May Lodge to close

The May Lodge Club on Herne Bay seafront will close today (5th Jan) for the last time, the HB Gazette revealed. Owner Dick Eldridge says the building — the headquarters of the town's Royal British Legion branch — will be handed back to its owners tonight.

The decision was made after the club's accountant said it would struggle to survive. Mr Eldridge — who has run the club for 15 years and been a member since 1985 — described it as a "very very sad day". He said:

"This place means a lot to me. We've tried absolutely everything we can to keep it going, but we can’t carry on any more. Things are tough in the trade and the cost of everything is increasing all the time. Christmas was a third down on last year and we only sold 109 tickets for New Year's Eve. We can fit 250 in here and we’ve always had a waiting list, which shows how bad things have got. Fifteen years ago we had well over 1,000 members, but now we only have between 500 and 600. People can’t afford to come out as much as they used to so we’re fighting an uphill battle.”

The building was a Royal British Legion club from 1946 until 2002, when it became the May Lodge Club. Mr Eldridge says talks will be held about its future tomorrow (6th Jan) with building owners the May Lodge Property Trust. He said:

“They will decide what to do with the building. I’ve got ideas and they’ve got ideas, but we’ve got to look for the best way forward.”

He added a notice would be put up at the club informing members of the closure.

HB Gazette 5th Jan 2012

The great British tax scandal

The nice people at AVAAZ.org do their best to make the world a better place. One of their current online campaigns aims to encourage the British government to ensure that the largest and wealthiest corporations pay their dues.

You may have heard recently about the cosy deals that have been struck between Her Majesty's Revenue & Customs (a.k.a. the taxman) and Vodafone in particular, allowing them years to pay their overdue taxes, and with no interest charges. This is in stark contrast to the way they treat small businesses and individuals.

Here's what AVAAZ say about it:

Our tax chief had secret lunches with Vodafone and Goldman Sachs and then handed them billions in tax breaks – while keeping Parliament in the dark!

MPs are outraged, claiming we are owed over 25 billion pounds in back taxes from these and similar dodgy deals. But the tax agency has blocked an inquiry into the scandal and refuses to release documents to shed light on why these tax breaks were ordered in the first place.

Cameron is ignoring the outrage from MPs, but he can't ignore a call from thousands of voters across the UK. Sign the petition to David Cameron making it clear that it's his job to get us the money we are owed from his corporate cronies -- then tell everyone about it to grow our call.

Click here to sign the petition.

Greenhill residents pull together after vandals target cars

Residents of two roads in Greenhill, Herne Bay, have shown their community spirit after vandals went on a paint-spraying rampage. Between 10 and 12 cars parked in Chestnut Drive and Poplar Drive were sprayed with obscenities some time between 10.30pm on Thursday 29 December and 12.30am on Friday 30 December 2011. One car had its nearside front window smashed.

PC Justin Walton said:

'A white spray paint was used to cover windows and write various expletives over the cars. Fortunately it was non-permanent paint and, with a lot of elbow grease and specialist cleaning fluids, the paint is coming off.'

'Tremendous community spirit'

PC Walton said that although residents had been shocked and angry at the random acts of vandalism, they had pulled together:

'They showed tremendous community spirit and have been out helping each other clean their cars. One resident is away and three of his neighbours have been cleaning off the paint on his car for him so it’s back to normal for his return.'

Police have carried out house to house enquiries and crime scene investigators have been in Greenhill carrying out a forensic examination. Officers are also appealing for people who were in the area on Thursday night and saw anyone acting suspiciously to contact them.

PC Walton said:

'We would particularly like to hear from anyone who finds a discarded white spray paint can in the Greenhill area, as it could help us with our enquiries.'

Do you have any information?

Anyone with information is asked to phone Kent Police on 101 or Kent Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555111.

Kent Police 4th Jan 2012

Journalist bites councillor

Once again, Paul Francis hits the nail on the head, this time in a riposte to Paul Carter's New Year's gobshite.

---

KCC leader fires salvo at local press for 'biased' reporting: a response

Politicians often think we are out to get them and are working to some kind of hidden agenda. And the word that sometimes gets bandied about is that we are 'biased'. It is a word that KCC leader Paul Carter used when he fired off a New Year salvo at the local media in general just before departing for a month long break to participate in a vintage car rally to South Africa.

In a piece, which for the most part was a look back over the year, he ended with a short section 'looking forward'. It began with a pledge that he wished to "improve our relationship with the local press." This laudable aim was then rather undermined by a series of comments that together amounted to an attack on those that he wished to foster improved relationships with.

The article claimed that 'some stories have been particularly biased against KCC' and although he stopped short of specifying which ones, it is pretty clear that he was referring to the controversy surrounding the departure of managing director Katherine Kerswell.

Acknowledging that there had been 'several high profile issues' in the last few weeks, he claimed that the media's 'constant sniping at KCC 'impacts on morale for our hard-working staff' and 'the consequence will inevitably be a knock-on effect to frontline service delivery.'

If this was intended to be the start of his desire to improve relationships with the media, it was not only misjudged but perverse. Perhaps the most risible comment was his appeal to the media to play stories with a 'straight bat' and give 'credit where credit's due' - and to let the public 'actually decide for themselves'.

This from an organisation that has over the years accrued a reputation for evasiveness and PR spin that might make even Peter Mandleson blush.

Unfortunately for KCC, its own unwillingness to play with a straight bat has contributed to a sense of distrust - which was only made worse by the debacle over departure of managing director Katherine Kerswell. KCC moved heaven and earth to persuade everyone, including its own staff, that nothing was going on when it was common knowledge that discussions were already underway about scrapping her £197,000 post.

Its initial statement responding to media queries was a classic piece of Orwellian double-speak, a contrivance of misinformation that - while strictly accurate -  was as far removed from 'playing with a straight bat' as could be imagined. Equally ludicrous was the claim that our 'constant sniping' was threatening front line services by damaging morale among staff.

Does KCC, which never lets us forget that it is one of the biggest authorities in the country and the county's largest employer, expect us not to report job losses and the potential consequences for residents because of the squeeze on public spending - not to mention huge pay-offs for directors on six-figure salaries?   

Nothing has damaged morale at County Hall more than the lamentable way it dealt with events leading up to the decision to scrap Katherine Kerswell's role. The evidence came in some of the scathing comments posted by staff on its own Intranet site about her departure and reported pay-off, showing that many felt duped by KCC, their own employer.

Uncomfortable though it can be for politicians, our job is to hold them to account for their actions and decisions and ask the questions that the public - as taxpayers - would want answered. It is not to suppress information although you get the sense that KCC sometimes thinks it should be. It is true we are often sceptical - not biased - and if KCC wonders why we are, it really does have its head in the sand far deeper than even we imagine.

Relations between politicians and journalists can often be uneasy ones, characterised by mutual suspicion, a lack of trust and, just occasionally, a touch of paranoia.

Paul on Politics, by political editor Paul Francis Tuesday, January 3 2012

Why KCC will have to come clean over Kerswell

Not for the first time, Kent County Council has shown that when it comes to transparency, its view of what the public has a right to know depends rather on what the circumstances are. It will not, we are told, be disclosing the details of the severance package it has agreed with its departing managing director Katherine Kerswell because it is bound by a confidentiality agreement. Ah, the good old confidentiality clause.

Perhaps with all the frenzy over trying to come to an agreement with Mrs Kerswell, the authority overlooked its new obligations to publish such information under the transparency regime that, to his credit, the communities secretary Eric Pickles has insisted all councils must follow.

Specifically, KCC appears to have not given much thought to a change in the Audit and Account Regulations 2009 that ensures the public is entitled to much more detailed information about the remuneration of senior council staff. This places a requirement on councils to disclose how much senior employees have earned in salary, fees and allowances, bonuses and

"the total amount of any compensation for loss of employment paid to or receivable by the person and any other payments made to or receivable by the person in connection with the termination of their employment by the relevant body."

In other words, everything about the pay and perks, as well as pension value, of senior staff for the financial year - including their names if they are earning more than £150,000.

So KCC will have to detail the sums involved in scrapping the group managing director's role when it next publishes its full accounts - probably around June. This does, of course, give the council the advantage of hoping that enough time will have passed for everyone to have forgotten about it but I suspect that may be a vain hope.

So, why doesn't KCC grasp the nettle instead of hiding behind this fig leaf? One of the reasons is that it has form when it comes to eye-watering pay-offs to departing staff, most notably when it agreed to pay former chief executive Peter Gilroy £200,000 on the day he left the authority as part of the package agreed when his contract was extended by a year.

So, it undoubtedly wants to avoid a further clutch of embarrassing headlines.

Its own avowed approach to transparency is - and I quote from the county council leader Paul Carter - is that 

"it is enormously important that residents of the county who pay substantial taxes know where their money goes. We have no problems with that at all."

Could there be a more compelling case for disclosure of how taxpayers' money is being spent? KCC is forever telling us how much its controversial re-structuring has saved the taxpayer. And its report proposing the deletion of the post of managing director emphasises how much it will save by not paying her salary - £265,000 a year.

If it can be so transparent on these matters, we are surely entitled to know the other side of the coin.

Paul Francis kentonline 13th Dec 2011

Found on Facebook

You Can Call Me Dave

Change, Optimism, Hope
Progress, Energy, Vigour
Modest, Moderate, Modern
Brighter, Better, Bigger

Conservative, Compassionate, Communal
Black, Muslim, Gay
Young, Green, Martian
Work, Rest, Play

Responsible, Tangible, Real
Motivation, Dedication, Aspiration
Empower, Enhance, Improve
Location, Location, Location

Vision, Ambition, Intuition
Courage, Resolve, Expertise
Beliefs, Values, Dreams
Eats, Shoots, Leaves

On, My, Bike
Eco, Friendly, Guy
Recycle, Renew, Relax
Look, No, Tie

Liberty, Equality, Paternity
Women, Babies, Men
Co-operation, Cohesion, Cocaine?
Never, Ever, Again

Trusting, Caring, Sharing
Goldsmith, Geldof, Gandhi
Emerson, Lake, Palmer
Yankee, Doodle, Dandy

Beanz, Meanz, Heinz
Ready, Steady, Go
Leg, Before, Wicket
Edgar, Allen, Poe

Mary, Mungo, Midge
Beverly, Hills, Cop
Yabba, Dabba, Doo
Snap, Crackle, Pop

Keep, It, Real
Watch, Me, Blog
Pimp, My, Ride
Snoop, Doggie, Dogg

Boo, Ya, Shaka
In, Da, Hood
Super, Smashing, Great
Finger, Lickin’, Good

Suit, You, Sir
Are, Friends, Electric?
Want, That, One
Vorsprung, Durch, Technik

Ganja, Skunk, Weed
Spliff, Joint, Toke
Very, Naughty, Boy
Wacky, Baccy, Smoke

Bloody, Nice, Bloke
Sun, Shiney, Day
Blobby, Blobby, Blobby
Gabba, Gabba, Hey

Drivel, Piffle, Bilge
Yackety, Yack, Yack
Rhubarb, Rhubarb, Rhubarb
Quack, Quack, Quack

Silver, Spoon, Face
Chubby, Puppy, Fat
Shiny, Wavy, Hair
Notting, Hill, Twat

Same, Old, Tory
Eton, Blood, Blue
Brand, New, Package
Blair, Mark, Two

copyright elvis mcgonagall, 2006

Paul Carter's view of 2011 and 2012

Looking back on 2011, it’s been a demanding and tough year. We have had growing uncertainty in the economy, growing uncertainty in Europe and the Euro, and uncertainties in job security (including my own!).  But we have much to be proud of at KCC.

A year ago, we faced huge challenges:

• Failure in Children’s Services
• The biggest financial challenge ever imposed upon local government through the Comprehensive Spending Review
• The consequent need to reshape and restructure the whole organisation
• A global and national economy going nowhere fast, with rising unemployment, particularly amongst our young people
• The need to define a new role for local government in education
• And early in the New Year, Pfizer announcing their withdrawal from Sandwich with 3,000 consequent job losses.

There are still big challenges ahead, but I am very proud of the progress we have made over the course of the year:

• The significant reorganisation has been difficult and tough for everyone, however we have had no choice in taking 25% out of our base budgets and reducing staffing levels by some 10%. We are now starting to see a more joined up, leaner organisation emerge and I am very confident that this new approach will support good quality front line service delivery for our residents.
• We are on target to deliver an underspend of £1m in the delivery of this year's challenging budget (£95m in savings) and we have now launched our draft budget for next year with an additional £97m of savings needed. This is an intelligent and well thought through draft budget that does everything it can to protect front line services and I am pleased to confirm to our residents that there will be no council tax increase next year.
• Children’s Services is now out of intensive care in record time, with the OFSTED unannounced inspection concluding that there are now ‘no priority areas for action’.  Whilst there is still much to be done, I have every confidence that that robust health will soon be restored to Children’s Services in Kent.
• The interim report for the Kent Health Commission, designed to support and give shape to the Government’s new health reform agenda, is now on Andrew Lansley’s desk and the final report is due in March. This will bring to life the ambitions of our innovative general practitioners in Kent developing ways of improving patient care and making better use of public money.
• On Friday 16th December we moved ahead with launching our Big Society Fund - £3m of which will support both existing and new third sector organisations and social enterprises linked to this.
• At the newly named Discovery Park (Pfizer site) in Sandwich, 800 jobs have now been secured. National Government have responded with Enterprise Zone status that will help to stimulate new business in the area and £40m of Regional Growth Fund allocation for the East Kent economy.
• In the autumn statement, it was good to see one of our main objectives in ‘Growth Without Gridlock’, a new Third Thames crossing, being endorsed by national Government. We are also making good progress in getting the A21 dualling at Castle Hill up the priority list within the Department for Transport.
• It has been enormously pleasing to see academic attainment continue to improvement, particularly in our primary schools. The statistics on unemployed young people (NEETs) continue to buck the worsening national trend, and the number of apprenticeships in Kent has also risen by over 70%.

Looking forward

We have an ambitious delivery programme for 2012 and I am keen to build on the momentum of these successes. I have no doubt that the year ahead will bring new challenges and new opportunities to the county, but in Kent we have a significant advantage – a strong organisation that knows where it is going!

On another note, my New Year’s resolution for next year must be to improve our relationship with the local press. It has felt in recent weeks that some stories have been particularly biased against KCC. I know there has been several high profile issues related to the organisation in the past few weeks , however I am very concerned that on many occasions the good stories we have to tell are simply falling on deaf ears. My frustration is that, despite the reality, this constant sniping at KCC impacts on morale for our hard working staff, and if we are not careful the consequence will inevitably be a knock on effect to front line service delivery. I would love to see more stories played with a straight bat in 2012, giving credit where credit's due and letting the public actually decide for themselves.

Wishing everyone a happy and healthy 2012!

Paul

KCC staff are furious

Disgruntled county council staff have given vent to their anger over a reported six-figure payoff being handed to the authority's managing director in an extraordinary series of comments criticising the way it has been handled. And they have also taken aim at the county council leader over his decision to be away from his desk throughout January to take part in a vintage car rally in South Africa.

The comments – leaked to the KM Group – were posted by staff on the council's own intranet under an initiative known as 'Talk To The Top', where senior managers respond to questions from employees. Dozens took the chance to express their dismay at events surrounding the abrupt departure of managing director Katherine Kerswell.

County councillors voted to scrap the post of managing director yesterday amid a furious political row. Conservative leader Paul Carter was accused of acting like a dictator by the opposition parties. But recent events triggered a hostile response from many staff, although a number were subsequently deleted by senior managers.

Comments posted by staff included:

• "Surely if an employee chooses to leave then they should forfeit any golden handshake? Any other member of staff who left for their own reasons would not be entitled to this."
• "Why did KCC elect to be less than transparent over Katherine Kerswell leaving? Several weeks ago, KCC claimed it was rumours and lies... and here we are today with Paul Carter declaring she is going!"
• "Why on earth would KCC lie to its own staff about Katherine Kerswell leaving? Two weeks ago, we were told rumours in the paper about her leaving were false only to find out they were true. Staff are losing their jobs right now – the money could have saved several jobs! How can we be expected to work through tough times when we are being... clowned around by our own employers? Staff should be more important and told the truth at all times."
• "Isn't it about time staff were treated with some dignity and respect and not treated to the media fodder that usually gets spun our way?"
• "I'm sure many employees would like to work for 16 months then decide to pursue new interests and be given a giant helping hand to do this with nearly half a million pounds. It is time KCC employees stood up and had their concerns listened to."
• "For most of us living on the breadline, six-figure send-offs is soul destroying – more so because it is the little people who, to coin a Star Trek phrase, 'make it so'."

There was also open criticism of KCC leader Paul Carter over his request to staff for sponsorship to support his charity vintage car rally in January, which will see him away from County Hall and in South Africa for most of the month:

• "Sorry Paul, charity begins at home – perhaps instead of going on a jolly you can go on a conflict resolution course instead."
• "It just beggars belief that so much money can be chucked around like confetti and those of us struggling to make ends meet are then asked to waste what little we have on jollies!"
• "Massively insensitive – I am totally lost for words. I feel sick."

Responding on the forum, Mr Carter said:

"I can understand and sympathise that feelings are running high regarding job losses. However, the email was aimed to try and help four very good charities in the hope we can raise substantial sums from the generosity of staff, friends and business colleagues. In the first few hours we have already raised over £100 for these good causes, let's keep the momentum going."

kentonline 16th Dec 2011

Kerswell out of it

Cllr Carter will wear a toga of Imperial purple on all public engagements, and feast on roast peacocks daily. We, on the other hand, will be fed to the lions. There will be no circuses. There will be no bread. Does anyone remember voting for this?

---

Kent County Council have finally decided that Katherine Kerswell is not in fact managing director. This is the latest instalment in a story that has been running since November 16th, when the rumours first emerged that Katherine would be leaving her post for reasons for reasons unknown.

At the time she was 16 months in to her four-year contract, and appeared to have ruffled the feathers of the Conservative backbenchers with her program of change and improvement within the Council. Initially there was confusion as to whether she had actually left or not. Even when Kent County Council put out a statement that Katherine "is and remains" managing director, some confusion remained given that there was no sign of Katherine at the KCC offices.

There was activity behind the scenes, there were lawyers, there were rumours. However, throughout the exercise there was uncertainty and a lack of transparency, and this remains the case. On November 28th KCC held a meeting that was behind closed doors and did not have a published agenda. This is probably when they decided what to do about Catherine. It seems that they decided to pay her a lot of money to go away - £450,000.

This begs a number of questions. Firstly, did she resign or what she made redundant? Secondly, why is this very expensive exercise in failed recruitment shrouded in secrecy? The most worrying question, in my opinion, is what happens next.

The senior officer grades at KCC have just been cut and reorganised by Katherine, and a number of posts are being filled by interim managers. It seems reasonable to guess that one of the reasons that contributed to Katherine's departure is a clash of styles between the members and the officers.

Paul Carter: bringing out the Tourettes in people since 2005

Councillor Paul Carter seems to be suggesting that KCC doesn't actually need a managing director or Chief Executive, and that he will simply sweep up those functions within his own existing role as Leader.

"I and my cabinet have made the decision that to deliver further efficiencies and a more streamlined organisation we can operate very successfully without a managing director." He said local government now had cabinets working with the leader as the executive and so no longer needed a chief executive or managing director."

It seems to me that this is a spectacularly bad time to combine roles of leader and Chief Executive. Even if Paul Carter was a supremely talented human being, it would be a lot to ask of him. As it is, the MD's salary of £200k represents a saving of 0.01% of Kent's £2 billion budget, while the cost to KCC of doing without a managing director has yet to be calculated.

---

Kent County Council is under further pressure over the news that its managing director is to quit and is reported to be walking away with a six-figure payoff.

Unison said reports that Katherine Kerswell is in line for a settlement worth £450,000 were a smack in the face for its staff and demoralising at a time when hundreds of lower paid staff had lost their jobs at County Hall.

KCC finally confirmed that Katherine Kerswell will leave this month after weeks denying that it had any plans to axe her post - despite mounting rumour and speculation. Mrs Kerswell, who has not been at her desk for the best part of a month, is only 16 months into a four-year contract.

Unison branch secretary David Lloyd said:

"It is demoralising for our members to see this at a time when they are struggling to save their own jobs and would never get anywhere near this kind of payout even if they had worked for 20 years or more. It really is a smack in the face."

Opposition parties said it was disgraceful that taxpayers were being kept in the dark over how much she will walk away with. They also raised questions about why she was receiving any payout if she was resigning.

KCC says it has signed a confidential agreement, meaning it cannot say what the terms of the settlement are. However, some details will have to be published next year when the authority publishes its annual accounts as part of new government transparency regulations.

Labour opposition leader Cllr Gordon Cowan said:

"This is public money and after all, it will be taxpayers’ who fund this. KCC should be upfront and say exactly how much she is getting. It will have to come out at some point but they should say so immediately."

Liberal Democrat spokesman Cllr Tim Prater echoed:

"From the statement the council has put out, it reads like she has resigned. If she did, why is she being paid off at all? That is the question every taxpayer in Kent deserves an answer to."

Mrs Kerswell joined the county council in March 2010 from Northamptonshire county council following the departure of former chief executive Peter Gilroy. A statement released by KCC said:

"Katherine Kerswell has done an exceptional job at Kent reshaping our approach to service delivery and recasting our overall management arrangements. She is a first-rate public servant with tremendous skills at making large organisations work well. Her management direction has helped produce very significant savings to the council and confirmed Kent’s position as a leading authority."

kentonline 12th Dec 2011 Paul Francis

Japanese invasion strikes Herne Bay

An invasive sea creature known as “marine vomit” is threatening to engulf the Herne Bay coast. Carpet seasquirt – which spreads rapidly and aggressively - has been discovered growing on boulders and reefs in waters surrounding the town.

It is the first time the unsightly species has been seen in the UK outside of harbours and marinas. The seasquirt – believed to be native to Japan – reproduces rapidly and can threaten other marine life, including oysters and mussels.

The news has sparked fears the spongy creature will cover huge parts of the Herne Bay coastline, with the Environment Agency saying there’s no way of stopping it. Environmental officer Ian Humpheryes said:

“It spreads so rapidly and aggressively. We can’t even look for its natural predators because we don’t know what its home environment is. It should be living offshore, so the fact it’s made its way to our beaches doesn’t bode well. Within two weeks it can spread from something the size of a fingernail to a foot across. We’ve had invasive species before, but they don’t grow as fast as this stuff. The sad thing is we have no idea what we can do about it.”

The species – which spreads on dirty boat hulls, fishing equipment and even floating seaweed – can destroy shellfish like oysters and mussels. But marine biologist Dr John Hayes, of Reculver-based Seasalter Shellfish, says the company is playing a waiting game. He said:

“It’s certainly cause for concern, but we’ll need to wait and see what happens. If it proves to have no enemies then it’s going to be a big problem, but hopefully something might come along and eat it all up. All these sea squirts are a pain in the backside.”

HB Gazette 8th Dec 2011 joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Nuke Switzerland

If you're a terrorist, you've got a friend.

If you're a drugs baron, you've got a friend.

If you're an arms dealer, you've got a friend.

If you're a corrupt general, you've got a friend.

If you're a repressive dictator, you've got a friend.

If you're an international tax dodger, you've got a friend.

You've got a friend, in a bank, in Switzerland.

The Swiss bankers know that it's dirty money, but still they take it.

They take the dirty money, and they take their percentage.

And they've been doing it for decades.

There is a very simple way to make a better world.

Nuke Switzerland.

Inquiry on village green stops!

The first three days of the Inquiry steadily improved as we found our feet and got better at highlighting the key points in the evidence of each of our witnesses. However, it all came juddering to a halt on Day Four.

We arrived at 9.50am on Thursday to find that Mr Ground was in the loo at the back of the Christchurch North Room. He had fallen prey to some kind of bug (norovirus from an oyster, perhaps?) and was forced to miss work for the first time in 16 years.

We all agreed with the Inspector that the best plan would be to assume the Mr Ground would also be out of action on the Friday, and to restart the Inquiry on the next available date. Matching up the diaries for Mr Ground, Canterbury City Council's representative, Kent County Council's representatives, the Inspector, and Ros and myself gave us the earliest possible date of Monday 12th March (!) to resume the Inquiry - North Room, Christchurch again.

All of the evidence given so far, and all the work done in the Inquiry so far, is all fine and safe - we don't have to start again from the very beginning (phew!). The second phase of the Inquiry will probably take most of the week starting 12th March - we'll be starting with a couple of days of our witnesses, then Canterbury's witnesses (all employees), then a site visit, and finishing with legal submissions.

The delay means that the issue remains unresolved for longer, but it does give both sides more time for preparation. To be honest though, I don't see how Canterbury can be any more thoroughly prepared than they already are: most of their witnesses were there for most of the time through the first three days. (Why? Mr Ground and Janet Taylor, Deputy Head of Legal @ CCC, were present throughout and taking notes, so would have been able to tell their witnesses what had happened each day.)

I was surprised that Janet Taylor didn't step up the mark to fill the breach left by Mr Ground: she has been our point of contact in CCC from the very start of the application over two years ago; she is (presumably) the one who has been given Mr Ground his instructions; she was there all day every day; she (and the CCC witnesses) were in briefing meetings with Mr Ground before each day started, and at every coffee and lunch break. With her legal qualifications and experience (over 25 years in CCC) and familiarity with the case, I would have thought she would be ideally placed to step in for Mr Ground for a couple of days. After all, that bit was simply asking questions, rather than writing the legal opinions. It would have saved time and money.

VG status will protect and preserve the Downs, regardless of who's running the Council. The Council will still be able to do the day to day maintenance, and the longer term coast defence work - just as they do now. In the Inquiry they were saying that they had legal advice that VG status "might" make coastal defence work harder to organise. Our research shows this is a red herring, so we asked to see their legal advice - they suddenly became very shy and fell silent.

The application doesn't involve any tax payers money - it's only the objection that starts running up the bills. CCC are of course entitled to object, but I do wish they would come clean about their true reasons for objecting. In the CCC Executive 13th Oct, they pointed out that without VG status they would be free to "lease the land, offer a concession, charge for use, and build on it" - I think this closer to the real reason that they're opposing the VG application.

Inquiry on village green starts

An official inquiry into the 'grass roots' fight to make the Herne Bay Downs a protected Village Green started with allegations of council waste and bullying. Canterbury City Council were accused of adding massive legal costs of hiring a barrister to cross examine locals, to the £30,000 they have already spent in legal fees.

Campaigners Ros McIntyre and Phil Rose, who want to keep the green by the prom a much-loved area for dog walkers and blackberry pickers, sat opposite the massed ranks of the council as the inquiry started on Monday. With their initially hesitant questions they bravely stood up to the suited and booted professionals who are being paid by CCC up to £500 a day to take them on. [Correction: it's £850 a day.]

Phil said:

"They might have a top barrister who is charging £8,000 plus £500 a day to rip our case apart, but we have the might of a grass-roots democratic movement behind us. The council plan to build what they call a QE2 Costal Park, got just 41 votes in a national poll and to keep it undisturbed as a village green got 1,181. The council reckon by hiring expensive top legal minds to beat us back they will do what the minority want but we will fight them. This inquiry could well last a long time as we have 49 witnesses and they are all demanding to be heard."

Ros added:

"There was an argument at the start as the council had stopped one of our witnesses giving evidence against them as she was in fact the local councillor for the area. A lot of what they have come up with is nonsense. They simply just want the freedom to make as much money from the land as they can. They still want to build some beach huts but what about the future? The village green status protects it forever so it will be saved for our children."

Inquiry chairman, barrister Lana Wood made it clear she is paid by KCC to host the inquiry as a public duty. She said:

"I am a barrister employed by Kent Council because we have a duty to carry out a public inquiry. When local people complain about CCC hiring a barrister they are referring to Richard Grant who is acting for them."

Mr Grant quizzed the first witness of the inquiry Mr Alan Joiner, 82. He told them how he had enjoyed walking both his and his daughter's dog for 23 years across the green and during the summer had picked blackberries and held family picnics and hoped it would stay that way. Other witnesses were due to give similar evidence this week as the inquiry moved from St Andrew's church hall to Christ Church.

HB Times 1st Dec 2011

Council fights bid to turn Downs into Village Green

Canterbury council bosses were this week racking up a huge legal bill battling to keep control of picturesque land in Herne Bay. A five-day public inquiry to stop the Downs being granted Village Green status opened on Monday 28th November, with top London barrister Richard Ground fighting the city council’s corner against local campaigner Phil Rose.

Mr Rose wants the mile-long stretch between the Kings Hall and Bishopstone Glen to be made a Village Green – taking its control out of council hands and protecting it from development. He made the application in September 2009 after plans surfaced to build beach huts on the eastern side of the site.

The council refused to support the bid, but independent inspector Lana Wood will rule on the case after the inquiry ends on Friday. It is expected complicated legal issues about what the land is actually owned for will play a huge part in her decision.

Mr Rose has collected more than 1,000 questionnaires from people backing his fight, making it the most strongly-supported application for a Village Green ever made in England and Wales. To qualify for the status, land must have been used by locals for “lawful sports and pastimes” for at least 20 years.

Mr Rose told the inquiry those who answered questionnaires had used the land for as long as 86 years. He also listed more than 70 sports and pastimes the land is used for, including dog walking, football, sledding, sunbathing and bagpipe playing. He said:

“We have met every single one of the tests required to register the application land as a Village Green.”

Barrister Mr Ground said most of the Downs has been owned by the city council or previous public authorities since the Second World War – large parts for longer. He added the council had no intention of developing the land or stopping anyone from using it for recreational purposes.

HB Gazette 1st Dec 2011 joewalker@thekmgroup.co.uk

Road casualties

Britain has one of the best records in the world for road casualties. However, hundreds still die on the roads every year. In 2010, the police recorded 1,850 deaths, 22,660 people seriously injured and 184,138 who received light injuries.

Using official data recorded by police in Great Britain between 1999 and 2010, the BBC has plotted every road collision in which someone died. In all, 36,371 fatalities are marked on this interactive map.

As with any large collection of data, there will be errors that are reflected in this map. These arise as all details of these incidents are generated by the police who fill out a paper form that is then transcribed into a computer database.

Click the picture to find out more...

The finest public art

For your delectation, ladies and gentlemen, here's the loveliest piece of public art I've seen in a long time. In the middle of the Chicago, a long strip of land near the coast of Lake Michigan was reclaimed - it used to be railway sidings, but was converted into a Millennium Park. (It was finished four years late and over budget, but that's another story.)

Anyway, amongst the many attractions of this welcome green space in the City is this stunning piece of public art. Entitled "Cloud Gate" - but everyone calls it The Bean - it is made of highly polished stainless steel. And it is lovely. I want one in my town.

Parish councillors hope to derail Tesco Express

Village councillors have vowed to fight plans to build a Tesco in Herne "every step of the way". They were unanimously defiant this week against speculation of the supermarket giant taking over the empty Upper Red Lion pub.

Tesco is believed to be in talks with brewery Punch Taverns to turn it into an Express store, but the idea was given short shrift at a parish council meeting on Thursday. Cllr John Nicholson said:

"I would fight it every step of the way. I feel very annoyed at the prospect of a supermarket there as there are already plenty in Herne Bay. This is a village and we want to keep it a village."

Cllr Jennifer Taylor fumed:

"It's an historic village and that site is right in the centre, next door to an historic church. I'd be the first one down there with my placard if it happened."

Cllr Ian Sargeant added:

"My grandad had that as a pub and it should remain a pub or a restaurant."

Tesco has so far remained tight-lipped about the possibility of coming to Herne, but a number of sources claim there has been interest. Cllr John Moore said:

"Somebody who works for one of the utilities says they've worked on plans for the possibility of a supermarket on that site. I thought no, this can't be serious. Obviously there's loads of speculation, but nobody's admitting anything."

It's thought traffic issues surrounding the site will be a stumbling block to any possible move for Tesco. Cllr Andrew Brealy said:

"The highways issue will knock any application like this on the head immediately."

The Gazette revealed earlier this month that St Martin's Church vicar Rev Elaine Richardson had looked at the possibility of turning the pub into a vicarage but rejected it. Cllr Robert Jones said:

"It would have been great if it was used as a vicarage, keeping parking for the village. Let's put pressure on her [Rev Richardson] boss to reconsider it. It would be the perfect answer."

HB Gazette 20th Oct 2011 joewalker@thekmqroup.co.uk

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The Tescopoly Alliance was launched in June 2005 to highlight and challenge the negative impacts of Tesco's behaviour along its supply chains both in the UK and internationally, on small businesses, on communities and the environment. The campaign also advocates national and international legislation needed to curb the market power of all the major British supermarkets.

Council refuses to back village green status bid

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

And council leader John Gilbey added:

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

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

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

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

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

Mr Rose added:

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

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

Save Hillborough

The Save Hillborough campaign is fighting Kitewood's proposed development of 1,300 houses on farmland at Hillborough. Click the logo to visit their new mini-website and find out more.

Artists' Open Houses Trail in Herne Bay

Now in its 12th year, the popular Artists' Open Houses Trails, features 53 houses with over 182 artists, offering a rare opportunity to experience a diverse array of high quality work in a relaxed setting. With so many venues to choose from there should be something for everyone, so plan your trip and prepare to be inspired and surprised.

For further information on each individual trail, please contact:

• HERNE BAY Mandy Troughton 07890 065046

• CANTERBURY Tessa Mangiavacchi 07729 156953
• FAVERSHAM Anne MacLaren 01795 591555
• WHITSTABLE Paul Elliot 01227 282462

DOWNLOAD THE OPEN HOUSE TRAIL LEAFLET

Select the link above to download the full trail leaflet with details about each house included in the event along with maps of each trail. All houses are open weekends during the Festival 15th/16th, 22nd/23rd, 29th/30th October 2011 11am - 5pm (unless stated).

Here are the details for the Herne Bay Trail. Click the pictures to enlarge them...

EKOH