These pages are littered with criticism of political parties, why, because no single group have all the answers and in the main most politicians, appreciate debate, however if you ask me, one political group unelected, inflexible always involved will often block the smooth flow of commerce and we the people pay the price, of course I refer to government functionaries, "officers" at local and national level.
This weeks headline story in the Gazette, tells of the cancellation of a major windsurfing event and just how intractable and unhelpful this group can be, we refer to them as local government officers or civil servants, left alone in non decision making roles, they can be quite harmless, still give them a chance and petty decisions, can easily throw a spanner in the works.
So this week, we hear because they can, a major sporting event has been cancelled, it seems Thanet Council officers have been defended according to the Gazette by Cllr Keith Coleman-Cooke (Conservative apparently), unfamiliar I imagine to most of us.
Apparently last year, Windsurfing Event participants, behaved outrageously and parked camper vans overnight in the car park, behind The Minnis, they also spent large amounts of money in the local economy, just what harm was done, if any is not clear, however someone has taken the trouble to find some arcane by-law and stop this event taking place, not as I see it because it would not be in the public interest but because the could.
I suggest that Thanet Council chief executive Sue McGonigal, has a word with fellow officers and point out this sort of petty enforcement of By-laws makes the council a laughing stock, likewise leader of Thanet Tories Cllr Bob Bayford ought to have a word with Keith Coleman-Cooke. We expect Thanet Council and our elected representatives to work for the benefit of Thanet not just take our money.
The Gazette managed to get a quote from a council spokesman "The council is supportive of this event but unfortunately............ of course the unfortunately, was not as you might expect an apology, perhaps something along the lines of " unfortunately we have not got a sense of proportion or commonsense to overlook petty regulations and will always revert to jobsworth mode, if allowed.
The Gazette managed to get a quote from a council spokesman "The council is supportive of this event but unfortunately............ of course the unfortunately, was not as you might expect an apology, perhaps something along the lines of " unfortunately we have not got a sense of proportion or commonsense to overlook petty regulations and will always revert to jobsworth mode, if allowed.
'political group' and 'reason' are rarely seen in the same sentence.
ReplyDeleteAs for the Gazette, the trainee journalists persist in describing 'the 24-hour Tesco overlooking Margate main sands'. Last time I looked, there wasn't much sand in All Saints Avenue which the planned store will overlook! Time for a new editor with experience and accuracy?
"one political group unelected, inflexible always involved will often block the smooth flow of commerce and we the people pay the price,"
ReplyDeleteYou've nailed it right there, Tony, and it is only going to get worse until we show them who is boss.
They don't like independence, if you are not part of the clique you are going to be regulated into extinction.
ReplyDeleteI say to hell with the licence, let the surfers excercise their common law rights to hold their contest, regardless of what the gestapo says.
Bloody cheek!
Broadstairs fireworks, Minnis Bay Windsurfing, what can they do next to destroy our Tourism product, Currently everything is too difficult and made to be so , its time that the Politicians made it clear to the Officers that they are ther to make things happen not to prevent events happening, oh dear Thanet is truly going to "hell in a handcart" well done Michael keep this one going
ReplyDeleteAll very well blaming the officers, but surely we elect councillors to show a bit of true leadership and gumption and to step in to correct such nonsenses. Can one imagine Churchill being blocked by petty local officials.
ReplyDeleteBoth the fireworks and wind surfing issues could have been sorted by swift leadership intervention. Instead the leader is no doubt, as he did with the Broadstairs fireworks, preparing a press statement to show it was not his fault. Nothing ever is and it would seem in Thanet that the buck stops nowhere except possibly with the office cleaner.
Meantime the Birchington councillor, who should be concerned over the wind surfing fiasco, is busy preparing for TDC to debate gay marriage. You really could not make it up here!
It speaks volumes when someone calls equal marriage "Gay Marriage"
ReplyDelete11:52 Surely it depends how you define marriage which currently is an institution between man and woman. Hence the proposed change is about calling single sex unions, currently civil partnerships, marriage. Is that about equality or is it something totally different or a special arrangement for a different to mainstream minority.
ReplyDeleteIf marriage is used as a term to describe all unions of two people, then expressions like husband and wife or man and wife must also disappear. Perhaps you can explain why the majority should give up their traditions, in many cases strongly held religious beliefs, to accommodate the few.
All that exercise, exhilaration, all those endorphins, Good Lord, whatever next?
ReplyDeleteNext thing you know, those youngsters will be growing up into strong-minded, independent thinking adults and then where would we be?
Into a world without order where chaos reigns I would suggest 12:38. All these independent minded people doing there own thing and, blink, you have the rule of the jungle. Mad Max here we come. Hope your unarmed combat is up to speed.
ReplyDeleteWhat you say Tom is all correct - but you did see Yes, Prime Minister didn't you? The permanent officers always rule the roost, they just let the elected council tinker around the issues. If the officer doesn't want something to happen he/she will make sure it never does.
ReplyDeleteYour little scam will be over 12:59, that's for sure.
ReplyDeleteBizarre, 2:18, for what little scam is that you are on about? Tis not I but another who wants all these independent minded people doing their own thing. Me, well I prefer a bit of order and discipline in society.
ReplyDeleteIt is my experience that when a people are given more freedom, society as a whole will improve, exponentially.
ReplyDeleteConversely a society that is repressed will go to the dogs in no time.
viva la revolucion
ReplyDelete9:28 Interested as to where you got your experience of people being given more freedom. Even Lundy has rules about not shooting the puffins.
ReplyDeleteYou only need to do a bit of travelling to see the difference between a tyranny and a less severe regime.
ReplyDeleteIceland is a shining example of what happens when one tells the IMF to sling their bleedin' hook whence they came.
Greece is a shining example of what happens when you don't.
The Icelanders are out of recession within a few short years.
But we are veering sharply off-topic here, the question is, who stands to benefit from the surfing contest being moved to Herne Bay?
Yes, unfortunately the 'officers' have always ruled the roost, anything else is just an illusion.
ReplyDeleteCouncillors could just disappear, which would of course save alot of money, and most should, as they do nothing but endorse what the 'chief officers' want and do not serve the people.
So we are left with public servants serving other public servants, or put another way, order out of chaos that they create for their own gain, not ours.
They can only get away with it because others watch and say "Oh Dear".
ReplyDeleteWe should all stand up and say "No Way Is This Gonna Happen"
"The political group nobody can reason with "
ReplyDeleteLooks like its all coming out in the wash doesn't it !
'Golden boy' council energy chief on £66,000 a year 'embezzled £2 million and spent it on luxury cars and holidays'
· Kent County Council boss accused of cashing invoices into his personal account
· He is alleged to have siphoned off funds meant for energy companies
· Money was 'used to buy a Jaguar car and trips abroad'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2117876/Golden-boy-council-energy-chief-66-000-year-embezzled-2-million-spent-luxury-cars-holidays.html
Like this, 9:24?
ReplyDeleteSorry, typo, 9:24, should be 9:42
ReplyDeleteActually, Tom Clarke, I would imagine Churchill would have been rolling on the floor as drunk as a skunk - seems to have been his main interest and activity.
ReplyDeleteChurchill had more leadership qualities when drunk than any of today's lot have even when stone cold sober.
ReplyDeleteanon 7.23
ReplyDeleteYou could well be right but hardly surprising he was a drinker if he was related to this lot???
"Jack the Ripper" was Winston Churchill's Father
According to John Hamer, the Masonic ritual murder of four prostitutes was carried out by Winston Churchill's father, Lord Randolph Spencer Churchill, 1849-1895 (left.) The prostitutes were blackmailing the royal family.
"Churchill was not only the 'brains' behind the entire operation, but he was also personally responsible for the cutting of Masonic emblems and symbols into the bodies of the victims, whilst William Gull's surgeon's hands performed the organ removals."
John Hamer, 59, has a horse-racing business in Yorkshire. This is an excerpt from his book, 'The Falsification of History - Our Distorted Reality' which will be published in mid 2012. John can be contacted at
john@pegasusracingclub.com
http://www.henrymakow.com/jacktheripperwas.html
I see Sarkózy's re-election campaign has got off with a bang.
ReplyDelete8:10 That is pure conjecture along with several other suspects that various writers, trying to earn a buck, have proved were Jack the Ripper.
ReplyDeleteGiven your name and date of birth, plus the time and energy, I could no doubt prove that you are distantly related to Robert Mugabe. Does that make you culpable in the genocide of the Matabelle people?
Doesn't change the fact that Churchill was a drunk. Least he didn't get in a car though and risk public safety. That would be x-councillor cameron.
ReplyDeleteIf in doubt, trot out the old Zimbabwe routine, lol.
ReplyDeleteOne of the comment writers on that piece, 8:10, seems convinced that Churchill's real father was Edward VII.
The plot thickens.
I thought Churchill was a lezza
ReplyDeleteIs that something like a schnozzer?
ReplyDelete