Thursday 3 January 2013

Thanet District Council, Cllr Driver from TIG to IG another shift in the imbalance of power?


Sitting here doodling and trying - like the rest of those interested in whether anything our district council does politically will have any significant effect on our lives – to work out if this latest shift actually signifies anything much.

I guess the most immediate aspect will be which of the two members of IG Cllr Driver or Cllr King will remain on the scrutiny panel. A note for beginners here the members of scrutiny are proportionate to the size of each group, so someone has to go from IG and I am not sure how the rules would work with TIG now it is down to only two members.

Another obvious question is would Cllr Driver, who I consider to be of the socialist persuasion use his position in IG to oust the Labour administration and give the leadership to the Conservatives.

Cllr Simon Moores has posted about this on his blog, see http://birchington.blogspot.co.uk/2013/01/bye-tig-hello-tom.html there is a marvelous comment there, here is the critical quote:

“Maybe Cllr Driver has realised, at last, that he has been used as a porn in Cllr. Cohen's push for power and authority.”

I do get the feeling that some of our political movers and shakers are beginning to practice adding to the internet by commenting anonymously on the blogs, in the expectation that the internet may be a factor in the next election.

Dyslexia, lack of education stupidity all seem to be playing their part in this one, in my case a total lack of primary school education combined with typing this while three of my children make lots of noise means it provably won’t make much sense.

I emailed Ian Driver, for the whys and wherefores:

Hi Ian I have just had a press release from John Worrow saying you have left TIG and joined IG which I have published as it is confirmed on one TDC website.

Can you let me have any further info for publication?

Best regards Michael



Hi Michael

I resigned from the TIG as a direct result of the e-mail below (please feel fee to publish). I could not remain a member of group which was in effect trying to gag me and prevent me from raising issues of public interest.

thanks

Ian

----- Forwarded Message -----
From: JACK COHEN
To: Ian Driver
Cc: John Worrow
Sent: Friday, 14 December 2012, 18:46
Subject: Fwd: FULL COUNCIL 6th DECEMBER 2012 CRITICISM OF CHAIRMAN'S VOTE 21.2 CONSTITUTION TDC ETC.


Dear Ian ,
We are most unhappy, uncomfortable and concerned with your presentations at the Full Council Meeting of TDC 6th December 2012.
We  feel that the almost monotonous recurrence of various provocative events, that you engineer, are harmful to our group and personal reputations as well as the stability of our Council in which we  play vital roles and owe our loyalty to ensure that normal business is able to continue . Anything less becomes irresponsible.
Earlier in our association, we agreed that any controversial policy statements would be the subject of discussion amongst all three of us prior to any action or publication.
Unfortunately you have not honoured our agreement.
Naturally, this is an unacceptable practice and should it reoccur, you will automatically eliminate yourself from our group.
With best wishes,
We remain,
Sincerely,
Jack Cohen and John Worrow.     

30 comments:

  1. I doubt that Ian cares too much whether it's Labour or Conservative in charge. Unlike most local cllrs, he's not afraid to go against party policy, nor is he afriad to give the "opposition" praise where due, as he did with Laura Sandys recently. That's the way it should be too of course (can you imagine Hart, Worrow or Moores praising the opposition when they deserve it? It would mean putting what's best for Thanet first!).

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Peter. You change sides more times than Ian Driver lol

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    2. Ian Driver is a nice man but his word is worth very little.
      In politics, like business, if you keep changing you mind every 24 hours and stamp your feet like a two year old when you can't get your own way, people will start to loose confidence in you.

      It's not even about being nice or being nasty I like Ian very much.
      Ian Driver doesnt make Tom King's hand any stronger because he forgets agreements and promises in hours. The question is, can he even believe himself?

      Delete
    3. If you mean supporting different parties I don't have a "side", but (like Michael) I've been saying for quite some time now that I'm seeing Ian in a new light. He's far from perfect (I'll never agree on his opinions on drugs for example), but overall I believe he's good for the area.

      Delete
    4. Is Cllr Driver really 'loose' or did you mean 'lose' confidence, 6:12?

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    5. To me this is a all risible pygmy tribal political nonsense. Worth only as a fertile ground for Simon Moores' satire, which I enjoy.

      However, I am beginning to view Ian Driver in a new and favourable light.

      As for his upsetting the tigs, I could not give a flying fig.

      Delete
  2. Oh and I'm glad you actually admit (as I do) that spelling and grammar may be down to a poor education (apparently ALL young people who can't spell are dyslexic these days, just as all people who lack energy have M.E., etc). We really do live in a "blame" culture, where everything is blamed on someone or something: I see in the article below (which I think is an excellent idea) a Dr blames restaurants and fast food chains on people being fat... presumably before then it was the fault of bakers and sweet shops rather than lack of willpower and / or laziness?

    http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-20897681

    ReplyDelete
  3. Michael, at the risk of my appearing completely dense, can you tell me what is the difference between IG & TIG. The names sound to me like a couple of characters from CBeebies.

    If a group of three loses one member then surely they are no longer a group but a couple.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. John from the TDC website for clarification.

      Independent Group IG

      Councillor Ian Driver
      Northwood Ward
      Independent Group

      Councillor Bob Grove
      Thanet Villages Ward
      Independent Group

      Councillor Thomas King
      Westgate-on-Sea Ward
      Independent Group
      Leader of the Independent Group

      Independent I


      Councillor Sandy Ezekiel
      Cliftonville East Ward
      Independent

      Councillor Ken Gregory
      Garlinge Ward
      Independent

      Thanet Independent Group TIG


      Councillor Jack Cohen
      Birchington South Ward
      Thanet Independent Group

      Councillor John Worrow
      Birchington South Ward
      Thanet Independent Group
      Leader of Thanet Independent Group

      Delete
  4. MICHAEL DID I.D DARE TO GO AGAINST THE MIGHTY J.C.&J.W DUO AND SPEAK FOR WHATS GOOD FOR THANET AND NOT THE JUST THEMSELFS??

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. yes Ian he did

      Delete
    2. MICHAEL I HAVE A GOD GIVEN RIGHT TO BREAK AGREEMENTS WHEN I DON'T GET MY OWN WAY

      Delete
    3. Thanks Iris

      Delete
    4. Ian is so selfless, I know this because he told me

      Delete
  5. Not only did ID go against JC and JW but also CH and IJ. Brave man. Be interesting to see who rises to the top in a coalition. That's if JC, JW, CH and IJ allow it. Casting vote of the Labour Chairman could keep Thanet in the dark ages.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. I agree progressive council's are in the dark ages, we need to bring back the old od days of Sandy and Jimmy OBE

      Delete
  6. Keep up 9.48pm. What Ian Driver wants to achieve is to put a stop to the back biting nonsense and have a coalition with the best members from across the Council. Wont be easy but in the absence of the Chief Executive sorting out the mess, Ian is in with a chance. Fingers crossed.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. AnonymousJanuary 03, 2013 9:55 PM - You have to be Ian. Everyone else, even those who like Ian are aware that he is the most divisive councillor in the chamber.
      The problem is with Ian he will promose to support a headline on Monday and then break an agreement on a Tuesday for another headline and sod doing any ward work. Ian is actually a good man, but he can't even keep a promise that he makes to himself let alone anyone else!

      Delete
  7. Yes. Where is the Chief Executive in all this nonsense. Busy falling out with her Director for transformation Mr Ham and Chips. Sorry Hamburger.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Get his name right - Philip Hamberger - and a google will uncover some of the council jobs he has held in the past.

      Delete
    2. Didn't he work in McDonalds?

      Delete
  8. annon 2204hrs how much is that costing us tax payers this time

    ReplyDelete
  9. God only knows. We will be the last to be informed.
    Another closed door decision like so many. Hart will probably have been told, but then told to keep his big mouth shut.

    ReplyDelete
  10. Anons important not to get confused between the paid and appointed officers and the elected councillors with allowances rather than a wage here.

    This is about the elected councillors and the democratic balance within the council and wouldn’t be something the chief executive would or ought to be allowed to interfere with.

    As I see it we now have a position where likely voting will be equal with the chair’s extra casting vote giving Labour the edge.

    ReplyDelete
  11. Michael your voting figures are right but a vote of no confidence in Hart would have to rely on Worrow and Sober Jack. One of them might see this as an opportunity to settle old scores and vote for a coalition subject to certain individuals being removed from power. There must be some able councillors on both sides. How about Wells as Leader and Campbell as deputy. As long as they get rid of Johnstone and Bayford.

    I cannot agree that the Chief Executive can just sit there and do nothing as she usually does. I'm not convinced that she even knows what her officers are doing. It wasn't that long ago that a previous CEO who did know what was going on, offered to resign because of a very similar situation where he had failed to provide a lead for the miscreant Members.

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  12. http://thanetstar.com/article/john-worrow

    ReplyDelete

Comments, since I started writing this blog in 2007 the way the internet works has changed a lot, comments and dialogue here were once viable in an open and anonymous sense. Now if you comment here I will only allow the comment if it seems to make sense and be related to what the post is about. I link the majority of my posts to the main local Facebook groups and to my Facebook account, “Michael Child” I guess the main Ramsgate Facebook group is We Love Ramsgate. For the most part the comments and dialogue related to the posts here goes on there. As for the rest of it, well this blog handles images better than Facebook, which is why I don’t post directly to my Facebook account, although if I take a lot of photos I am so lazy that I paste them directly from my camera card to my bookshop website and put a link on this blog.