Council's priorities not secret, not confidential, just rubbish

The city council has finally published its league table of services as it lays the ground for further budget cuts and savings.

It has put the controversial Local Plan, in which more than 15,000 new homes are planned for the district, atop the pile, with the cost of running democracy second and development management third.

Culture in Canterbury also features highly with the Marlowe Theatre at five out of 70, the Beaney at seven and the Roman Museum at 21. Meanwhile, rubbish collections are ranked 28 and public toilets are 53.

The lowest scored services were elections, archives and the council's obligations under the Freedom of Information Act.

Executive members and senior officers drew up the table as the council prepares to lose 45% of its income by 2017.

It means certain services and staff will face the axe. Mr Carmichael will go into greater details with officers at the staff conference on November 14. In his letter to council workers, chief executive Colin Carmichael said:

"All this information is being used in our star chambers to think about whether we need to continue to deliver these services and, if we do, whether to do so at the current cost level."

The table was created by rating each service out of 10 against each of the council's 10 pledges on its corporate plan. These have titles such as economy, safety, homes, culture, health and well-being, and young people.

Questions may be asked about those ratings after the Marlowe Theatre received 4/10 for health and well-being and the mayor's office received 3/10 in every single category, including housing, safety and protecting the environment.

The Conservative controlled authority came under fire earlier in the year after it created the list but refused to let anyone see it.

Cllr Alex Perkins, the leader of the opposition Lib Dem group, believes the people of the district should have been allowed to rate the services they use. He said:

"If the council are going to determine funding according to a league table of priorities then they should be local residents' priorities. not council leader John Gilbey's. Why don't the council ask people to give their own scores and actually prioritise what local residents want for a change."

The league table is published in the agenda for the executive meeting at the Guildhall tonight (7th November).

HB Gazette 7th November 2013

HBM

Council Priorities: where will the axe fall?

about 10 years ago

The Council's priorities. Theirs, not ours.

about 10 years ago

Council's priorities not secret, not confidential, just rubbish

about 10 years ago

Council's priorities aren't secret - they're confidential!

about 10 years ago

Our Council's secret priorities

about 10 years ago

Council's priorities aren't secret - they're confidential!

Definition of secret: not known or seen or not meant to be known or seen by others. Definition of confidential: intended to be kept secret.  [Oxford Dictionaries online] 

Who does Cllr Gilbey think he's kidding? 

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Canterbury City Council is one of the most democratic local authorities in the country, claims leader John Gilbey. He hit out after the Kentish Gazette reported that the council had drawn up a league table of its 71 service areas and ranked them in order of importance but refused to reveal it.

Cllr Gilbey denies the council is guilty of secrecy. He told last Thursday's meeting of the ruling Conservative executive: 

"Some of these documents are kept confidential for many reasons and are looked at very carefully.  I think this is one of the most democratic councils we have, I honestly believe that.  That is why I don't take kindly to people inventing stories."

Last week it emerged that the league table is a key document as the council prepares for the 2014/15 budget. It is facing a cut of 50% in income by 2017 and scored each service according to importance and against the pledges in its corporate plan.

The Marlowe Theatre was fifth in the table and refuse collection came 29th, but none of the other positions are known and some are almost certainly facing the axe.

The council claims it will make the league table public next month when the proposed budget for next year is published.  But Cllr Alex Perkins, leader of the council's opposition Lib  Dem group, is demanding it is released now.  He said:

"The Gazette is absolutely right and deserves praise for bringing the council's appalling secrecy to everyone's attention.  There is absolutely no reasonable justification for the current leader of the council to keep the council budget formation process confidential.  And the Gazette has certainly not invented any of this as John Gilbey has claimed. 

The current leader and a tiny handful of Conservative councillors keep jealous control of all the budget information declaring it 'confidential' and refusing to share it even with their own backbenchers, let alone opposition councillors or the public.  It's completely unacceptable - it's your money after all."

Kingsmead Field campaigner Sian Pettman said:

"There's a worrying disconnect between Cllr Gilbey's perception of democracy and that of many of the district's residents.  His authoritarian style of leadership is ill-suited to the 21st century."

University of Kent Emeritus Professor of moral philosophy Richard Norman added:

"If Cllr Gilbey thinks that this is one of the most democratic councils, he needs to be aware that there are a great many people in Canterbury who don't see it that way."

The council will begin its consultation on the budget in November and will look to approve it in February.

HB Gazette 17th October 2013

View fullsize

HBM

Council Priorities: where will the axe fall?

about 10 years ago

The Council's priorities. Theirs, not ours.

about 10 years ago

Council's priorities not secret, not confidential, just rubbish

about 10 years ago

Council's priorities aren't secret - they're confidential!

about 10 years ago

Our Council's secret priorities

about 10 years ago

Our Council's secret priorities

Oh dear... the Council that represents us and works for us is refusing to tell us what they're doing. It's a kind of nanny-dictator state. 

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Canterbury City Council has produced a league table of its 71 service areas in order of importance, but is refusing to reveal how it has ranked them. The Gazette has learned that the Marlowe Theatre is fifth in the league table while bin collections - a service delivered to every home in the district is 29th.

Senior officers and councillors spent hours in meetings scoring the service areas according to the council's priorities and rated each one against its 10-pledge corporate plan.

Colin Carmichael, the chief executive of the Conservative-controlled council, says he is determined to keep the league table a secret until the next budget is published later in the year.

"This is the first time that we have actually taken a step back and asked questions about everything that we do. But I can't let people see it because we are only half through."

The league table was compiled as the council assesses the way it will run its services in future. lt is steeling itself for a 50% drop in income by 2017.

Members of the ruling executive injected their political priorities into the rankings which could be used to cut some council services completely as the drive to save money intensifies in the coming years.

Asked why the Marlowe scored so much higher than bin collections, Mr Carmichael said the theatre "ticked several boxes" on the corporate plan pledges.  He said:

"Refuse collection, for example, scores mid-range at 29th on the priority list as it scores highly against only two of the 10 pledges, but it is a top political priority and it is a statutory service. The Marlowe can be seen to fulfil more pledges. It is important economically for us as we didn't want that end of the city to lose out with the building of the Whitefriars shopping area."

Lib Dem group leader Alex Perkins is furious at the decision to keep the league table secret.

"Presumably, they'll only show people when they've made all their decisions.  Here we are yet again with the council taking decisions with public money on the basis of its own political agenda and refusing the public the right to know how it is ranking services. If that's not a sign of how the council is going to hell in a handcart, then I don't know what is.

HB Gazette 10th October 2013

View fullsize

HBM

Council Priorities: where will the axe fall?

about 10 years ago

The Council's priorities. Theirs, not ours.

about 10 years ago

Council's priorities not secret, not confidential, just rubbish

about 10 years ago

Council's priorities aren't secret - they're confidential!

about 10 years ago

Our Council's secret priorities

about 10 years ago

Westgate trial a success. Earth is flat. Unicorns fart glitter.

Cllr Vickery-Jones is a reliable stock of laughter - it's a bit like having a town jester. Long after the Westgate trial has been shut down by KCC and a collective sigh of relief has echoed around Canterbury, our local flat-earther insists it was a success. Nearly. If only we had all given it just a little more time. And damn anyone who dares to differ.

In fact, I think this outburst is better explained by the Conservative's instinctive and visceral hatred of anything that damages the impression of party unity. Independent thinkers, users of logic and fans of self-evident facts are tolerated only for as long as they keep their horrid little thoughts to themselves. 

Those who dare to peep over the parapet and whisper obvious home truths like "the emperor has no clothes" or "the traffic trial is a cock-up" are rounded on and publicly insulted by their colleagues. In some cases, the party whip is removed, stripping them of influence, and presumably income. This is what the Conservatives then pass off as 'party unity'.

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Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones

The Westgate Towers saga took an extraordinary twist this week when the city council's transport supremo launched a vitriolic attack on a former party colleague.

Cllr Peter Vickery-Jones, who maintains the year-long traffic trial was a success, branded trial opponent David Hirst a "dinosaur" and accused him of "talking obvious rubbish" after Cllr Hirst said buses were to blame for much of the congestion in St Dunstan's Street.

It is the latest clash in an increasingly acrimonious war between the scheme's supporters and its detractors. Cllr Hirst lost the Conservative party whip on Canterbury City Council in February after he backed calls for Kent County Council to scrap it and restore the original road layout.

The trial began in March last year and saw vehicles banned from passing through the gate way of the 14th century towers. Traffic lights governed movement around the towers and only buses were allowed to enter St Peter's Place from St Dunstan's Street.

Cllr Vickery-Jones, the council's executive member for transport, was one of its most ardent supporters. Writing in response to a letter from Cllr Hirst in last week's Gazette, Cllr Vickery-Jones said:

"There are many like Cllr Hirst who have access to the facts but choose to ignore them. I recognise that because we did not challenge misconceptions and explain what and why we were running the trial, we lost the debate over the efficacy of the trial because we were unwilling to publicly counter the aggressive and insulting adverse propaganda."

Cllr Vickery-Jones says pollution in lower St Dunstan's Street, North Lane, St Peter's Place and Pound Lane dropped by 50% "with no corresponding increase elsewhere", while the number of cars fell by 12%. He added:

"The Westgate Traffic trial was not a failure. It was starting to bed down and beginning to work. Other routes were being found, other means of travel were being tried, hence the growth in bus usage. It never was an attack on car drivers, only an attempt to encourage those 35% of drivers who could reasonably do so to leave their cars and opt for sustainable travel."

KCC, which looks after the county's roads network, reopened the towers to traffic when it restored the original road system in April.

Cllr Alex Perkins

Pet scheme was a disaster and farce

Lib Dem group leader Alex Perkins believes Peter Vickery-Jones should resign over the Westgate Towers traffic scheme. He describes the scheme as a disaster and a farce. He said:

"It's a shame to see two councillors tearing into each other in public - and while it's tempting just to leave them to it, on this occasion it is only fair to point out that Cllr Hirst is in fact obviously right.

It must be hard for Cllr Vickery-Jones to accept that statistical analysis of his pet scheme has shown it to have been a total disaster, but sadly that is what has happened.

The trial was a farce. It was badly managed by Peter Vickery-Jones and just made a bad situation far worse and upset a great many people.

A better man would resign. But we know from bitter experience that it doesn't matter how badly this current administration muck things up, oblivious to their many shortcomings, they just accuse everyone who holds differing opinions of 'being political' and sail on regardless."

HB Gazette 27th Jun 2013

Local Plan - SNAFU

Canterbury City Council gaffe delays decision on draft Local Plan

A decision on whether a document earmarking almost 16,000 new homes in the Canterbury district can be put out to consultation has been delayed – because of an administrative error. The document proposes 15,600 new homes on sites in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable before 2031.

Canterbury City Council was today forced to admit it did not advertise the fact its executive committee would be deciding on Monday whether to approve the draft Local Plan for public consultation. When making key decisions, councils are required to give a minimum five days’ public notice – something CCC overlooked in this case.

It means the decision will now not be heard until the end of the month, sparking criticism of the council’s handling of the process. Opposition leader Alex Perkins (Lib Dem) said:

“Let's just hope there is no one waiting in a brewery hoping to enjoy a party in the next few days.” 

City council leader John Gilbey (Con) admits the delay is frustrating, but claims there was no need to publicise the upcoming decision. He said:

“I don’t think this is a key decision because it’s consultation – it’s not that we’re deciding to do this. We’re putting it out there for the public to look at and have their say. If there’s any doubt then we will take the safe route and wait a week. I’m not happy about losing the time but I’m not prepared to take any chances.”

kentonline 17th May 2013

Local Plan: extra NHS funds needed for population boom

A top doctor says extra NHS funding will be needed for local health services to cope with an influx of more than 15,000 new homes in the district.

Dr Mark Jones, the clinical chairman for NHS Canterbury and Coastal Clinical Commissioning Group, says it would need extra government cash to deal with an estimated population increase of 40,000.

Dr Mark Jones

He was speaking after the release of the city council's draft Local Plan, which has earmarked land in Canterbury, Herne Bay and Whitstable for 15,600 new homes before 2031. He said:

"We are aware of the development of the Canterbury Local Plan and will work closely with the council to address the opportunities and challenges the proposals present to the health needs of the population. The new health and social care structure enables the CCG to work closely with the council, and other partners, through the local Health and Wellbeing Board. NHS budgets are based on population size so we anticipate an increasing population will be supported by increased levels of NHS funding."

Dr Jones' comments came before a first public debate about the controversial draft plan. East Kent Hospital Trust spokesman Gemma Shillito said:

"The trust has had some early dialogue with Canterbury City Council. We recognise the need to provide additional facilities and housing in the city and now that the plans have been published, we will be looking in more detail to see what impact the plans may have on clinical services delivered at Kent and Canterbury Hospital."

A dozen speakers voiced their fears at a council meeting on Monday, complaining about a lack of consultation and the scale and location of the future developments. The Guildhall was packed for the meeting of the city council's overview committee, where residents spoke against numerous elements of the plan. The document recommends homes are built at a rate of 780 a year, including 4,000 in a "garden city" in south Canterbury.

But a proposal to send the plan back to the council working group to get more input from the community and a reduced rate of house building was rejected. The motion was put forward by Liberal Democrat opposition leader Cllr Alex Perkins, who branded the draft document a "developer-led plan" which local people had not been consulted on. He said building a vast housing estate in south Canterbury was only being proposed to pay for new roads. He said:

"The working group should work with local residents and associations for their vision of what they want in the district."

Cllr Nick Eden-Green, who was a member of the working committee, said he believed the huge scale of housing planned in south Canterbury was "undeliverable". He argued far fewer houses - about 550 a year - was appropriate and they should be built where there was most economic need, like Herne Bay and Hersden.

The city council's head of regeneration, Ian Brown, insisted the council wanted to create communities, not housing estates. He believed the sites in Herne Bay would launch regeneration in the town and fund relief roads at Herne and the Sturry crossing by-pass.

HB Gazette 16th May 2013

Local Plan: money to flow out of Herne Bay

Hundreds of homes at Herne Bay are needed to pay for improvements to roads across the district, councillors have revealed.

As the area's draft local plan was discussed in public for the first time on Monday, officials said the developments at Altira Park, Strode Farm and the former golf club, as well as near Briary School, in Greenhill would bring in vital cash to pay for a new crossing at Sturry.

Relief route

Developers would also be asked to fund a "relief route" for Herne - but opponents said it did not go far enough and a bypass was needed. Canterbury City Council's head of regeneration Ian Brown said:

"We are trying to build communities, not just individual housing estates. The Herne Bay sites will provide a new regenerative beginning for the town, a new focus and will contribute to new transport infrastructure. In part that will help to fund routes through and the Sturry bypass."

The plan includes proposals for 1,000 houses at the Altira park, together with a new doctor's surgery and community facilities.

The developers would have to pay for new links to the Thanet Way, work to discourage motorists from using Heart-In-Hand Road and make a contribution to a relief route at Herne and the Sturry crossing.

The golf club scheme - of 400 homes, business units, convenience stores and a sports hub, plus care home and doctor's surgery - would also bring in money for the Herne relief route and Sturry crossing, as well as a new footpath to the Strode Farm development. That site will have 800 homes, business units, shops, a new parish hall and cash for the crossing and relief road.

The final contribution is from 600 homes near Briary School, in Greenhill, along with allotments, and community facilities.

But town stalwart Dick Eburne said the plan to improve Bullockstone Road as the relief route did not go far enough. He raised concerns about transport, and said the public transport system would need significant investment in order to meet the target of more people choosing to travel sustainably within three years. He said Herne needed a bypass and Bullockstone Road was not suitable, and that through traffic on the A28 should be diverted.

Members of the council's overview committee supported more development at Herne Bay rather than Canterbury, where plans for 4,000 homes south of the city, near Nackington Road, were criticised. Lib Dem councillor Nick Eden-Green said:

"Put houses where we need economic development, Herne Bay and Hersden, not south Canterbury."

Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people preferred more developments at Herne Bay then larger villages, then Whitstable, with Canterbury last on the list. [This is a lie - click here to see the truth.]  But 70% of people did not support building on green-field sites.

Planned development at Hersden and Broad Oak would also bring in funding for the road network. Lib Dem leader councillor Alex Perkins said:

"Whether we need this local plan is another matter. I would like to refer it back to the local plan steering group."

His proposal was not supported by the committee, nor was one by Labour's Alan Baldock for an extended consultation period.

Consultation is expected to start in June for eight weeks and the plan is due to be revised by councillors in December, with a public inquiry due to take place next summer before the document is finalised.

HB Times 16th May 2013

Canterbury district's local plan discussed in public for the first time

 ... and guess what - Herne Bay gets screwed. To pay for treats for Canterbury. 

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Canterbury City Council's draft local plan was discussed in public for the first time last night, amid accusations one of the key sites was "undeliverable" and uncosted.

At a meeting of the council's overview committee, Lib Dem Nick Eden-Green said the proposal for 4,000 homes on farmland at south Canterbury was in the wrong place and would not work. Mr Eden-Green, part of the group involved with putting the plan together, argued fewer new homes were needed than included in the plan. He said:

"There is a lot that is excellent but it is not community led and that has been a fundamental initial failing. We should put houses where we need economic development, Herne Bay and Hersden, not south Canterbury."

Studies commissioned by the council suggested most people's preferred choice for more developments was Herne Bay, then larger villages, then Whitstable, with Canterbury last on the list. [This is a lie - click here to see the truth.] But 70 per cent of people did not support building on greenfield sites.

Mr Eden-Green won applause as he added:

"South Canterbury is barely costed and possibly undeliverable. This site and this plan have been hijacked by that development and the need to put the junction in for economic development."

But both a proposal to refer the plan back to the steering group, and to extend the public consultation, were defeated.

Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins said:

"It is quite clear that publishing this draft plan has caused a great deal of disquiet and discomfort. To cram 4,000 homes in South Canterbury when we know it is only to pay for new roads is wrong. The working group should work with local residents and residents association to find their vision of what local people would like to see in the district because the danger is we are simply going to get this wrong."

In Herne Bay, hundreds of homes planned will also help pay for improvements to roads across the district, officials revealed. The developments at Altira Park, Strode Farm and the former golf club as well as near Briary school in Greenhill would bring in vital cash to pay for a new crossing at Sturry.

Developers would also be asked to fund a 'relief route' for Herne - but opponents said it did not go far enough and a bypass was needed. Canterbury City Council's head of regeneration Ian Brown said:

"We are trying to build communities, not just individual housing estates. The Herne Bay sites will provide a new regenerative beginning for the town, a new focus and will contribute to new transport infrastructure. In part that will help to fund routes through and the Sturry bypass."

But town stalwart Dick Eburne said the plan to improve Bullockstone Road as the relief route did not go far enough. He raised concerns about transport, and said the public transport system would need significant investment in order to meet the target of more people choosing to travel sustainably within three years. He said Herne needed a bypass, and Bullockstone Road was not suitable, and that through traffic on the A28 should be diverted.

But Whitstable Tory Ashley Clark urged people to get involved. He said:

"Canterbury has got off lightly in the past. Whitstable has taken a lot of pain. I want all of you who are not happy with things to participate. Look at what is there and see what you think and if you genuinely can be constructive about it please take part and participate."

Whitstable has been earmarked for 400 new homes alongside Duncan Down, between St Luke's Close and the Thanet Way, with a new junction off the Thanet Way. There is also a proposal for a green burial site on part of Duncan Down as well as more pedestrian access.

Consultation is expected to start in June for eight weeks and the plan is due to be revised by councillors in December, with a public inquiry due to take place next summer before the document is finalised.

Comments sent in before the official consultation starts will not be valid.

Local Plan: What's wrong? Where to start?

CCC Liberal Democrat leader Alex Perkins has panned the draft plan. He said:

I am afraid there is so much wrong with this draft local plan it is hard to know where to start. We clearly do need more housing, but the premise and process here are completely wrong.

For a start, the plan is entirely developer-led. A plan like this should be resident-led. The council should have worked with local residents to come up with a vision for the district - and used that as the basis for the plan. Instead they have just asked developers where they want to develop - and produced a plan based on where the developers see the most profit.

I don't for one second accept that building 800 new homes every year for 20 years is sustainable! The current plan pays no regard to the huge number of homes already being built in other districts across east Kent. Five hundred a year across the district maximum, with no more than a third of those being built on sites in Canterbury is more realistic.

Canterbury already struggles with traffic, air quality and infrastructure problems. This plan offers no remedies for these issues and is based purely on so-called economic drivers. What's more we already have hundreds of additional student apartments being built in the city which apparently don't count toward the total of homes we have to accommodate. So the pressures on Canterbury are effectively doubled.

The answer is fewer houses per year, and more of them on brownfield sites - like the former Chislet colliery, the barracks and the old prison. Surely that is better than the 4,000 houses that John Gilbey wants to build on high quality farmland to the Southeast of the city.

Canterbury's sewers, roads and hospitals are already at capacity. This planning document can only make a bad situation a lot worse.

HB Times 9th May 2013

Howes that! Army out. Is there a silver lining?

Connected?

11th Feb 2013: the (almost) all-powerful CCC Executive have one of their all-too-common secret meetings - this one about a "strategic" (and cheap) property deal which is in a "key site for improvements to the road network in that area".

5th Mar 2013:​ the MoD announce the closure of Canterbury Howe Barracks. Cllr Gilbey says "I think this is a great opportunity for the city council" - not the City, or District you'll notice, but the council. Cllr Perkins said the site was "key to Canterbury's transport and infrastructure problems".

Hmmm, I wonder.​​

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Executive Minutes 11-02-2013

160. Confidential business relating to the acquisition of a freehold investment for a property in Canterbury. The Executive Members considered the report of the Director of Resources which set out the details of the potential acquisition of the freehold investment in Canterbury and sought authority to conclude a purchase on the terms reported.

The Council had already negotiated the terms of the acquisition with the vendor. The options were therefore -

(i)         the Council to confirm its approval of the acquisition of the property on the terms set out in the report;

(ii)        the council could decide for whatever reason not to proceed with the purchase.

RECOMMENDED (to Full Council) - That the Property Services Manager, in consultation with the Head of Legal and Democratic Services, be authorised to agree terms for the acquisition of the freehold investment of the premises detailed in the confidential report and to authorise the Head of Legal and Democratic Services to conclude a purchase accordingly.

Reasons for recommendations

The valuation of the property justifies the purchase price as a strategic acquisition.

The acquisition is justified on the grounds that it helps meet one of the Council’s objectives in securing a key site for improvements to the road network in that area.

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Canterbury Howe Barracks closure 'an opportunity'

The closure of Howe Barracks in the shake-up of the UK's armed forces is an opportunity for Canterbury, the city council has said. Defence Secretary Philip Hammond has confirmed the base will be "disposed of" when personnel are redeployed.

Some 600 people are set to move out when the 5th Battalion Royal Regiment of Scotland moves to Edinburgh in 2014. Members of the council's Conservative and Liberal Democrat groups said it was a "great opportunity".

Leader of the Conservative-run council John Gilbey said:

"Much as we will very much miss the soldiers and all the relationships that we've developed over the years, I think this is a great opportunity for the city council."

​

Liberal Democrat leader Alex Perkins said the site was key to Canterbury's transport and infrastructure problems. He said:​

"There is obvious sadness at the closing of the [Howe] barracks, but we are left with a huge opportunity."

​Mr Perkins called for the co-ordinated development of the land with infrastructure such as schools, medical facilities and public open space, adding:

"What we must avoid is just building housing estates. We have to build a proper community."

Howe Barracks has housed soldiers from the South East since the 19th Century. Other South East bases to be affected are the Folkestone home of Headquarters 2nd (South East) Brigade, which will be vacated when it merges with another brigade, and Pirbright barracks in Surrey, which will become home to the 1st Battalion, The Welsh Guards.​

bbc online 6th Mar 2013

Deferral on Kingsmead land decision

Excellent news - Kingsmead has won a brief reprieve, thanks to the sheer number of written objections, and the huge support for the online petition.

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Discussion by Executive members of council proposals to appropriate land at Kingsmead for planning purposes has been deferred until the meeting on Thursday 21 June.

Originally the Executive was due to consider the plan at its meeting on 31st May.

However, the council received 246 comments during the appropriation public consultation, many of them containing detailed information. Therefore, the council has decided to defer a decision to allow for full analysis of all the issues raised. Council Leader Cllr John Gilbey said:

“This is an issue that has caused concern locally. We do not want to make a rushed decision and miss something important, so deferring for a meeting will mean we can give this full consideration.”

Additionally, the e-petition created on the council website by local people who oppose appropriation of the land has now passed 1,500 names. Reaching this figure automatically triggers a discussion at the council’s Overview Committee, and this has been scheduled for Wednesday 13 June.

The initiator of the petition will be allowed to ask a number of questions in advance, and the background to the issue and answers to the questions will be provided in a report that councillors will then discuss. Arrangements for this are being put in place at the moment.

CCC 28th May 2012

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Schoolchildren Orla Lineham Fox and Timmy Pettman took on the might of the city council in a battle to save their playing field. The pupils from St Stephen's Junior School stood in front of the Canterbury Area Members Panel on last Monday night at the city's Guildhall in a last-ditch bid to save Kingsmead Field from being used for housing. Orla, 10, told the meeting:

"It's not just for me and my friends but for all the people of the area who live and breathe better because there is a lovely empty green field nearby."

Timmy, 11, added:

"Often in the evenings, I go to the field and play football with my dad and brother. It's very easy to stay indoors and watch TV or play computer games. Please leave our field alone."

Labour councillor Alan Baldock (Northgate Ward) said:

"The passion of the campaigners is phenomenal. It shows they really care and have realised the council has been a little bit sneaky. They have inspired these two children to become involved in local politics. If we lose this space, how can we trust a judgment made in similar circumstances again?"

Liberal Democrat leader Councillor Alex Perkins Tweeted the following day:

"Very impressed by the two brilliant young people who so professionally addressed Canterbury Council last night."

At the stormy meeting, residents accused the council of not consulting them – but council chief executive Colin Carmichael said consultation was carried out in 2004 when a primary school was planned for the site. The plans fell through when Kent County Council pulled out of the scheme and the land was earmarked for housing instead. He insisted that the decision had already been made by the council's executive but the move had to be rubber-stamped at the end of this month.

Residents have organised an e-petition – which has already attracted 1,603 signatures – on the council's own website. The petition closes Friday 25th May but has already been signed by enough people to force a debate by the council's overview committee. The 16 city and county councillors voted unanimously to send the plans to the committee for debate, effectively delaying the scheme.

County councillor Graham Gibbens (Canterbury City North East) demanded a fresh consultation to include health and traffic implications after GP Dr David Pratt from St Stephen's warned that more houses would lead to more traffic pollution. 

Liberal Democrat councillor Ida Linfield challenged the council's decision to reclassify the area as "development land" when it was originally classed as recreational land under the Local Government Act. She said that selling the site to Berkeley Homes in 2006 could have breached the act and suggested that there could be a case for a judicial review.

Mr Carmichael said a report would be prepared for the overview committee on Wednesday, June 13. After the meeting campaigner Sian Pettman said:

"The resounding 'no' vote to residential development from Canterbury's own councillors will place a huge pressure on the executive to respond to public opinion and rethink plans for Kingsmead."

The council has been sent 246 letters of objection, a written petition of more than 650 signatures and the e-petition.

thisiskent 26th May 2012

Review launched into HS1 impact on regular rail services

Canterbury City Council is conducting a review into the impact of fast rail services on Kent’s network after research revealed journeys on regular trains are now slower. Rail campaigners have accused operator Southeastern of slowing down mainline services by adding additional stops in a bid to make High Speed 1 more appealing.

It followed a report by Canterbury City Council which revealed the total journey time on regular services on the north Kent line was up to 20 minutes slower since the introduction of HS1. This has prompted a critical review by the authority, which is expected to be completed in two months. Southeastern denied the accusations of slowing down trains stating that timetables were based on service specifications set by Government, outlining how many services there should be from a particular station.

Tory MP for Thanet North Roger Gale and campaigners from the Alliance of Kent Commuters said adding more stops had been detrimental to the still-popular classic service:

“The classic service time table has been adjusted to accommodate faster services. There are now more stops on the mainline service, some of which are not needed; the trains are overcrowded; and they travel very slowly. This could make HS1 more appealing, but it doesn’t serve east Kent.”

For people living in east Kent, travelling from Margate along the north Kent line through towns including Herne Bay and Whitstable to London, the high speed train does not reach speeds until Ebbsfleet or for trains travelling from Ramsgate, until Ashford. The same problem is seen in Medway where the trains fail to pick up speed until Ebbsfleet. But when commuters opt for regular trains, they are faced with longer journey times due to added stops and overcrowded carriages where classic services were reduced to make way for HS1.

The review at Canterbury City Council will look into the impact of the high speed service. Lib Dem Cllr Alex Perkins, who commissioned the review, said he was pleased with HS1, but said there needed to be research conducted into its effect on the network.

“We all know HS1 is great. What we want to do is find out what impact it has had on other services. It has been detrimental. A lot of this is anecdotal and we need to get facts and figures together, but we do know that lots of standard services are being affected. There are lots of people left standing on platforms while a high speed train goes past with just two people on it. I have experienced it myself when Jean Law, deputy leader of the council, and I found ourselves stuck on a packed platform at Faversham station and an HS1 came through with one person sitting in one of the cars – does that mean a good service? My own experience with HS1 is absolutely fantastic, but we need to find out how bad the situation is with the regular service. We’re doing this for Canterbury, but it’s quite possible this could kick off other reviews.”

Mr Gale said he would support anything which looked to help solve problems experienced by commuters in east Kent. A spokesman at Southeastern defended the operator stating that to meet its contractual obligation some trains had to stop at more stations, therefore slowing that particular service:

“Any change would need to be made by the Department for Transport (DfT) and a new service specification will be developed by the DfT for the new franchise in 2014. We appreciate that no one wants to see journey times increase but to speed up trains would require missing stations out along the route, which would not be popular with those towns. Passengers now have a choice of service and can choose to take a far quicker journey on high speed or use the Mainline services.”

kentnews 24th Jul 2011

Making allowances

Council leader John Gilbey once again tops the table for take-home pay among city councillors, new allowances figures show. Mr Gilbey, who represents Blean Forest, earned £32,382, more than half of which came from his special allowance of £21,361 as council boss. The Tory's expenses included £2,000 in mileage and £570 for his mobile phone.

Conservative vice chairman of the council's executive and Seasalter representative Jean Law was runner up with £17,235 – her basic allowance of £4,710 topped up by special responsibility allowances totalling £8,502.

Executive member Peter Vickery-Jones, who represents Herne and Broomfield, came next – his £13,093 including £5,505 in special responsibility allowances and £408 for his mobile phone.

Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins, who represents Wincheap, earned £12,378.23 including £6,611.78 for special responsibility, while former Labour leader Julia Seath, who did not stand in this year's elections but used to represent Harbour in Whitstable, claimed £6,134.

The figures were released by the council last week and broken down into basic allowance, special responsibility, travel and subsistence and PC allowance for the financial year to 31 March 2011.

HB Times 9th June 2011

Comprehensive Spending Review: reactions

HB Gazette 28th Oct 2010

Politician calls politician "political". Nation laughs, yawns.

You have ferocious exchanges with Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins. What do you think of him?

Alex is the opposite of me, in that he's totally political and everything he does is with an eye to the next election. I speak as I see and try to be honest, with the objective of getting things done, and Alex can be economical with the truth sometimes. On a personal level I have no problem with him, and I admire the fact he can talk the hind leg off a donkey and sound plausible. He has difficulties with his group, because they are all split and my group isn’t.

HB Times interview with Cllr Gilbey, 15th July 2010

High maintenance councillors pocket £386k

Expenses, expenses - dontcha just love them? No suggestion here of unseemly duck houses or whatnot, I believe this is all above-board, as-per-normal stuff. It all mounts up pretty quickly, far exceeding the projected savings from museum closures, for example. But it's the salaries that bug me. And Mr Parris has a point.

The price of democracy at Canterbury City Council is a third of a million pounds. Last year the 50 councillors cost us all £386,511 in allowances. Top of the pile was Tory council leader John Gilbey (Blean Forest) with £31,833, which included special responsibility money of £21,138, another £2,129 for his car and £431 in mobile phone charges.

Herne and Broomfield's Peter Vickery-Jones was the second-highest paid councillor with £13,576, including £5,883 for special responsibility £1,596 for his car and £437 for his mobile phone. Wincheap's Alex Perkins, leader of the Liberal Democrats, claimed £13,056, including £269 for his mobile phone and £675 for travel. Whitstable's Julia Seath, the Labour group leader, claimed £6,234.

The best value councillor was Tankerton's Martin Fisher; with just his basic allowance of £4,710. He is currently on bail facing child sex offence charges. Next cheapest was Herne Bay's Vince McMahan, with £4,802.92, including a £92.92 bill for his car. Seven councillors only claimed £4,890 (their basic allowance, plus £180 PC allowance): Mike Berridge; Robert Bright; Paul Carnell; Roger Matthews (recently cleared on corruption charges); Mike Steed; Heather Taylor and Martin Vye.

News of the allowances infuriated war veteran Albert Parris, 73, of Herne. The former Royal Marines Commando fumed:

"Our councillor Peter Vickery-Jones received £13,576, which is more than some of our soldiers get on the front line. It is outrageous. How can he justify that sort of money when we have injured soldiers denied proper artificial limbs? He even gets an allowance from the parish council."

Mr Parris was so incensed he has written to both Whitstable and Canterbury MP Julian Brazier, and the Prime Minister David Cameron. He said:

"It makes my blood boil when I have to beg, steal and borrow £370 to hire a coach to take our guys to Gable Cross police station to salute dead Marines coming back from the frontline. Councillors are making a laughing stock out of us with our money especially when everyone is having to make cuts."

Mr Vickery-Jones was not available for comment, but he is a member of the council's executive with responsibility for property and engineering, planning and regeneration, housing, community safety environmental services, community development and outdoor leisure, including beach huts. He also serves on the Herne Bay area members panel, and the housing appeals and benefits committee. He is a magistrate and member of the Canterbury and Herne Bay Volunteers Centre and Canterbury Mediation Service. The former Merchant Navy marine engineer lives in Herne Bay with his wife and their daughter; and is a governor of Herne Junior School. He has since re-trained as a plumber.

HB Times 17th June 2010

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It's a vexing question, whether the Elected should be paid, and if so - what for, and how much? Nobody's forcing them to be there, after all - they volunteered for a spell of selfless sacrifice for the common good. The Car, Travel, Mobile and PC categories are what I would regard as expenses. The fixed Basic allowance, plus the grand total of the various "Special Responsibilities" tariffs the councillor has chosen to take on, look to me like a salary by-any-other-name.

The Council probably has a small swarm of officers devoted to drawing up contracts. I would like to see them produce a contract that describes what the councillors must do for the Electorate before they can claim their salaries, let alone their expenses. One of our councillors moved to Surrey not so recently, his attendance dropped from 90-ish% to 20%, but his salary is an undiminished 100% - bonkers.

Freedom from choice

Nice to be Mayor, to be Mayor, nice!The next Lord Mayor is a shoo-in. Of course. And not everybody's happy about it. Of course.

So, the Canterbury City Conservatives have "arranged" a smooth transition from one Lord Mayor to the next. Please don't be surprised or disappointed by the absence of consultation - it seems to be their style. They may have a grudging admiration for the Soviet era ballots with 99% turnout and 100% agreement. I expect the North Korean style of compulsory consistent consensus is an inspiration to our own Precious Leader, Jonji-il Bi. But when it comes down to it, is anyone bothered which councillors fill the roles of Lord Mayor and Sheriff? Wouldn't it be smarter to choose the most photogenic and media-savvy people from the district, regardless of whether they're councillors?

Anger over lack of consultation for Lord Mayor choice

Tory councillor Pat Todd has been nominated to take on the role of Lord Mayor for a second time. An email sent to all council members this week by leader Cllr John Gilbey stated that Cllr Todd is in line for the prestigious civic job, a post he previously held in 2006/7. Another Tory councillor, Northgate representative Sally Pickersgill, has also been nominated as the new Sheriff of Canterbury.

The pair are expected to be voted in by the Conservative-controlled council at its annual meeting at the Guildhall on May 12, replacing Cllrs Harry Cragg and Gabrielle Davis. But Liberal Democrat leader Cllr Alex Perkins is angry that opposition councillors have again been ‘frozen out’ of the selection process. He said:

"I’ve got nothing against Pat. He’s a good bloke who did a fine job last time he was Lord Mayor. But yet again we’ve not been consulted and instead had this presidential style announcement via email by the council leader. It’s very wrong because there are other councillors who would have liked to have been offered the opportunity."

Labour group leader Cllr Julia Seath said:

"There are only two Labour members on the council and as it happens neither of us are interested. Cllr Todd is a very likeable and capable councillor but he has done it before and it would have been nice to see perhaps a long-serving Liberal Democrat member have the chance. But I’m not surprised. How the Conservatives have handled it has become a bit par for the course with them."

Cllr Gilbey said the group had started the selection process some months ago because they did not want it to clash with the general election. He said that neither opposition groups had contacted him about any of their potential candidates and he accused them of not supporting the role of Lord Mayor by failing to attend civic functions like the Lord Mayor’s ball. He said:

"They very rarely turn up and it’s really poor because it’s about recognising the importance of the office of Lord Mayor as much as the individual. Pat was the only one in the group who was really keen and there is no precedent which says he can’t serve a second term. We know he is very capable and a safe pair of hands and that’s what the position needs because it carries significant responsibilities. We had three candidates for Sheriff from the group but the vote went to Cllr Pickersgill who I am sure will do a good job."

HB Gazette 6th May 2010

Herne Bay councillor charged with corruption

Canterbury city councillor Roger Matthews has been charged with corruption.  The 57-year-old, who represents Greenhill and Eddington ward in Herne Bay, has also been suspended from the Liberal Democrat Group following the shock news.  He is due to appear before magistrates on Thursday, March 26 alongside Herne Bay Golf Club owner Julian Brealy. Matthews said he plans to plead not guilty and will "have his day before judge and jury" at crown court.  

The father-of-two, who has lost his seat on the planning committee as a result of the charge, was arrested last July following an early-morning raid on his home in Beltinge Road.  Both Matthews and 50-year-old Brealy, who lives in Mandarin Lane, Herne Bay, were charged under the Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889, which relates to the acceptance of gifts and hospitality by councillors.  Speaking outside a council meeting just hours after leaving the police station on Tuesday, Matthews told of his "complete surprise" at being charged.  He said:

"I don't believe I've done anything wrong. I was honestly surprised to be charged and will clear my name in court. I will be pleading my innocence so the case will go to crown court where QCs and barristers will inevitably be involved. Unfortunately the people picking up the bill will be the state. The only people making money out of this are those in the legal profession."

Although not disclosing the exact allegation he faces, self-employed property manager Matthews confirmed it relates to his time on the planning committee. He said:

"I have never favoured anyone in a planning decision and never would. Some people may not be happy with some decision and that's when they start stirring the mud - and mud sticks. I'm not a dishonest man. I may bend at times, but I'm not dishonest. Loads of people have been interviewed by police, both councillors and former councillors. I haven't kept a low-profile . When you start sticking your head above the council parapet people start shooting at you. There are 15 or so members on the planning committee so I don't see how one man's vote or views can affect a decision. To the police I'm just a feather in their cap."

Matthews was elected as a councillor for Herne and Broomfield in 1995 and again in 1999. In 2003 he was elected to represent Greenhill and Eddington after Herne and Broomfield was split in two.  As a result of his suspension from the Liberal Democrat Group, Matthews has lost his seats on the planning, audit and overview and scrutiny committees.  They are due to be reallocated at a council meeting on Thursday, March 19.  Matthews can still represent his ward at full council and Herne Bay member's meetings, but only as an independent councillor.

Leader of the Liberal Democrats Alex Perkins said:

"While Cllr Matthews can, if he wishes, remain a city councillor, henceforth he is not and cannot describe himself as a Liberal Democrat and no longer speaks for or represents the Liberal Democrats. He will now face a court to explain his actions and it would therefore be quite wrong for me to make any comment other than to reiterate that Roger has been suspended from the Liberal Democrat Group and from the party. I would urge everyone to remember that being charged with an offence is not the same as being found guilty of one."

Leader of the council Cllr John Gilbey said:

"It is most unfortunate that it has come to this. I wouldn't wish it on anyone. When I've seen Roger over the last few months he has seemed more and more confident, as if the whole thing had blown over or he knew something we didn't. It is my understanding that a lot of people were talked to by police but I wasn't personally interviewed. Roger is entitled to his day in court - and in this country we pride ourselves that anyone charged is innocent until proven guilty."

Brealy, the managing director of Hollamby Estates, Heron Helicopters and Herne Bay Golf Club, spent £1.5 million last year building lagoons to cut the risk of flooding in Herne Bay.  He will appear alongside Matthews at Maidstone Magistrates Court on March 26.  The Public Bodies Corrupt Practices Act 1889 states:

• The acceptance of gifts and/or hospitality by councillors and staff must be treated with extreme caution.
• On each occasion a judgement must be made between causing offence by refusal and risking improper conduct by acceptance.
• Gifts offered to a councillor or to staff should be declined if they know or suspect the giver has, or seeks business, with the council.

thisiskent 11th Mar 2009

Radio Sausage

A few ounces of reconstituted tree, shaped into a local freesheet, thump to the floor. The crisp metal edge of the letterbox snaps back into place, briefly trapping a small fleshy obstruction. The pain-numbed child continues its paper round.

This is what passes for effective communication in 21st century Kent.

But things are looking up: I read in that very freesheet that one of our elected representatives (Cllr Perkins) seems to have 'the vision thing' (article). He has proposed that Council meetings be recorded and broadcast on the internet, arguing this would encourage greater engagement in local politics - I approve. Anyone who actually gives a toss could listen live, or any time later that suits them. They wouldn't have to get themselves to whichever Council meeting place at whatever (more or less inconvenient) time of day.

Cllr Perkins accurately predicted that other Councillors would oppose the idea. Cllr Gilbey is quoted as saying  

"My personal view is that I wouldn't want to give the opportunity for grandstanding in front of cameras or recorders."

I may be warming to Cllr Gilbey's sense of humour: the idea that the mere presence of a microphone or webcam would transform Council into a casting session for Chicago! just makes me chuckle. On my one exposure to Council I observed:

• very little excessive or unnecessary expenditure of effort
• peer and group pressure to conform
• many conventions and procedures to curtail or restrict Councillor participation
• only about 5% egomania

This is not an ideal nursery for 'grandstanding' prima donnas. And they're limited to three minutes each, anyway.

The dark voices in my head tell me that some Councillors oppose this move towards greater transparency for bad reasons: embarrassed by what they say, or by how little they say; wanting to lay claim to non-existent protests and challenges; not wanting their words to be remembered too precisely; not wanting to be seen as a low-budget part-time imitation of Parliament at its braying worst; and so on.

The saying goes that law-making and sausage-making are not pleasant to witness. The proposed internet broadcast would be like listening to sausages being made (every one a sizzling banger, hopefully). It might set your teeth on edge. It might send you to sleep. It might play havoc with your blood pressure. But if it gets more people more involved, and makes more Councillors more responsive, it will be worth every penny.

If CCC 'doesn't have the money for this sort of thing' as Cllr Gilbey is reported as saying, I am more than happy to discuss digging into my own pocket to help make it happen. Any Councillors wanting to take me up on this kind offer can contact me via the Comments below.