC have used her before and have chosen her for that reason rather than expertise.

Anyway programme is about to start but its a feature of English life, that people can pontificate on matters they little knowledge just like this blog and hopefully without being sued by big interests and greedy lawyers.

AFTER INSIDE STORY

As I said at the top of this I knew little before and perhaps even less, after watching the story of Euroferries proposed ferry service, which was covered BBC1 SE Inside Story, the report was filmed, in what I’d term, sub Roger Cook style and had everything broken promises, mildly miffed interviewees Plain Blimin Jane a bit upset that she hadn’t been able to sail on the Bonanza Express, Paul Wells (Bertie Biggles) worried about heavy handed legal threats, the only thing, missing of course was any victims, alright if Euroferries is not about to go into administration they have every right to protect their image, if customers have had refunds to cancelled sailings, strange as all of this seems, where is the beef?

A storm in a teacup would just about some up the episode, a couple of bloggers may have been treated harshly I don’t know the background if so, this is wrong and maybe that is the story, lawyers pressuring this new blogging media a bit like TDC’s over the top response to freedom of expression by elected representatives.

PRESS RELEASE: Mark Barnard North Thanet LibDem PPC -LOCAL LIBDEM CAMPAIGNERS JOIN GENERAL ELECTION TEAM

Mark Barnard, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for North Thanet has boosted his team with Local activists.

Mark says;

“I want to ensure that the LibDem message is heard throughout North Thanet, to that end I have appointed area co-ordinators to the Campaign Team. I am delighted that three very experience LibDems have agreed to take up the challenge.

Bill Furness has responsibility for co-ordinating the campaign in Margate

June Raybaud will co-ordinate the campaign in Herne Bay

Ken Hando will use his local knowledge to co-ordinate the work in the Villages.

There is no doubt that local people are disillusioned with the government and neither do they feel that the long-serving MP has been representing their interests and those of North Thanet generally. There is a real appetite for change in North Thanet and the Liberal Democrats are offering that change breathing fresh energy into the area.

Cameron’s Kent Tories - Leader Paul Carter “upset” by local press report.

I find it rather shocking that Conservative Leader of Kent Paul Carter, is so upset about a report referred, to on this blog Wednesday, which focused on an astonishing pay deal, done with Peter Gilroy Kent Chief executive.

Indeed so upset is he, that he has sent an open letter, to the Kent Messenger which I understand is reproduced on KCC’s website (taxpayer funded) as well as that of the KM group. His open letter starts thus “I feel very strongly and I am extremely upset by the way the Kent Messenger has orchestrated their story regarding KCC Chief Executive Peter Gilroy’s contract renewal that was agreed in November 2006.

As one, who is only too aware of Kent Councils attitude to freedom of speech, finding it necessary to insist KCC’s legal department confirm my rights to freely express myself having been pressured after writing about a Kent council project.

Its quite clear to me that Paul Francis (multi award winning journalist) and the KM Group have done absolutely nothing wrong in a free society, the public have a right to open government and being made aware how their hard earned cash(tax) is spent, which if Paul Carter’s Kent Council made the right decision in deciding to offer Peter Gilroy chief executive a whopping retirement bonus of £200,000 and feel it justified, where the beef, Cllr Carter?

KM group have published Paul Carters letter on their website with a reply which mentions that the paper had contacted KCC’s press office several times “The KM Group approached the county council well in advance of the publication of our story. We did this through the council's press office as we judged this to be the appropriate channel.

“The council press office was contacted on several occasions before publication, reminding it of our deadlines.

Just to give some context I, as a responsible blogger also contacted KCC’s media department, this week query one was on Monday asking how KCC spent £300,000 on the new pointless Health Watch project to handle just 500 enquiries, one phone call two emails (in case KCC media bods either had a memory problem and or no pen to take notes) little surprise that they never got back also Tuesday one of the media wallahs confidently confirmed he would ring within the hour, with the name of someone I could contact re KCC extra staff holiday (he didn’t either).

I suggest two things if Paul Carter cannot bare to have open government and prefers a cosy world of secrecy then he should just put up with honest reporting, if as it seems he finds it “too hot in the Kitchen” then find the door, secondly maybe he could give KCC’s press department a kick up the backside (metaphorically) then we would not have these silly misunderstandings would we Cllr Carter.

I just hope that this matter is reported more widely in Kent’s Media although I have strong doubts particularly BBC Radio Kent, who seem to me to have a cosy, unquestioning relationship with KCC’s establishment or have no interest in reporting the local democratic process (which I wrote on in this long winded blog last year but still has relevance).

Just a quick thought on expenses

Roger Gale MP has, as mentioned in the press, been successful in sorting out, a misunderstanding over parliamentary expenses claims for telephone calls and I can say that I’m genuine pleased, since I doubt Roger Gale is going to risk his reputation for a few quid.

I’m also sure that Thanet’s other MP Ladyman, is similarly honest, but one thing that still bugs me, is that I believe both have claimed for food expenses, which I feel is wrong.

Why is it wrong, simply because both earn considerably more money than most of their constituents, and are able to dine at Westminster at a heavily subsidised cost and ought like the rest of pay our way from wages or salary.

Maybe MPs’ salaries ought to be paid on the basis of average earnings of constituents plus maybe 50% so that they had an incentive to create prosperity for the electorate.

Award winning Kent Journalist shows once again why he is the best

Not knowing or interested by the machinations of regional politics in other parts country, I am however keen, on what goes on in Kent.

The reason I post on Kent Council, so often, is with one exception, my view is that Kent news organisations, steer clear of Kent politics, other than bland, non analytical reporting, strangely the BBC (Radio Kent) seems reluctant to cover county politics in any consistent way, Kent on Sunday, this weekend, had rare but rather sycophantic comment referring to KCC’s vision of Kent in 2030 “…actually it is an inspirational masterplan…”, Kent Regional Newspapers like the Isle of Thanet Gazette belatedly have started to cover Kent wide issues, probably as a result of the recent overhaul of a rather stale product.

The exception to rather bland reporting comes from the Kent Messenger Group, and in particular, the KM Group political editor Paul Francis, who has been named Kent’s Best Newspaper Journalist of the Year, for the third time in Shepherd Neame’s annual awards.

An example of why Paul Francis is ahead of the competition, is this report on the rather generous pay out for retiring Kent chief exec Peter Gilroy (click here) enjoy!

 

Hidden News Tory KCC – Introduce “Kent Day” for a mere £1.5 million

Kent day, what the hell is Kent day, you might well ask well that’s what the telephone operator at KCC called the authorities latest give away.

Let me explain trawling through my email inbox for things I’d missed, ignored, etc. a regular source had pointed out that their child’s school would be closed for an additional day this summer.

The reason apparently all Staff employed by KCC will be given an additional day off, the reasons are none too clear, since no surprise Kent press office were unable or unwilling to expand on this day off which I calculate will cost around £1,500,000.

Now in fairness eventually a helpful staff member was kind enough to assist in giving information, suggesting additional costs will not be that great, except in the case of those that actually do something, since who would notice if someone sat at a desk has taken the day off, like I’d imagine would be the case for KCC’s press wallahs.

Its a pity that Paul Carters Tory led council couldn’t save tax payers money as easily as they give it away. Its also sad that Kent School children will miss out on a days education, still Kent Tory councillors are never troubled by the underperformance of KCC education.

NORTH THANET LIBDEM SPOKESMAN SIGNS DOWNING STREET PETITION TO SAVE BATTLE OF BRITAIN MEMORIAL FLIGHT

(Press Release)

North Thanet Prospective Parliamentary Candidate Mark Barnard is backing the campaign to save the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight from being axed in any defence cuts.
Mark commented,
“The flight was a crucial link to the most glorious episode in the RAF's history and was particularly important to North Thanet. Manston Airport was the hub for the Battle of Britain
I urge people to sign the 10 Downing Street petition to make clear the strength of feeling on this issue.
There are five airworthy Spitfires in the memorial flight and costs less than 0.1 per cent of the defence budget but the pleasure and pride to the many thousands who are thankful for its achievements at this crucial period in the defence of our freedoms is impossible to quantify.  It would be a terribly short-sighted move if the Battle of Britain Memorial Flight were to be axed.”

The 10 Downing Street petition is here: http://petitions.number10.gov.uk/BBMFCuts/

Northdown Coach House 25 years in the doldrums

Back in 1985 the Coach House at Northdown Park, was leased at an annual rent of 300 quid, in that period little seems to have gone on at the property, which at the time, the lease was arranged, was to have been used as a museum, this never happened.

In fact little seems to have happened, apart from the building deteriorating, last summer, someone pointed out to me that vandals had apparently removed the guttering and now it is boarded up.

Now after 25 years of apparent inactivity it seems Thanet council are finally showing an interest in the state of the building but only as an asset that somehow they might generate income from.

Anyway TDC seems once again oblivious to the fact that use of this building is constrained by covenants and the rest of Northdown Park Estate. Lets hope TDC can sort this out before this building is further damaged.

see below an extract from a document prepared for the Asset Management Working Group.

Cameron’s Election Liability – Kent Conservatives Health issues and the £600 phone calls

Crikey, you’d think David Cameron has all the advantages facing up to the election with a discredited Gordon Brown in government but you just wonder what might happen to David Cameron’s chances, if the press got there teeth in to Kent Conservatives bloated “Health Watch” project.

It seems to me that Conservatives in Kent just can’t add up, a bit like our incumbent Prime Minister, who’s continuing to spend, when the countries on the verge of Bankruptcy.

Here in Kent, the county council led by the Conservatives who have a history of big money, er incidents like Icelandic Banking, commissioning art galleries in the North Sea, Kent TV, non-existent flights to America and now Kent Health Watch costing £300,000 in a year for no apparent benefit.

Just ask Paul Carter how much does it cost to answer a phone? Well if its for KCC’s pointless Health Watch Advice line the cost of dealing with each call is an astonishing £600 pounds and what do they do precisely, well it seems they jot down your details and pass them on to the NHS and er themselves.

You might just think this is just an aberration on the part of Kent’s “County Tories” but no, it seems according too the influential “Local Government Chronicle”* that David Cameron is going to use this as a model, to set a new tier of national bureaucracy to rule over that other crazy expensive bureaucratic nightmare the NHS.

Its easy to blame weak and feeble politicians for wasting huge amounts of money but at the end of the day many, like I guess our Kent Tories, are bereft of ideas, and take the advice from advisors or “officers” who earn their money often from inventing pointless tasks for themselves and public sector colleagues.

What’s the solution, this country has an unsustainable raft of public sector workers, and its time politicians like Paul Carter (KCC Leader) and David Cameron, started to distinguish between those we need like refuse collectors, medics, police, frontline staff and bloated overpaid council bosses who seem obsessed with finding new ways to spend money. How about politicians say to their Chief Execs cut costs by say 10% for the next five years or find a new job.

PS Just for a laugh I thought I’d ask how KCC spends £300,000 on dealing with 500 odd calls to their Health Line, I’ll update you if KCC press office ever get back to me.

Suggested reading from Kent on Sundays report which I missed back in December which includes some fine quotes from Cllr. Trudy Dean Leader of the Liberal Democratic group on Kent County Council.

*(a magazine I think, for local government bods seeking either new jobs or some BS phrase or idea to justify their current job)

A quick reminder – KENT TV’s future

As many of you will know, I have never been a fan of Kent TV in the same way KCC bods officers and members (Cons) have, never criticising Kent TV as if it were some sacred cow (except of course, for that scrutiny meeting which was later er re-scrutinised, after Tory Back benchers were challenged or given new info)

By there own admission, viewing numbers have at times been difficult to get at, two and half million visits as its mentioned on the agenda or what we bloggers call hits, seems a big number but does not reflect regular viewers, ask yourself this, has anyone come up to you and said I watch Kent TV, or try asking anyone who does not read about or follow Kent Politics if they have heard of Kent TV.

Anyway give yourself a chortle, today if you have the day off as I do maybe you’d like to watch KCC’s cabinet webcast today from 10am click here (webcasting of democracy is something worthwhile) were no doubt KCC’s bods will speak highly of what many consider a huge waste of time and remember despite not having agreed to continue they have er just in case decided to start the bidding process to continue on the off chance also don’t forget that an extensive totally unbiased report has been generated by asking 36 people some of whom are directly involved in Kent TV work for the council and or have very strong connections with KCC for funding and the like.

Anyway click here for KCC webcast follow the links and if you’ve missed the start I understand that it will be available for viewing after the meeting.

As always when referring to Kent TV I like to remind interested parties that I am entitled to comment (freedom of speech) without receiving intimidating advice.

Points – Kent TV bad news I think

Kent on Sunday this week carried the above story about Kent TV  “Thousands watch KCC soap”  referring to the Hollywould drama and if you don’t analyze this it looks like a good news story, which it isn’t*, firstly the cost per viewer assuming the same viewers were hooked to each episode, is just over £2 per viewer (based on average viewer figure per episode 10K) or £1 per eye ball.

This “soap”, was aimed at a teenage audience, reaching an average 10,000 per episode, now I may be mistaken but I understand that Kent’s secondary school population is around 90,000 plus, so even if the viewers were Kent’s young adults the show has failed to get much more than 10% of the audience and of coarse had this been any good one might have expected it to have gone “viral” which from these figures it doesn’t appear to have.

Still we’re told that Kent Council Leader Paul Carter will be discussing the future of Kent TV, at his cabinet meeting Feb 1, now its my prediction that Kent TV will continue not because its saving the county a penny, which hasn’t so far, or because anyone watches it, it will get the go ahead because KCC bods wish it to continue.

Finally I’ve been told that the only report to evaluate Kent TV relied on interviews with around 36 “stakeholders” many of whom either worked for KCC or Kent TV or had strong links with county establishment.

The only justification for maintaining Kent TV as I see, is to create or maintain jobs not something that is actually tenable in the real world or that of Kent Council.

*(this incidentally is my view, which I’m entitled to express as previously pointed out to those interested parties who previously tried to er influence me, again a big acknowledgement to ECR for his help) FOR MORE ON THE EPIC SAGA THAT IS KENT TV CLICK ON THE LABEL AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS POST 

Reminder - Fairport Convention

Technology is a wonderful thing, glancing through my emails on my somewhat ancient but still fully functional nokia N 95 I note that I've received an email reminder of Fairport Conventions appearance at the Theatre Royal Margate on Saturday details of which are available here www.margateharbourarm.co.uk/events.html

please note this posting has been created on my phone so I will no doubt

need to edit and elaborate later on

Update to my earlier posting, not being overly familiar with their music I'm having a listen to their stuff on Spotify (spotify is a brilliant service supplying music for free or subscription) as I update this and find it pleasant, my taste vary from Glenn Miller, Sinatra, Stones, Lindisfarne, Killers, sex pistols, good music of any genre is good music anyway click on the link which was incorrect earlier for details.

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“people should be allowed to work beyond the age of 65” Equality and Human Rights Commission

How generous of the Andrea Murray, of the Equality and Human Rights Commission (EHRC) to promote the idea (on Mondays R4 Today programme) of the plucky British worker only too happy to toil till the day they die presumably.

As a working person I must say I cannot really express my gratitude for this new proposed benefit to the working community, since I suffer from what I term reactive tourettes, which sometimes occurs when statements are made by the public sector “professional” classes about the working community as a whole.

Presumably Andrea Murray of the EHRC will receive either a fat taxpayer funded pension or a compensatory pay package that will be, above average and unobtainable in the commercial sector, a case of I’m all right jack.

I’ve no doubt that this idea, will take root, like that other often trotted out for our benefit, that Tories were proud to boast about but Labour have also cited, this countries opt out of the European working time directive, which means millions of British workers have effectively no protection and are forced to work damaging long hours.

Politicians and civil servants really haven’t clue what it feels like to do 72 hours work, in a week, since fiddling expenses, and talking bollix are not quite the same as standing on your feet all day and actually being productive. Still what do I know, I shall continue to have as much respect as ever for the likes of EHRC, I know my place.

Just what does the BBC stand for in Kent

If the random samples of BBC’s local Kent and South East offerings are anything to go by the following seems to fit Bland, Biased and Craven at least in my view.

Bland? having the day off, I had the chance to hear whether Radio Kent’s Breakfast programme had got any better and realising it hadn’t with ususal diet of dross including a bit about internet shopping and people being grumpy first thing in the morning. I fitted the grumpy, irritated as BBC Radio Kent continued its fearless mission to ignore controversy, and meaningful debate.

Biased? watching tonight’s BBC 1 South East Today, was surprised that although they covered the eleven plus crisis in which an incompetent Kent Education, spends I guess several hundreds of thousands educating kids from outside Kent and is going to penalise east Kent by moving grammar school places to west Kent (see previous blog post), the report didn’t refer to Cllr Paul Carters earlier Radio Kent comment which I’ve hopefully transcribed fairly as “There is an over provision of places in east Kent and under provision in west Kent it is just a minor adjustment er which is attracting er er unnecessary publicity in my view, its commonsense and we should just get on with it”

Craven? I get the view that regional BBC exec’s are committed to being as non controversial, as they can be, hence a breakfast talk show which is all about talk and no substance, experienced journalists replaced with grinning younguns on the BBC news/magazine programme all smiles and no bite is not what BBC journalism should be.

The BBC should in a democracy, report the consequences of politicians who concern themselves with “unnecessary publicity” particularly when a local authority losses control of its money and then side steps the issue with er er commonsense.

Cameron's Kent Tories "commonsense" approach deprives children in East Kent

Unless I am going completely deaf, I understand that BBC radio Kent, are reporting on news bulletins this morning, that Cllr. Paul Carter leader of Kent conservative administration believes depriving children in East Kent of grammar school places as being commonsense or as its describe as moving places I think.

Some background to this issue can be found on page one of this week's Kent on Sunday, also it has been reported in some detail here on Bignews Margate.

Essentially the situation is this, schools in West Kent, have in the pursuit of some might say excellence and others might say league tables been applying a tough selection process designed for and selecting only the brightest students, now this may seem OK but the net effect is children of Kent, who have reached grammar school standard, as laid down by KCC, are finding it difficult to obtain the grammar places despite they having earned the right to a place through hard work and diligence.

Simply put Kent Council is subsidising children from outside of Kent, probably to the tune of hundreds of thousands of pounds, therefore depriving children Kent, the education that we pay for and they're entitled to (I understand that Paul Carter resides near Maidstone).

Of course most of us, would consider it commonsense if Paul Carter the leader of Kent Council, tried to sort out this mess, where local taxpayer funded schools, act against the interests of the communities that fund them as is the case of those in West Kent. Also you might think Paul Carter would have the "smarts" in an election year to look after Kent taxpayers rather than take the easy option.

Perhaps David Cameron's team might like to have a word with Paul Carter on some of Kent council's rather contentious issues, like millions wasted on advertising, Kent TV which is yet to establish itself into Kent mainstream, health watch, etc. and of course the above.

PS I don’t agree with Kent’s Grammar Schools since they have been consistently cited as favouring middle class kids and have resulted in poorer performance than other areas.

This will take your mind off things

Depressed by today’s Sunday papers, which seem to carry about as much human misery as is possible, I thought that I’d take my mind off just how grim things have become in the last year or two.

A trip to the cinema, did the trick, more so than the half bottle of wine I guzzled on getting home from work on Saturday.

Decided this afternoon to go see the film avatar, just to see what you get with a film costing around 200 mill to make. I have to say that nothing is left to the imagination, computer generated images and detail are superb, the 3D is perfect throughout the film.

The films story was a good, as any blockbuster type, and the real test with any film, for me is how often I check the time, typically a bond film will have me wondering how much longer is this going to last at least a couple of times, a classic like pulp fiction not once, as was the case with avatar tonight.

Still middle aged angst is never far from me and a couple of irritations' are with Vue cinema, why do they charge a credit card handling fee on top of the ticket price, also the damn sound, deaf as I might be why is necessary to have it so loud, perhaps as well as 3D glasses they could offer ear defenders.

Mrs Me often falls asleep, but was kept awake initially by the astounding 3D and then the sound system managing to last the near three hours film.

Thanet Earth has it benefitted Thanet

As I drove out of Thanet yesterday morning I couldn’t help but notice the vast new industrial complex Thanet Earth, which at just after five, was throwing out huge amounts of artificial light which looked to me, as if the tomatoes and peppers grown there were in the process of being grilled and not for the first time, I wonder what if any benefit has come from this development for the local community apart from its strange illumination of Thanets early morning sky .