Beltinge Ladies Choir

I love the way clubs, groups and societies seem to spring up in Herne Bay, and I’m delighted to be able to tell the world about them. If you want the billion or so internet users around the globe to know about your group, just let me know, and I’ll spread the word!

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The Beltinge Ladies Choir

We sing a variety of songs ranging from modern musical pieces to spirituals, Gaelic lullabies and many seasonal selections.

If you are interested in joining us we are always looking for new members - no auditions and reading music not necessary. Just come along for an enjoyable, relaxing musical afternoon.

We meet on Thursday afternoons, 2pm-4pm at the United Reform Hall, High Street, Herne Bay - next to the Fire Station.

For more information contact Margaret Burns on 01227 369 365, or by email at beltingeladies@gmail.com or you can visit their website for lots more information.

Half-term FUN for FREE!

FREE Half–Term Craft Workshop for families on Thursday 21st February 2-3.30pm at:
Beach House, Beach Street, Herne Bay CT6 5PT
www.beachcreativecic.co.uk

Come and create a Collage to go on display at Beach Creative and help make items for an Art Installation at the CO-OP High Street Herne Bay as part of FAIRTRADE FORTNIGHT.

For more details visit Karen's website: www.shoreisaloadofrubbish.com

To book a place please contact
Karen Simpson
07525 832 875
karentribe@hotmail.com

Rotary's "Glorious June" Charity Golf Day

The Rotary Club of Herne Bay supports and champions local events and activities to help raise funds for local charitable and worthwhile causes. 

For 2013, our objective is to be able to continue to support local charities, clubs and organizations and as such we will be holding our ninth “Glorious June” Charity Golf Day on 7th June 2013 at the prestigious Belmont Golf Club, Faversham (unfortunately there is no Herne Bay Golf Club). 

If you, or someone you know, would like to join us for a game of golf, on an excellent course, and to enjoy the companionship of like-minded persons we would be pleased to welcome you either as a single person (when we would build a team around you) or as a team of four.

Entry for a team of 4 persons is £50 per person.  This provides you with coffee / tea & a bacon roll to start, 1 x free entry to the putting competition, followed by 18 holes of parkland golf rounded off with a buffet meal.  Prizes will be awarded for the best Team and best Individual score, best Putting Team, Nearest the Pin, Longest Drive and Nearest the Pin - Second shot.

Alternatively, perhaps you can help us by sponsoring a prize or the event itself. Sponsor opportunities are available from £25.  All sponsors are identified on all programme materials and advertising.

Interested?  If so, or you would like further details, please contact me on the following e-mail address Allan-Winkworth@Live.co.uk

Allan Winkworth

Herne Bay Rotary Club & Organizer “Glorious June Charity Golf Day 2013”

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."

Herne Bay Projects and Business Showcase

Yes, folks, it's party time again. This annual beano at the King's Hall is to all intents and purposes the Herne Bay town show. If you haven't been before, do give it a try - 6th March 2pm-7pm.

Local businesses tout their wares and some even give away little freebies. Local community groups strut their stuff and woo new members. Hundreds of people turn up to have a nose around, and wave at their friends and enemies. It's a hoot.

Local artists support Fairtrade fortnight

Those smashing people at Beach Creative are running an exhibition to support the excellent Fairtrade initiative.

If you're an artist (even if only in secret!) you need to hand in your work on 23rd February, between 10am and 4pm.

The exhibition itself will run from 27th February until 16th March.

WEA Poetry Course

Day school: Hughes and Heaney - A Poetic relationship

A Dayschool suitable for all those interested in poetry and its appreciation. We shall explore some poetic connections between the works of Hughes and Heaney, the friendship, influences and differences between the two poets.

Venue: St Andrew's Church Hall, Hampton Pier Avenue, Herne Bay CT6 8DY

Tutor: Jane Ireson

Time: Saturday 23rd March 2013, 10.30am to 3.30pm

Fee: £20.00 (Cost includes morning coffee, light lunch and afternoon tea. Please book in advance.)

This course is currently enrolling. For further information, or to book your place, please contact:

Phil Rose, WEA Branch Secretary

• 56 Beacon Hill CT6 6JN
• 01227 365942
• HerneBayWEA@gmail.com

Pier Trust Chair puts her case

Doreen Stone (co-Chair of the HBPT) posted this on the "official" Pier Trust Facebook site, in response to Graham Cooper's letter.

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Hello members and friends,

I am responding to Graham's post I understand from the HB Times that rebuild were contacted by Liz. The facts and figures were extracted without doctoring or special selection to make a point. the basic facts that we would have to pay to walk on our pier, that all the attractions can be there without a marina tacked on and that the car park essential for the marina with its 2 lane road would spoil it for everyone else are clear for everyone to see.

My optimism in November was proved wrong - since then the rebuild group have contacted the press, met Sir Roger Gale, sent articles and statements that none of the trustees have seen to numerous magazines without any checking with the Trust. They have become a pressure group to push forwards the views they have held before they resigned as trustees over a year ago.

It has now come to my notice that a draft of the 2011 Gifford report, a much more detailed and intensive report, which neither the then chairman or most of the trustees ever saw is very clear that a marina at the pier head was not its recommended option. Gifford recommended a marina much nearer shore with 8hr access. It also pointed out that as the windfarms had invested so much money in Ramsgate facilities that probably only 1 or 2 O&M vessels at most would use Herne Bay as a base.

If those who are supporting a marina at the end of the pier take over the Trust our chances of building a long pier for the people of Herne Bay will be squashed. all the trustees are working many hours a week because we are committed to a long pier but we believe it should be the type of pier the people of HB also want. We are going to open out the debate to all the creative people in HB to come together in an exhibition of their concepts and designs for everyone in the town to view and choose preferences.

Incidentally, I sent the rebuild group our list of reservations the week before the press release was written and before we wrote the letter to members. Liz on the Times will conform that after Jason phoned me I told her I would hold back for a week. However, the time has come for more than the usual vocal minority to have their say.

Pier Trust Rebuild Group put their case

Graham Cooper (formerly an HBPT Trustee, currently part of the Rebuild Group) posted this on the "official" Pier Trust Facebook site:

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Dear All,

Many of you will have no doubt seen the reports in the papers this week. Sadly the rebuild group were not asked for any comment or given the opportunity to repond by the Times. Here is a copy of a letter we sent to the Gazette, when they did ask us for comment.

The volunteers on the rebuild group are shocked to discover that the Trustees had already decided as early as February 2012 that their preferred option was a gradual rebuild and not the pier/marina proposal. Neither we nor the membership have been informed of this, even at the November AGM. We are also very disappointed at the rather sensationalist headlines in last week's HB Times and more recently the rather confused and unclear letter sent to pier trust members this week, both of which state a number of assumptions and figures which are taken out of context and both of which conveniently leave out the projected £18million injection into the local economy that would result from the pier/marina.

We have offered on a number of occasions to respond to any trustees queries in order to clarify what the report is saying. The Trustees have had the report since last November! However before we had a chance to respond to the concerns expressed by the Chair of the Trust, she has informed us that she will not communicate any further with us until she has sent a letter to members and presumably got their feed- back.

We are very concerned that last week's story and the Trust Chair's recent letter to members are giving a very one sided view of things and as a we are effectively unable to communicate our response to members in any other way, in the next week or so we will be publishing an open letter, providing a fuller response to concerns raised.

But for now, it is important to convey a few key messages to members and the public alike. Firstly, the Collier report is intended to offer a workable solution for a rebuilt pier and to demonstrate business viability. It is designed as a conceptual report and certainly not definitive in any particular detail. The report does offer an excellent insight into what is feasible and we should remember that Collier are one of the top three property and destinations experts in the world, that is why we hired them.

Secondly, we are puzzled as to the motive and timing behind these recent stories and the Chair's letter to members and refusal to communicate further with the rebuild team. This all certainly flies in the face of Doreen Stone's comments of the Trust's Facebook page last November:

"the Trust's Board is more stable at this time than it has been for a long time with ex-trustees and current trustees working together on options for the future of the pier. Two weeks ago we had a very friendly and useful meeting with John Gilbey, Leader of Canterbury City Council, who remarked on the unity of our team. There is a great deal of hard work and cooperation going on at present".

As far as we can see the only thing that has changed since last November is the excellent publicity and supporters that the pier/marina idea has attracted, why this should present the Trust with a problem we fail to understand.

Pier Trust Chair criticises Pier Trust Rebuild Group

This email went to HB Pier Trust members on 29th Jan:

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Yours Views are Urgently Sort

Dear Member

This email is crucial to the future direction of the Herne Bay Pier Trust. I earnestly ask you to respond, however briefly. For too long the feedback to trustees has come from a vocal minority and now we are seeking the views of the silent majority of members.
 
You may have seen on the front page of the HB Times last week the headline “£7.50 a day!” The article outlined the contents of the Collier Report which the Trust commissioned reluctantly because we were committed to it by the decisions of previous trustees. However, the article was right in many points. I feel the time has come for trustees other than the rebuild group to speak out.
 
A  project as massive as a long pier needs a considerable period of discussion and consultation before any decisions are fixed however fast the rebuild group are pressing forwards a marina project. Since reading the report carefully, several trustees, including myself, have serious reservations about the marina being tacked onto the long pier to which every trustee is committed. The long pier is the reason most of us joined the Trust and we certainly never envisaged people paying to walk onto their pier.
 
As a charitable Trust, we have a duty to act responsibly - first in the interest of the members, yourselves, and secondly in the interests of Herne Bay. The majority of trustees do not believe pursuing a marina pier is in those best interests. A Herne Bay Marina somewhere else would be brilliant we would fully support a group set up for this purpose.
 
We have appended belowere, undoctored, a summary of the facts and figures, which appear in the Collier Report to support the marina pier, for you to read and judge for yourselves.

Our reservations are as follows:

1. The idea that 175,000 visitors will pay £7.50 and 30,000 residents paying £30 annually to walk on their own pier is unrealistic and it goes completely against the concept of a pier for the residents of Herne Bay.  The profit from those projected entry fees, even after concessions, amount  to £3.8million  -  three times the profits projected for the marina (£1.1million) . I always imagined we would build  a free People’s Pier where residents can enjoy the sea views, have a coffee, read a paper, walk a dog, etc.  The cost proposed would make this the dearest pier in UK. (Southend £3.50, Cleveland £1.50) and the projected visitors are twice the number for Southend. 
    
2. A car park at the pier head said to be “critical” to the success of the marina”(estimated at 200 cars a day @ £10) would completely change the ethos of a promenade type pier. There are no costings in the report for the two-lane road which would have to be built up the pier to reach the car park. 
    
3. The potential fire hazard of fuelling ((fuelling profits in the report are projected at £45K a year) and 200 cars a mile out to sea is horrendous. Piers and fire have a horrible habit of being associated. 
    
4. The report implies that the long pier is not viable without a marina. This cannot be so. We agree the long pier should have something spectacular to bring visitors into the town. A sea-centre with viewing tunnels has been just one suggestion. The report contains many useful facts about other attractions and funding sources we can consider and there are many creative people in HB with the imagination to come forward with alternative unique selling points for a long pier. We should like to tap into their ideas and hold an exhibition and debate in the summer into the ideas people like. This should be exciting and fun for all Herne Bay to be involved in. 
    
5. When the Trust’s long pier aspirations were entrusted by the Board to a specific  trustee to form a rebuild team but always under the authority of the Board. But, since the AGM, the rebuild group which includes ex-trustees has become, in my opinion, a pressure group well working outside the remit of the Pier Trust Board – publishing articles in magazines we do not see, representing the Trust in the press, meeting Sir Roger Gale to discuss the marina project without our knowledge, commissioning stunning artists’ impressions which have appeared in the press and on the web. We need our members to know that the rebuild group and its marina project website, no longer reflect the views of the Herne Bay Pier Trust Board.
    
6. In February 2012, the Board voted to support a gradual rebuild approach to the long pier – first establishing the short pier as a vibrant place and then finding funding to build on promenade and second platform and so on, each stage supporting the funding of the next.  Ideas for attractions such a sea-world centre with viewing bays, retro rides, restaurants, cafes, retail outlets for quality goods, entertainment platforms and function areas for weddings and performance were put forward.

Your mandate is now vital to us as a Board.  Please take a little time to read through the attached set of facts and figures supporting the marina project. Then could you please email us back your views by the 28th February 2013.  
 
1. Do you wish us to develop in stages a free pier without a marina on the end - with attractions chosen in consultation with the members and the people of HB?
 
2. Do you give the Board (with me in the chair) your mandate to take firm control of  the Trust’s rebuild group?

Doreen Stone
Chairman

Summary of facts and figures in the Collier Report 
 
The project has two key concepts :
Marina and Visitor attractions
with two hubs: The Pier Piazza and the Sea Pavilion
 
The estimated annual income comes from 3 sources: Marina, Visitors and Rents
 
Costs of project :

1. Collier figures based on the Gifford Report

 
                                                                         Infrastructure   : £32.0m
                                                                         Marina             : £2.9m
                                                                         Project fees     : £3.2m
                                                                         Additional        : £1.0m
                                                                 Total for structure : £40.1million
 
This does not include a 2 lane vehicle access to parking for 200 cars at the marina - regarded as “critical” to the success of the marina by the Report
This does not include boat lifting for winter – also regarded as essential
 
2. Additional Costs from Collier                        Hotels             : £4.3
                                                                         Aquarium        : £3.8
                                                                         Restaurants    : £1.8
                                                                         Cinema           : £3.1 
                                                              Total for Pier Piazza: £13.3million
                                                                           Hotel/spa       : £6.3m
                                                                           Casino           : £1.3m
                                                                           Marina           : £0.4
                                                                           Boutiques      : £1.3
                                                       Total for Sea Pavilion      : £9.2 million
                                                                           Kiosks            :  £0.1m
                                                                           Water sports  : £0.4m
                                                                           Boat tours      : £0
                                                                           Cycle hire       : £0
                                                                           Play park        :  £0.3m
                                                                           Ticket offices  : £0.2.m
                                                                           Function pav  : £1.0m
                                                                           Other              : £1.0m
                                                 Total for Rented property      : £3.0million
 
Therefore total estimated costs = £66 million plus cost of 2-lane road, marina car park and boat lifting facility for winter. 
 
Annual Profits
3 sources profits : Marina, Visitors and Rents

1. Marina

 
i) Annual berths
Projected annual charge : £300 per metre per boat (based on average 10 metre boat) cp Ramsgate £205, Gillingham £149 and Swale £148
 
275 annual berths at estimated likely 80% occupancy = 220 boats @ £3000 = £660,000                                       Total in Report : £528,000
 
ii) Visitors berths

estimated as 86 per day x 175 days  @ £15 per day
                                                                   Total in Report : £375, 000 

iii) Commercial berths                                Total income : £23,000
 
iv) Fuel sales                                                Total income :£ 45,000 

v) Landing charges
 estimated 99,000 annually @£2.0 ea                        Total :£ 165,000
 
                                                Total income from marina £ 1.1million
                                                                                         (to investors?)
 
2. Visitor Profits
 
i)Admission charges
Estimated 750,000 annual visitors @ £7.50 per adult Total : £4.5million
And  30,000 @ £30 annually                                       Total :  £0.8million
                                                     Total after concessions    : £3.8 million
 
 
ii) Other visitor profits
150 Functions @£2,500                                                   £0.4m
274 in playpark per day @ £5                                          £0.5m
Festival                                                                             £0.4m
Parking on marina – 200 per day @£10                           £0.6m
Fishing – 25 a day @£5                                                    £38,000
 
                                                                                        Total :  £2million
 
                                                         Total profits from visitors : £ 5.8million 

3. Annual Profits from Rentals

2 restaurants                                                   £4.3m
2 cinemas                                                       £16,250
1 casino                                                          £200,000
1 marina clubhouse                                        £60,000
10 boutiques                                                   £150,000
Kiosks                                                             £45,000
Watersports centre                                         £30,000
Boat ticket sales                                             £10,000
 
Hotels
Based on annual estimated turnover of:
120 budget rooms @£75 @68% occupancy = 81 rooms per night = £6075 per night          
70 rooms @£200 @ 62% occupancy = 43 rooms per night = £8600 per night
                                                       Total Rental profit : £810,000
Aquarium
Based on 200,000 visitors annually @£14 with concessions =annual turnover£1.6million 
                                                       Total Rent @ 12% = £196,000
 
Cycles – (100 day = £233,000 @rent 15% = profit in rental)
                                                           Total rent            £ 35,000
 
3 Adrenaline attractions 
(7,300 per year @£8 = £46,000)    Total rental @ 20% = £ 9,000
 
Gross profits summary

Profits

1. marina            £1.1million
2. rents               £2.1million
3. visitors            £5.6million

                                                                   Total £8.8 million
 
Costs

Annual Salaries £800,000
Overheads £250,000
Depreciations £130,000                    
                                                                 Total £1.1 million

                                  Total profits after costs £7.7million                        
 
Staffing and employment opportunities (estimates)

Piazza: 72 :   Sea Pavilion 76;    Marina 29;    Other 34;   Festival time 3

                                              Total : 214 full/ pt time

The Pier Trust does some explaining

A response to Shaney’s letter from Pier Trust Chairman, Doreen Stone (11th Jan 2013)

Shaney and I met up yesterday to discuss her open letter about CCC’s possible leasing of the pier platform and I think she does have a cause for grievance that a concession of this magnitude was not advertised for tenders. We agreed with her that although anyone has a right to put in for planning permission on a site whether they own it or not, the opportunity to lease the platform should have been opened to everyone.

As Chairman of the Pier Trust, I assured her that at no point had the Pier Trust been involved or consulted about Mr Cain putting in for planning permission to build a mini golf course there. None of the trustees knew anything about it until we were told in late November, nine days before the AGM by Dawn Hudd who made it clear to me that CCC were under no obligation to consult the Trust as the Memorandum of Understanding had lapsed on June 30th 2012. At this meeting, we were given a single page artist’s concept sketch (which was not in the public domain at that time) to discuss with the Board.

The trustees’ first reaction was disappointment that it would prevent us implementing our own plans for a café, a community stage and an income from concessions on the platform including roller skating, markets and a weddings’ venue. However, as I am sure David Shepherd, our then Events Manager would confirm for me, during the summer the Trust met with so many problems including Health and Safety, stewarding, submission forms specific to each event to be submitted three months before the date of the event – that we were never able to run the farmers’ and other markets, the art weekend, the performance and music events we had hoped to organise once the pier was ready for us in June.

Also, in our 2011 -2012 business plan, we had included concessions within our income calculations. However, although we returned detailed comments and our approval for at least 6 concessions, we were never given any feedback on CCC’s final choice of only 2 concessions and we certainly didn’t receive any income from them.

So, in the light of our awareness of how little we had been able to deliver on the platform in 2012, a majority of the Board began to see the reciprocal value of a well-run attraction on the platform to increase the footfall to our retail beach hut village we are still intending to build along the leg. Three trustees requested and met – all 6 were invited to attend - David Cain mid-December (after the AGM) to find out more about his proposal and whether he would involve the Trust if CCC decide to go ahead with his proposal. We were not aware that the leasing had not been advertised so that others like Shaney could also apply.

This was our position and how we came to it when I sent out the members’ Christmas Newsletter.

Crazy golf scheme for Herne Bay pier looks set to be approved

Oh dear, it looks like a shoo-in - no surprise there...

A smuggler-themed crazy golf course on Herne Bay pier looks set to be given the go-ahead by planning councillors.

Officials are recommending that the £250,000 scheme by arcade boss David Cain is granted planning permission, despite almost 30 letters from opponents. It would see a 13-hole course, complete with theme-park style shops, caves, waterfalls and bridges, built on the empty pier platform and surrounded by a two-metre high fence.

The development would leave a two-metre wide walkway around the course, giving access to the pier for anglers and walkers. The course would be floodlit and open from 9am to 10pm most of the year.

Two letters supporting the project were sent to Canterbury City Council, pointing out that the site could benefit the whole town and be a unique attraction. They also say it would be different to an existing course, owned by Jonas Pashley, whose family run the Sandancers arcade nearby. His daughter Shaney led the campaign against it and said it could put her father out of business.

Opponents sent a total of 27 letters against the proposals, raising concerns about the impact of the scheme on the regeneration of the pier. Many also argued that there was no need for another crazy golf course.

Planning officer Steve Musk said the main issue was the impact of the development on the seafront conservation area. In a report to the planning committee, who will meet on Tuesday to consider the proposals, he said:

"The proposed development and the use of the site as an adventure-based crazy golf facility would not be out of keeping with the type of activities expected to be found on a seaside pier and would preserve the character of the Herne Bay conservation area.

It is clear that many people do not feel this is an appropriate use for the site, whilst the presence of a crazy golf course nearby has also been a source of concern. It is considered that the impact of the scheme on the locality would be acceptable, [acceptable to whom, Mr Musk?] whilst the proposed use would be in accordance with the Herne Bay Area Action plan which sets out to provide a leisure facility on this site."

Mr Musk recommends granting planning permission for the scheme, with conditions including that a structural survey on the pier platform is carried out first, and that the course must be removed when it is no longer used.

Mr Cain would still need to negotiate a lease for the site with Canterbury City Council, who own the pier. The council's ruling executive committee has already agreed that letting out the pier platform could help raise valuable income to pay for maintenance work.

The development control committee will meet at 6.30pm on Tuesday, February 5, at the Guildhall in Canterbury. The meeting is open to the public.

thisiskent 29th Jan 2013

Royal Mail meeting in Whitstable

Hello Herne Bay!

The people of Whitstable want to invite you to a Public Meeting here in Whitstable this Fri (1st Feb 2013) to hear your side of the story since you lost your delivery office to Canterbury.

Royal Mail say the move is successful? I think there are some porky pies being told there.

Come and tell us YOUR side of the story. We will take all your comments directly to Royal Mail as we are fighting hard here to save our own delivery office.

Here's a short film of last Saturday's protest here and some information beneath the clip of film. Please pass on this message! There will be a story in your local press this week.

Julie Wassmer

Another peaceful demonstration by the good people of Whitstable against Royal Mail's plans to close down the sorting office in Cromwell Road. If closed, this would force users to make a 16 mile round journey to Canterbury in order to collect their packages. Royal Mail call it 'Modernisation'.

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

Planning Cockup

CCC's slapdash use of their own website has limited our opportunity to comment on a couple of major local issues.

When it comes to advertising any planning applications in the district, our Council is only obliged to put public notices near the site in question, and in a local paper. They use Kent on Sunday, so that must be OK, because everyone in Herne Bay reads Kent on Sunday. Right?

The Council does have a section on its website dedicated to publishing Public Notices such as planning applications. However, they didn't publish any of December's planning applications on their website (in the Public Notices section) until 20th December.

So, what did we miss out on during this period of cyber-silence? The Altira Sainsbury application, and the mini golf on the Pier application. The closing date for comments on the mini golf on the Pier application is Monday 14th January, so if you've got something to say, say it soon.

Town Councillors

On Tues 15th, our councillors will PUBLICLY discuss issues that matter to our town. This happens rarely, so don't miss it - the Salvation Army Hall in Richmond Street, starting at 6:30pm.

They only do this half a dozen times a year, so it's almost a special occasion. If you're quick about it, you can put your own questions to the councillors about issues that you think matter to our town - details are here, in the "Public Question and Answer" section.

On the Agenda:

• the increase in parking charges in Herne Bay and across the district
• turning Herne Bay Library into a "gateway"
• the traffic problems around the new Tesco in Sea Street
  
• KCC's Flood and Drainage strategy
  
• funding for a barrier across Mortimer Street, and for the Umbrella Centre
• the Town Centre Manager's report on the state of the town

Their next meeting will be on 12th March.

Unleash the creative writer within!

Creative Writing Course

This is a six week course for those who have always wanted to write but don't know where to start. The programme looks at several aspects of creative writing, autobiography, short stories, poetry etc.

What you will need: A4 pad, a pen, access to a word processor or photo copier (you will need several copies of your work for the class to function).

Aim: To write something you are proud of!

The course costs £39 to be paid in the first session, and starts on 15th of January 10.30AM - 12.30PM at Beach Creative, in Beach House, on the corner of Beach Street and King's Road near the William Street car park.

Please book your place by email at jen.cross@talktalk.net.

Parking Consultation - another brilliant response

Mr Hudson spells out what the Department of Transport says "controlled parking" is for, and compares it with CCC's approach.

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7th December 2012

Ref:- Canterbury City Council (Off-Street Parking Places) 0rder 20l3

Dear Mr. Carmichael,

I wish to OBJECT to the above Order concerning proposed raising of car parking charges. I believe that Canterbury City Council (CCC) made a profit of around £2.5 million in the last financial year from an overall turnover of approximately £7 million in car parking charges.

I would like to quote you a few passages from the Department of Transport Operational Guidance manual on parking and have enclosed a copy of the front page for identification.

From page 14:

"But raising revenue should not be an objective of CPE (Controlled Parking Enforcement) nor should authorities set targets for revenue or the number of Penalty Charge Notices (PCNs) they issue."

Also:

"The judgement in R v LB Camden (ex parte Cran) made clear that the Road Traffic Regulation Act 1984 is not a revenue raising Act".

Also:

"The objective of CPE should be for 100 per cent compliance, with no penalty charges"

As you are aware CCC issued 25,275 PCNs in 2009/10 and this obviously accounts for considerable income.

From page 24, when talking about parking objectives it states:

"keep traffic moving, rather than raising revenue".

Page 112, once again it repeats:

"Authorities should never use parking charges just to raise revenue or as a local tax"

and goes on to state what should happen with any surplus income:

"In such cases local authorities must ensure that any on-street revenue not used for enforcement is used for legitimate purposes only and its main use is to improve, by whatever means, transport provision in the area so that road users benefit".

Page 135, it repeats again when talking about surpluses

"They can use any surplus to improve off-street, or, where this is unnecessary or undesirable, for certain other transport-related purpose and environmental schemes".

To sum up, Canterbury City Council is already making a hefty profit from its parking regime and any further increases seem to more of about general revenue raising, which this manual seems to clearly indicate is not the stated aim of parking regulations.

What benefits have drivers gained from previous years' profits?

I would like a written response to my objection letter concerning the issues raised.

Thanking you for your time.

Yours sincerely,

Mr. Terry Hudson