I went to Broadstairs today mainly to film the dancing queen
record attempt, I didn’t manage to pull this off this year, although
fortunately I did last year, see http://thanetonline.blogspot.co.uk/2011/05/dancing-queen-world-record-broadstairs.html
for pictures and videos.
The problem being that the event was arranged in inward
looking circles, a circular fence with the dancers inside looking inwards and
the spectators outside looking at the backs of the dancers.
There was one chap there who had the right camera attachment
pictured above, so there may be some decent pictures of dancing somewhere, I
gave up and went for a cuppa.
Fortunately The Thanet Dragons were there doing some
parkour, so did manage a few pictures of that, if any of them came out ok I
will publish them, here http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/laptop512c/id8.htm
here http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/laptop512c/id9.htm
and here http://www.michaelsbookshop.com/laptop512c/id10.htm
The Thanet blogging scene is a bit of a pain at the moment,
apart from the increasingly boring political wrangle there is nothing much
happening, much as one party catching a member of the other with their pants
down may amuse party members, it’s a bit dull for the rest of us.
Simon Moores seems t have me and possibly the whole of
Ramsgate down as Labour, but as always this really begs the question, what are
the local Conservative group? They are certainly nothing like any Conservatives
I have come across before.
Ahhh.. Michael, if it were only me but you do seem to be waxing rather lyrical these days to the point of gushing enthusiasm for the new regime.
ReplyDeleteAs for the councillor caught with his pants down, it's viewed quite seriously up here in parts of the cold north of the island and i'm sure the same would be true in your sunnier climate if one of your councillors described members of a local group as 'ugly pigs.'
OK Simon, here in Ramsgate some of the problems seem to be easing, and I guess the Conservative group would like some support from us.
DeleteSo what sort of policy ideas do you have on:
Night flights, how many do you think should be allowed and do you think this should be related in any way to daytime flights?
Pleasurama, the developer obviously wants the council’s help to fund the development by selling them the freehold, do you think this should go to asset disposal, or just go through on the nod?
Do you see a way foward for the next stage of funding it that relies on monies from the sale of apartments, do have some plan as to how people could borrow the money on a new build in a high risk flood zone without a flood risk assessment?
Perhaps a council guarantee scheme, any ideas?
Royal Victoria Pavillion, Rank offered to return the building to the council for nothing when you lot were in charge and your lot turned them down, what do you see as a solution here?
Dredging, the harbour looks to be in need of an urgent dredging plan, the dredger got sold when your lot were in charge, what’s the plan now?
I wondered when Pleasurama might re-appear. I have my views but these are presently on pink. as for the airport, that's for debate on Thursday and the Conservative position is, I believe already quite clear on your press release site. Thank you.
DeleteIf I recall correctly, dredging plans and associated investment for the harbour were already well-advanced before the end of last year.
Simon Pleasurama keeps reappearing because it’s a quarter of a kilometre of prime seafront in Ramsgate and it’s council owned. Like, say would Boris have got re-elected if Trafalgar Square had remained derelict for his entire term of office?
DeleteWhat I mean here is I keep bringing the issue up because it’s important, and frankly I don’t think the Conservatives are going to get may votes here by claiming it’s a government secret that can’t be discussed.
The previous Conservative administration decided to go ahead with the current developer against the advice of the councils senior officers and now the development has stopped and all you have to say is it’s a government secret.
Next you will be telling us you are planning a missile launching station there.
With the Airport the Conservative position seems to yes to night flights, I just wondered how many you wanted to approve.
Simon, you hit the nail on the head there, those on the North of the Isle don't give a fig about what goes on South of Broadstairs.
ReplyDeleteAs far as "Labour in power" is concerned it may be a shambles in Cecil Square but in Ramsgate we are at last getting some of the help we pleaded for in the last six years. So why should we care about your in-house fighting, Michael is right it's boring.
The most interesting blog thingy going on at the moment is Private Eye picking up in "Shagpilegate" and I read elsewhaere that Simon wants us all to keep schtum on that matter
ReplyDeleteI think to be fair that Cllr Ezekiel has now been charged and therefore any discussion on the case is surely a contempt of court. Newspapers would not be allowed to speculate on the case, and certainly would not be allowed to talk as if the case were already decided. I see no reason for blogs to be any different.
ReplyDeleteI also used to believe in this North/South divide. I'm beginning to think that it's just another Thanet conspiracy theory.
Tim I think the north south divide only exists in the minds of councillors, we are just as happy that the council have managed to keep The Theatre Royal open as we are at the reopening of Ramsgate Maritime Museum. I spent the day in Broadstairs today, got married in The Theatre Royal, what we would like is to see a Conservative plan for the whole island, not just a feeling that there will be retribution for Ramsgate when they get back in power, nor do we want to see the Labour administration taking out on the north of the island.
DeleteWhy ever not, Michael, after all, we have retribution for Broadstairs at the moment led by one Cllr. Matterface who is supposed to be Broadstaits councillor as well as her district loyalties.
DeleteSee you are also falling into the habit, started by Worrow, that there is somehow a huge difference between Thanet conservatives to elsewhere. Having been a member of the Conservative party amnd campaigned in location as far flung as London and North Wales as well as Thanet, I have yet to spot a difference, local accents excluded. Worrow was always going on about Thanet Conservatives not being in line with the modern Conservative party, but more recently he threw Julian Brazier and the Canterbury party into the pot as well.
Thought you had a bit more grey matter and individual thought than to just parrot Worrowisms!
Tom this is the fourth district council I have traded in and without exception the others have been supportive of the town where I have traded, also without exception cabinet members and the leaders were visible and active in the shopping centres asking how they could help make the things work.
DeleteThe first time this has happened here was about a month ago.
I have actively asked, including today, Broadstairs traders how the felt about the hall business and as you know I looked into the new year fireworks thing, frankly I haven’t yet found any concerted opinion to support what you are saying.
Perhaps you ought to go out in Broadstairs and talk to a pew people and then make a more considered comment.
In Ramsgate the situation is very different, Pleasurama, pavilion, Westcliff Hall, Albion House, Maritime Museum, Eagle Café, tourist information office, well the list goes on.
Allthatsaid, just what is the Conservative plan for Ramsgate?
Michael, your comment is close to offensive and suggests I have no basis for my remarks. I campaigned in Broadstairs for the general election and then again for the town and district council elections. I have walked most of the town's streets, knocked on doors, recorded promises of support and discussed issues as wide ranging as the community centre, parking and allotments. If I say the majority of people I spoke to supported the community centre project it almost certainly amounts to a lot more than a few shopkeepers.
DeleteThat said, there is no point in continued dialogue as you clearly are more than happy with your red tinted specs and will hear or see no evil against our new district council. Let's see how happy everyone is next year when the council tax rises.
Tom I don’t think you appreciate that as you comment anonymously, you could be anyone or no one, it isn’t really possible to insult you as you are in this instance not yourself.
DeletePerhaps you should, if you are as you claim a prominent Broadstairs Conservative, turn what you are doing here on its head and go out in your own town in disguise anonymously and ask the people struggling to run businesses there what they really think.
Or you could of course tell the insignificant shopkeepers, like you have told me on several occasions that if they don’t support your party their business may suffer.
But as I asked before, what are the Conservatives plans for Ramsgate?
Who said anything about prominent. I am just a foot slogger who does my bit for the cause as I have in other areas where I have lived. Whether I comment under a psuedonym or not does in no way give you the right to suggest that I have no basis for my comments.
DeleteYet again you twist things to your own advantage. I have suggested that people in business in a community are ill advised to publicly proclaim their support for a poltical party since they presumably wish to trade across the board. Clearly I was wrong as you seem quite happy now to trumpet your love of all things Labour so I bow to your superior knowledge on what works for you.
Finally, when did I ever say shopkeepers are insignificant and how would I be supposed to know what the Conservatives plans are for Ramsgate. Frankly, I don't much care because I have enough to worry about with my own little town.
Tim, It is no coincidence that after three years of closure the Maritime Museum is now open in Ramsgate, only a few months after a change of power at Cecil St.
ReplyDeleteAnother Labour luvvie who once masqueraded as independent.
DeleteAnon 9.26. I have voted Conservative in my lifetime, but never Labour. I still consider the best way is non-political independents in local government. The current political so called "independents" are certainly illustrating how NOT to do it and my support would be with Tom King and Bob Grove who have resisted this madness. You may like to remember that the Conservatives gave lucrative posts to the elected independents, thus opening a way for the unscrupulous trio.
DeleteConsidering what has gone on in Ramsgate in the last 10 years I may consider breaking a habit of a lifetime and voting Labour next time, not because I support Clive Hart but because we have some good hardworking councillors in Ramsgate at present.
Peter please note that it is actually illegal to the degree of being an imprisonable offence to discuss detail of a court case which is sub judice, i.e. under judgment. Any suggestion that someone involved one, is for instance disgraced, prior to judgment, could be seen as predetermining the court’s judgment. I have therefore deleted your comment.
ReplyDeleteTry telling that to Matt over at The Thanet Star!
DeleteA copy of the Thanet Watch item has been passed to the clark to the Maidstone Magistrates Court and to the local plod. Matt should hand on tight to his collar.
DeletePeter, one could go on indefinitely about politicians at all levels variously caught with trousers down, hands in tills, inappropriate relationships, fiddling expenses, going to prison and even, dare we say it, historically being homosexual. How long to you think we should resurrect these things and how relevant are they to day to day council business? At the moment, it is mainly Labour politicians who have been sent to prison but that could all change.
ReplyDeleteOn Cllr. Ezekiel's case there really is not much to discuss until the details come out in court although I see no harm in talking about his performance as a councillor. Personally, I think it is far more fun to discuss why Mark Nottingham was sacked, after loyally supporting and trumpetting Labour's achievements for years, to be replaced by Ian Driver although, at the time, divertionary tactics seemed to place the blame on Kay Dark.
And their relevance, Peter, or did that bit escape your attention?
ReplyDelete- "Our party is brilliant and your party is rubbish"
ReplyDelete- "No, our party is brilliant and your party is rubbish"
- "No, our party is brilliant and your party is rubbish"
- "No, our party is brilliant and your party is rubbish"
- "Hey, maybe if all of us wanted what's best for Thanet rather than what's best in a textbook things might get done"
- "No, our party is brilliant and your party is rubbish"
- "No, our party is brilliant and your party is rubbish"
Yawn...Is it any wonder people get fed up with politics
The best cllrs tend to get on with it without all the petty squabbles, but unfortunately others thrive on it.
DeleteYes, but who are these silent best councillors?
DeleteMe!
DeleteTom has gone very quite.
ReplyDeletePeter. Only if you ignore Cllr Driver's offer to sort things outside!
ReplyDeleteNo, 4:38, not quiet, just bored with the same old dragging up of history.
ReplyDeleteIs John Worrow a pirate? He seems to be wearing an eye-patch with a white triangle in your photograph. I don't think pirates should be allowed to stand for election.
ReplyDeleteI know Tiggers bounce but I didn’t realise that John was one of the parkour team
Delete