Anyone for tennis? A councillor wants you to pay first...

Tennis courts at Herne Bay’s main park are to be given a facelift – but players could be forced to pay to help recoup the cash, a leading councillor said.

West Bay councillor Peter Lee, who is responsible for Canterbury City Council’s finances, said officials should try to recover some of the £3,000 investment by charging people to use the courts in the Memorial Park. The funding is from £15,000 given to the town last year by developers as part of the conditions of their planning permission. Cllr Lee said:

“If we are going to spend so much money we should look at getting some money back. I am floating the idea that we should perhaps be looking at having keys for these courts and charging for them. If we are going to improve them by putting money into them we should be trying to recoup that money in some way.”

But panel chairman Cllr Jennie Edwards, who represents Reculver, said introducing charges could actually add to the cost. She said:

“We could make it a concession but if you have to pay someone to open it up and look after it, it negates the point. I would be happy to see Herne Bay having no payment to use the courts because that is how it has been done for very many years.”

Up to £10,000 is also to be spent improving the play area at Burton Fields and the rest on the new QEII coastal park, funded as part of the town’s People’s Millions lottery bid.

HB Times 31st May 2014

Sense prevails, flagpole safe.

So they won't be knocking it down, but the Engineers say it's nearing the end of its life. Has anyone thought of repairing it? "A stitch in time saves nine"  as my Gran would say. "Make do and mend" that was another catch-phrase.

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The flagpole opposite Herne Bay pier has been saved - for now. The Gazette exclusively revealed last week that councillors were considering rushing through plans to pull down the historic mast while construction workers were employed on the seafront.

The plans were shelved at the latest meeting of the regeneration committee on Monday, which sits in private, after there was no clear majority on what to do with the flagpole.

The mast is not completely safe, however, as engineers say it only has another four or five years' life left. Councillors agreed to leave the flagpole and to revisit the issue in the future. Cllr Peter Lee said:

"It will not be a permanent fixture but for the moment, people think leave it where it is. Given the time it will take to consult the public, the opportunity with construction workers on site will be lost, so on that basis we decided not to take it any further."

Cllr Ron Flaherty said:

"I said there is no rush and I would rather leave it for the moment. I am not so sure the plantage around the flagpole should be removed to have an open space."

HB Gazette 27th Jun 2013

Councillors to be cut by a quarter

That's a quarter OF them, not OFF them.

Here's an attack on local democracy that will damage not just Herne Bay, but the whole district.

Reducing the number of councillors from 50 to 38 is not something that the public have been clamouring for - it was initiated by, and is being driven by, CCC's Conservative administration. More accurately, the Executive. Which means Cllr John Gilbey.

The publicly stated reason for this is to save money. Cllr Peter Lee has said that the current 50 councillors cost about £450k a year, so this would potentially save about £112k.

Fewer representatives and less representation to save £112k. And this from the people who frittered £60k on the disastrous Westgate Towers traffic scheme, and peed away over £50k fighting the village green application for the Downs, and regularly give £20k to the Sandwich Open golf beano, and so on, and so on.

We already have one of the highest ratios of residents to councillors, and this reduction in the number of councillors would push it even higher. And that's without taking into account the extra 40,000 or so new residents that would move in to the district to fill all the new homes proposed in the draft Local Plan, which would push the ratio higher still.

When this was discussed in Council, one of the councillors argued that the reduction in numbers would result in an improvement in quality of councillors. I can't believe these people are so naive! This will not be a careful culling exercise where the sub-prime and lacklustre are shown the door, leaving only the shining stars. Come election time, the public will still choose a mixed bag of useful and useless, daft and deft, lions and donkeys. But there will fewer of them.

Each councillor - and this is a part-time job, remember - would have significantly more people to represent. This will inevitably damage our local democracy.

I'm sorry to say this is another example of Cllr Gilbey's anti-democratic - and in my view morally repugnant - instincts. He operates what is amusingly referred to in his job description as the "strong leader" management style, and is much happier with the Executive/cabinet model rather than the more democratic Committee structure we used to have.

Reducing the number of councillors would suit him down to the ground, as it would concentrate power in even fewer hands. 

The consultation runs from 25th June to 6th August. Please  take the time to contact the Boundary Commission and let them know what you think - it would be years, possibly decades, before we would have a chance to undo this.

I don't want fewer councillors, I want better councillors.

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The independent Local Government Boundary Commission for England is asking local people how many councillors they think should represent Canterbury City Council in the future after proposing chopping 12 from the current structure.

The six-week public consultation is the first part of an electoral review which will also consider changes to the number, names and boundaries of the council’s wards. It follows hot on the heels of a proposed shake-up at Shepway District Council which is suggesting a reduction of 16 councillors.

The commission has considered evidence submitted to it by the council and is now consulting residents on a proposal that would see the authority represented by 38 councillors in future, 12 fewer than the current arrangements.

Max Caller, chair of the commission, said:

“This is your chance to shape your council for the future. We are asking people across Canterbury whether they agree that 38 councillors is the right number to represent their area in the future. We want to know if you think 38 is the right number of councillors to be able to take decisions effectively and whether it’s the right number to represent the interests of all Canterbury’s communities.

If you don’t agree that Canterbury should be represented by 38 councillors, we want you to tell us your alternative and why you think there should be more, or fewer, members of the council in the future. Once we have taken a view on the number of councillors, we will re-draw ward boundaries to accommodate those elected members and we will ask local people to have their say during that process as well.”

Residents can have their say directly at consultation.lgbce.org.uk

kentnews.co.uk 25th Jun 2013

Rogue councillor

The suggested demolition of the flagpole at the Pier is a shining example of some of the problems that our town faces.

Penny-pinching short-termism. Cllr Peter Lee - one of our own town councillors - decides it's a good idea to start knocking things down on the seafront, simply because it's cheap to do it now.

Lack of Planning. Cllr Lee claims this idea is to make "event space" that has been lost to the crazy golf and beach hut village on the Pier - clearly, this didn't cross anyone's mind at the time they were granting planning permissions.  Anyway, there's no certainty that the crazy golf will go ahead.

Disregard for the residents. Cllr Lee is ignoring (or is unaware of) the months of public consultation that have gone in to shaping a management plan for the new QE2 Coastal Park, which agreed to keep this flagpole. Councillor - when the people speak, it literally pays you to listen.

Greed. Cllr Lee says this will create an "events space" - translated into plain English, this is simply "a space the Council can charge for". For the 98% of the year that it's not being used, it will be just another swathe of paving or tarmac - not very inviting for visitors, not very good for regeneration.

Anyway, this irked me enough to write to the press (don't know if they'll print it). 

Dear Sir,

I am horrified by the casual vandalism of Cllr Peter Lee and his regeneration committee ("Fears over plan to demolish pier pole", HB Gazette 20th June 2013).

The Council has created a new park - the QE2 Coastal Park - that covers the seafront from Hampton to Reculver, and ran a consultation with local groups to agree a management plan for the park.

Over a period of months, dozens of residents spent hour after hour thrashing out how to make the most of this new attraction. We were keen to keep both flag poles, but the incredibly high costs (£32,000) that CCC quoted for repairing the pole by the bandstand persuaded us to lose one and keep the other.

But now one of our own councillors has taken it into his head to ignore the results of the lengthy public consultation (is anyone surprised?) and knock it down, because it's cheap to knock it down while there are workmen on site.

The argument seems to be that it's fine to destroy the flag pole because "it is rarely used". This is a very odd argument. The Westgate Towers in Canterbury are completely unused since the museum there closed - will Cllr Lee propose demolition? I doubt it.

Cllr Lee says he wants to create an "events space". We already have a superb "events space" on the pier platform... but our Council swapped that for a quick buck without a thought for the consequences.

Would you like to know what else Cllr Peter Lee and his regeneration committee have up their sleeves? Well, that's tough - all their meeting are held in secret, and are un-minuted.

Yours etc,

Local Plan: Tories and opposition split over proposals

Canterbury City Council's blueprint for the district has already created a split between the Tory majority and opposition members. Each Conservative on the ruling executive insists he or she will listen to public opinion and allow it to shape Canterbury's future.

Cllr Peter Lee

The council will use its forthcoming issue of its District Life magazine to outline the Local Plan and tell people how they can comment on it. Cllr Peter Lee, the council's finance supremo, says much of the proposed house-building is geared towards retaining talented and employable people. He said:

"We are not going to be able to do that  unless we build affordable homes for them to live in."

Cllr Terry Westgate

Cllr Terry Westgate, who represents St Stephen's ward, said:

"I've lived in Canterbury for 38 years and I'm passionate about the city. I want people to support what is good in this plan and tell us what they think is wrong with it."

Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones

Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones, the council's member for transport, warned objectors to the draft plan to be measured in their criticism:

"It's no good screaming and shouting and being abusive to councillors - that will not help. I am heartened to hear what people have to say. It's clear they are passionate about the district."

Cllr Alan Baldock

Northgate Labour councillor Alan Baldock urged the executive to act on the views put forward in the coming consultation. He said:

"It [the draft plan] lacks one vital ingredient - the wisdom of local people whose feet are firmly on the ground with a stake in their district, every day of every year. But the truth is that this executive no longer has the trust of the people of this district. They no longer believe that their comments will be listened to or answered."

Cllr Nick Eden-Green

Lib Dem Nick Eden-Green described the plan as "fatally flawed" adding:

"Suffice it to say that there is much in it that is excellent, but I disagree with its conclusions on housing numbers and their locations."

HB Gazette 6th Jun 2013

Local Plan: Developers' cash should stay in town

I was angered and dismayed to find that the draft Local Plan explicitly stated that developers' contributions (once called S106, now called CIL - Community Infrastructure Levy) would flow OUT of Herne Bay.

There was no mention of CIL money flowing out of Canterbury or Whitstable, and no mention of CIL money flowing IN to Herne Bay. So we were going to get screwed.

I decided to ask our beloved councillors what they thought. Only one of them answered. Cllr Peter Lee apparently has no idea how Herne Bay residents would feel about this, and will wait for the outcome of the consultation. Incredible. 

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Councillors have refused to back calls for cash raised from new housing estates planned for Herne Bay to remain in the town.

At a meeting of the town's area members panel, made up of city and county councillors, campaigners said contributions from developments included in the new local plan should be spent on projects in Herne Bay. Local resident Ros McIntyre said:

"There are five new estates planned for around Herne Bay but money from them is earmarked for a crossing at Sturry and a relief road at Herne. Why has improvement money been channelled from Herne Bay to Canterbury and why is there no provision for a bridge at Blacksole?"

Phil Rose, from the Friends of the Downs, asked councillors to raise their hands if they were against the scheme to divert the money to other projects, adding:

"Money that could and should remain in Herne Bay is already being earmarked for projects out of our town."

But West Bay councillor Peter Lee said it was too early to have a view. He said:

"We haven't had any consultation yet and we don't know what people's views are. I am sure there are plenty of people who use that road who will be all for it."

Panel chairman Gillian Reuby said the money would not all be spent on the road schemes - some was for affordable housing and education contributions. She added:

"The infrastructure isn't at Canterbury, it is at Herne for a relief road and Sturry, the route most people from Herne Bay will use to go to Canterbury."

HB Times 30th May 2013

Free parking - is it worth the money?

It's hard to tell whether this scheme is gibberish or not.​The money to pay for this free parking experiment is coming from the "Opportunity Fund" - £10k set aside by CCC for the Herne Bay councillors to spend on local projects.

I had fondly imagined that this would cover stuff that wouldn't easily be funded from any other part of the Council structure - the Christmas grotto at the Bandstand, a grant for the Umbrella Centre, that sort of thing.​

It appears, however, that it can be used for things that I would have thought came under the Highways budget (the new barrier in Mortimer Street) or CCC's traffic budget (this proposal). It looks and feels to me like the Council simply recycling the same money - CCC gives Herne Bay money which is then returned to CCC to cover the revenue that CCC loses through Herne Bay’s free parking experiment.​

Andrew Cook gave us a breakdown of where the money will be spent: £400 for advertising, £250 for recalibrating the machines, leaving £800 for the parking. I think his maths is a little out - £750 would be left to cover the cost of lost parking revenue.

One of the councillors, I think it was Peter Lee, revealed that the horrid little parking meters scattered across town are cleverer than I ever expected. They are linked in to some evil central parking brain, and chatter away all day long, boasting about how much money they’re taking.

Surely this takes all the guesswork out of estimating how much parking is making the Council, and how much free parking would cost them. Nonetheless, Andrew Cook says in the press article that it will give them "a clear idea of what it costs to do free parking". Peter Lee says the money being asked for is "a fair estimate of the income lost". CCC already know what the experiment is likely to cost - the parking meters have told them.

What they haven’t explained is how they will know if the experiment has succeeded, or what their criteria for success might be.

How is this going to be assessed? If someone arrives at 9:15am and leaves at 10:30am, how will anyone (or the parking meters) know they were ever there? Will there be a Council officer standing there every April morning, counting the cars in and counting them out again?

Peter Lee refers to the possibility of free parking being “self-funding” - what on earth does that mean? Presumably, he thinks that the £800 of lost parking revenue might pop up somewhere, somehow.

So what’s actually happening here - is our Council simply using some rather unsubtle money-shuffling to give the appearance of trying to help our town?

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Free parking trial for Herne Bay town centre approved by councillors

Shoppers will be offered free parking on weekday mornings next month in a bid to tempt them into Herne Bay. Councillors agreed to spend £1,400 on a trial of free parking between 9am and 11am, Monday to Friday, in the Kings Road car park where the market is held on Saturdays.

The money comes from Herne Bay Area Member Panel’s opportunities fund - a pot of £10,000 a year for community projects that benefit the town. It will pay for advertising, changes to parking meters and for any lost revenue from car parking charges.

Dylan Hampshire, of Cockett’s Mattresses, suggested changing the time and copying other town’s ‘free after 3pm’ schemes. Andrew Lawrence, who runs the Speciality Food Store in Mortimer Street, said both mornings and afternoons were difficult for traders:

“From 9-11am is a dead zone, as is the last part of the day. After 2.30pm, Herne Bay is dead. We are suffering then. We could probably open from 11am to 2.30pm and then close our shops and go home because we have so few customers.”

He said local people refused to pay anything for parking, and seafront charges also put holidaymakers off.

But West Bay councillor Peter Lee said parking was free for most of the year in Central Parade. Heron councillor Andrew Cook added:

“This is an excellent project that both residents and businesses have been pushing for. It will give us an accurate idea of what it actually costs to do free parking.”

Critics argued that the money was effectively going back into the council’s pockets, to replace the income lost from parking charges during the trial. But Cllr Lee, who is responsible for finance on the council, said it was important to be able to tell how much revenue was lost. He added:

“We can repeat it in the future if we can prove it can be self-funding. This is a fair estimate of the income lost.”

Officials also vowed to investigate another suggestion of extending the free parking in town centre streets from one hour to two. The Kings Road car park scheme will start in April.

thisiskent 12th Mar 2013

Murray might make a mint

Our beloved Council will be giving away land to a developer. Not just any old land, but money-making car park land. And not just any old car park, but valuable car parking land near the sea front. And not just any developer, but one that's been on telly.

​Let's not forget, the Council is simply holding things on our behalf. So when the press reports that:

"A formal planning application is due to be submitted shortly and a land swap deal is close to being agreed, where Canterbury City Council would gift part of their land, used as a car park, for the scheme."

the phrase "their land" should be taken with a pinch of salt.

​Free Money

I'm intrigued by the "land swap deal" and what the other half of it might be. What, if anything, is being gained for this land? Our Council appears to be about to give away some or all of the two car parks either side of the Beach Street cul-de-sac. Between them, they have the capacity for some 65 cars - about two-thirds of the capacity of Morrison's roof-top car park.

What would the value of this land be on the open market? What would the Council be taking in parking revenue, week after week, for years? These two numbers are an indication of the value of the "gift" that our Council wants to make.

The press report indicates that the "land swap deal" is nearly a done deal. Presumably this has taken a while to organise and negotiate, so we're looking at the end of a process that's been a while in the making.​ I don't think CCC will be putting any obstacles in Mr Murray's way at this late stage, and as you can see from the pictures below - from the Herne Bay Showcase on 6th March - Mr Murray gets on famously with our smiling star-struck councillors (Jean Law, Peter Lee, Peter Vickery-Jones).

I don't know much about the planning process, but I have a feeling that this application will have a smooth ride.​

Once there was a plan. A bad plan.

The driving force behind our Council's exceptional generosity (are Coplan and Denne getting the William Street car park for free?) is the conspicuous failure of the CDA, or Central Development Area plan. Back in 2009, CCC decided that the Area Action Plan gave them a free hand to dispose of the William Street car park to the highest bidder. This would of course mean a windfall for the Council.

The developers (Coplan and Denne in this case) would then be able to use the large town centre site to generate a windfall for themselves. Obviously, they would be looking for maximum benefits for themselves, rather than delivering maximum benefits for the town. As a result, they developed what appeared at the time to be a safe (i.e. stunningly unimaginative) clone town proposal for a development, centred on a new supermarket that would be built literally next door to the existing supermarket.

​Pinning their hopes on a new supermarket was the fatal flaw in an already pretty rubbishy plan - as explained here. Which supermarket would want to invest millions to set up shop next door to a competitor? Clearly not Tesco or Sainsbury, which is why they're pursuing options on the edge of town. Would Morrison's be coaxed out of their current store into the new one? Clearly not. They've withdrawn from negotiations, having calculated that it would take decades to recover the millions the move would cost them, quite apart from the problems of selling their old (current) store.

The lynchpin, the cornerstone, the catalyst for the whole CDA project has failed to materialise, and as a result we have nothing to show after three years apart from planning blight on all the properties bordering the William Street car park, the Bus Depot, and the Beach Street area - the three blocks ear-marked for development.

​Murray's mint

And this is where Mr Murray comes in. His interest in developing the Beach Street area must have been very welcome news. Our Council will present this as contributing to the town's regeneration; Mr Murray's architect says it will revitalise the ​bottom end of Mortimer Street and Central Parade. Quite an achievement for three dozen dwellings and a handful of shops.

One shop would be demolished - 73 Central Parade, the left-hand side of Tivoli Amusements. The new development would include 4 shops, 8 three-bedroom town houses, 2 three-bedroom apartments, 16 two-bedroom apartments, 9 one-bedroom apartments, 27 private parking spaces and 11 additional parking spaces. Clearly Mr Murray stands to make a pretty penny if all this turns out well.

I'm not sure that our Council realise that there's a difference between making it easier for people to make money out of Herne Bay, and regenerating Herne Bay.

Beach Street development

Finally, here's a document that's celebrating its third birthday.​ First issued in March 2010, it's Canterbury City Council's vision for the future of Beach Street. None of this has happened yet, of course.

Beach Street Development Principles by HerneBayMatters

Morrisons pulls the plug

Supermarket chain Morrisons has withdrawn plans for a store in Herne Bay town centre. The supermarket's move from its current Beach Street site to the town had been seen as key to Canterbury City Council plans for redevelopment.

Denne Construction was confirmed as developer for the £35 million scheme, including the new supermarket in 2009. But Morrisons has been unable to commit the cash for the new town centre building and will now stay at its current site.

The city council and development partners Coplan Estates and Denne Construction are looking at alternative proposals. CCC executive member for Herne Bay Regeneration, Cllr Peter Lee, said:

"Naturally, we regret that Morrisons has decided not to invest in a new building, but we remain very confident in the future of Herne Bay. Coplan Estates and Denne Construction share our passion for realising the town's potential, and we will all continue to work together closely.

We are continuing to deliver regeneration and we are working with local businesses and community groups to ensure the continued economic and social regeneration of Herne Bay."

Stands available at Bay business exhibition

Businesses can raise their profile and reach new customers by taking out a stand at this year’s Herne Bay Business and Projects Showcase. The event, organised by the city council, takes place at the King’s Hall on Wednesday 6 March from 2pm to 7pm. It’s the sixth exhibition of its kind and has attracted more than 500 people in previous years.

Stands are just £50 per business, with discounts available for community and voluntary groups. The event will be an excellent way of making new contacts, networking with other businesses and finding out about current and future council and community projects in the town.

In addition this year there is a focus on employment, with partners such as Kent County Council, Job Centre Plus and the National Apprenticeship Service on hand to give advice and guidance on helping people into work.

Organisations already confirmed as attending are HSBC, Quinn Estates, Herne Bay Town Partners and the council’s Local Economy Team. This year’s event is being sponsored by East Kent College and Vattenfall.

The council’s Executive member for Herne Bay regeneration, Cllr Peter Lee, said:

"The business exhibition has now developed into one of the town’s most important events of the year. It’s an opportunity for everyone to get together and celebrate all that’s going on in Herne Bay, learn about future plans and form those business links that can make all the difference in the years ahead."

To enquire about stand availability at the exhibition, call Paul Spree on 01227 862532 or email paul.spree@canterbury.gov.uk

CCC 25 January 2013

Plans for Herne Bay hovercraft rides are rejected by council

Plans to introduce hovercraft rides from Herne Bay's seafront have been sunk by council officials. Officers decided the adrenalin-pumping experience would not fit in and dismissed the proposals as "inappropriate".

But bosses have agreed for kayaks to be rented from the beach near Lane End and are in talks with a potential operator. Canterbury City Council's outdoor leisure manager Richard Griffiths said:

"We were approached with an idea for a hovercraft concession but we said no because it was felt it was not appropriate for the town. But the kayak concession could start from April 2013."

The scheme is part of a host of new attractions planned for the seafront, including refreshments at the Hampton play area, deckchairs and toddler swings at Central Parade near the children's amusements and more telescopes along the seafront to allow people to see passing ships and other activity off the coast.

But plans for military-style fitness sessions at the Downs led to battle lines being drawn up between campaigner Phil Rose, of the Friends of the Downs, and council bosses.

At a meeting of Herne Bay Area Members Panel on Tuesday, he raised concerns that agreement had already been given for the circuits, to be run by British Military Fitness from January, with no consultation. Mr Rose, of Beacon Hill, said:

"I am involved with the Friends of the Downs and I am not aware of this. There has been no contact at all. It says something about the nature of the relationship between the council and community groups – we should have been involved."

Mr Griffiths told councillors the scheme had his full support. He said:

"The Downs is a well-used area and I don't see any problems with this."

He said existing concessions, such as the ice cream cart at Spa Esplanade and marketing booth for Bay Blast boat trips, would continue along with the refreshments in the park.

Tory member Peter Lee, of the council's ruling executive committee and the Herne Bay regeneration group which also discussed the plans, said it was a win-win situation for the town.

Herne Bay Times

Andy Lawrence stops the traffic in Mortimer Street

Local hero Andy Lawrence has been putting himself at risk, trying to keep Mortimer Street safe from idiot motorists. Drivers who are too stupid to read the traffic signs, or too selfish to take any notice, are driving along the street when it should be treated as a pedestrianised zone.

There's a simple and cheap solution (a lockable barrier across the road) but our Council has been dragging its heels, so Andy has taken to enforcing the traffic regulations himself. One local councillor who accepts there's a problem - Cllr Andrew Cook - wants to make sure the majority of traders want the barrier.

Cllr Cook sits on the Council's ruling Executive and holds the portfolio for Community Safety, and for Health, amongst others. Community Safety, and Health, is being endangered because the traffic regulations are not being enforced. (Where are the police and the newly empowered traffic wardens when you need them?)

The law isn't being enforced - presumably the powers that be would plead budget cuts. I had thought the Conservatives were the "Law and Order" party. There's no need to carry out a survey to find out whether the law should be enforced - just make it impossible to break that particular law. Install the barrier. Now.

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Pedestrians are being put at risk by drivers ignoring traffic restrictions in the town centre, traders claim. And they have accused council bosses of stalling over a cheap solution that would make the town centre safer.

Officials are considering a plan to install a lockable barrier at the bottom of Mortimer Street, costing £1,500. It was suggested at the start of the summer, but no progress has been made. Meanwhile, a shopkeeper who was manning temporary signs reminding people of the closures says he is not prepared to continue because of the abuse from motorists. Andrew Lawrence, 43. who runs the Speciality Food Store in Mortimer Street, said:

"I did it for four weeks. but no longer for my own sanity. I’m not insured and I don't work for the council. So if there was an accident or I dropped the sign on someone, who would be responsible? People get very emotional when told they can't do something, and I've been told they are coming through whether I like it or not, because they have always parked there or driven up the road."

The dad-of-five, who has run the shop for four years, met councillors and other traders to discuss the problem and councillor Peter Lee came up with a design for a lockable barrier that could be lifted and lowered. He said:

"Four shops would hold the key it would be locked upright at certain times and lowered to provide a physical barrier. Deliveries could still get through, and it could easily be opened in an emergency. The best bit is that it would only cost £1,500 - a tiny amount for a council that has £1 million of taxpayers' money sitting in the bank. But it seems they don't care about the people who are in danger from the cars whizzing up here at speed - only about keeping their cash."

Town centre manager Chris West was due to present a report on the issue to Herne Bay councillors at a meeting on Tuesday night, and said he planned to consult businesses before proposing a more permanent solution. Councillor Andrew Cook said it was important to get all traders’ views before proceeding. He said:

"I don't think there's a single councillor who would be against this, but we need to make sure it is what the majority of businesses want. I stood out there with Andrew for ten minutes and saw six cars go up there, and none had a legal reason to do so. But everything has to go through the correct procedures and the bureaucracy that goes with that."

Cllr Cook suggested an interim solution may be possible if someone else could be found to take over responsibility for the sign.

HB Times 13th Sep 2012

The city council has lost the plot

I have been following the debate, kicked off by Dylan Hampshire of Cockett’s Mattresses, about the need for a town council for Herne Bay ("Call for town council to end 'democratic deficit'", Times, June 21). I certainly believe Canterbury City Council has lost the plot and we should return to more local control of our affairs.

Canterbury is just not doing the job and causing a lot of problems.

My wife and I settled in Studd Hill in August 1986. One of the benefits was being able to stroll to the seafront for a swim using the ramp opposite Standard Avenue. Ten years ago Canterbury City Council allowed jet skis to use the front without any reference to residents. While we would not deny the few jet—skiers the use of the seafront, a new ramp was provided for them at great expense next to the boat house. The jet-skiers then started using the area reserved for swimmers but our city councillor was unable to help.

Now our roads in Studd Hill are being badly damaged by lorries well over the 13-ton weight limit. In Wolseley Avenue the bungalows are very attractive but city planners have allowed a two- storey semi-detached house to be built on a single plot. This type of building will turn the area into a slum, doubling the number of cars and people. Would members of the committee who approved this application like to live in the same conditions? I invite them to come and see the damage they are responsible for.

All building work should be stopped until repairs have been carried out to the roads. Part of the cost should be met by the council because of its planning decision. Builders should not be allowed to double up on single plots. A bond equal to ten per cent of the value of any new building should be paid before any work is started. This will ensure roads are correctly restored.

Under the new boundary suggestions, neighbouring areas will be included in Herne Bay which will boost its population to 78,000. This is why we need to consider restoring our own Town Hall. One idea would be the burned out ruins of the former Bun Penny pub, which is due for restoration. Rooms could be rented out to pay for the running costs.

It would appear the city council is also using parking fines in Herne Bay as a cash box to the detriment of shops and traders. A traffic warden has been handing out fines to cars parked at the bottom of William Street between Mortimer Street and the Bun Penny. I am meeting the person in charge shortly and will point out that the town is also plagued by an abundance of parking meters.

To save money on council tax I also suggest reducing the number of city councillors to one per ward.

Harold Lloyd, Wolseley Avenue, Studd Hill

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Bay councillor Peter Lee said:

Mortimer Street between Greensteads and Iceland is closed to all traffic on Saturdays between 10.30am and 4.30pm except commercial vehicles loading and unloading between the same times on Monday to Friday. Any car in this area, moving or parked between these times, is subject to a penalty. A blue disabled badge does not exempt the vehicle. 

People often say parking charges should be abolished or reduced but never come up with any suggestions how the council can replace the lost revenue, or which services should be cut to reflect the lower income. If you have any suggestions, please let me know and I will feed them into the budget discussions I will be having with officers this month.

HB Times 13th Sep 2012

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Incidentally, this is the same Peter Lee who told us in August that the Council had saved £465,000 thus boosting its cash reserves to £3.8 million, meaning "we will be able to do what we want in the next few years".

Supermarket plan causes friction and ructions

Traders fall out over plans for supermarket outside Herne Bay

A group of Bay business people is backing plans for a giant supermarket outside the town. Herne Bay Town Partners has agreed to support Sainsbury's bid for a store on the new Altira Business Park at Beltinge, despite council bosses trying to attract a supermarket to the town centre as part of regeneration plans.

Sainsbury's has a pre-let agreement with developers Terrace Hill for a 95,000 sq ft superstore and petrol station on the business park, near the driving test centre. Minutes seen by the Times state:

"The business group have recently met and discussed the proposed plans that Sainsbury's have to open a major retail unit on the outskirts of Herne Bay. It has been indicated that Sainsbury's will apply for planning permission before the end of the year. The group suggested we should endorse Sainsbury's proposal and, when the time is right, arrange to meet their development team to encourage them to support the town."

Dylan Hampshire

But a row between mattress shop boss Dylan Hampshire, who opposed the decision, and former director of the group Geoff Wimble led to Mr Wimble quitting in disgust. Former pawn shop boss Mr Wimble said:

"Sainsbury's should tell the council to get back in its little box and shut up. The council messed up the chance to get a supermarket in the bus station because it said the area was a flood risk. We want to support the town and now Dylan Hampshire is running around like a child with a smacked bottom complaining that an out-of-town supermarket would kill the traders. There's no proof."

Mr Hampshire, who runs Cockett's Mattresses in the High Street, said:

"I know Geoff is passionate about the town and has done a lot for it. But I think the Town Partners were too quick in supporting Sainsbury's at Altira without any corresponding pressure to promote the central development. There needs to be redoubling of effort to encourage a supermarket to Herne Bay."

Herne Bay councillor Peter Lee, who is in charge of the regeneration plans, said the city council's preferred option was still a major store for the town centre – a plan which received almost unanimous approval. He added:

"The council is confident that it can withstand any out-of-town development on the strength of public support for the plan. Herne Bay Town Partners are, of course, entitled to their view, but I don't believe that it will have much public support. Most people don't want to see Herne Bay Town Centre decline in the way that so many others have when faced with out-of-town competition."

thisiskent 14th Aug 2012

Bay's renewal plan is 'second best in Europe'

I'm intrigued by this award. I've asked the Strasbourg judges for a copy of the prize-winning bid, but they said they weren't allowed to release it. So I've asked Mr Rynne of CCC for a copy - I'll share it with you when I get it.

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Herne Bay's plans for regeneration are the second best in Europe, according to a European poll. Judges in Strasbourg voted the town's efforts into second place in the Council of Europe's Best Practice Awards for Coastal Towns. City council executive member for Herne Bay regeneration Councillor Peter Lee said:

"We've beaten off some strong opposition, both in this country and across Europe. That says a lot about the hard work and commitment shown by the council and residents to improve the town we all love. We are obviously very pleased to receive this recognition and look forward to building on all this good work in the coming years."

He made the announcement at a meeting of the full council on Thursday. The bid included the new Bay Sports Arena and extended Herons Leisure Centre, improvements to the Memorial Park, plans for a Coastal Park as part of the Diamond Jubilee celebrations, the exciting future for the town’s pier and the effectiveness of the Herne Bay Area Action Plan.

Jurors said they had been "impressed by the quality and innovative spirit of the council's Herne Bay regeneration project, as an encouraging practice for the regeneration of coastal towns."

Friends of Memorial Park, the Herne Bay in Bloom committee and Herne Bay Town Partners were cited as examples of strong community co-operation. Judges also took into account plans for a Diamond Jubilee coastal park. Top prize was won by the Ukrainian seaside resort of Yevpatoria.

This is Kent Friday, May 04, 2012

Plea for a free parking

He is the "mattress king" with a commitment to a traditional town centre. She's the "queen of shops" trying to revive the country's high streets. Now Herne Bay's Dylan Hampshire says town bosses need to take the words of Mary Portas to heart and make parking free across central shopping areas.

The Cockett's Beds owner spoke out as councillors were set to debate sweeping changes to parking costs in the town; introducing a "linear" system like Canterbury, with set fees per hour. But campaigner Mr Hampshire said it was urgent that councillors and officers took Mary Portas's recommendations seriously – not least introducing free parking. The retail guru recommends abolishing charges in all towns as part of an independent review into the nation's high streets. He said:

"If we do this in Herne Bay all other towns across Kent will be watching to see how well it works. It will give us a real advantage. If you go to big out of town shopping centres you don't have to pay for your parking. Almost all shopkeepers will tell you they've lost count of the amount of times people have come into their stores – then had to rush out again as their parking ticket ran out. If a trial scheme could be put in place by the summer the town would have a real head-start."

But West Bay councillor and Canterbury City Council finance boss Peter Lee said free parking was not an option. He said:

"If we didn't have the revenue from parking we would have to make increases in prices or cuts in services somewhere else. Herne Bay probably has more free on-street car parking than most other towns – remember that the seafront is free October to April."

thisiskent 6th Jan 2012

Council refuses to back village green status bid

A campaign group will not have the backing of the council in its efforts to have The Downs in Herne Bay certified as a village green.

The Save Our Downs group has been urging the council to support the application, which if successful would mean that the area would be open to the public for free forever and that any development which takes place would have to be in the interests of the public.

A public inquiry is due to take place at the end of November to determine whether the 72-acre seafront area will be designated a village green. Kent County Council is the registration authority which will decide The Downs' fate, but Canterbury City Council owns the land and will not be backing village green status.

Members of the council's ruling executive met last Thursday and rejected the idea of turning The Downs into a village green. A report before them stated:

"If the land becomes a town/ village green then, whilst the inhabitants of Herne Bay may have special rights over it, the rights of the council and public in general are diminished. Herne Bay is a seaside resort. The council manages this land not only for the benefit of residents but also for the visitors the town seeks to attract. The interests of the two groups may often coincide, but sometimes they will not."

Peter Lee, the council's member for finance and the councillor for West Bay, spoke against village green status for The Downs. He said:

"It's important that this land is retained for the whole community. It's up to us to make sure that this area is available to the general public in perpetuity."

And council leader John Gilbey added:

"This application is wrong and should never have been put in the first place."

The week-long public inquiry into the village green application starts at St Andrew's Church Hall, Hampton Pier Avenue, on at 10am on Monday, November 28. It will continue at St Andrew's on Tuesday before moving to Christ Church in William Street for the Wednesday, Thursday and Friday of that week.

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Phil Rose is the applicant for village green status and a founder member of Save Our Downs. He believes the reason for the Council's rejection of the application is largely financial.

Part-quoting the Council's report during his speech to the Executive on 13th October, he said:

"If the Downs get village green status the Council will be unable to 'lease the land, offer a concession, charge for use, and build on it'. Herne Bay residents have long suspected that this kind of asset-stripping was the real reason for the Council's objection."

Mr Rose added:

"Village green status has not and will not stop you doing coast defence work. It will not stop visitors from enjoying The Downs. Village green status is what residents and tax payers want."

HB Gazette 20th Oct 2011 aclaridge@thekmgroup.co.uk

School sports village on way

These exclusive pictures reveal the stunning new sports facilities nearing completion at Herne Bay High School. Said to be the best of any school in the county, they will form part of a sports village complex which will also be available for community use.

The £51 million project, which includes a new gym at the Heron Leisure Centre, has a huge main “arena” hall for roller hockey, indoor football, basketball and bowls, with 412 spectator seats. Contractors are putting the finishing touches to the work and the facilities are expected to be formally opened after the summer holidays.

The scheme has been jointly funded by the city council and Buildings Schools for the Future and will relocate roller hockey and other sporting activities from the old Pier Pavilion so it can be demolished. City council finance portfolio holder Cllr Peter Lee said:

“It proves we made the right decision to go into partnership with the school because we could not have done it alone. Refurbishing the pavilion would have cost the same but the facilities and public access would not have been anywhere near as good. What we have now is superb sporting facilities which must be the best of any school in the county. It’s a very good deal for everyone."

The sports village also includes a new four-court hall and gymnastic hall, and all the facilities will be available to the public when not in school use. They will complement the existing outside facilities which includes a full-size synthetic football pitch, three floodlit tennis/ netball courts, a multi-use games area, climbing walls (both indoor and outdoor), two full-size football pitches, a summer grass athletics track, a junior football pitch, a 24-station fitness gym and coaching education areas.

The health and fitness facilities at the pier are also being moved to the upgraded Herons Leisure Centre, which it is said will rival the quality of private-sector health clubs. As soon as the new facilities are ready for use, work can start on demolishing the Pier Pavilion, which is expected to start in September.

HB Gazette 23rd Jun 2011 by Gerry Warren

Asbestos work adds £¼m to Pier costs

The cost of demolishing the Herne Bay pier pavilion has risen dramatically because much higher quantities of asbestos than expected have been discovered in the building. The city council had originally budgeted £425,000 but the latest structural survey has revealed the full extent of extra work needed.

Now the lowest acceptable tender from a specialist demolition company is nearly £668,000 - £243,000 more than expected. The new figures were revealed to members of the council executive on Thursday which agreed to fund the extra cost. Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones said:

"This is a huge increase but there is no alternative. We have to find the money because we can't leave the building as it is."

Cllr Peter Lee added:

"The pier is a key part of Herne Bay's regeneration and investment in the town. But it will enable its replacement with something more for tourists which will provide an income for the Pier Trust."

Pier Trust chairman Julian Jennings told the executive he hoped there would not be any delays because it wanted the pier platform to be available for summer activities in 2012.

The contract is now expected to last 24 weeks and work is expected to start in the autumn when the sports facilities, currently housed in the pavilion, are transferred to a new sports centre at Herne Bay High School.

HB Gazette 23rd Jun 2011

Host of opportunities to put town on the map

A town on the up – that was the message from town manager Chris West for councillors. Mr West said Herne Bay was enjoying notable retail successes, including the opening of independent shop Berries Cake-Away and the arrival of clothing chain Peacocks.

At a meeting of the town's area member panel last week he also reported that the Bay had one of Kent's lowest numbers of empty shops at 5.4 per cent. This is in stark contrast to Margate with 37 per cent. Peter Lee, councillor for West Bay, spoke about the recent departure of Currys from the town centre. He said:

"I understand that Currys moved out even earlier than their lease required as Peacocks were so eager to get in. I think that's encouraging for the town."

Herne Bay in Bloom was also on the agenda. Councillor for Heron, Ron Flaherty suggested that tall weeds being allowed to grow in the town detracted from the Herne Bay in Bloom effort. He said:

"What are the judges going to think when they turn up and see huge weeds all over the place."

Mr West responded by saying that weed spraying would take place before judging of the competition took place. Volunteers for the Big Clean in Herne Bay were thanked for their efforts. Many gave up their lunch to collect litter, pull out weeds and generally clean up the town. Mr West also outlined plans for a marketing campaign to promote the Bay as a tourist destination. He said:

"We've got a great opportunity, with the Turner in Margate people can be drawn to Herne Bay as well."

An advertising campaign involving train station billboards within an hour radius, bus adverts and social networking aims to encourage day trippers and tourists on longer breaks. It will start at the beginning of July and continue until mid August.

HB Times 23rd Jun 2011