Queen's visit highlights change.

Marvelous to see reports of the Queen's visit to Margate old town and the Turner Contemporary, a remarkable day for the town by any standard. An event in which the best of British met the best of Margate and probably Kent. Not being able to witness the event myself I had to rely on coverage on telly, which was surprisingly comprehensive, particularly Meridian which as a rare viewer challenged my preconceptions.

Brilliant to see so many people enjoying themselves including the royals, and good to see veterans meeting the queen. A day to mark the journey, so far in the regeneration of Margate, the Turner Contemporary having seen 300,000 vistors since its opening back in April this year. Also a point at which maybe those negative views of Margate ought to be discarded. 

I note that BBC's Radio Kent, managed to get a rather clichéd, knocking spin on the visit posing this question" Her Majesty the Queen is in Margate today. Is she welcome? Clare MacDonald seemed to me to be a perfect embodiment of the sort of institutional mindset, for which the BBC is noted. The direction of the programme might well explain, why I got a phone call the previous day asking if I be interested in calling in, I think people view me as anti establishment, with a slavish devotion to criticising anything and everything, anyways as it happens being the rebel that I am, I chose to attend an induction meeting, for work, previously some years ago I was interviewed by a BBC reporter, who asking me what I thought of the contemporary, was rather surprised that local ecentric blogger, took the view that the Contemporary Art gallery was the best way forward for Margate.

My day certainly was a contrast, which after a night shift, found me grabbing a few hours sleep in the van parked up, in Peckham side street, before attending my safety induction for a new job, however much as locals like to run down Margate, walking past a van just off the main road, jacked with the wheels missing, reminded that maybe Margate, isn't such a bad place, and of course the poster in the betting shop window, adjacent to the bus stop appealing for witnesses, to a customer recenlty murdered by a gang inside the bookies, didn't make me change my mind.

Quite a few listeners to BBC radio Kent  thought that the Queen should have been escorted to some of Margate's seedier sights, to see just how things are, in some parts of the town, just what the purpose is seems a little unclear, still presumably these people, when they have guests, take great delight in maybe highlighting spare bedrooms, that need tidying, stains in the bathroom and toilet. I'm sure even the queen is aware that not eveywhere is picture perfect and like me, takes a gander out the window as I travel through various towns, now I didn't have to park up in Peckham to realise it was not the most affluent area.

The Queen and the Royal family as far as I'm concerned are about the last thing that is recognisable as being British that hasn't been disposed of, changed or outlawed by either leftwing cretins or Europe. Being in my mid fifties this country is unrecognisable from the one in which I was born, national identity has been sidelined along with its nationals and to some extent outlawed, Britian or rather the United Kingdom is just a few years from being broken up, religious freedom has been crushed for Christians while other faith can take precidence over tradition and national identity. 

Turner Contemporary and localism

This will be a brief post, I'm intrigued by reports of The Turner Contemporary launch meeting.

As you might expect, with the TC project so firmly rooted in Margate's heart, the "Launch Meeting" was held just around the corner from Margate's artistic and bohemian centre, in Westminster, a mere two hour drive away (start as you mean to go on).

"VIP's" including  Roger Gale, Laura Sandys, token Margate representative Tracy Emin, and I guess a rag bag of Arts council wallahs, devotees, perhaps even the odd non-dom tax avoiding patron of the arts.

According to Peter Burnett of Thanet Extra report on the House of Commons bash, Culture Minister Ed Vaizey  spoke at the meeting expressing high hopes and  "believes Margate's Turner Contemporary could become a world-renowned gallery" recalling happy memories of childhood visits to er ....Ramsgate!

I'm actually in favour of Turner Contemporary, but just wonder at the manner of its delivery, I'm sure it will succeed and look forward to its opening, but continue to be amused by the disconnect between local grass roots and its delivery from on high. If nothing else we should be grateful, this project is a great model of the British way of doing stuff.

SNIPPETS FROM TC TWITTERING CLASSES

Fire at council offices– its a worry

I see Thanet council website mentions a fire incident which occurred yesterday, it makes me think and frankly worry about safety of the public.

In September I wrote to Mr Samuel the Chief Exec of the council to point out that doors to the council offices were locked and unattended when the public were attending meetings.

At the time the chief exec replied including this assurance " I'd like to assure those people who were not able to access the building initially, and indeed the wider public, that the security procedure has been reviewed as a matter of urgency to ensure that this situation does not happen again."

It did happen again, did I write to the chief exec, no what would have been the flippin point? Simon Moore's commented at the time "Tony, the Chief Exec apologised to council over the doors fiasco and will address the matter in the morning."

Whether he did or not, I'm not going to take the chance, why take the risk? No public statement was made as to why having been alerted to a safety issue, the council failed ensure public safety!

It's maybe an issue Kent Fire Brigade ought investigate.

Shock Horror as “4 Star” Kent Council in 5 day Cock-up - retiring Chief Exec had to hang on while interim post filled

Crikey like me, you’ve probably read all those publications from KCC droning on about how flippin marvellous they are, how about this one I just tripped over.

It has been no secret that the  “Great” former Chief Executive Peter Gilroy would be retiring this last May, it was in the public domain back in September as this report from Paul Francis, broke the news to a tearful public.

I must admit, myself I bitterly regret, not accepting the offer of meeting with Mr Gilroy to discuss KCC’s use of digital media particularly as it impacted my freedom of speech.

Anyhow it seems that due to some oversight, despite all that notice and Kent being an “excellent authority”, it was necessary for Mr Gilroy to extend his service, so that Kent County Council would not be without a senior officer, apparently its a legal requirement, any how its all sorted now.

David Cockburn was appointed as interim Chief Executive until Katherine Kerswell takes over, who will apparently be known as Group Managing Director, why the change in the title, its not been explained, probably has something to do with the rather odd idea that civil servants and local authority bods like to pretend there running commercial enterprises rather than administering serivice, its how I guess some justify lavish salaries and fat bonuses.

Take a gander this brief report click here

Ps not sure whether the extra 5 days resulted in any additional bonuses I think we should be told.

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.

How difficult is it Cllr Chard

Last week I emailed Kent County Councillor Nick Chard to ask why roads in these parts were in such a bad state after experiencing perhaps the worst driving conditions (wednesday evening around 8.00)  I’ve ever encountered thick ice, from Brooksend through to Margate, despite claiming that Kent Highways keep logs of their gritting lorries I am surprised that Nick has not got back to me, since Kent claims to be a 4 star council you’d think they’d be able to get straight back.

KCC did issue I understand and rather partial press release but didn’t acknowledge how poorly they’d performed in reality. The press release made great mention of how gritting crews worked all night (Shutting the Barn door) but made no mention of sheet ice  covering much if not all of east Kent roads? One local Tory Councillor with a sense of humour referred to a Blizzard?

Anyway here’s my email correspondence so far

11 February 2010 12:24

Hi Cllr. Chard
I am writing to you as, having heard your comments this morning on BBC Radio Kent, about Kent Highways treating roads, I find what you had to say astonishing I've been driving for many years, and I have to say that last nights weather conditions were in no way exceptional for the time of year, but the road surface leading into Birchingtion and Margate was without a doubt the worst I've ever encountered.
Could you please explain why there was no evidence of gritting the roads including the main roads which were thick with ice.
Regards tony flaig
PS for more information see my blog postings Snow worries <http://bignewsmargate.blogspot.com/2010/02/snow-worries-roads-have-been-treated.html>
or Police contact KCC <http://bignewsmargate.blogspot.com/2010/02/urgent-warning-driving-conditions.html>

11 February 2010 14:35

Thank you for your email.
We log all of our gritting lorries so that we know where and when gritting has taken place.
I shall enquire and respond when I have the detail.
Yours
Nick Chard

11 February 2010 14:56

 

Thanks

tony flaig

If I get a reply I’ll do my best to let you know.

Snow worries, the roads have been treated say Kent bods!

Here in Thanet we are apparently experiencing a mass hallucination, those like myself who thought they were driving on ice, must be delusional since if you happened to listen to BBC Radio Kent this morning County Councillor Nick Chard seemed to be claiming that all major roads had been treated, which had that been the case, would have helped keep our roads safe for driving on last night.

John Warnett (BBC Radio) could have just clarified the issue by asking Cllr Chard, exactly when did you grit these roads?

Anyway if anyone actually saw one of Kent’s gritting lorries yesterday afternoon or even early this morning (before 6am) please do tell.

I heard recently that Kent council has had to pay out for pothole damage to cars, if there are any lawyers reading this, maybe you could tell me and my readers whether we could successfully sue Kent Council for not treating the roads, I know of about ten people who couldn’t get to work this morning including me.

Still in all honesty some are made of tougher stuff including Mrs Me, who trudged to work, through the snow instead of the usual drive, taking 1 hour. Pictured above

Still these questions need answering

When were the roads in east Kent and Thanet gritted yesterday?

And why are BBC radio Kent so easy on Kent Council?

More importantly is Kent Council going to stop wasting money on big pay offs/bonuses to officers and vast PR spending, and compensate us when they cock up?

Once again Kent council have shown that here in East Kent we continue to be second class citizens

Thought for the Day – Peter Madelson “one of the best Number Twos”

Lord Mandelson is one of those politicians I find, instantly irritating in a Cecil Parkinson sort of way, none more so than this weekend when it was suggested that he’s (again) easily influenced by wealthy businessmen.

I really don’t get too interested in national politics, not since David Blunkett in 1997, ended free adult education, trampling on social mobility and effectively saying goodbye to Labour claims to support working people.

Peter Mandelson at that time, struck me as the sort of Tory Toff, one would expect, in Blair’s conservative New Labour, an opinion not changed, when he jacked his job, after a bit of misunderstanding in 1998 on a £373,000 interest free loan, then in 2001 again had to make an unscheduled exit from government after a misunderstood attempt to sort out a passport for a foreign businessman.

Since then Peter Mandelson has had more than a few more misinterpreted situations, as European commissioner for trade being a guest on Paul Allen’s (co-founder of Microsoft) yacht at the time the EU were investigating Microsoft, a relationship with Russian Oligarch, Oleg Deripaska whose company Rusal is the worlds largest aluminium producer, made difficult by the fact Mandelson, promoted a plan to cut tariffs saving Rusal upto £117 million a year according to Times newspapers.

Yesterdays Sunday Times, carried news that Lord Mandelson, as he is known these days, met recently with David Geffen co-founder of Dreamworks studio and Asylum records, who is not unnaturally critical of file sharing and piracy, according to their report Mandelson has got back from holiday and has issued instructions that proposed new regulations on internet piracy need to be tougher.

Myself I’m thinking of maybe inviting Lord Mandelson down to Flaig Mansions for the weekend to be entertained by myself and a few of my millionaire pals admittedly I don’t think I’ll be able to rustle up any Rothschilds or Russian Oligarchs unless Mrs Me could ask Roman Abramovich next Chelsea home game, anyhow I could just see Mandelson arriving back in Whitehall refreshed after a weekend of me not talking about work or the plight of us proles and transforming the Labour party into a popular movement for the advancement of the ordinary citizen.

Now coming back to the No 2 issue, this was a reference made by Denis Macshane MP for Rotherham on Saturday's Radio 4 Today programme suggesting that Madelson was brilliant at supporting a leader but not suited to leadership “one of the best number two’s anywhere in the political world”.

I’ve always thought of Mandelson, as a number two but not in quiet the same way. It’s my opinion but I think Mandelson spends too much time with rich people maybe if Labour politicians were to hobnob with the masses once in a while we might live in a more equitable society, as it is we live in a country in which Labour MP’s are at ease with selling its own people short and happy to bludge every last penny they can from paying their food bills to lavish pensions.

Radio 4’s Today five minute discussion on Mandelson

PS Since writing this I see that Mandelson is not just one for hobnobbing with the rich it also seems is happy to chit chat with Colonel Gaddafi son.

Transeuropa Shipping Lines* No Comment – Eurovoyager operation of watertight doors “ineffective”

An inquiry into a serious accident resulting in a crush injury to a crew member aboard the Eurovoyager, operating between Ostend and Ramsgate has revealed serious safety worries involving operation of the ships watertight safety doors.

On November 3^rd last year, a crew member was trapped when one of the ships watertight doors closed crushing him, he was found unconscious, by another member of crew some four minutes after.

During the investigation, the UK's Marine Accident Investigation Branch (MAIB) , discovered that ship had sailed on several occasions with watertight doors, left in the open position, as evidenced by the ships Voyage Data Recorder therefore making them “ineffective” (according to MAIB’s report)

The BBC's report claims the company TransEuropa Shipping Lines will not be commenting, which seems to be a bit short sighted on the old PR front.

Given some terrible occurrences to ships in the past, you might think a quick statement to acknowledge earlier shortcomings and a promise that you'll do what is necessary in the future would be a minimum response.

Anyway take a gander at the MIAB report by clicking here

*TSL is a sister company to TransEuropa Ferries N.V.

Step Back in Time as Feudal Kent Appoints – Top Notch Royal Servants

I was tempted to say something like flunkeys, lackeys or toadies but that would be entirely inappropriate and wrong.

The Kent on Sunday carried the joyous news that if and when the Queen of England, should by chance happen to land up in Kent, there will be no shortage of Deputy Lieutenants of Kent, since 5 new ones have been appointed.

Lord Lieutenant Allan Willet is quoted in Kent on Sunday, saying “They are joining a network of fine men and women to support the monarchy, celebrate Kent and contribute to its future.”

What I find astonishing in the 21St Century, is that these appointees are Chairman of this and that,  an Oh!  one founder member of Government Advisory Group blah blah blah and none of us lower orders.

I wont bore you with the details but suffice to say there are no Bob the Builders, Jones the Butcher, Patel the Convenience shop not even Tony the Trackman, equipped to represent Kent, just the usual top knobs.

Clearly the Royal family don’t live in the same Britain the rest of us do, but do serve the purpose of highlighting that Britain is not entirely the democracy or egalitarian society some would have us believe.

In particular Prince Charles has recently done much work to derail plans to build a luxury development in London on the site the old Chelsea Barracks, the result will please the Prince since he has such delicate taste, however I just wonder how the 5000 odd construction workers who might have been working on the site feel about this particular initiative.

At the risk of doing time in the tower as far as I’m concerned the Royals are an anomaly in a democracy, but when they remain neutral as is the case with Queen who could have a problem, but when the next in the queue for head of State starts interfering political questions then its a worrying departure from this countries limp and loose constitution.

Since its a rarity I’ll make an exception

As you might expect, the opinion of Bignews Margate is highly influential in the corridors of power, but rarely acknowledged.

Still in rare break with normal protocol, Stephen Ladyman MP for Thanet South has taken the unusual step of dipping his browser into the the murky waters of Thanet’s Bloggerati and honoured Bignews with his reply to my earlier blog “Subject best avoided” no points for guessing the subject.

So unusually I shall reprint his comment in this post, unfortunately he doesn’t address the second job issue.

Tony,

I'm not going to make a habit of responding on your blog - but I'll make an exception just this once as people are so angry about, and interested in, MPs expenses and I think that total openness and full disclosure now is the only way we can reassure them.

First my website has had details of my expenses for two years now and has always gone a lot further than most MPs. Your readers can do a comparison of my website with that of other local MPs if they doubt me.

It's interesting is it not, that the Conservative MPs mentioned in the KM article calling for 'transparancy' and saying we should be 'accountable' have not put any information on their own expenses in the public domain? A case of do as I say, not as I do, perhaps?

What I have done now is extend my website even further to include the claims and receipts themselves and some, so far unaudited, details of my expenses for 2008/9. So everything that is available on me is now in the open - when those Tory MPs quoted as believing in 'transparancy' have gone as far then they can talk again.

The KM article quoted puts the issue being discussed at that time in a rather strange context - what I was supporting was not a plan to block publication - but a plan to publish the data on expenses in a way that gave the public the information they needed to form judgements about their own MP (including how much they spent on alterations and furnishings etc) whilst not publishing information on addresses and bank account details. It was an arrangement that was negotiated with the Conservatives and when it was proposed had been agreed by them - they changed their minds about 48hrs before it was put to Parliament and so the Leader of the House had to withdraw it - so in the end I never had to decide which way to vote.

The food allowance that MPs can claim is generous as you say - but keep in mind my working day starts at 8am and finishes when the House goes down (about 11pm on Mondays and Tuesdays, at about 7.45pm on Wednesdays and 6.45pm on Thursdays with sitting Fridays finishing late afternoon) and most of the time you have to be in Parliament or the surrounding area which is why we have to eat breakfast, lunch, dinner and everything in between in the canteens and restaurants of the House or 'the division bell area'. In the last 12 years the number of times I have cooked in my London accomodation kitchen can be counted on the fingers of one hand - so the cost involved is far greater than if we could buy food at the supermarket and cook it like everyone else.

The system has now been changed so rather than allowing MPs to claim £400 per month for food we claim £25 per night spent away from home for food (which would come to about £400 if you are in Parliament every sitting day). Of course, £25 is still generous and will no doubt be one of the things that Sir Christopher Kelly reviews as part of his inquiry - but if you have to buy all your days meals in Parliament and Central London then £25 is probably round about what most workers, working away from home in London, would expect.
Last but not least, the PM has called for a complete independent audit of all MPs expenses since the last election and I support that call. MPs who've made mistakes should repay the money and MPs who have cheated should answer in the courts like anyone else. When the Kelly report comes out we should accept it without any messing about and from then on all MP salary and expense decisions should be made by an independent body and not interfered with either by MPs or Prime Ministers and all claims should be independently audited.

Commenting for the first and possibly the last time on this site ...

Steve Ladyman

Next week I hope to have a similar communication, from Kent’s Tory Leader explaining why he needs Kent council to waste 6 million on advertising, 2 mill ? on KTV, Kent Health-watch and all that Malarkey.

Firemen douse Northdown Road Fire