"Standards"

Standards for England "We believe in principled local politics. Our mission is to champion and promote high standards of conduct amongst our local politicians".

Roger Matthews did wrong. He accepts he broke the rules. Standards for England agree he broke the rules. Guess what happened next...

The Ethical Standards Officer found that, in respect of his promotion of the proposal to develop land at Greenhill, the member breached the Code of Conduct by bringing his office into disrepute. The member also breached the Code by failing to withdraw from a meeting when two planning applications in which he had a prejudicial interest were considered. The Ethical Standards Officer took all the relevant circumstances into the case before deciding that no further action needed to be taken.

Following his clearance on corruption charges in 2010, the police were less than happy (having spent a lot of time and effort on the case) and probably hoped someone could make something stick. The Standards Committee had not received an official complaint about Cllr Matthews before or during his trial. The Standards Committee do not have the power to initiate enquiries or disciplinary proceedings - they can only act in response to complaints received, and details of the complainant are not published. We don't know who lodged the complaint about Cllr Matthews with the Standards Committee.

The Standards Committee decided, for whatever reason, that this was too big/difficult/hot to handle and passed it up to Standards for England, their overseeing body. The heroic and highly principled conclusion that Standards for England have arrived at is to do absolutely nothing. Their "reasoning" being that the trial had been expensive, Matthews had withdrawn from his party, and there's an election soon anyway. CCC's Standards Committee cannot appeal against this decision.

"Standards for England" - aren't they breaching the Trades Descriptions Act in some way? Cllr Matthews appears in today's papers saying "I broke the rules"; Standards for England's investigation confirm this; no action is taken, no sanction imposed.

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Read the Standards for England report.

Complain about Standards for England HERE.

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HBHRS Wine & Wisdom 26th March

HBHRS Wine & Wisdom Evening at Christ Church: Entry by ticket, details TBA.

The town's councillors

Tuesday 15th March 6:30pm

Salvation Army Hall, 33 Richmond Street, Herne Bay

Rejoice, dear reader - a special day approaches! Half a dozen or so times a year the chosen few gather together to discuss and vote on things that matter to Herne Bay. On Tuesday, our town councillors will assemble at the Salvation Army Hall, eager to answer your questions. Someone from the Royal Mail will be there to "discuss the concerns" about the experimental system that was inflicted on us before Christmas (and before the snow). The councillors will be deciding where to reinstate the Red Shelter, AKA the Threepenny Bit Shelter; they'll also be neglecting public gardens to save money; considering parish grant applications; discussing No Fishing signs and road re-surfacing; and hearing from the Coastal Towns Manager.

It's an open public meeting.

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1. Apologies for absence

2. Disclosures by members and officers

Members and officers are invited to declare any interests and whether the nature of them is prejudicial or personal.

3. Public Question and answer session PDF 54 KB

A written question has been received from Dick Eburne on the existing powers of Parish Councils and the cost to the taxpayer of these Councils. His questions and the officers responses are attached to the agenda.

Additional documents:

• Questions from Dick Eburne, item 3. PDF 64 KB
• eburne appendix, item 3. PDF 1 MB

4. Public participation

Provided that notification has been given to the Chief Executive by 12.30pm on Monday 14 March 2011, members of the public may speak on any item on the agenda for a maximum of three minutes. The Chairman to report any notification received.

5. Minutes - 1 February 2011 PDF 75 KB

To confirm as a true record.

6. Actions arising from the last meeting not dealt with by separate reports

7. Royal Mail

At the last meeting the Panel AGREED that a representative of Royal Mail be invited to attend the next meeting of the Panel to discuss the concerns regarding the experimental system for postal deliveries in Herne Bay.

Heulyn Davies, Senior External Relations Manager, Andrew Mills, Head of Deliveries for Kent and Martin Woods, Delivery Lead Kent Project will be attending the meeting as Royal Mail's representatives.

8. Forthcoming decision list - 1 March to 30 June 2011 PDF 73 KB

TO REVIEW the list and consider if the Panel should be consulted on any of the decision topics.

9. Kent County Council's Forward Plan

At the present time there are no relevant decisions on Kent County Council's Forward Plan that will affect the Herne Bay area.

10 Green Shelter relocation PDF 81 KB

Jeffrey Hall, the City Councils Asset Inspector, will attend.

11. Parish Councils Capital Grant Applications PDF 87 KB

TO CONSIDER the report of the Head of Community Development and Outdoor Leisure

Additional documents:

• APPENDIX 1 Overall CIFT Totals All Parishes 2011-12, item 11. PDF 58 KB

12. Changes to planting and maintenance arrangements

Further to the discussions at the last meeting, officers have advised that the specification for some shrubs will be reduced from "ornamental" to "amenity" throughout the district. In practice all this means is that the shrubs will be pruned less frequently and the weeding done less often.

The areas affected are: 

• Dane John
• The Three Cemeteries
• War Memorial Park
• Tower and Waltrop Gardens

Three years ago substantial savings were made on bedding plants and the amount of bedding throughout the district was reduced in the less sensitive areas. Officers received very few comments about this and the changes went largely unnoticed. It is thought the same will be true of the changes in shrub maintenance.  TO NOTE

13. No fishing signs at the pond , memorial park, Herne Bay

TO DISCUSS, at the request of Councillor Ron Flaherty, the appearance of the above signs. The City Council's Outdoor Leisure Manager has advised that fishing in the boating lake is illegal due to the following byelaw.  10 (iii) "take, injury or destroy, or attempt to take, injury or destroy any fish in any such water, or willfully disturb or worry any waterfowl".  Every so often people start fishing in the boating lake and the police / PCSO's and staff ask people to stop due to the byelaw.  A review of the open space byelaws was discussed at a Members briefing on 5^th January 2011 and it was agreed to defer a review so that the implications of the Localism Bill could be considered.

14. Resurfacing of roads in Herne Bay

To DISCUSS, at the request of Councillor Matthews, the following questions:  Can KCC advise why newly re-laid roads are breaking up?  Is a lower standard of surfacing being used than in the past?  Is there any national standard on resurfacing roads?

15. Progress report of the Coastal Towns Manager PDF 56 KB

TO NOTE the report of the Head of Culture and Enterprise

16. Date of next meeting

It is anticipated that the next meeting will be held on Tuesday 7 June 2011 at 6.30pm in the Salvation Army Hall, 33 Richmond Street, Herne Bay, subject to the annual Council meeting approving this date. Future panel dates, also subject to annual Council meeting approval are as follows

• 19 July 2011
• 13 September 2011
•  8 November 2011
• 3 January 2012
• 13 March 2012

All at 6.30pm in the Salvation Army Hall.

17. Any other urgent business to be dealt with in public

18. Any other urgent business which falls under the exempt provisions of the local government act 1972 or the freedom of information act 2000 or both.

It will be necessary to pass a resolution to exclude the press and public for any business under this item.

I learned a new word today

And that word is paraprosdokian. This unlikely and ugly-looking word means a figure of speech in which the latter part of a sentence or phrase is surprising or unexpected in a way that causes the reader or listener to reframe or reinterpret the first part. A punchline with a twist. For example:

• If I agreed with you, we'd both be wrong.
• Do not argue with an idiot. He will drag you down to his level and beat you with experience.
• I want to die peacefully in my sleep, like my grandfather. Not screaming and yelling like the passengers in his car.
• Going to church doesn't make you a Christian any more than standing in a garage makes you a car.
• I asked God for a bike, but I know God doesn't work that way. So I stole a bike and asked for forgiveness.
• The last thing I want to do is hurt you. But it's still on the list.
• Light travels faster than sound. This is why some people appear bright until you hear them speak.
• We never really grow up; we only learn how to act in public.
• War does not determine who is right -- only who is left.
• Knowledge is knowing a tomato is a fruit; Wisdom is not putting it in a fruit salad.
• The early bird might get the worm, but the second mouse gets the cheese.
• Evening news is where they begin with 'Good evening,' and then proceed to tell you why it isn't.
• To steal ideas from one person is plagiarism. To steal from many is research.
• A bus station is where a bus stops. A train station is where a train stops. My desk is a work station.
• How is it one careless match can start a forest fire, but it takes a whole box to start a campfire?
• Some people are like Slinkies ... not really good for anything, but you can't help smiling when you see one tumble down the stairs.
• Dolphins are so smart that within a few weeks of captivity, they can train people to stand on the very edge of the pool and throw them fish.
• I thought I wanted a career; turns out I just wanted pay cheques.
• A bank is a place that will lend you money if you can prove that you don't need it.
• Whenever I fill out an application, in the part that says If an emergency, notify: I put DOCTOR.
• I didn't say it was your fault, I said I was blaming you.
• I saw a woman wearing a sweat shirt with Guess on it... So I said Implants?
• Why does someone believe you when you say there are four billion stars, but check when you say the paint is wet?
• Women will never be equal to men until they can walk down the street with a bald head and a beer gut and still think they are sexy.
• Why do Americans choose from just two people to run for president and 50 for Miss America?
• Behind every successful man is his woman. Behind the fall of a successful man is usually another woman.
• A clear conscience is usually the sign of a bad memory.
• You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.
• The voices in my head may not be real, but they have some good ideas!
• Always borrow money from a pessimist. He won't expect it back.
• A diplomat is someone who can tell you to go to hell in such a way that you will look forward to the trip.
• Hospitality: making your guests feel like they're at home, even if you wish they were.
• Money can't buy happiness, but it sure makes misery easier to live with.
• I discovered I scream the same way whether I'm about to be devoured by a great white shark or if a piece of seaweed touches my foot.
• Some cause happiness wherever they go. Others whenever they go.
• There's a fine line between cuddling and holding someone down so they can't get away.
• I used to be indecisive. Now I'm not sure.
• I always take life with a grain of salt... plus a slice of lemon...and a shot of tequila.
• When tempted to fight fire with fire, remember that the Fire Department usually uses water.
• You're never too old to learn something stupid.
• To be sure of hitting the target, shoot first and call whatever you hit the target.
• Nostalgia isn't what it used to be.
• A bus is a vehicle that runs twice as fast when you are after it as when you are in it.
• If you are supposed to learn from your mistakes, why do some people have more than one child?
• Change is inevitable, except from a vending machine.
• He was at his best when the going was good. Alistair Cooke on the Duke of Windsor
• There but for the grace of God — goes God. Winston Churchill
• If I am reading this graph correctly — I'd be very surprised. Stephen Colbert
• You can always count on the Americans to do the right thing — after they have tried everything else. Winston Churchill
• If all the girls who attended the Yale prom were laid end to end, I wouldn't be a bit surprised. Dorothy Parker
• I've had a perfectly wonderful evening, but this wasn't it. Groucho Marx
• A modest man, who has much to be modest about. Winston Churchill
• She looks as though she's been poured into her clothes, and forgot to say 'when'. P. G. Wodehouse
• I like going to the park and watching the children run around because they don't know I'm using blanks. Emo Phillips
• If I could say a few words, I'd be a better public speaker. Homer Simpson
• I haven't slept for ten days, because that would be too long. Mitch Hedberg
• I sleep eight hours a day and at least ten at night. Bill Hicks

HBHRS Lecture 17th March

Mr. Ian Tittley: "History of the Natural History of North Kent"

The Herne Bay Historical Records Society Lecture meetings are held in the Lower Hall, Herne Bay United Church, High Street, Herne Bay (click here for a picture). Doors open from 6.30pm, the lectures start at 7:00pm. Meetings are open to members and guests.

The meetings are free to Members on production of their Membership cards (if requested). Visitors may attend if there is room, when a charge of £2.00 per meeting will be made. The Annual Subscription for 2010/2011 is £10.00 per member, falling due on October 1st.

Bottle tops!

At last there's something useful to do with your plastic bottle top collection. Local artist Karen Simpson has put out the call for bottle tops, which she will magically transform into a deck chair! Karen has an impressive track record of making silk purses out of sow's ears through her Shore is a load of rubbish initiative, and has displayed her work across Kent.

Have a look at her Shore is a Load of Rubbish website to see the deckchair taking shape, and see the FlotsamWeave website for more of her work.