Just another blog post, Manston Airport cpo, Thanet Council, Stone Hill Park

First what if anything is happening over Manston?

I do try to check out the situation over Manston at least once a week, I can’t find anything new on the owner's website http://www.stonehillpark.co.uk/ or on RiverOak’s verious websites http://www.riveroakic.com/ http://www.riveroakinvestments.co.uk/

On the council's website there is no mention of Manston in the newly published agenda for the next council meeting http://democracy.thanet.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=141&MId=4084

This is a case where no news isn’t good news as for the past 28 years that I have been in business in Thanet the uncertainty of the future of Manston has been damaging to the local economy.  I would say on balance much more damaging than any economic benefits from the various aviation activities that occurred there during that time.  

It is very unclear as to when TDC and RiverOak are going to release any sort of statement telling us what is going on. They inferred that there would be joint statements during the thirty day period that finishes tomorrow, but actually says is, “for a period of at least the next 30 days” so how long is a piece of string?

On the whole the last week seems to have moved further from the cpo, partly because changes to the way business rates will be apportioned which means that TDC would be even worse off going down the airport road, than they would be going down the business and residential road and partly because of the poor attendance  at the save Manston Airport rally over the weekend.  

I guess some clarification on the TDC income front is required here, if Stone Hill Park is built, under the current arrangements TDC would get the new homes allowance and the council tax. Business rates at the moment all go to central government and are apportioned to councils, the new plans is that they would go to the councils whose patch the property is on.

Living and working here in Ramsgate one could be forgiven for thinking that the new UKIP administration has been completely inactive, issues like the bonkers stuff done under Labour, town centre rubbish collection moved to the middle of market day and converting town centre shops into social housing in otherwise fully let shopping parades that the UKIP candidate I spoke to before the election said he would be straight onto if UKIP got in, well nothing at all.

Anyway here is the link to the books that went out on the shelves in my bookshop today http://michaelsbookshop.blogspot.co.uk/2015/10/astronomy-astrology-and-alchemy.html

I may ramble on here.      

I am still learning my way around posting from an eight inch tablet, hence the odd strange picture, font and format.