Due to the press releases recently made by both the Leader of Thanet District Council and Cllr Ian Driver, including the publication of a letter by Cllr Driver , that was originally sent to his independent colleagues, I feel it is in the public interest to publish the following letter sent to Cllr Driver prior to the retraction of his statement calling for the Chairman of Thanet District Council to resign.
Dear Ian ,
We are most unhappy, uncomfortable and concerned with your presentations at the Full Council Meeting of TDC 6th December 2012.
We feel that the almost monotonous recurrence of various provocative events, that you engineer, are harmful to our group and personal reputations as well as the stability of our Council in which we play vital roles and owe our loyalty to ensure that normal business is able to continue . Anything less becomes irresponsible.
Earlier in our association, we agreed that any controversial policy statements would be the subject of discussion amongst all three of us prior to any action or publication.
Unfortunately you have not honoured our agreement.
Naturally, this is an unacceptable practice and should it reoccur, you will automatically eliminate yourself from our group.
With best wishes,
We remain,
Sincerely,
Jack Cohen and John Worrow.
But if Ian Driver leaves their 'Group' then they effectively cease to exist as a recognised poltical unit and with it, I suspect the benefits that go with it!
ReplyDeleteCllr King, led a group of three. When one of them left the group, Cllr King and the remaining member kept seats on committees and Cllr King continues to enjoy the same privileges as the other three leaders. But Simon knows this really, he just thinks that he can pull the wool over the eyes of voter. But as we recently saw in the Westgate-On-Sea by-election, people have more sense then Simon gives them credit for, and they now take what he says with a pinch of salt!
DeleteIf Tom King would have voted with us instead of sitting on his hands, and if Simon would have attended the meeting, the balance of power would have not changed, and we would still be in power instead of Labour.
DeleteEven for TDC this is a laughable press release: "Independents Group decide to be Independent"? What a waste of the rates.
DeleteWhat exactly has TDC and this Group achieved this year, we seem to have a Buggins Turn of bickering numpties being snidey to each other. At least the civil servants are lavishly paid to put up with this idiocy.
I agree rules are a waste of time and as for racism and homophobia it should be legal
DeleteCllr King has been heard at OSP saying that Ian Driver is joining his group so they can call for a vote of confidence in Clive Hart and replace him with Chris Wells as Council leader.
ReplyDeleteIf Ian can't work with soft leaders such as Clive and John, how in Gods name is he going to work with Tom King and Chris Wells?
We need to face the facts, Ian is not a team player, Tom and Chris are about to find this out. But I guess it's up to Ian... he might want to remain a TIG member
Simon, 16.00 or anyone else who knows the answer. What is the position regarding the chair’s vote and the chair’s casting vote in the case of a motion of no confidence in the chair?
ReplyDeleteIt's public knowledge now that Tom King was plotting against Jack Cohen and his lack of support over the parking showed that King just had his own agenda
DeleteThats true Simon. It would be the same if you left your 'Group' then they effectively cease to exist as a recognised poltical unit and with it, I suspect the shadow cabinets benefits that go with it!
ReplyDeleteerrrr that can't be right..coz it didnt happen with ex-shadow member Gregory left 'your' group..
me thinks Simon is being Simon!
Ian is not leaving TIG lol
ReplyDeleteMichael.. good question and I don't know the answer. You would have to look at the constitution.
ReplyDeleteIn response to 18:27. our familiar Troll I would guess, then thankfully, the Conservative Group have rather more than the three members required to be recognised as a political "Group' with all the titles (Leader) and privileges that go with it. I'm sure that if I were to go, then many readers here would breathe a sigh of relief and celebrate Xmas a day early!
That said, we presently have a bizarre situation where Leader Cllr Worrow, sits in on the meetings between, Clive, Bob and the Chief Exec and is given equal privilege in all matters political. If that isn't a crazy example of politics gone awry, then tell me what is.
Cllr King also sits in and is given equal privilege in all matters political. But that is just pretend because Simon says so.
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DeleteMichael it is the same as every other committee, it's still about numbers. It makes no difference what group a councillor belongs to, the maths and the casting vote is still the same. Anyway its just Hear-Say, he may remain a TIG member.
ReplyDeleteYes you are right yet again Simon. A group needs at least three members, in order to be a group.
ReplyDeleteThats why the group that Clls King and Grove have is not really a group - they just pretend!
errr not so if you look at the council web site... me thinks Simon is being Simon again!
You said it 18:49 - takes three to tango officially in local politics I'm sorry to say but a couple are at liberty to call themselves what they like.
ReplyDeleteSimon 18.40 You say "That said, we presently have a bizarre situation where Leader Cllr Worrow,sits in on the meetings between, Clive, Bob and the Chief Exec and is given equal privilege in all matters political. If that isn't a crazy example of politics gone awry, then tell me what is.
ReplyDeleteHow about Nick Clegg sitting in on a meeting with Cameron Osbourne May etc etc ?
The the power is having the leadership qualities to do the deals outside of privileged meetings, but if Simon was good it that he would be leading the council and not just telling people what a clever politician he is.
Deletebut at least Simon doesnt make tpyos, thats whats really important
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DeleteOf course you are right Simon, Cllrs King and Grove do not really belong to a group of two, and their membership of committees is just pretend.
ReplyDeleteI'm rather inclined to agree with shinguard. On current political form Nigel Farage should be sitting-in but without any MP's Nick Clegg still has the upper hand.
ReplyDeleteMaybe Sandy and Ken can make a pretend group, not sure about them getting the pretend committees that King and Grove belong to though
ReplyDeleteThe pretend 0% salary explanation will be interesting too unless we all pretend it isn't done with public officials and funds.
DeleteChris Wells will make a good leader though
ReplyDeleteWhen anonymous 1903 feels able to join in on a grown-up conversation on the mysteries of local political balance and privilege, let me know but until then I suggest he listens and learns.
ReplyDeleteSurely if Cllr Moores was that Clever he would of used his leadership qualities to prevent power slipping out of his hands in the first place :) The fact is they lost power because he was not there to vote!
ReplyDeleteWrong again I'm afraid. We were already one down in addition to the chair's casting vote. If you recall, there was a mini hurricane running that night and I was stuck, trying to EasyJet back from Amsterdam. Unlike the balance of my Cabinet Labour colleagues, I confess to having a job which occasiionally takes me away from home.
ReplyDeleteCuriously though, this thread is wandering off topic as the usal suspect obsesses about me.
At the end of the day you let your party down. How did they stand a chance without your superior intelligence? You really should be an MP.
ReplyDeleteHow about a new year resolution to totally ignore the troll who pops up with his monotonous comments, more anti-Moores than any useful contribution, for all time.
ReplyDeleteGod probably sent the hurricane!
ReplyDeleteHow about a new years resolution to humour so-calledTom Clarke and pretend that it's still the 1970s
ReplyDeleteGodd idea .. Let's attempt to discuss something rather more interesting than me. In this case, what happens when TIGs fall out?
ReplyDeleteJust to remind readers that at the council meeting where the switch was made to Labour, Tom Kng's independents, which included Cllrs Worrow and Cohen, agreed to support the Conservatives as they held the balance. Nobody was more surprised, hurt and angry than Tom King at his colleagues when they voted with Labour at the no confidence motion in the Conservatives, ths neatly delivering the Council to Labour and consequently picking up two of the most senior non Cabinet appointments swiftlly afterwards.
ReplyDeleteBayford broke his agreement over parking with Cohen and homophobia also played its part, together with a 'Let Them Eat Cake' attitude from Bayford, Moores and Gregory.
DeleteSimon Moores is his egos own worst enemy
DeleteI bet Cllr Driver is quaking in his boots. He took on Arthur Scargill and his Socialist Workers Party so I suspect that the rump of TIG doesn't greatly scare him. He'll do whatever he thinks is right in his eyes.
ReplyDeleteBeing threatened by Messrs Worrow and Cohen somehow reminds me of Dennis Healey's comments about Geoffrey Howe.
Maybe twenty first century solutions work better in the twenty first century
DeleteIf Tom King would have voted with us instead of sitting on his hands, and if Simon would have attended the meeting, the balance of power would have not changed, and we would still be in power instead of Labour.
ReplyDeletethats a good point. if king was upset as somes pretends he was he would of voted for bayford which of course he did not... bob grove who is known for having very right wing views was the only independent that voted for Bayford
ReplyDelete* as simon pretends
ReplyDeleteNot quite sure about all this "Simon pretends" bit. I'm only interested on the facts and not hearsay or speculation from people who weren't involved and really don't know what they are talking about. Remember that I know Tom very well indeed as a fellow ward councillor and while I can't speak for him and very much aware of what took place that night, why he "sat on his hands' when he saw the vote would be lost (Chairman's casting vote) and in fact what deals, if any, existed in fact and not the imagination of 21.39. Unfortunately, the weather had other ideas that night, over a year ago now and the press release under discussion her refers to something quite different, as much as you would like to draw the conversation back to me again...
ReplyDeleteI'm off to bed, so good night all and a very merry christmas too!
SimonPretends.con
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