If you read some of the more fanciful pronouncements of labour you might think everything in the garden is lovely, messages from Clive Harts often end on an upbeat note as did his xmas message with "onward and upwards," when most of us are thinking downhill and backwards.
Forgetting temporarily that Clive Hart's administration delivered a hitherto top secret 3.4 million pound debt, in the last year the fact is they cannot even do the basics such as empty bins.
Large numbers of Thanet residents, found that their bins. were not emptied on Christmas eve, but were reassured by the councils website claiming that attempts would be made after scheduled collections on Friday Saturday or Monday. As far as I can tell this didn't happen.
Never mind, there was to be a collection on New Years eve, no worries, however many found yet again no collection.
From what I can glean it seems that each crew work differently some apparently taking everything others picking and choosing and of course others not bothering.
Now I accept that the weather was not the best but it certainly was not so extreme that it would have been unsafe to work, frequently work in far more hostile environments in such weather, so can only conclude that the only reason residents have been inconvenienced, is down to poor management, you cannot blame those at the sharp end.
I understand that a very low threshold has been set for defining acceptable weather conditions for working. It would be nice if councillor Alan Poole who as I understand gets extra money, for his role in dustbin collection could for once politely explain why you and myself and many others have a mountain of waste fermenting on our pathway.
We've recently been told of the vast sums of money invested in equipment so it seems this is a case of Thanet council having all the gear, but sadly no idea.
Finally I guess that most of us would view waste collection as a core function of Thanet council, therefore it seems to me that it's time those responsible ought to resign and I suggest that Clive Hart, Alan Poole and the chief executive would not be missed.
PS I'm told that stuff will be collected but I'll beleive when I see it, and I also understand that the decision was made at 05:00 Christmas Eve not to collect, because of the wind, I just wonder why they didn't ask crews to hang fire till 07:00
This is the last comment I will allow from Peter Checksfield, since as you can see, he has nothing to contribute except a bullying and abusive attitude, I will just remind you Peter that previously you've stated your displeasure so please do yourself a favour and don't visit this site. I've somehow managed along with any sane person to avoid visit any of your sites to abuse yourself.
ReplyDeleteMuch as I'd like to have a never ending conversation with you about your prejudices about me and mine about yourself it really is pointless.
Yes I don't doubt you had an exemplary service as far as your bins are concerned and had you read more carefully I'm sure you would have understood that I didn't state otherwise.
In defence of rail workers, to the uneducated you probably don't begin to understand the safety issues involved I wont bore you but before you start work staff have to be protected from trains and live electrical equipment similarly work also has to be arranged so as not interfere with the safe passage of trains.
Matches your own bullying, Stalinist attitude and behaviour, Tony. Look at yourself, and your efforts here, more closely before you castigate others so forcefully. I admire your defence of your own industry and colleagues, but set against that your persistently billious attitude towards, well, virtually everyone else, and your credibility is trashed. You are the typical "I'm all right Jack" character, believing only YOU have value.
ReplyDeleteThanks 10 58 yours will be last comment that seeks to side track discussion by making me the subject, thanks for your comment, but similar comments will be deleted.
ReplyDeleteIf you'd like to address the issue, that being competence of our Labour council and its abilities to manage the council,dispute my assertions or agree it doesn't matter. I'm not the subject
Tony what is needed is an effective opposition that highlights the shortcomings of the current administration coupled with some refreshing truths from Councillors who think "lets bury the bad news" and spin the rest. The damn electorate are not stupid and it is no wonder they do not believe politicians.
ReplyDeleteBarry, you cannot perpetually blame the failings of the present administration on the opposition. As someone who attends council meetings, you know full well that opposition is shouted down and much decision taking is behind closed doors. Even many FOI requests somehow get sidetracked.
DeleteIn the recent high winds the emptied brown bins often travel beyond the extremities of the house. The red bag, full of wet paper, is still wet when empty and whilst I can put mine in the garage to dry, those in smaller properties are placed in a situation, not of their own making, of where to store the bag.
ReplyDeleteIt is often those with no thought, other than to their own inconvenience, who know better than the experts how to deal with storm damage etc.
Local weather conditions at 05:00 and the forecast of continued extremely bad weather led to the cancellation of collections on Christmas Eve. The decision was taken by the Waste & Recycling Manager on the grounds of Health & Safety of the public and the crews. I fully support that decision.
ReplyDeleteThe majority of residents had their refuse and recycling collected normally though I am aware of a number of missed collections over the Christmas period. Once we become aware of a missed collection every effort is made to resolve the problem. I visited the Manston Depot several times over the Christmas break and it was very apparent to me that the Staff on duty were working above and beyond the call of duty. I would like to go on record to thank them for their dedication.
There are a number of reasons for missed collections and these include inconsiderate parking by residents, bins put out on the wrong day or put out in the wrong place or contaminated. We do however have a number of missed collections for which there does not appear to be an easy explanation. We obviously aim to keep that number of missed collections as low as possible because it is very time consuming and hence very expensive to return for missed collections. Supervisors are tasked with managing collection crews efficiently.
I am very pleased that the new recycling system has increased our recycling rate from 26% to nearly 50% and I am hopeful that it can be further increased.
Your understanding that I receive extra payments for my Waste & Recycling duties is incorrect; it is part of my Cabinet Member's Portfolio. My allowances are as recorded on the TDC website. Please note that I do not claim any additional or travelling expenses.
Cllr Alan Poole, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Operational Services.
Thanks for the reply On weather front, while things seemed bad but the wind wasn't that bad, having to go out it seemed just bit fresh, I,ve certainly worked in lot harsher on many times,
DeleteOf those I know most experience disruption, still since you crews didn't go out to I assume a fifth of taxpayers were and are as in my case inconvenienced,
Good to see you fall back on the tried and trusted reasons collections of why they haven't occurred and no surprise they all seem to fall back on residents inconveniently parking, wrong day/place, no mention of lack of information from TDC, or that the crews didn't come to collect as your misleading suggest and or the fact you seem to have cancelled much new years eves collections as well as last weeks.
to be honest I doubt few begrudge extra allowances to you or your colleagues, assuming the job gets done, but it hasn't.
Again thanks for answering and have a good new year, and get my bins empty please!
Tony. The history of blogging in Thanet is interesting. Ten years ago a blog ran a "Name and Shame" section. Cllrs and police officers were featured. The protest "Lobby" mentioned libel a lot. But they mixed it in with venomous personal attacks ad hominem fallacy. But not one libel action.
ReplyDeleteThen blogs became so sensitised, by rhetoric threats, to libel that no one in public office was actually properly publicly questioned on blogs. Yet the venomous personal attacks on certain individuals, those with the public interest questions, continued unabated.
At one time the blog posse attacked the phrase "Westwood Triangle". Then Rick's FOIs were published. Thor and Sericol and the history of anthrax burials at Haine under Westwood Cross. "Westwood Triangle" was fair comment. But the posse were unabashed.
Gun range activity ? A report to Lord Carlile, and to the indepedent QC who reviews terrorism law, was submitted last year. The expert concluded that the evidence (re gun range and other issues) is NOT conspiracy theory.
In fact certain inquiries have been raised in Kent of which Kent Police seem to have so far been excluded.
Now the blog activity is finally beginning to balance its fear of libel with refusal of ad hominen comments. As evidenced by your firm handling of Peter Checksfield.
At this time it is Clive Hart who has been sent questions, which relate to the current inquiry in Kent. So far Clive has followed the path already well trodden by blogger Cllr Simon Moores. Referring private Terrorism Act 2000 issues to the TDC solicitor to respond to.
Just for the record Cllr Moores has been asked a number of times to cite his evidence that nothing untoward occurred at a Birchington gun range. The TDC solicitor apparently responding on behalf of the cllr who blogs in a private capacity (?) refused to check TDC records. Astonishingly because if he found evidence of crime he claims he is under no duty to report it to police !
Clive is being asked about what knowedge he gained through electrical trades unionist activity. And whether such knowledge is subject to mandatory reporting (It being a criminal offence to keep silent).
Thanet needs more fighters, like Louise Oldfield. But the council has to be put on the basis of compliance with law. Money Laundering, Terrorism and Crime (duties to report and duties to take into consideration in all their functions)
One example if you blot out the ad hominem fallacy comments. As a Thanet parent would a reader want to send their child as a member of a private military cadet group that had no Crown authority (Unlawful). What checks did TDC carry out before public funding such a group ? What checks did Roger Gale MP conduct before publicly backing the private cadets.
The public interest questions don't simply act at the Terrorism Act level. (Arrests for paramilitary activity 1987, use of land owned by a tory cllr etc)
Happy New Year Tony
That's one way to kill the conversation stone dead, nice one rick!
DeleteHappy new year Tony. I have a lot sympathy for rail workers. its a very dangerous industry and one in which you can't take chances with health and safety
ReplyDeleteStill it seems that being a councillor with a legitimate role in scrutinising local government is a tad awkward these days, is that right that Thanet council are wasting our money with legal advice to stop you performing your democratic role?
DeleteI've been busy just recently, but I must say Clive Hart seems to be pushing the envelope. I saw the last council meeting in December and was shocked and embarrassed at his attitude to the recent standards report. I take it any Labour councillors with any respect for democracy and fair play must be cowering in the background.
Anyhoo have a good year!
"There are a number of reasons for missed collections and these include inconsiderate parking by residents, bins put out on the wrong day or put out in the wrong place or contaminated." A Poole. Is this saying that the reasons the bins haven't been collected is - again - the fault of the public?
ReplyDeleteYes of course it's the publics fault don't be silly Duncan, in fact having rung the council this morning I now realise that I may have ring back and press option 5 and report myself for leaving a bin outside my house before 6AM and after 8PM which is illegal apparently although in my defence, it was Chrismas and they did mislead me.
DeleteI'll probably have to face the full force of Britains anti-terrorism laws.
You are obviously discontented with the performance of TDC staff and of their elected leaders. Why not put together a detailed proposal of what should be done around waste collections and press this on your local Ward Councillor. That may have more influence than this blog. Do you have any feel for how many people are dissatisfied with the current system?
ReplyDeleteFunny you should say that I rang a councillor whom I will not name, and they said they couldn't do anything since nobody was available to answer the phone.
DeleteTry it yourself!
I think you should name the councillor so that he/she can account for their lame answer - if what you report is true.
DeleteTony, I see Labour's Will Scobie is supporting the white elephant that's Manston Parkway to the detriment of the people of Ramsgate. Any thoughts?
ReplyDeleteGood old Will making the tough choices, still since he's role seems to be Robin( the boy wonder ) to Clive Hart's Bat Man, I can't help thinking he'll get a clip round the earholes when the leader finds out
DeleteTough choices? Are you saying that you think building a station in the middle of nowhere for a failing airport is a good idea?
DeleteOf course Tony thinks it's a good idea as it's work for him and his mates. Ironically, the old left-wing "I'm alright Jack" attitude.
DeleteIf you re going to state Cllr Scobies view then get it right.
DeleteYou will find that Cllr Scobie said that the position on whether Manston Parkway is to be built should first be determined before £400k is spent doing Ramsgate station up.
Now isn't that a sensible thing to do even though its not coming out of TDC\KCC funds.
Thank you, Will, for your contribution at 18:28, but we all know your typically north side attitude to Ramsgate.
DeleteWhy delay improvements to Ramsgate's existing and much used station because of something that will probably never be built?
Whatever Will did or didn't say, Tony really really wants this to happen. I wonder whether this is the official Lib-Dem view?
DeleteI thought you said you wouldn't allow comments that moved off the thread of waste collections, Tony. Or are these ok because they pander to your anti-Labour obsession?
DeleteYou are heading below zero in terms of personal credibility.
Surely all the anonymous comments above are not anti-Labour, 08:46, for some seem to be supporting Will Scobie and some against. Is it simply that in your book there should be no adverse comment about the red flag brigade.
DeleteIt also seems to me that as the blog administrator and author of the post has also commented on the issue of Scobie Jnr's Ramsgate station statement, that makes it reasonably for others to respond.
The blog adminstrator said he would delete any off-thread comments. Nowhere in his original post does he mention Scobie and the railway, yet he has allowed this off-thread strand. My observation is purely that he is behaving inconsistently, and it seems that he is setting his own rules to one side if the comments support his persistent anti-Labour rhetoric. Criticisms of Labour are fine and legitimate, of course, but surely not when they are simply a string of bilous outpourings that offer no constructive alternative.
DeleteAnons still knocking the fact Ramsgate has got an airport by the side of it and heavens above airports have planes that fly from it.
ReplyDeleteNot at all Don, and if the new station was proposed at the actual airport I might support it. Instead they're going to put people on buses from the train station, something they can do just as easily from Ramsgate. It's also going to cause huge traffic problems for the quite village of Cliffsend.
DeleteTony obviously supports it though. His silence speaks louder than any words.
And there are no specific plans for a Manston Parkway it's empty waffle along the lines of Manston being an overspill airport or not cargo flights at night etc. The councillors have misled us and downplayed the serious pollution problems for years.
DeleteStrange Tony all around me are houses with bins out expecting a collection. We never wasted our energy put the bins out because the leaflet we received before Christmas said no collection this week. IF people bothered to read the leaflets they would know when the collections were due rather than the put it out and hope that people are moaning about. Christmas time is a holiday and there will be some disruption be real folks and put the bins out on the right days then the rubbish wont be blown around for a week while you hope the bin me will miraculously apear.
ReplyDeleteStrange indeed because all the houses round me expected to have their rubbish collected as per the normal schedule, and this was confirmed by the council, I would assume your collection day is different probably Wednesday?
DeleteWe' here in the RICHMOND AVE,WINDSOR AVE,VICTORIA AVE area of MARGATE have had no proper collections since 10th Dec ,18th only partly taken, Xmas Eve no collection ( altho Santa still did his rounds with only Reindeer for power with no problems !!) that nite. New Years Eve no collection again, probably too sunny or something. Then informed by Thanet Gateway put it all out today and every thing will be collected in one go later today. I have just bought the red bag back in and put the bins out of harms way till tomorrow.
DeletePoint one..having set the precedent with cancellation due to high ?? winds, what is going to happen over the next few days with more strong winds forecast...and secondly at this time of the year when there is so much more waste of all description created it apparently will now all go on the same truck..WHAT THE HELL IS THE POINT OF ALL THIS RECYCLING !!!
Totally unacceptable situation !!
Just to confirm our collection day is Tues so it was 17th not 18th as previously stated
DeleteI don't see what the problem is. The collection calendar has no 18th or 22nd November and two 24th and 25th of November. So that is crystal clear then. And if in doubt one can always refer to the web site at www.thanet.gov.uk. Perhaps we should all be issued with computers as standard since this appears to be the fall back route for answers, or a subscription to the local paper where apparently all the information is also available. And I don't know how we will stand when some really inclement weather arrives, such as the winters of 1947/1963.
ReplyDeleteI understand that the neighbouring authority - Canterbury - has also changed its collection days for three weeks, and has only notified the fact over the Internet. Leaflets issued to every household earlier in the year don't show the correct information, therefore. Perhaps not just Thanet, then?
ReplyDeleteSo two wrongs do make a right in your book, 10:24, presumably as long as they are Labour wrongs locally?
DeleteNo, Anon 12.12, two wrongs don't make a right, and I made no party political point whatsoever. I was simply observing that two neighbouring authorities appear to have cocked things up in a similar fashion. Neither commands praise!
ReplyDelete