Last weeks cabinet meeting some rough notes as Clive Hart ignores the issues

Last week I approached the thought of attending the Thanet council cabinet meeting with some trepidation, and then thought stuff it,who are these people, as I considered the poor response to my complaint to the council over harassment at the last one I attended from overzealous staff inadequately trained to deal with the public, no surprising given the attitude of senior council officers to the public.

Anyway ignoring the preceding sour grapes, the meeting itself started with a lengthy, lecture from Cllr Clive Hart, about the use of mobile phones, unnecessary in my opinion, a request not to disrupt the meeting should suffice.

Good to see the Margate Mayor arrive as the meeting kicked off, sporting casual attire a t-shirt and jeans I think.

Shortly after the start, Cllr Iris Johnson had some rather convoluted, and tortuous argument about declaring an interest regarding one of the agenda items, despite as I gather, having exhausted the subject with one of the council officers (assuming I correctly picked up the exasperation in the officer's voice). In summary I'd guess some oblique point was being made about political bias, not a bad warm up to the shoddy (in my view) behavior of her colleagues to follow.

As those who follow these things will already know, the big ticket item for the evenings proceedings, was "that the council has no confidence in the Diversity Champion, Councillor Worrow " and yes Thanet labour does embrace such politically correct bonkers (in my opinion) jobs.

Cllr Fenner was able to talk the talk, on the old diversity subject, unlike others, so much about equality and good practice blah blah anyhoo Clive Hart made it abundantly clear this was a subject he didn't want debated, having made it clear that he didn't want any personal nastiness (an odd point given the way in which labour stalwart Mark Nottingham was treated not so long ago) which I assume he meant, mention of Cllr Worrow.

The question of Cllr  Worrows suitability, was not allowed to go ahead, in any meaningful way, Cllr King who'd raised the issue in the first place was so exasperated that he had to leave, our wonderful leader throw his toys out of the pram, making a rather presumptuous comment about personal vendetta.

At the end of the day, I'm afraid the competence of Cllr Worrow to do his job is a matter for public debate, end of story, indeed I recall receiving a call from the man in question wishing to know what my take was on the nights discussion,unfortunately at the time I was building a railway, but when I later caught up with him driving home, hands free, the conversation had shifted to something else, I said I'd call back later but got the impression that it would have been pointless.

I have to say, Clive Harts attitude can be summed up as I think he did "it's my cabinet", so sad.

In other business we learnt from Iris Johnson that up to a couple of hundred grand was to be squandered on skate parks, this is the council that stuffed Margate's Big Event out of spite.  Still even this wasn't enough for Cllr Fenner who was worried if I heard right that deprived children should not be excluded.

Cllr Green spoke on something, his delivery was suitably "laboured" and reminded me I had a long day.

Finally I feel that Cllr Worrow is out of his depth despite Cllr Fenner's explanations, I don't recall any achievements being mentioned concerning Thanets Diversity Champion, perhaps Cllr Worrow should have better publicity, maybe higher profile, perhaps he could be given some suitable superhero type uniform to wear when on duty. PS Worrow has some explaining to do about offensive posting on certain websites locally, as highlighted by Cllr Simon Moores who took the trouble to bring his tablet to the meeting, just as a graphic reminder of the partiality of and ignorance displayed by the leadership.

Perhaps the question a bigger question might be is Clive Hart fit for the leadership?  I say clearly not.

Moments Lost

Every day is made up of moments some memorable, some transient, some left hanging, because no one has time to record them. 

That's the way things are with this blog at the moment right here right now. 

Around 5:30 a day or so back I happened to witness a gorgeous sunrise near Hythe none too remarkable however memorable, a brilliant red fiery sky, maybe something not out of the ordinary but as I shot down the slip road onto the M20  instantly I felt regret for not having pulled over and taken a shot on the old smartphone camera. 

Similar regret on some of those items I've not had time to comment, KCC yet again neglecting a child in their care, slippery Kent council covering things up while snooping on the public, Dreamland a marvellous breakthrough for Margate, a group of treacherous Tory MP's, who've probably never done a proper days work in their life, trashing the British worker, no doubt while they screw British workers as they dip their hands in our pockets. (Still just as we have a few honest politicians there are also a small number of work shy Brits)

As a typical British worker I get up before dawn, do a days work and come home, just so that low life cretinous Conservative MP's can stab the likes of me and you in the back! Shame on them!

Anyhow maybe next week I shall have more time, perhaps for a cogent, well considered argument why people who talk down we British, should be made to do community service for at least a month, and in the case of anti-Brit deadbeat parasites, living off British taxpayers, they should be expelled from the UK for good so that they can live in a country peopled by those they approve.

Phew it's warm still. Sorry for the above photo, it's wild flowers instead, the sunrise was so much better.

Assange What's the problem?

Julian Assange the boss of Wikileaks is trying to slip out of facing justice in Sweden, hopefully the British authorities will guarantee his safe arrival in Sweden to answer charges of sexual assault.

It seems to me a rather naive claim to suggest as his fan club would have it, that Sweden has a dodgy legal system.

Given the choice of defending myself against bogus charges as some gullible campaigners have it, I would rather it was in European country than anywhere else, almost laughable is the protest from South American countries, hardly known for stability or human rights during my life time.

It's been alleged that Wikileaks has been responsible for risking lives of informers on Islamic terror groups, such as in Afghanistan where British Military are working at considerable risk, to help the people build a civilised country.

I've go no time for all this hot air about Assange, until he was charge with sex crimes, I'd imagine even the most dedicated left wing nut job, would have been hard placed claim Sweden had a corrupt legal system.

Briefly looking at Ecuador's  human rights given their poor record of unlawful killings and use of excessive force by security forces, arbitrary arrest and detention; corruption blah blah blah, they have no authority to lecture anyone on human rights.

Assange should just quietly leave town for Sweden and answer the charges against him, particularly given his innocence.

What a surprise - Tory Police candidate prefers party political advantage

Shock horror Craig Mackinley, who? well this is the Tory Candidate, for the Police Crime Commissioner post for Kent.

Perhaps like many who initially welcomed the idea of an independent boss of police forces across the country, given rather unchallenging poor undemocratic rubber stamping police authorities, the reality is that party politics will dominate the elections in November.

So it's really no surprise that the  Kent Tory candidate is not keen on a level playing field in which independent candidates are assisted as in other elections by free postage to electors.

Political parties, shouldn't in my view have anything to do with local police forces.

Any how for the story from Kent on Sunday click here

Thanet Council - We are not alone

I often wonder, whether Thanet Council is unique, with its sometime complacent attitude to residents and apparent hostility to free and democratic media, still drawn to a blog with the snappy title of "Carmarthenshire Planning Problems and more" after a reference in the current addition of Private Eye to the blog's author Jacqui Thompson.

Well reading this story from that blog would indicate that Thanet Council are not alone in the attitude to, we the people.

As my readers will be aware, I recently had cause to complain, when challenged by the councils security guard, I emailed Sue McGonical Chief Executive, concerned at what I perceived to be intimidating behaviour and harassment by the council at a public meeting, almost seven days later a reply turned up in my inbox, not from the Chief Executive but from democratic services.

Here is an extract from their reply to which I add come comments

The current policy regarding public meetings is that “unauthorised recording or relaying” of proceedings is not allowed, but I hope that you will appreciate that it is not always easy for the security staff to understand what members of the public are doing with mobile phones. My comment surely if I was making a phone call I would hold the phone to my ear, how difficult is that? And couldn't they accept a simple explanation??????

My understanding is that a relatively new member of building security staff took an over-zealous interpretation of the rules. He twice asked you to stop using your mobile phone, but he did not ask you to leave the Council Chamber. My Comment Why didn't one of the highly paid, some would say overpaid officers, intervene.

There has been no recent change in policy and it was clearly inappropriate of him to take that action. Clear instructions have since been given to the security staff. My comment Why not adequately train staff in contact with the public to understand, that the local authority, is supposed to be run on open, honest and democratic lines for the benefit of local people not as some club for council officers.

One day local authorities will have to realise that they work for the community, end of story, till then, petty regulations and arrogance shall reign. Till then people like Jacqui Thompson will have to battle for unfettered access to the democratic process.

Away from it all

I'd like to say that I'm all blogged out, that I have had bigger fish to fry, not true, or that I'd been away on some exotic holiday but the truth is that for the last week or so I've mainly spent my spare time watching the Olympics .

For a lot of us real world issues have been suspended to marvel at the Olympics, it's Friday afternoon as I start this posting and it might well be some time Sunday when complete, yesterday as talk of the legacy ramped up a tad, even the sky box appeared to suffer a minor stroke.

Olympic fatigued has yet to set in here at Flaig mansions,  what a fortnight it has been, the cycling for me has been the best, particularly Bradley Wiggins, still something which was shared it seems by all those in team GB the simple British trait of honest hard work, a characteristic frequently dismissed by those who should know better.

Without exception athletes talented enough to represent Britain, have appeared happy to be part of the British nation and why not, just before these Olympics I read an article suggesting this years event might be the last prior to Scottish independence, as well as the disappearance of our British flag of course it may well be true since once again a minority of us Brits will get to decide.

I just hope the success of team GB will be a graphic argument for those such as Alex Salmond who wish to destroy the British nation. Sorry for the negative, political point at the end of this post but sometimes you don't know what you've got until it's gone.

Isle of Thanet Gazette - Honesty?

I just wonder if or how, the Editor of the Isle of Thanet Gazette, Rebecca Smith, could justify the account given in today's edition of the paper, of Thanet councils actions in interfering with my note taking at last weeks TDC Cabinet meeting.

I cannot help feeling, that had my actions been in any way consistent, with the papers report, (particularly the first paragraph) it would have been, reported elsewhere in terms a bit more excitable than these,

 " Tonight also marked the second time fellow blogger Tony Flaig left early after being challenged over the use of his phone in the public gallery. Given this, perhaps he might pick up pen and paper instead? Tony was using his phone to take notes on a WordPad type program, something that was shown in his defence. He was doing the same last time. He was not Twittering.  James Maskell - 'Ville Views

or this from Cllr Simon Moores "Fellow blogger, Tony Flaig, was in the public gallery but during the course of the meeting, I heard a larger than life commotion behind me and it appeared that he had been spotted, using his phone and suspected of covert 'twittering' by a security guard.

The report by the Gazette is totally inconsistent with my recollection, of events, naturally I was taken aback by the attitude of the security guard, so as I have mentioned previously, I left before the situation became heated.

I find the report inexplicable and frankly unbelievable.

Breathtaking waste from Labour council

It's almost as if Thanet council are oblivious of economic realities, not so long ago, Thanet council were sending out press releases about Council Tax benefit, it's the intention of government to start to rein in welfare benefits and concentrate on those in actual need.

Benefits are being safeguarded for pensioners, obviously for Labour this issue is important to them since they represent in this order, public sector workers, benefits claimants, big business and at the bottom of the heap, us working people.

Recently local Labour boss Cllr. Clive Hart, thought it essential that local people should be aware of the changes, why,  I'm happy just know that maybe the welfare state is being reformed and that hopefully, not to far into the future, those who now claim for anything from a dysfunctional lifestyle, ignorance of contraception, through to the full Monty of exotic pursuits  such as snorkelling holidays,  these people should do what the rest of us do, work for a living.

Still for a further taste of air head thinking from Thanet labour, and you will soon realise looking at the above advert, from this weeks Thanet Times, that for Labour public spending is never better, than when completely wasteful so long, as it's vaguely indicative of some community theme however pointless and wasteful it may be.

Thanet council wishes to thank the local community, as do |I, for supporting the Olympic torch relay, err fair enough but couldn't they have done it, without wasting money, on a half page full colour advert in the Thanet Times, don't they have a press office and a web site is there any justification giving this money away rather than fund local services, shame on Labour and the TIG.

More importantly on a personal note, I would like to thank the council and or Clive Hart for a prompt apology and explanation of  their (TDC) unreasonable behaviour, in harassing me, last week at a public meeting, of coarse such is their contempt, I can't, still you will also be pleased that while penalising local motorist with increased charges, council staff have had their parking privileges enhanced with later opening hours at Mill Lane car park. Drinks all round for our champagne Labour party, I think, even if they've yet to achieve anything, thanks Labour!                                .