A dignified cross party consensus on Mayor Ted (Ex Conservative) unlikely

Sometimes all a politician has is his dignity, when faced with adversity, it seemed that last week Ted Watt-Ruffel had faced up to his culpability in negligent treatment of a family pet, since then I’m not entirely sure that he’s is going do what many would expect, yes we know he’s stepping down from his post as Margate Mayor and no longer part of the Tory group on Thanet District council, but shouldn’t he also resign from the district council, I for one object to being represented Cllr convicted of neglecting animals.

Someone who is always dignified is Labour TDC leader Clive Hart who I think alludes to the Ted situation with this comment “Trustees are in 'something of a pickle' following recent developments” in a message sent to Margate Charter Trustees.

The full message rather emotional and histrionic if you ask me, would indicate it’s unlikely for a meeting  of minds with Labour or Tory bods, anyway for your reference and enlightenment do engross yourself in the full text:

Dear Charter Trustees

I'm afraid I can't make tonight's meeting - I have an important TDC Planning Committee to prepare for and then attend.

However, I understand Margate Charter Trustees are in 'something of a pickle' following recent developments.  I would argue strongly that what has happened recently is only the latest in a long line of appalling events that I have consistantly warned you all of, time and time again.

All was reasonably OK at the Margate Charter Trustees until my good friend and colleague Cllr. Doug Clark was democratically chosen as Mayor by the members.  Despite winning the vote at the Mayor's request meeting and receiving well deserved praise, from the moment he was elected, some of those who didn't really agree with the majority decision made his year as Mayor an absolute misery for him presonally.  Doug being the absolute gentleman he is, tried extremely hard to ignore the vendetta against him but all of us witnessed the seriously detramental effect it had on his health (at one point even collapsing at full council).  Indeed, the nasty and spiteful vendetta has continued to this very day and consequently Doug has sadly not fully recovered even now.

I further warned Trustees not to go ahead with a 'Kangaroo court' where the vendetta mentioned was taken to new heights of absurdity, but the vendetta continued and the 'Kangaroo court' went ahead confirming my worst concerns about the organisation and selfish, nasty, motives of several Trustees.

Fact is, though I regularly attend civic events, dress smartly and respectfully and behave decently and respectfully, I'm afraid I cannot say that all other Trustees have always done the same.  I have witnessed a Trustee, in full robes, so 'leglessly intoxicated' that they were hardly able to stand.

I stopped attending your formal (and I must say - over-secretive) meetings after I was personally and disgustingly verbally abused, goaded and threatened at one of the Charter Trustees own civic events at the Winter Gardens a couple of years ago.  The Trustee who behaved so badly also threatened the elderly Mayor and used appalling language in front of my wife (who now finds herself as a Trustee*) for which he has never apologised.

I simply turned and walked away in disgust, but in a desperate attempt to cover up his own appalling behaviour the Trustee concerned then made outrageous allegations to the Police about those of us who were the victims of his disgusting outburst - all later proved to be utterly spureous.

Even worse, when another upstanding Charter Trustee informed the offending Trustee that his outburst was totally unacceptable and that he was therefore going to report him, that very brave Trustee was called a 'gutless bastard' and a series of attempts were made to also make him appear a liar.

Now the Trustees find themselves in one hell of a mess because of further repeatedly poor judgements.  I believe your chosen Mayor, who has now pleaded guilty to two charges of animal cruelty, actually oversaw the 'Knagaroo court' I refered to earlier.  I know he, like some others, was simply a puppet, but what goes around comes around.

I'm sorry I can't be there today - but I do sicerely hope you can start to clear up this whole appalling mess!

Kind regards

Clive

(Cllr Clive Hart)  *incidently, when my wife became a Charter Trustee just a few weeks ago, she received a very rude welcome from another Trustee for which he has never apologised either.