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.

--

Sent from my mobile device

tony flaig - Bignews Margate Thanet's unparalled and unmissable blog

“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 .

Points - Labour's last chance and its all about sleaze

Just how desperate are Labour, well if Councillor Mark Nottingham’s latest posting is anything to go by, pretty damn desperate, and how far will they go, well in this instance Medway.

Nottingham’s dredged up a bit of scandal from Medway as Medway Tories expelled one member after having been cautioned for curb crawling. This has nothing to do with local Conservatives and every thing to do with how low Labour have now sunk, one minute it’s Class warfare, next it’s looking after bankers and business men then bribing low income families with laptops, Labour are prepared to go as low as necessary to win the next election.

Ask yourself this has Mark Nottingham, Clive Hart or any of Thanet Labours party spoken out, over Blair’s Iraq adventure and apparent porkies, Mandelson’s interference in Royal Mail, or the judicial curb on the right to strike at British Airways no, not blooming likely is it, eh Mark? and lets not even go down the road of pending investigations into Labour ministers expenses fiddles.

Thanet council etiquette as practiced

I’d like to bring you evidence of how your local councillors are able to set aside petty differences and act in a mature and adult manner but still, what the hell, the reality of cross party collaboration is far more revealing.

So in the public interest and for your education and entertainment please take a gander at the  text of an email received this afternoon from “Local Labour” head boy Clive “photo opportunity” Hart.

This is crudely cut and pasted from my email, but I’m sure my readers can get the gist!

My response to an email sent to me by Cllr Brian Goodwin.
__________________________________________________
Cllr Goodwin
Thank you for your garbled and virtually incoherent message (below) that you sent to me in response to my perfectly legitimate request for Cllr Sandra Hart to be added to the mailing list as a Charter Trustee.
I believe you owe Sandra an apology for the nasty manner in which you refer to her in your message.  Sandra has been a council member for just over a month now and already she has been made to feel very intimidated and unwelcome on two previous occasions.  She certainly doesn't need you to add any further to her disappointment.
I personally have very good reasons for not attending Charter Trustee meetings for some time now, ever since I witnessed the disgusting and appalling behaviour of one Trustee at the Winter Gardens.  As my wife, Sandra was with me at the time, and she has never received an apology for the disgusting behaviour and appalling language she was forced to witness and hear that was used by a fellow Charter Trustee towards myself and other Trustee's.
The fact is that the 'we don't have to worry' wording that you use in your tiny little message says it all.  The Charter Trustee's are supposed to act in a non-political manner but in your haste to discharge your venom your guard has dropped and you've exposed what is now clear for all to see.
Cllr. Sandra Hart may or may not attend Charter Trustee meetings - she has her own mind - please do not attempt to pre-judge her or me!
Regards
Cllr. Clive Hart. 
----- Original Message -----
From: Brian Goodwin
To: Clive Hart
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 12:22 PM
Subject: Re: 18_07.doc

great mind you like her other half she will not turn up so we don,t have to worry
cllr b goodwin
----- Original Message -----
From: Clive Hart
To: Cheryl Ezekiel - Mayor's Parlour Margate ; 'Cllr Aldred' ; 'Cllr Brown' ; 'Cllr Ezekiel' ; 'Cllr Goodwin' ; 'Cllr Jarvis' ; 'Cllr Johnston' ; 'Cllr King' ; 'Cllr Lodge-Pritchard' ; 'Cllr M Tomlinson' ; 'Cllr McCastree' ; 'Cllr Moores' ; 'Cllr S Tomlinson' ; 'Cllr Scobie' ; 'Cllr Sullivan' ; 'Cllr Watkins' ; 'Cllr Watt-Ruffell' ; 'Cllr Wise' ; newsdesk.canterbury@kentregionalnewspapers.co.uk ; newsdesk.thanet@kentregionalnewspapers.co.uk ; Peter Barnett (Than-Edt) ; piggys.paradise@btinternet.com ; 'Tim Scott'
Cc: Annette.Firmin@thanet.gov.uk ; 'Boys & Girls Brigade' ; 'Church Notices' ; mayor.ramsgate@btopenworld.com ; mayor@broadstairs.gov.uk ; 'Mayor's Chaplain' ; rose.donelly@thanet.gov.uk ; victoria.williams@thanet.gov.uk
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 11:47 AM
Subject: Re: 18_07.doc

Thanks Lawrence
Could you please add new Charter Trustee - Cllr. Sandra Hart to your address list?
cllr-sandra.hart@thanet.gov.uk
Sandra did send her email address in to the office a week or so ago.
Kind regards
Clive
(Cllr. Clive Hart)
----- Original Message -----
From: Cheryl Ezekiel - Mayor's Parlour Margate
To: 'Cllr Aldred' ; 'Cllr Brown' ; 'Cllr Ezekiel' ; 'Cllr Goodwin' ; 'Cllr Hart' ; 'Cllr Jarvis' ; 'Cllr Johnston' ; 'Cllr King' ; 'Cllr Lodge-Pritchard' ; 'Cllr M Tomlinson' ; 'Cllr McCastree' ; 'Cllr Moores' ; 'Cllr S Tomlinson' ; 'Cllr Scobie' ; 'Cllr Sullivan' ; 'Cllr Watkins' ; 'Cllr Watt-Ruffell' ; 'Cllr Wise' ; newsdesk.canterbury@kentregionalnewspapers.co.uk ; newsdesk.thanet@kentregionalnewspapers.co.uk ; Peter Barnett (Than-Edt) ; piggys.paradise@btinternet.com ; 'Tim Scott'
Cc: Annette.Firmin@thanet.gov.uk ; 'Boys & Girls Brigade' ; 'Church Notices' ; mayor.ramsgate@btopenworld.com ; mayor@broadstairs.gov.uk ; 'Mayor's Chaplain' ; rose.donelly@thanet.gov.uk ; victoria.williams@thanet.gov.uk
Sent: Tuesday, January 19, 2010 11:29 AM
Subject: 18_07.doc

Hi to all Readers,
For those away in sunnier climes....
Enjoy with envy.
Lawrence
Margate Town Sergeant
(standing in for Cheryl)

How about sorry Mr Fuller

Two stories concerning Mike Fuller, Kent’s Chief Constable appeared in Sunday’s, Kent on Sunday in the first on page9 Mr Fuller is an apparently confident Chief Constable who believes himself capable of being the head of  the Crown Prosecution Service.

Second story is the aftermath of Kent Police’s rather controversial heavy handed policing at the  Kingsnorth climate change  protest, which shocked many of us, lawyers representing police boss Mike Fuller admitted at least 3 people including eleven year old twins were wrongfully stopped and searched and admitting that an unspecified number may also have been unlawfully stopped.

Now if Mike Fuller is the right man for the CPS, it would be nice if he could personally say sorry, for some the excesses of Kingsnorth, I’d like to think it would show a bit of responsibility and ownership, of actions taken by those under his command.

Still whether or not he apologies, the chances are he will get the CPS job, since Baroness Scotland attorney General has recommended him for the post, although not all of her employment choices have been without er …. hiccups.

From Mark Barnard Liberal Democratic PPS North Thanet - LOCAL MP STANDING ON THE WRONG PLATFORM

I am pleased to note that our MP has at last understood that rail users are looking for representation rather than spending his time justifying his expenses.

However this is too little too late!  Why did he not make representations during the consultation period?  Furthermore why did his friends at Kent County Council or Thanet District Council not resist the changes on behalf of passengers?

Liberal Democrats had been lobbying South Eastern Railways about the changes to the timetable as far back as October 2009!  Indeed such was the concern on behalf of railway users and the disinterest and inaction of our local Member of Parliament that local activist Bill Furness gained the support of LibDem Member of Parliament Norman Baker.

Norman Baker wrote to South Eastern Railways asking that they rethink the changes to the timetable.

Mark Barnard, Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for North Thanet, comments:

“It is incredulous that the local MP has shown little or no support for those relying on the rail network for work as well as the many leisure users.

“Liberal Democrats lobbied South Eastern Railways as soon as the proposed new timetable was proposed.”

Following the representations South Eastern Railways stated

“Whilst we (SE Railways) believe that the high speed services will be popular, we accept that for some passengers the new timetable may not be welcome.”

“Rail passengers have been abandoned by Mr. Gale MP who is only now wakening up to the impact of the changes.  His intervention will do nothing to change the timetable which has been in place for several weeks.”

“There is no doubt that Mr. Gale is in election mode and exposing his blatant disregard for his role as elected representative when it really counts. This time he is standing on the wrong platform –The passengers who needed him earlier will not be hoodwinked!”

A bit of padding

As you’ll appreciate content is pretty thin on the ground here at bignews and since I’m unable to be as productive as I wish, I shall be publishing as and when possible Press releases from Mark Barnard Liberal Democratic candidate North Thanet

Up to 8,230 pensioners will miss out on Cold Weather Payments in North Thanet

Up to 8.230 pensioners living in North Thanet will miss out on Cold Weather Payments triggered by the recent weather, according to analysis of Government figures by the Liberal Democrats.

Cold Weather Payments of £25 a week are paid to people on low incomes who receive a qualifying benefit, such as Pension Credit, which goes unclaimed by as many as 1.7m pensioners nationwide and more than 8,000 in North Thanet.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for North Thanet, Mark Barnard said:
“Labour has failed pensioners by creating a complicated system that makes it difficult for them to get the help they desperately need. It is a scandal that pensioners on the breadline are missing out on these payments.”

“Fuel prices are at an all time high, making Cold Weather Payments all the more important to people already struggling on a poverty pension.

“The Government should be making every effort to identify pensioners who are missing out and get them this extra cash.”

Politics what suits you and why I joined the Liberal Democrats

I have to say I got a little angry during December when one cheeky local Labour councillor had the front to complain that I didn’t state on my blog that I was a Liberal Democrat.

This coming from a man who doesn’t make it clear that he is in fact a professional politician paid for by the taxpayer to assist one of Labours few remain representatives in Europe.

Politics is as much a personal attribute, as choice of clothes or music, for me the dominate political parties in this country represent the following, Conservative serves self reliant, those who don’t mind working and those happy to ignore the less fortunate, Labour appeals to welfare dependant working people (who haven’t noticed Brown and Mandelson toadying to big business) and those in the public sector who are doing well at the expense of the rest of us, Liberal Democrats represent what’s right and fair for society irrespective of social class .

Me I’m independent opinionated, but shocked at the ease with which Labour has swung from an extreme socialist party to a soulless group of right wing sycophants example Blair’s unquestioning loyalty to Bush, Mandelson reluctance to back arbitration through ACAS during the postal workers dispute.

Anyhow now I’ve only recently re-joined the Liberal Party this doesn’t effect in anyway how I fell about local politics and or politicians Thanet is ruled by dinosaurs from the Conservatives who are just taking care of business and Labour who’ve long forgotten about what their party once stood for.

Why you might want consider becoming a Liberal Democrat, is summed up in the opening sentence of the party constitution preamble “The Liberal Democrats exist to build and safeguard a fair, free and open society, in which we seek to balance the fundamental values of liberty, equality and community, and in which none shall be enslaved by poverty, ignorance or conformity.

Incidentally the Labour chap who was so concerned about my party affiliations, was also the same bloke who despite representing, not the most prosperous ward, did not have a clue about the minimum wage rate, still that’s today’s Labour party more concerned with scalping the taxpayer for allowances and expenses than helping people.

Thought for the day – How long has Tony Blair has been telling porkies?

I’ve not trusted Tony Blair since in a matter of weeks after Labour got elected in 1997 he and the rest of his cohorts agreed to end free education, after the months of repeating the rather meaningless bull mantra “Education, education, education”

Tonight I as chomped through a hastily reheated meal I had a quick gander on the latest Blair revelations, in tonight's London Evening Standard, what a shock to discover despite all the public protestations, of dealing with Iraq through the UN it seems Blair had already given his word or allegiance to President Bush, to no doubt kick the crap out of Saddam Hussein, come what may.

I’d like to say I’m shocked but does anyone believe Tony Blair to have been anything but a self serving opportunist.

Evening Standard story

Ex telegraph editor continues to avoid TV License Fee

As most of us in the lower orders expect, with the right connections you can get away with just about anything, which seems the case with Charles Moore, the former editor the Daily Telegraph who earlier announced last year he would not be paying his TV licensing fee, as he objected to the conduct of BBC’s Jonathan Ross, as I did myself for amongst other things abusing Andrew Sachs.

Not having gone to Eton, unlike Mr Moore and having a sense of proportion I have decided that since I can just about afford the fee, and that the BBC keeps me informed and entertained etc despite having reservations about Ross its right to continue to pay up.

Having read this article by Charles Moore on Ross’s decision to quit the BBC, he has decide to continue to break the law and refuse to pay the license fee as per this quote “Ross is leaving the BBC in July this year, so at that point, but not before, I shall renew. It will be amusing to see if the enforcement bureaucracy pays any attention to what is happening, or just plugs on, chasing me for my “year out”.

Charles Moore, as far as I’m concerned is exhibiting the arrogance typical of this country’s public school educated toffs and will probably get away with avoiding TV licensing fee unlike working people who’d almost certainly have been fined by now.

Earlier commentary

Rubbish mounts up in Conservatives winter of discontent

Thanet residents winter misery is being made worse by Thanet's poorly performing Conservative council.

Not only are we subject to poorly treated road surfaces and pavements which appear to have been completely deserted by both Thanet District Council, and Kent County Council but TDC look to have abandoned any responsibility for clearing refuse.

Bignews Margate accepts that waste collections can not be carried out in poor weather conditions but estimates around a fifth of the local population will have gone almost three weeks before their likely to be rid of waste from Christmas.

You would think that, priority would be given to those homes that haven’t had a collection since the Christmas break but not so, Cllr. Shirley Tomlinson, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services is quoted as saying “Our teams are out and about, doing everything they can to deal with the backlog…….” really, I suggest that council wallahs make it a priority to clear those who’ve already missed a collection, since TDC couldn’t be bothered to collect rubbish from one in five homes at the start of the new year.

Assuming that health and safety is an issue, which I don’t doubt, perhaps those unable to do their jobs could be directed to clear the pavements and help make safe for pedestrians and refuse collectors. Perhaps staff who wouldn’t be missed if they left the desks could also be used like those tied up on writing blogging protocols, planning matters, or even those senior officers who managed to blag fat pay increase off the weak conservative administration of Sandy Ezekiel.

Anyway its an ill wind that brings nobody any good and I’m sure rodents will benefit, still at least its reassuring to know that Thanet council has started the year as it intends, and tough titties to rest of us.

How about - Sandy Ezekiel gets compensation over Turner Contemporary for Margate

I see work continues on Margate’s gallery although it will not open until some time in 2011, which prompts this thought, Kent is a Tory county and Thanet has a conservative council, a few months ago Paul Carter’s* Kent council bods agreed a £6million settlement with architects over the original Turner Contemporary project which as some might recall involved building a Gallery on what you might consider the wrong side of the Harbour Arm.

Had things gone well the Turner Contemporary would have opened some time ago and Margate would now be awash with rich art buffs, spending huge amounts of wonger in the local community.

Since this didn’t happen any chance Sandy Ezekiel could do something like ask his mate in Maidstone for a share in the compo! since its Thanet which has lost out, I’m sure he would only be happy to oblige. The dosh, could then be used to host events that would drag in visitors into Margate.

I’m sure Paul Carter can afford to give this area all of the six million pounds since along with wasting millions on advertising, Kent council services can also afford to waste millions on vanity projects like Kent TV which seem only to serve the interests Kent’s of a handful of Kent residents.

*Leader of KCC

Play KCC’s spot the gritter

Tired of the daily commute, how about this distraction, on your way home, see if you can find any evidence, that the road your travelling has been gritted, it seems that KCC’s bosses have introduced “stealth gritters” in order too entertain and challenge the travelling public .

Anyway me and my colleagues had a go this afternoon and found it quite tricky to “spot the gritter” despite thinking it would be easy on one of the countries major routes the A2 & M2 where the heaviest snow falls were late this afternoon.

So where is Kent Highways spending its money, yes we know they’ve spent a fortune on advertising on telly and local newspapers during the past year but surely there must be some money for salt?

Anyhow if you can spot a gritter in the above picture well done, we did eventually spot one between Minster and St Nicks roundabout but since this one was painted yellow with flashing amber lights it didn’t really count.

Thought for the day - China Balancing business, morality and censorship.

It seems that local politicians of either Conservative or Labour persuasion are happy to take a pragmatic or even fence sitting stance concerning the chance of having Chinese investment in these parts.

Now I too take the view that money, is money, so if its on offer take it but I along with most British citizens was brutally reminded that our values, are not the same as our global trading partners, including of course China and in particular their history of human rights violations, emphasised recently by the execution of Akmal Shaikh, for drugs smuggling, shown no mercy despite his mental illness, refusing to accept evidence of his bipolar disorder.

So what has any of this to do with us, well in my case nothing accept being aware that our own local government Thanet District Council, is only to happy to curb its own elected members with nonsense blogging protocols and last summer arranged a secretive meeting with Chinese “dignitaries”.

Now I hope that Thanet Council will draw up a “protocol” on how to receive or not, members of China’s officialdom particularly since many residents are uncomfortable with China’s human rights record not that it seems to bother some in these parts.

Not only is the economy doing well, so is KCC’s Kent Highways says Labour Minister

We’re all used to Gordon Brown’s extraordinary economic view, which reflects little of the reality of Britain's economy outside the bloated self serving public sector, but tucked in the Kent on Sunday (page 8), a rather extraordinary claim from Labour Transport Minister Paul Clark, who rather sportingly bigs up Tory KCC’s Kent Highways with this statement “… I haven’t heard any reports of salt running out. I also think there has been better co-ordination for services generally”

I doubt whether Paul Clark, actually ventured out early on the morning of December 18th and I am sure he was not one of the hundreds, if not thousands of Kent commuters who for some reason found main roads like the M2 blocked, which most of us trapped for some hours thought was due to a lack of salt on the carriageway.

Mr Clark also later claimed “Every step was taken to ensure Kent’s roads were kept clear.” I should image I’m not the only motorist who is convinced that much of the Thanet way and the M2 up to the Medway towns wasn’t treated on 18th Dec 09 in time for the daily commute (it didn’t look good this morning either (Monday).

For Paul Clark MP and Kent Highways please note that by 5:30am  the M2 London bound is pretty busy. And just for Paul Clark take a gander at this story on Kent on Sundays website KCC admit it may run out of salt

Resolutions and political dreams

At the start of the Christmas break I had the idea that I would post some well argued and thoughtful pieces, since I’ve not achieved this previously, its no surprise that I have succumbed to a soft sofa and responsive remote.

I could have made a new years resolution, but view these things with cynicism still its my intention to be short and too the point more than previously.

I noted that Stephen Ladyman MP was apparently “Dreaming” in his regular column(more a box) in the Gazette last week, I couldn’t bare to read it, elsewhere his colleague Gordon Brown (according to the media) is dreaming up a nightmare Class War.

And I’m thinking just who do Labour represent they’ve seem happy to look after bankers, industry bosses, public sector and of course welfare bludgers, bent MP’s Ministers and of course Lords and my conclusion, is its me and working people that Brown’s at war with.

Just look at Local Labour I can recall we’ve seen Clive Hart fearlessly taking photo opportunities in defence of flower beds, buildings or coastal views but never outside a Jobcentre or maybe a post office supporting working peoples.

Anyway happy new year one and all.