Thursday, February 14, 2013

Margate High St. "Portas" money, Where is it?

Now there's a surprise "Portas" money (David Cameron's High St. intiative) disappears into the shadowy world of Margate's  great and the good, well at least according to the Independent newspaper, as it becomes apparent that of all those, sent freedom of information requests, to see just how wisely or not town teams have been, Margate was the only one unable to open up and let the world know how or if they have used any of the taxpayers one hundred thousand pounds in the high profile government initiative.

Just to add to concerns about Margate, Cllr Clive Hart (Labour Leader), has recently announced that he has taken over  responsibility for economic development and regeneration, so far Clive's achievements as Labour leader have included, discouraging business at Manston Airport, backing Ian Driver over hardworking Mark Nottingham a longtime and loyal member of Labour for the Northwood ward, ( Ian Driver having been elected as a Labour member soon left the Labour group, with some discord, still a not unreasonable move given the circumstances). 

I rang the council this morning and no shock here either, anyone who might knows what's going on with Margate High Street and the £100,000-00 were "in a meeting".

Click here for Mary Portas report not sure whether it recommended sitting on the money and  doing nothing, that would take true Thanet bred genius, still since much of the first few pages were filled with, I this and I that, I didn't bother reading further, still why should I, the only beneficiary of  all this will I assume be Mary Portas and Channel 4's viewers who unless they've been close to the Portas experience will naturally assume that every high street is full of Muppets, who are privileged just to be pawns for the inevitable Channel four documentary.

I feel sorry for those genuine people, who've worked to resuscitate Margate, one such person being Louise Oldfield, who was interviewed earlier today on BBC radio Kent, Saying "I don't think anyone knows where the money has gone" commenting "that there was a general lockdown of information on the budget" asked if she was aware of any money having been spent said, no. Toward the end of the interview Louise added this " that the situation was more than sad, it was tragic" and frankly it is.

Maybe it's time for Council Leader Clive Hart to stop posturing about what hard work he and his comrades are doing and actually do something, likewise where is Cllr Will Scobie, Margate Mayor in all this, yes we all know that as part of the "grooming process"  for standing in the May  county council elections he's been meeting and greeting us plebs, but come off it get involved! 

68 comments:

  1. Why can't Clive and Will be more like Sandy and Ted?!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I don't think Will has a Cat and we will talk about Sandy soon enough!

      Delete
    2. Cllr Will Scobie, Margate Mayor in all this, yes we all know that as part of the "grooming process" ????

      I told you he dosent have a Cat to groom you over weight simpleton!

      Delete
    3. I think it is well known that Will Scobie has been chosen, and is being groomed as a potential county councillor, why else would you have someone, with little experience of life or business, fresh out of uni, do the job of Mayor of Margate, something that is usually given to those of pensionable age?

      Anymore silly comments

      Delete
    4. I think the important thing is whether or not he's doing a good job (and let's face it, not getting a criminal record is a good job by TDC standards!).

      Delete
  2. About time you gave up on Manston Tony. Even the owners Infatil dont want it after losing millions every year. Infatil dont even have to fork out for the airstip, £3 millions from the government to look after it every year. And nobody else wants to buy it off them even at a knock down price of £7 millions having paid £22 millions a few years back.
    Infatil will even help a potential buyer with alternative uses for the site.
    And you only have to look at EKO so see that businesess dont want to come to Thanet. They can go to the Discovery Park and get the benefits of being an enterprise zone. You can blame the coallition for that. EKO a joint KCC/TDC tory folly for which TDC still owes £2.5 millions - which they dont have.
    The only hope for Manston and Thanet is to develop tourism and for it to become a commuter belt.
    But you need to remember that it was 8 years of Tory rule that got Thanet to where it is today. Maybe you should judge Labour in 7 years time.



    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Pity that Clive Hart, cannot make things happen, God knows I've criticised the Tories often enough, but Labour's lack of business experience is killing Thanet.

      The word clueless comes to mind.

      Not making the best of the hundred thousand pound grant is a bloody disgrace. Even if the council's not responsible or involved silence on the matter is not.

      Shame on labour

      Delete
    2. Margate received a LOT of government funding during the Tory era too, but that disappeared without trace (apart from the money Jimmy Godden was given in grants for "regeneration" that is).

      Delete
    3. Tony if you knew anything you would not have lost the election you thicko

      Delete
  3. Boring as ever, 16:33. You need to remember that before the 8 years of Tory rule there were years of Labour plus a Labour MP from 1997 to 2010 in South Thanet. Mind you, it did not take him long to leave the place after he lost his seat. Probably had a belly full of whingers like you.

    Tourism and computer belt indeed. Without jobs we will just be a dumping ground for the unwanted of London and even when we had seaside holdays back in the 60s there were still only seasonal jobs.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. A computer belt? That's marginally lesss foolish than your championing of a failed 24 hour cargo airport through jiggery-pokery Allan.

      Delete
    2. No more foolish than your tourism and commuter scheme for Thanet. Get real, anon, the people have far more exotic and sunny places within affordable reach and how many people are in a position to pay five grand for a season ticket to commute.

      It is people like you, forever complaining about anything that might bring work to Thanet that have condemned it to be the South East's poor relation.

      Delete
    3. So an airport to make it easier to fly away is an improvement for Thanet's economy? Or rather flying in cargo day and night. Stupid pensioners like you have destroyed Thanet over the years.

      Delete
  4. Turner Contemporary is going to turn Margate into an all-season resort!

    ReplyDelete
  5. Its the Margate Town Team that decide where to spend the Portas money not Clive Hart. Its meant to be a community led project with local people deciding where to spend the cash. According to Margate's Town team's facebook page they have so far spent £111.47 and admit to being a bill slow off the mark due to getting the team together. But they do claim credit for the pop up shop which has cost nothing. But there again you could alway praise TDC for this initiative if you believe they are the Town Team.

    https://www.facebook.com/MargateTownTeam

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Err surely if Clive Hart and his team were in anyway competent they would have been guiding and pushing the town team into action.

      Also I say again that rather than Will Scobie, Margate mayor, attended all these mayoral functions designed to promote his chances in the country elections, perhaps he could devote efforts into galvanizing Margate town team into action, Crikey how long have they had this money, what the neck are they waiting for a bus!

      Delete
    2. What would YOU do with the money Tony?

      Delete
    3. 2054 Well two choices,A) you could sit on it and do nothing,or B) Use for it intended purpose, to attract and induce people into the high street, stage events, entertainment, competitions whatever its required.

      Since the chances are that you're one of Clive's cohorts, I'll make simple go with plan b

      Delete
    4. So you still have not told us what you would spend it on, what events you would hold?, how you will get people into the high street and how would you get them to come back after the £100k has been spent? Its only £100k and is not going to achieve much long term. You could spend it on events such as the Big Event that cost £50k but events such as these do not encourage people to come again othwise the town would already be thriving.
      Seems to me it was just a cheap gimmick by the coallition trying yet again to divert attention from the lack lustre economy.

      Delete
    5. 0849 I'll put it this way since your clearly non to bright, I've given you more detail than the town team who appear to me to have sat on their bottoms doing zilch.

      Delete
  6. Margate Town Team, headed up now by Richard Ash (MTP) and briefly by Terry Painter (MTP) spent £111 out of the £100k. £90 of this has gone to reimburse Terry Painter for land registry searches that he had started gathering when we were writing the bid. So there you have it. Out of 9 months, and nothing spent, the first in line for a pay out was Mr Painter who may well have been Chairman at the time. Poportunity costs nothing out of the Portas budget because I'm told it's self sufficient as an organisation. Not that there have been any public meetings or clarity how the current Town Team members got to be members. It's shameful that there hasn't been anything spent or access to the public to be involved. And for TDC to first restrict information to then try to put people in the frame for delays (which was not information requested) further shame.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. In the begining there were many people involved in securing the portas hundred grand, all of them did it for the love of Margate and not for the love of the Pound, soon after, the "property" people smelt money coming in and bullied the original town team out, I did not see or hear any of the present town team in helping secure the portas money. We need to keep a sharp eye out where this money is spent, otherwise it may end up as other grant money did which was given to disapearing business men.
      Clive really needs to get off the fence and do something, be brave, I know, take on the slum landlords freshwater to make them keep their side of the Arlington house lease and maintain the site and open our car park, if you need a hand us locals will help..
      Will scobie I like, he is my local counciler, Let us see if he gives us in Thanet the Gale treatment of presiding over us for 20+ years and watch from the sidelines as we slid down the slippery slope of holding records such as most crime, drugs, teenage preg,unemployment etc and he did nothing, well he did travel the world saving animals and overseeing fair elections and we got the one fingerd salute from him, Laura on the other hand has faults, we all do, but she is doing, moving, and making things happen.

      Delete
  7. We seem to be taxed to fund bureaucrats and politicians to do nothing except pay themsleves ort a few cronies.

    On Manston, to be fair ot Clive he hasn't discouragesd business - he's just completely ignored by Infratil who've said they'll increase the night flight times by 30-60 minutes.

    Maybe we can expect another fake TDC consultation to rubber-stamp it and ignore fines and pollution.

    The Portas funds is similarly tax money like EKO or ExEK just being sat on.

    ReplyDelete
  8. On a positive note, the recent media coverage will hopefully get the Margate Town Team off their collective arse and start putting plans into action, they know the spotlight is firmly on them now so please, no knee-jerk waste of money shenanigans but well thought out, cost effective and beneficial to Margate initiatives.

    Not a lot to ask for is it?

    ReplyDelete
  9. Shinguard, it's not a lot to ask but that's not what the New Painter Team are about. Kapo has it right with poperty deals and crony relationships. Just look at Pleasurama in Ramsgate for more of the same or even Dreamland. While TDC from the bureacrat side are equally failed. A clearout is required. Who would you sack at TDC?

    ReplyDelete
  10. A lot of change is needed. Perhaps beginning with political change and getting rid of the 2 party state whihc has prevailed for far too long to the detriment of Thanet people. The time is comin for indpendent politics where officers are held to account and councillors can propelry represnt their constituents

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I really cannot wait to be 'propelry represnt' by the illerate it would seem!

      Delete
    2. "ILLERATE" which description presumably includes you

      Delete
    3. Good point, anon, I shall use my spell check more diligently in future although, of course, I am not a councillor or running for office. I tend to expect better from those who consider themselves fit to lead and represent.

      Delete
  11. The local mob has presided over us for too long, the rubbish on the hill has yet again brought the news media to look at margate in a negative light, with name calling, [please do me a favour]giving out lies in the portas bid, stupid TDC knew that Margate Independants didnt do anything to clinch the hundred grand, then again TDC didnt do much either, All current councilors need to be treated with the contempt they treat us in, I have tried to question them, but get abuse, someday the secret paperwork will out, who got what and where, who carpeted what and why, we the locals need to keep pushing them all and ignore he said this to that because of this and i dont like it so i will shout to the media and Margate looks like its run by the self serving stupid with ego's as big as the moon, so cut out the claptrap and do something for the whole community and not for the party!!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Perhaps you should stand Kapo, if you are capable of filling out a candidate for election form, which I doubt. Love your turn of phrase, use of adjectives and punctuation.

      Delete
  12. Some politicians ask what can I do for my community? some ask what can i do for myself? some just spell check!

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. How do you know the previous anonymous was a politician? Probably, like me, just a member of Thanet's long suffering public who wonder where we are going to find decent governance, yet dismayed at the snipe only brigade who are quick to criticise, but short on real ideas.

      Delete
    2. Maybe councillors expect better rather than idiots like you Tom?

      Delete
  13. Of course you are right, my long past education leaves a lot to be desired, but a point i must make is that i do not see you disagreeing with me, instead you comment on the way i have written this, which leaves me to think you are an ex teacher [or even a present one] or a councillor.
    My father who actualy spent 2 years in a siberian slave labour camp had very few wise words to say, some of his words did lodge in my uneducated brain, and it reads "if you lie with dogs you will catch fleas", i have no desire to stand, there are far better educated and inteligent people who will do the job better,{and who can spell and know all about adjectives and punctuation] I will never nail myself to any party, i look at the individual and see first hand how they act on our behalf, for example in the local Gazzette today Mr Wise laments the increase in expenses, let him demonstrate that he personaly does not take the extra money, but gives it back to TDC, I truly believe he does not, its that kind of two faced crap we have to deal with in Thanet. me, I am fed up to the back teeth with TDC ruining the place where i live, they are a laughing joke, this includes many of its officers as well as councillors, but all are not bad, i have met some very very good ones, these i will never name, if they are found to work for the good of the community they will probably get fired.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Kapo, you could indeed have a point for most of our present administration are self serving or, at least, so hungry for power that they will cling to it at any cost to their own self esteem. You mention your father, and my own, a former Labour politician, would be appalled at the way our local party have sold their souls to a trio of chancers in pursuit of titles.

      I would disagree with you over Cllr Wise for he is right to highlight the increase in expenses. Somehow Labour in power seem to think that the role should be some kind of well paid gravy train rather than of giving service to the community. Typically the young mayor of Margate, more using the position to further his higher political aspirations than the town itself, complained almost as soon as he was elected that it was not paid enough. Cannot seem to grasp it is a vocation not a career and, if he wants wealth, he should perhaps get a proper job first.

      Yes, there are some good councillors, but at this time they are seemingly silent if on the Labour side or shouted down, if not accused of homophobia, on any other. Sadly, in Thanet, some seem to have failed to grasp the fact that socialism has been a disaster in the world from the Soviet Union to North Korea and are even heralding the bright Red Driver as some kind of saviour. Can we do anything but despair.

      Delete
    2. We need Bayford and his Tory crew instead Allan?

      Delete
  14. My Father used to say that Thanet was a depressed area. He died in 1955 when I was twelve.

    I can only think of one "Major" employer who was here in 1955 and is still going. Currently known as Hornby Hobbies. Can anybody name any others? Klingers came and went, was that a "Major" employer?

    Regarding grammar and spelling within these comments, and elsewhere, I note that former militant member Driver is worse than most. And no, I am not a teacher, just someone who likes to see correct spelling, grammar and punctuation. And I am not perfect either.

    Mayor Scobie would have had to do national service in the early fifties. I reckon he should have two years in the forces before continuing his political career.

    ReplyDelete
  15. No, 17:33, what we need is the good ones on all sides to get together to provide some sensible governance. Sadly, the political divide will probably prevent that from happening and we will continue to lurch from one incompetent clinging to power to the next.

    The fact that Bayford is bumbling to say the least does not make Hart good, just emphasises the tragedy that such is Thanet's choice of alternatives.

    ReplyDelete
  16. Agree, 16:26, Lance Corporal Scobie has a good ring to it, for he is not Sandhurst 2nd Lieutenant material, and he would have probably served with The Buffs in Kenya during the Mau Mau crisis. That would have helped him grow up.

    Back in the 50's, even without the National Service factor, most of us left Thanet to find decent work for, as you say, there were no major employers even then. Unless your dad owned a hotel or you were a fisherman's son, Thanet only offered seasonal work.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. 1852 you can't do national service these days. And it hardly worked well wih Britian being chased out of all her colonies and relying on American troops and airbases.

      The dearth of employment suggests an idle coast of retirees with minimum wage services.

      Delete
    2. Thus speaks a total ignoramous, historically inaccurate and lacking in the most basic of factual knowledge.

      Delete
    3. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    4. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    5. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    6. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    7. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    8. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    9. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    10. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    11. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    12. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    13. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
    14. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

      Delete
  17. Please note I've removed a strand of comments due to them being A offensive and treacherous, and straying wildly from the subject.

    While it seems acceptable, these days to betray this countries unique heritage and culture, under the weight of pressure from European institutions etc, its never acceptable to use these pages to insult members of British armed forces.

    Thank you to the contributor who pointed out these comments. As a reputable and respectable website I appreciate assistance, in monitoring. So if you see anything defamatory, or offensive, let me know tonyflaig@gmail.com

    ReplyDelete
  18. Tony, on behalf of anyone who has served in the British forces I thank you.

    ReplyDelete
  19. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. It depends what you mean by incompetence and failure. Of course these can be highlighted, but to what end? The fact is that despite all these things, by and large the British military is successful.

      Delete
    2. Nonsense 18:46. The Britsh military has been drummed out of every colony since 1945. Prior to that the Americans and Russians won WW2. And the Americans and French did the same in WW1. Hence massive disasters like Dunkirk, Somme and Singapore. The rose tinted spectacles of those serving in failed regiments is self-serving.

      Delete
    3. Like Waterloo, Sevastavol, Trafalgar, Inkerman and the Battle of Britain to name but a few. Still raises the question of why you are here 22:12 unless it is for the jihad. Falls about laughing at the thought.

      Delete
    4. 22:12 seems to speak the blustering language of the likes of Saddam and Gadaffi and where are they now. Don't seem to recall too many British leaders in modern times grovelling in smelly holes, being beaten and shot or led to the gallows. Wherever were the Republican Guards one wonders!

      Delete
    5. I wonder where Anon of 22:12 was educated. Perhaps a madrasa in Pakistan? Had we surrendered at Dunkirk I think the world would have been a different place with the likes of Anon 22:12 unable to make his seditious remarks. I don't think we were drummed out of anywhere. Britain usually left a place better than when they found it, look at the Commonwealth of Nations.

      Delete
  20. This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Rick give us a break, I've removed your comments because I can, frankly you attract derision, please do not post here again, I don't have time to investigate your claims and feel that many of your comments are defamatory and unfounded.

      I have no wish to be dragged into your personal battles and suggest it would be good manners if you'd retract and apologised for all of those comments you've scattered on this website and others.

      Delete
  21. Re Portas Money. If Britain had surrendered in 1940 at Dunkirk then maybe the High streets would have been a hive of German efficiency. We didn't surrender, and went on to win the Battle of Britain, probably the turning point of WW2. I seem to remember that the USA did not become involved until December 7th 1941, and then only after Pearl Harbor. Before that Britain stood alone against the Hitler threat. Yes, Singapore fell with enormous atrocities committed by the Japanese invader, before eventually being retaken in 1945. Because the war was a victory for the allies Mary Portas is able to do what she does under Britain's terms.

    ReplyDelete