Last weeks planning applications

The TDC planning website is one of the most bizarre websites I have ever come across in as much as the web addresses of the pages on it change after a few hours so you can’t publish links to them. If you want to look at any of the applications you need to go to the site and enter the application reference in the search box, this link takes you to the site http://www.ukplanning.com/thanet


15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0917
6 REDHILL ROAD, WESTGATE ON SEA, CT8 8ND
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0961
10 NORTHDOWN AVENUE, MARGATE, CT9 2NL
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1011
60 KING EDWARD AVENUE, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 1PH
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1014
CART LODGE BARN, DILNOT LANE, ACOL, BIRCHINGTON, CT7 OHW
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1019
3 UPTON GRANGE, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 2NS
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1024
1B ALLENBY ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT12 6BB
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1025
30 HIGH STREET, RAMSGATE, CT11 9AG
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1033
KALEWA, THANET PLACE GARDENS, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 1EE
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1040
128 GRANGE ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT11 9PT
current
15 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1044
243 CANTERBURY ROAD, WEST, BIRCHINGTON, CT7 9TB
current
15 Dec 2010
L/TH/10/0774
SIR STANLEY GRAY, 81 PEGWELL ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT11 ONJ
current
15 Dec 2010
L/TH/10/1022
3 WELLINGTON CRESCENT, RAMSGATE, CT11 8JL
current
15 Dec 2010
L/TH/10/1023
PIZZA EXPRESS, 52 HARBOUR PARADE, RAMSGATE, CT11 8LW
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0919
FLAMBEAU EUROPLAST LTD MANSTON ROAD RAMSGATE CT126HW
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0954
49 BRADSTOW WAY, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 1AJ
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0956
HUGIN SHIP GREEN, SANDWICH ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT12 5JB
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0991
1A AVENUE ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT11 8ET
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0992
120 DUMPTON PARK DRIVE, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 1RL
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0994
12 STERLING CLOSE BROADSTAIRS CT102XE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0997
CHERRY TREES CALLIS COURT ROAD BROADSTAIRS CT103AG
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1003
2 CLARENCE ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT11 ODX
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1004
1 BAIRDSLEY CLOSE, BROADST AIRS, CT10 1BE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1017
103 KING STREET RAMSGATE CT118PH
current
07 Dec 2010
L/TH/10/0978
THE COACH HOUSE, MONTEFIORE AVENUE, RAMSGATE, CT11 8BD
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0667
GAS HOLDER STATION ADDINGTON STREET MARGATE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0914
ST. DOLPHS BARN DILNOT LANE ACOL BIRCHINGTON CT70HW
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1002
47 LANTHORNE ROAD BROADSTAIRS CT103NA
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1005
CAR PARK ADJACENT UNIT 45 WESTWOOD CROSS AND PART OF FORMER GRUPO ANTOLIN, ANTOLIN WAY, RAMSGATE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1009
58 PARK ROAD RAMSGATE CT119TL
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1015
LYNFORD SEACROFT ROAD BROADSTAIRS CT101TL
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1030
6 WINDSOR CLOSE BROADSTAIRS CT102TF
current

3 HOURS 45 MINS FROM WESTWOOD TO CLIFTONVILLE

3 HOURS 45 MINS FROM WESTWOOD TO CLIFTONVILLE

(OR WHY SOME GANGS OF YOUTHS IN THANET ARE REALLY GOOD)

KCC LET US DOWN BUT RESIDENTS ARE FANTASTIC

Please find below the timeline for our return home to Cliftonville from Westwood Cross on Saturday 18th December.

3pm precisely - My wife Sandy and I got into our car in the middle of the Westwood Cross car park.

3.45pm - Got to the exit roundabout next to Marks & Spencer's.

4pm - Sat at main Westwood roundabout - virtual gridlock.

4.45pm - Sat at traffic lights between Hornby and B&Q.

4.50pm - Literally slid down Chapel Hill and finally came to rest outside the Orb public house.

5pm - Sat at traffic lights outside QEQM hospital.

5.10pm - Sat at Victoria traffic lights. Now snowing again on top of ice.

5.15pm - Spent half an hour sliding all over the place on the first steep hill in College road. At one point a double decked bus slid down the ice covered road outside the vets towards us. We were only able to progress due to a fantastically selfless gang of (mainly) youths who helped us and many others over and over, by pushing us repeatedly in blizzard conditions. We would have parked up at this point but road was completely littered with abandoned cars leaving no safe spaces to park in.

5.40pm - Some dodgy moments at double roundabout at College road and St Peters road.

5.45 - Slid down second steep hill of College road towards the King Edward cross roads.

5.50pm - Saw cars ahead sliding all over the hill ahead in Millmead Road so decided to park up outside King Edward and walk.

6pm - Started walking towards Millmead and saw a long pink stretch-limo actually make it all the way up Millmead road so went back to our car and tried again.

6.15m - Came to absolute standstill in Millmead road on ice at both the junctions with Fitzroy Avenue and Laleham Road. Only able to progress due to another fantastic selfless 'gang' who helped us and many others over and over, by pushing us repeatedly.

6.35pm - Finally got to top of the hill in Millmead road.

6.40pm - Glided home along Millmead road and down Foreland Avenue with only one minor risky moment when a pedestrian stepped out near the Wheatsheaf public house and we couldn't stop.

6.45PM precisely - Arrived home at Clarence Avenue Cliftonville and put the kettle on.

Comment: absolutely none of the roads we used appeared to be gritted at all. The two 'gangs' of men who helped us in both College Road and Millmead Road were simply fantastic - they were working in the most hazardous and freezing of conditions and they have restored my faith in human nature. I'm sure I speak for many they helped on Saturday when I say a massive thank you for all their help.

Clive

New documents published by Thanet District Council

17/12/2010 - Publication of plan: Forward Plan for period from 1 January 2011 to 1 July 2011; Cabinet

16/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 16 2010 10:30PM, Council

16/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 16 2010 7:00PM, Council

15/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 15 2010 7:00PM, Planning Committee

15/12/2010 - Minutes published: Meeting of Dec 10 2010 1:00PM, Cabinet

15/12/2010 - Minutes published: Meeting of Nov 25 2010 6:00PM, Joint Transportation Board

15/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 22 2010 11:00AM, General Purposes Committee

15/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 15 2010 10:00AM, Licensing Sub Committee

14/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 14 2010 6:00PM, Standards Committee

14/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 14 2010 9:45AM, Licensing Sub Committee

13/12/2010 - Agenda supplement published - Council No. 1 : Council No. 1: Meeting of Dec 16 2010 7:00PM, Council

COALITION COCK-UP HITS THANET

At Thursday evenings meeting of Thanet District Council the ruling administration were forced to delay implementing regulations controlling Houses of Multiple Occupation for A YEAR due to recent changes introduced by the coalition government.

At the meeting Cllr Clive Hart - Labour Leader of the Opposition said " the facts are, this is the TDC administrations enforced response to yet another retrograde and knee-jerk change in legislation brought in by the coalition government.

In October the coalition government rushed through changes that actually make it easier to create HMO's without thinking things through. Seaside authorities such as Thanet now have to play all kinds of legal games to cover themselves.

Unfortunately, the second rate option forced on us now leaves an unnecessary 12 month loophole for developers to exploit. I liken it to someone standing on a sharp object and cutting their foot and not being allowed to apply a plaster for a month".
________

FROM THE REPORT BEING DISCUSSED (ITEM 14 COUNCIL AGENDA):

Paragraph 1.2 Until 1st October 2010 planning permission was required for change of use of a building including a dwelling house to an HMO. On 1st October 2010 the government introduced new legislation. Now planning permission is NOT required for the change of use of a dwelling house to an HMO for up to 6 people.
__________

The council could get around the matters in the report by making an article 4 direction for the whole of Thanet immediately.

To have made an article 4 direction immediately would have left TDC open to compensation claims.

So to get around the compensation claims the Council had to agree to publish its intention to make an article 4 direction in respect of the whole district to take effect in 12 months time (the 12 months notice removes any opportunity for compensation claims).

Unfortunately, the 12 month delay will also leave a year long loophole for developers to exploit. Going against everything the council is working towards on this issue (and in particular the newly created Margate Task Force).

Another coalition cock-up!

JAIL FOR BENEFIT FRAUDSTERS

Two former Ramsgate residents have both been jailed for their part in a benefit fraud that lasted ten years and saw them receive £44,685 of benefits that they were not entitled to.

Lynda Thomas (47), formerly of Hereson Road, Ramsgate, claimed Housing Benefit from December 1999 to April 2009 on the basis that she was renting a room at a property in Hereson Road, Ramsgate from John Hall (42) also formerly of Hereson Road, the owner of the property. The rent charged was declared at £65 per week and a proof of rent letter was submitted from Mr. Hall.

An allegation was received, advising that Miss Thomas and Mr. Hall were actually living together at the address as husband and wife. An investigation started and Mr. Hall and Miss Thomas were interviewed about the allegation jointly with the Department for Work and Pensions.

At interview, Miss Thomas denied the allegation and left the interview without being shown all the evidence which had been obtained during the investigation. Mr. Hall attended the interview and admitted that they were a couple and that they had always been a couple since the start of the claim. He also admitted that he had provided a letter to the council which was false. The overpaid Income Support totalled £17,477.82, while Housing Benefit amounted to £27,208.00.

The case was heard at Canterbury Crown Court on Thursday (16 December) and Judge Williams in her summing up stated that the claim was fraudulent from the outset. Maximum credit was given for them pleading guilty to the charges at the earliest opportunity. Mr. Hall pleaded guilty to providing a false rent letter and it was argued that he was only actively involved in the fraud from the date of the letter. However the Court found it an unattractive argument, as the fraud was committed from the outset and his criminality fell just short of Miss Thomas.

The Court took into account their mitigation, medical problems, family situation with their two teenage children and Mr. Hall's elderly mother who was ill with cancer. The offence fell into the second most serious category for sentencing guidelines due to the prolonged and deliberate dishonesty, and as such, there was no choice but to issue custodial sentences.

Lynda Thomas was sentenced to 10 months imprisonment to run concurrent for each count, while John Hall was sentenced to eight months imprisonment.

Cllr. Simon Moores, Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Regulatory Services, said: “This is a clear case of someone deliberately falsely claiming benefits for a number of years. As the court said, it’s one of the most serious categories of dishonesty and a prison sentence is the only proper way to deal with this. This couple have swindled more than £40,000 out of the public purse over a decade. That’s an appalling level of benefit fraud and one they will now have to pay for.”

HARBOUR DOG BAN BYELAW TO BE REMOVED

A byelaw that’s been in place since the mid 1990s, banning dogs from Ramsgate Harbour, is being removed.

The decision was taken last night (Thursday 16 December) at a meeting of full Council. Members were told that Byelaw 44 was introduced at the harbour in 1994 and bans anyone from bringing an animal, specifically dogs, into the harbour area.

When the byelaw was introduced, it’s believed that the issue of rabies played a large part in its introduction. Since then, the public health threat of rabies has reduced, with the introduction of pet passports, which allow dogs to be moved in and out of the country.

Feedback from harbour users indicates that the byelaw is not popular, and removing it will allow visitors from the UK to bring dogs into the harbour in the future.

Leader of the Council, Cllr. Bob Bayford, said: “It’s clear that this byelaw is past its sell-by date. It was introduced for a good reason, but that was nearly 20 years ago and things have changed a great deal since then. People now want to travel with their dogs and bring them into Ramsgate and we don’t want to stop them from doing that. With the annual Boat Show quickly approaching, we know that we’ll be asked about the situation with this byelaw and now we’ll be able to tell potential visitors that work is underway to remove it, so that we can then allow dogs into the harbour.”

To repeal the byelaw, the council has to give notice to the government and advertise what it plans to do.

PLANNING POLICIES APPROVED TO ENCOURAGE FAMILY HOMES

New planning policies, which will restrict flats and encourage more family homes in Thanet, have been given the green light.

Agreed by Council last night (Thursday 16 December), the two policies will take immediate effect and will be used to help decide future planning applications.

The first policy states, unless it can be justified, residential development in Thanet should be houses, as opposed to flats. The only exceptions to this should be when no acceptable design can be found for houses or if there are special reasons set out in the council’s existing planning policies.

A second policy about retaining family homes says that the loss of one or more properties used as homes for a single family will only be approved if the new development is compatible with character of the area. Issues that will be taken into account include whether there is enough car parking and bin storage, the noise impact on neighbouring properties and the amount of space between buildings.

Cllr. Simon Moores, Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Regulatory Services, said: “We all know from our own experience that Thanet has a huge number of flats, many more than in other towns in Kent, and a lot of those are being privately rented. Sadly, many of these are in poor conditions and are often the cause of the problems we face in this area. We want to see improvements to Thanet in the future and one way of doing that is to try and get more family housing here, as that will help to bring more affluent families into the area. Obviously these policies won’t stop all flat building or conversions in Thanet, as there will be times when such development is appropriate. What they will do is ensure that every application this council now receives for flats is thoroughly assessed and will only be approved, if there’s a clear and compelling case for permitting them.”

CHARGES FOR PRE-PLANNING ADVICE INTRODUCED

Charges are being introduced in Thanet for advice to potential planning applicants from the start of 2011.

The fees were agreed at a meeting of the full Council last night (Thursday 16 December) and will come into effect from 1 January 2011. It’s estimated that the service provided by the council’s team of planning officers costs around £71,000 annually. The new charges could bring in between £15,000 and £30,000 each year and may help to discourage people from putting in speculative requests for advice, which can take up a lot of time.

Homeowners who want to add extensions or carry out other work to their property will still be able to get advice for free from council officers, although this will be reviewed in summer 2011. Applications for properties for the disabled will remain exempt from these charges.

Cllr. Simon Moores, Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Regulatory Services, said: “A number of councils have already introduced similar charges for pre-planning advice. We’ve resisted doing this in the past, as we wanted to encourage potential developers to talk to us about their plans at an early stage. However, in the current climate, we have to ensure that all our services are operating as efficiently as possible. Having planning officers tied up dealing with speculative enquiries that never result in an application is not a good use of their time. The charges we’ll be introducing are in line with other councils and we’ve already had positive feedback from the applicants and agents who attend our user group meetings.”

There will be different rates charged, depending on how big the application is. The lower fees of £150 for written advice only or £250 for a meeting and written confirmation apply to applications for less than 10 homes, changes of use, or smaller non-residential development of 1,000 square metres or less.

Higher fees of £250 for written advice only or £500 for a meeting and written confirmation apply to major developments, proposing 10 or more new homes or non-residential development of 1,000 square metres or more.

There will also be a charge of £48.40 for advice about planning histories or conditions. All prices include VAT.

COUNCIL FACING CUTS OF £1.6 MILLION

Funding cuts, announced by the Government, mean Thanet District Council will need to find savings next year of £1.6 million.

The council is facing a 6% cut in its revenue grant from central government for 2011/12, although further savings will be required for 2012/13, when the council will see its settlement reduced by a further 17.4%.

The figures show that, next year, the council will receive £10.475 million in its main government grant. This will be supplemented by a transitional grant of £1.076 million and increases in homelessness grants.

Leader of the Council, Cllr. Bob Bayford, said: “We always knew that this would be a tough settlement from the government, given the fact that the country desperately needs to save money. We have been planning for significant cuts in our government grant over the next two years, so these figures come as no surprise to us. We had been concerned that we might face deep cuts in 2011/12, and we’re pleased to see that the transitional grant will help us to cope with that. We will be asking our local MPs to lobby for additional transitional funding for Thanet from 2012. It doesn’t change the fact that we will need to make cuts in our budget in the forthcoming two years, but it gives us longer to plan for those. The council hasn’t been idle while waiting for the government announcement. We have been working on a number of budget options over recent months and I’m confident that we will present a balanced budget to Council at its February meeting and our financial plans for the following three years.”

You can have your say in the council’s budget consultation Make it Count and help shape the council’s 2011/12 budget at www.thanet.gov.uk

OVER A THOUSAND ENJOY TUDOR CHRISTMAS

More than 1,200 people have enjoyed a Tudor Christmas in Margate this year.

The celebrations were held over the last two weekends (Saturday 4, Sunday 5, Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December) at the Tudor House in King Street, with people able to vote in the This is Margate photographic competition during the second weekend.

Visitors to the property could enjoy a “Feast for a Farmer” in the parlour, with historically accurate and hand-made costumes from the Tudor Tailor, spanning the reigns of Henry VIII and Elizabeth I on display. Entertainment was provided by story-teller Frankie Jordan from the Tom Thumb Theatre, along with Theatre of the Small who entranced adults and children alike with model theatre performances, poetry and music.

‘Pie Days and Holidays,’ a new art project for Margate, featured artist Sophie Herxheimer listening to over 60 food stories, recording them in writing and illustration. A copy of the artwork was then given as a present to the story-teller. A full exhibition of all the stories will take place in April 2011 at Marine Studios in Margate along with many other activities.

Cllr. Martin Wise, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: “It’s wonderful to see so many people enjoying the Tudor House in Margate this Christmas. It just emphasises what a popular attraction it is in the town and how art and culture enhance its appeal”.

The event was organised by Arts Development at Thanet District Council, with funding from the Big Lottery and European money from the Interreg 2 Seas Project.

FIRST CHRISTMAS UNDER CONDEM GOVERNMENT

INITIAL COMMENT ON THANET'S PROVISIONAL FINANCIAL SETTLEMENT

From Cllr Clive Hart
Labour Leader of the Opposition
and Shadow Finance Spokesman - TDC.

"When the news from the ConDem government arrived on Monday of a £4.5 million cut in the provisional financial settlement for Thanet I felt bad enough. But then an even bleaker future for our district was exposed. Our relatively poor area here in Thanet is one of the hardest hit authorities in the country losing 8.9% for two years.

Eric Pickles the Communities Secretary insisted the ConDem government had applied the fairest possible formula by adopting an 'intelligent and fair' approach and that 'funding fairness' underpinned the settlement. He told parliament that the average cut this year would be 4.4%.

However, TDC will lose double that figure with the absolute maximum 8.9% cut and for two years, whilst Dorset gets a 0.25% increase in funding and Windsor and Maidenhead, West Sussex, Wokingham, Richmond upon Thames and Buckinghamshire all get cuts of just 1% or less.

The fact is that the poorest areas like Thanet are the most dependent on central government funding whereas wealthy areas that receive a lot in council tax are getting extra subsidies after the government promised more central funding to subsidise a freeze in council tax payments.

TDC now faces incredibly tough choices about the services it continues to provide and those it will have to cut and at county level I really do fear for the future of libraries, sports and childcare facilities.

With our Police service also seeing a 5.1% cut in funding next year and a 6.7% reduction in 2012-13, community safety in Thanet will undoubtedly be put under enormous pressure too.

There can have been nothing like this in the history of either TDC or KCC".

FROM BBC NATIONAL NEWS WEBSITE 13/12/2010:

Hardest hit: Losing 8.9% for two years

Source: Dept of Communities
Ashfield
Great Yarmouth
Barrow-in-Furness
Hastings
Bolsover
Hyndburn
Burnley
Pendle
Chesterfield
Preston
Copeland
Thanet

Published by Thanet Labour Group Press Office, 44 Northdown Road, Margate, CT9 2RW

Last weeks planning applications,

The TDC planning website is one of the most bizarre websites I have ever come across in as much as the web addresses of the pages on it change after a few hours so you can’t publish links to them. If you want to look at any of the applications you need to go to the site and enter the application reference in the search box, this link takes you to the site http://www.ukplanning.com/thanet


07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0919
FLAMBEAU EUROPLAST LTD MANSTON ROAD RAMSGATE CT126HW
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0954
49 BRADSTOW WAY, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 1AJ
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0956
HUGIN SHIP GREEN, SANDWICH ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT12 5JB
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0991
1A AVENUE ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT11 8ET
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0992
120 DUMPTON PARK DRIVE, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 1RL
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0994
12 STERLING CLOSE BROADSTAIRS CT102XE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0997
CHERRY TREES CALLIS COURT ROAD BROADSTAIRS CT103AG
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1003
2 CLARENCE ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT11 ODX
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1004
1 BAIRDSLEY CLOSE, BROADST AIRS, CT10 1BE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1017
103 KING STREET RAMSGATE CT118PH
current
07 Dec 2010
L/TH/10/0978
THE COACH HOUSE, MONTEFIORE AVENUE, RAMSGATE, CT11 8BD
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0667
GAS HOLDER STATION ADDINGTON STREET MARGATE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0914
ST. DOLPHS BARN DILNOT LANE ACOL BIRCHINGTON CT70HW
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1002
47 LANTHORNE ROAD BROADSTAIRS CT103NA
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1005
CAR PARK ADJACENT UNIT 45 WESTWOOD CROSS AND PART OF FORMER GRUPO ANTOLIN, ANTOLIN WAY, RAMSGATE
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1009
58 PARK ROAD RAMSGATE CT119TL
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1015
LYNFORD SEACROFT ROAD BROADSTAIRS CT101TL
current
07 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1030
6 WINDSOR CLOSE BROADSTAIRS CT102TF
current
01 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0941
77 GEORGE HILL ROAD, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 3JR
current
01 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0976
10 ETHELBERT ROAD, RAMSGATE, CT11 9BL
current
01 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0983
8 OZENGELL PLACE, EUROKENT BUSINESS PARK, RAMSGATE, CT12 6PB
current
01 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0990
17 BOLEYN AVENUE, MARGATE, CT9 5HL
current
01 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0995
12 DOMNEVA ROAD, WESTGATE ON SEA, CT8 8PE
current
01 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/0998
EAST KENT RETAIL PARK, WESTWOOD ROAD, BROADSTAIRS, CT10 2RQ
current
01 Dec 2010
F/TH/10/1000
WESTBROOK INTREGRATED CARE CENTRE, 150 CANTERBURY ROAD,MARGATE,CT95DD
curren

New documents published by Thanet District Council

14/12/2010 - Meeting scheduled: Dec 14 2010 6:00PM, Standards Committee

14/12/2010 - Meeting scheduled: Dec 14 2010 9:45AM, Licensing Sub Committee

13/12/2010 - Agenda supplement published - Council No. 1 : Council No. 1: Meeting of Dec 16 2010 7:00PM, Council

10/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 10 2010 1:00PM, Cabinet

08/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 16 2010 12:00AM, Council

07/12/2010 - Meeting held: Dec 7 2010 6:00PM, Corporate Improvement & Budget Working Party

07/12/2010 - Issue Published: Approval for the Visit to Ramsgate by the Heineken Race of the Classics in April 2011

07/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 10 2010 1:00PM, Cabinet

07/12/2010 - Decision Published: Approval for the Visit to Ramsgate by the Heineken Race of the Classics in April 2011Leader of the Council and Cabinet Member for Finance and Corporate Services

06/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 16 2010 7:00PM, Council

06/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 14 2010 6:00PM, Standards Committee

06/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 15 2010 7:00PM, Planning Committee

06/12/2010 - Minutes published: Meeting of Nov 11 2010 10:00AM, Constitutional Review Working Party

06/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 20 2010 9:45AM, Licensing Sub Committee

06/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 15 2010 10:00AM, Licensing Sub Committee

06/12/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 14 2010 9:45AM, Licensing Sub Committee

01/12/2010 - Minutes published: Meeting of Nov 16 2010 7:00PM, Overview and Scrutiny Panel

01/12/2010 - Minutes published: Meeting of Nov 30 2010 10:00AM, Licensing Board

01/12/2010 - Issue Published: Signing of new lease Droit House, Margate for VIC

01/12/2010 - Decision Published: Signing of new lease Droit House, Margate for VIC

30/11/2010 - Issue Published: Exemption of harbour dues for 20 Dunkirk Little Ships taking part in Ramsgate's Dynamo Day event in May 2011

30/11/2010 - Issue Published: London Boat Show 2011 (7th - 16th January) To encourage and increase visitor nights at Ramsgate Royal Harbour Marina

30/11/2010 - Meeting held: Nov 30 2010 10:00AM, Licensing Board

30/11/2010 - Decision Published: London Boat Show 2011 (7th - 16th January) To encourage and increase visitor nights at Ramsgate Royal Harbour Marina

30/11/2010 - Decision Published: Exemption of harbour dues for 20 Dunkirk Little Ships taking part in Ramsgate's Dynamo Day event between 22nd & 30th May 2011

29/11/2010 - Agenda published: Meeting of Dec 7 2010 6:00PM, Corporate Improvement & Budget Working Party

29/11/2010 - Minutes published: Meeting of Nov 17 2010 7:00PM, Planning Committee

RAMSGATE POOL PLANS APPROVED

Plans for a new swimming pool and spa at Ramsgate Sports Centre have been given the go ahead by Thanet District Council.

The proposals were approved today (Friday 10 December) by the council’s Cabinet, with work expected to begin on the project in spring 2011. A new building located next door to the existing sports centre would house a six lane, 25 metre deck level pool, along with a separate training pool. A new spa facility would also be built, offering four treatment rooms, hydro pool, steam room, sauna, salt grotto, power showers and foot spa. New wet changing facilities, new entrance and café area are also included in the scheme.

The council will act as a loan guarantor for Thanet Leisure Force for the £3.48 million scheme. The council had originally agreed in 2008 to put money from property sales towards the building of a new pool in Ramsgate, after local people said they wanted to see pools kept in both Ramsgate and Margate. However, with the downturn in the property market, the council has had to look at different ways of delivering the scheme that can pay for itself.

Work on the project is expected to be managed by Alliance Leisure, who have already completed 85 successful projects in the UK, including the improvements to Hartsdown Leisure Centre in Margate.

Cllr. Martin Wise, Cabinet Member for Environmental Services, said: “This will be a great addition to Ramsgate and one that I know will be warmly welcomed by local residents, who were very clear that they wanted a new pool in the town. We know that the existing pool is old and tired and, if we don’t take action now, we could end up facing huge maintenance bills in the future. This scheme will bring together two major sporting facilities on one site in Ramsgate. Introducing a spa into the mix will ensure that Ramsgate Sports Centre has facilities to rival the private sector and will significantly improve the service for everyone who uses the pool or sports centre. I look forward to seeing the work getting underway and Ramsgate enjoying the same level of improvements that have already been seen at Hartsdown Leisure Centre.”

The new pool and spa could be open as early as spring 2012.

FIRST STEP TAKEN IN TACKLING HMO ISSUE

The first step has been taken to ensure that anyone in Thanet who converts properties into houses in multiple occupation (HMOs) will have to seek planning permission first.

Cabinet Members heard today (Friday 10 December) that the government had introduced new legislation in October 2010, meaning that homes can be turned into HMOs for up to six unrelated people without seeking planning permission.

There have been concerns about the number of HMOs in Thanet, and particularly in the Cliftonville West area, for some time. They are often in a poor condition and therefore cheap to rent, which attracts vulnerable people from outside of the area into Thanet, putting a drain on public resources to support them.

The council can use a planning power, called an Article 4 Direction, to require anyone who wants to convert their home into an HMO to submit a planning application.

Advice from the government says that if councils introduce an Article 4 Direction with less than 12 months’ notice, they will liable to pay compensation to anyone who applies and is refused permission or has planning permission granted, but has conditions put on this. This is the approach being suggested at Thanet, after research by Leeds City Council suggested it could end up facing compensation claims of between £1.5 million and £3 million for the 12 month period.

Cllr. Simon Moores, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, said: “The amount of houses in multiple occupation has been a concern in Thanet for many years. Sadly, all too often, many of them are in poor condition, with those living in them suffering as a result. With cheap rents charged on such properties, we’re used to seeing vulnerable people coming into Thanet, adding to the drain on our resources, which are already under pressure in the current economic climate. Our private sector housing team spends much of their time tackling problems at HMOs, particularly in Cliftonville West. The last thing we need is even more opening up, which is why it’s important we use any tools we can in the planning process to help stem the spread of HMOs.”

The Cabinet agreed that the report should go forward to the next meeting of full Council on Thursday 16 December, with a recommendation that the meeting should agree to imposing new planning rules in 12 months’ time.

SHADOW UPDATE - 10/12/2010

(10/12/2010)

Labour Shadow Team comments & questions for Friday afternoons TDC Cabinet meeting.

INTRODUCTION - Labour Group Leader - Cllr. Clive Hart.
This meeting was originally scheduled for last Thursday 2nd December at 7pm but was postponed due to weather conditions.
Cllr Richard Nicholson, our Shadow Member for Regeneration was unfortunately unable to attend this late rescheduled (early afternoon) meeting so at times I spoke on his behalf and asked some of his questions.
Cllr. Clive Hart - Phone: 01843 298770
_______________________________
AGENDA ITEM 4 - PETITION TO COUNCIL - ALLOTMENT FUNDING FOR IMPROVEMENTS
Cllr Alan Poole - Shadow Cabinet Deputy Leader & Shadow Member for Environmental Services.
I am pleased to note that the Petition Organiser is satisfied that all the agreed work has been undertaken.

However, I am not too sure from the dialogue whether all the money from the sale of Manston Road site has been allocated for allotment improvements. The dialogue implies that there is a residual amount of money that will go in to the general fund.

Can you explain this please as I feel all the money from the sale of the Manston Road allotments should go towards improving our allotments?

Cllr. Alan Poole - Phone: 01843 602594
________________________________
AGENDA ITEM 5 - RAMSGATE HARBOUR, "YACHT VALLEY", INTERREG BID.
Cllr Clive Hart - Leader of the Opposition.
Who is the TDC member representative on the Steering Committee?
Also who is the officer representing TDC on this?
If this goes forward we enter into a “partnership Agreement. If this does not go ahead for whatever reason, what is plan B?
ANSWERS
TDC Committee Members - Cllr Latchford, the Director of Regeneration & the Port Manager.
As for plan B - told 'wait until we know in February'.
Cllr. Clive Hart - Phone: 01843 298770

Cllr. Richard Nicholson - Phone: 01843 580057
______________________________________
AGENDA ITEM 8 - HALF YEAR CORPORATE PERFORMANCE PACK
Cllr Clive Hart - Leader of the Opposition & Shadow Cabinet Member for Finance.
Two matters - both on Theme 2 - Safe Neighbourhoods.
Firstly, can we please be informed of the exact situation regarding ward PACT (Partners & Communities Together) meetings? We understand these meetings have varied in effectiveness across Thanet but we are very concerned about ending any of them. If any are to be ended, what will take their place? Will we return to Local Management Boards?
Secondly, can someone please explain the following 'performance measures' chart on page 103 of the report?
Number of forums held. Target 0. Actual 0. Action delivered.
% of people with no issues (police hand held survey). Target 56%. Actual ? Action delivered.
Average number of residents attending each open forum. Target 0. Actual 0. Action delivered.
Number of months to completion. Target 6. Actual 6. Action delivered.
Amount spent so far. Target £0. Actual £0. Action delivered.
Further expenditure expected. Target £0. Actual £0. Action delivered.
Total expediture forecast. Target £0. Actual £0. Action delivered.
Project stage. Target - in progress. Actual - in progress. Action delivered.
Cllr. Clive Hart - Phone: 01843 298770
_______________________________
AGENDA ITEM 9 - LOCAL TRANSPORT PLAN FOR KENT
Cllr Iris Johnston - Shadow Member for Community Services.
As a member of the Local Travel Forum I ask that the Cabinet honour TDC's commitment to supporting local public transport particularly in relation to bus services.

Thanet residents are still struggling with changes to a number of bus routes which prevent them from easily accessing the doctors surgery at the Limes in Trinity Square and also availing of the number 9 at Tivoli Road.

Petitions have been presented and it continues to be my view that TDC have a responsibility to take care of ALL of our residents well being. Many who need these services are elderly and the Ruling group have not been proactive in getting these problems resolved. I have yet to see Cllr Wells at a Travel Forum but do appreciate the attendance of TDC Officer Colin Fitt.

There are similar issues at Westgate and Garlinge which have been brought to KCC and TDC's attention on many occasions.Only in the run up to elections does anyone take a brief notice.

I would ask Cabinet to advise KCC of their responsibilities in ensuring all petitions are treated with respect and properly acted upon in a timely fashion. We should also support a Safer and Healthier Community and properly tackle climate change by encouraging public transport use.
Cllr. Iris Johnston: 01843 299207
ITEM 9 CONTINUED - Cllr Clive Hart - Leader of the Opposition.
At the last KCC Local Board a KCC officer stated how the plans for the so called “Parkway Station” were progressing well. To the amusement of all local residents, when asked where this station would be sited, he could only reply he had no idea!
We ask again where this station will be?
Also the document talks of the parkway station being central to the plan and how KCC are working with Network Rail to potentially reduce the time from London to Ramsgate by another 10 minutes, well so far so good. But is this reduction to the parkway Station? If so, travellers are 10 mins away in any case. Or if not, when the parkway station comes on stream, never probably, will the journey time to Ramsgate from London still be the 10 mins shorter?
Basically we cannot understand how an extra station can be inserted into the route, with all the delay that slowing down, stopping, restarting and speeding up again, can possibly save ten minutes in the journey from London to Ramsgate.
At paragraph 8.6 on page 131 we (Labour) call for 'Growth Without Gridlock' and the proposed budget allocation of 45%.
I see that at paragraph 1.4 on page 127 residents clearly see road congestion at Westwood Cross as a major concern and that at the very top of the chart on page 128 at paragraph 3 it also clearly shows 'Tackling Congestion' as a priority for 'Growth Without Gridlock'. I note that the congestion at Westwood is even mentioned in the recommendation at paragraph 9.1 on page 131.
It appears that the Director of Regeneration Services certainly understands what congestion is and I note from comments made in the press that you leader may be changing your position on comments you made at the last Joint Transportation Board meeting concerning congestion.
Cllr. Clive Hart - Phone: 01843 298770
Cllr. Richard Nicholson - Phone: 01843 580057
______________________________________
AGENDA ITEM 13 - NEW SWIMMING POOL & SPA, RAMSGATE SPORTS CENTRE
Cllr Alan Poole - Shadow Cabinet Deputy Leader & Shadow Member for Environmental Services.
I welcome the news that Ramsgate is at last getting a new swimming pool. The current Ramsgate Pool has been ‘passed its sell by date’ for a quite a few years.

I would like to know why it has taken so long for this proposal to surface as the plans for a new pool were ready in 2002 when Labour last controlled the Council. It would have been considerably cheaper then. I believe it would have cost £2m then but the cost now is nearly double at £3.84m.

Why was the option to borrow the money not considered much sooner? You have had eight years to get your act together. I cannot believe for one moment that its appearance now has anything to do with the 2011 local government elections? Would I be correct in this assumption?

I would like your assurance that only the footprint of the current pool and car park is to be redeveloped at some later date. I note the report does say this but the attached drawing does not make it clear what actual area is being considered. I support the intention to make the decision at a later date when a full range of options can be considered. I would like to make it very clear that I cannot support any development that includes the whole site as shown in the drawing.

I am disappointed to learn that some Conservatives on Ramsgate Town Council are against this scheme. The residents of Ramsgate have waited long enough for a new swimming pool and going back to the drawing board with re-builds and 50m pools shows a complete lack of reality.

Cllr. Alan Poole - Phone: 01843 602594
Published by Thanet Labour Group Press Office - 44 Northdown Road, Margate, CT9 2RW.

SUCCESS FOR PLANNING POLICIES IN CLIFTONVILLE

New research shows planning policies to resist further one bedroom flats, bedsits and houses in multiple occupation in Cliftonville are working.

The annual monitoring report of the Local Development Framework looks at how well the policies that were saved from the Local Plan were implemented from April 2009 to March 2010.

For the first time, the target of no planning applications in the Cliftonville West Renewal Area containing an element of one bed flats, bedsits and houses in multiple occupation has been met. This follows the adoption of the Cliftonville Development Plan Document, which restricts this type of accommodation in the area.

Elsewhere in the report, there was more good news, with 88 empty properties brought back into use, 41 of these were within Cliftonville West ward. 96% of new homes in the district were built on previously developed land, exceeding the 70% target in the 2006 Local Plan, while 196 affordable homes were provided, more than double the amount in the previous year. Again, this significantly exceeded the target set.

Shop and commercial vacancy rates in Margate and Ramsgate town centres increased, although the figure decreased in Broadstairs. The report also found that Thanet has an adequate supply of house building land. Over the twelve month period covered by the report, 520 new homes were completed, compared to a requirement of 375.

Cllr. Roger Latchford, Cabinet Member for Economic Development and Regeneration, said: “Thanet has a fantastic environment, and many historic areas we must protect and keep, but there are some particular local problems we simply must address. The introduction of planning policy, much of which is unique to Thanet, has proved to be a success and this report highlights that. Thanks to the specific policies we have in place for Cliftonville West, no plans came forward for bedsits, one bedroom flats or houses in multiple occupation in that area during 2009/10. That’s undoubtedly good news for the area, as these types of accommodation can frustrate our efforts to restore confident and settled communities. I’m also encouraged to see how many affordable homes are being delivered in the district and how many empty properties are being brought back into use. Both are being achieved thanks to the hard work and dedication of council officers. The increase in shop and commercial vacancy rates in Margate and Ramsgate is disappointing to see, but the council is doing everything it can to encourage trade in both towns.”

The report was agreed today (Friday 10 December) by the council’s Cabinet and will now be submitted to the government.

Laura Highlights the Wonders of East Kent and calls for greater emphasis on out of season tourism

Calling for Out of Season Marketing for our Seaside Towns

In the Debate yesterday on Seaside Towns and tourism Laura was joined by a range of MPs who were calling for a greater focus on out of season marketing of tourism.

“It is crucial that we extend our tourism season to support our local businesses, secure additional jobs and showcase that we are not just a location for the summer sunny months,” said Laura. “I was also able to showcase what Thanet has to offer to ensure that the Minister realised that we are one of the premier locations in England.”

“There are three key measures that I put to the Minister – greater marketing out of season for our seaside towns, investigate the opportunities that a social tourism scheme would offer us nationally and also to support the Daylight Saving Bill that would give us one more hour in the evening and boost tourism by £3.5 billion. We need a step change in perceptions about our seaside towns and very much hope that there will be progress soon.”

COUNCIL CHRISTMAS OPENING HOURS

Details of Thanet District Council’s opening hours over the Christmas and New Year period have been announced.

Thanet’s Gateway Plus at Cecil Street, Margate will be open as usual until 8pm on Thursday 23 December but will close at 4pm on Christmas Eve for the Christmas holiday.

The council telephone switchboard will close at 4pm on Friday 24 December, while the Ramsgate District Office closes at 12.30pm on the same day. Both will re-open at 8.45am on Tuesday 4 January 2011.

If you have an emergency while the council offices are shut, please call 01707 290270 for the housing repairs out of hours service or 01843 292442 for any other emergency.

The Crematorium office will be open as normal on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 December, but will be closed on Friday 31 December. The grounds and remembrance chapel at the crematorium and Margate and Ramsgate cemeteries will be open as usual.

The Visitor Information Centre in Margate will be open on its winter opening schedule of Tuesday to Saturday from 10am to 5pm, including Christmas Eve, when it will close for the Christmas break, re-opening at 10am on Tuesday 4 January 2011.

Whilst the main offices are closed, the Gateway will be open for a reduced range of services from 9am to 6pm on Wednesday 29 and Thursday 30 December, but will close at 4pm on New Year’s Eve (Friday 31 December), re-opening with usual opening hours from Tuesday 4 January 2011.

FORMER MARGATE HOTEL LISTED

A former hotel in Margate, originally built as a coffee tavern for teetotalers in the nineteenth century, has been listed.

The former “Man of Kent” Temperance Hotel at 186-188 High Street, Margate has been designated as a Grade II building for historical and architectural interest and for the materials used, particularly the colourful tile-work, which is described as being of “high artistic quality and unusual subject matter.”

It’s believed that the building was built as a coffee tavern in the early 1880s and was associated with the Temperance movement. This condemned alcohol and the societies set up as part of the Temperance movement wanted places where they could meet in a teetotal environment. The fact it was called a hotel may mean that rooms could have been available for teetotal travellers.

The front of the Man of Kent features several panels of decorative tile work, which are believed to have been made by Maw and Co., a highly regarded tile manufacturer. The tile work features floral motifs and Oriental figures and expert analysis suggests that they were designed by Owen Gibbons, a ceramic designer, who helped on the interior schemes for the Victoria and Albert Museum in London.

The building may have been designed to copy the appearance of pubs of the time to help tempt people away from pubs. This may explain the decorative tile work, which represents harvesting and drinking, as opposed to alcohol, and the grand scale of the building.

The assessment report from English Heritage describes buildings associated with the Temperance movement as being “relatively rare and should be given serious consideration where they survive.”

Cllr. Simon Moores, Cabinet Member for Customer Services and Regulatory Services, said: “Margate is already home to many historic and listed buildings and it’s good news to see another one added to that list. The former Man of Kent hotel certainly has a fascinating history to it and it’s clear to see why it was such a good candidate for becoming a listed building.”

GIVE YOUR VIEWS IN CLIFTONVILLE CLEAN SWEEP

You can discuss your concerns about crime and anti-social behaviour, as part of the next Operation Clean Sweep in Cliftonville.

The SOS trailer will be parked outside Blockbuster at 193-197 Northdown Road on Wednesday 15 December from 9am to 4pm.

The council’s community safety team will be joined by officers from Kent Police and the Kent Fire and Rescue Service, who will be able to offer crime prevention and fire safety advice. You can also give ideas to the team of future locations for Clean Sweep operations and problems that need tackling there.

Cllr. Chris Wells, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “Operation Clean Sweep continues to bring some excellent results from every location that it visits. The officers that take part in it have a good wealth of knowledge about problem areas to tackle, but we can always learn from local knowledge. It’s also a good opportunity for people to discuss any issues they have with either crime or anti-social behaviour in their area with people who can help them.”

If you would like any further information about the SOS trailer or if you have any issues that need tackling in future Clean Sweeps, please call 01843 577737.

PLANS IN FOR NEW WESTWOOD CROSS RETAIL UNIT

A planning application has been submitted for a new two-storey retail unit at Westwood Cross.

The application is for a non-food store, totalling 6,500 square metres split over two floors, comparable in size to the existing larger stores at Westwood. It would be located next door to TK Maxx. The store is expected to bring 150 jobs to the area, according to information submitted by the applicants.

The plans would see the new store being built on the existing car park, although 137 new parking spaces would be provided, as part of the development, accessed from Antolin Way. This is similar to the number of spaces being lost from the existing car park.

The application is within the Westwood Cross town centre and the majority of the site is allocated for retail use. A small section of the site, where the new car park is being built, is on employment land, previously used by Grupo Antolin.

The applicant has included information showing how this development would fit into possible future redevelopment in the surrounding area. This information includes a relocated Sainsbury’s store on part of the former Grupo Antolin site and vacant land next to New Haine Road, additional retail and restaurants, as well as a new road linking Antolin Way and Margate Road. These do not form part of the current application being considered. However, the applicant states that these plans are to be part of a separate planning application which is to be submitted in the future.

Details of the application are available on the council's website using UK Planning under reference 10/1005. The plans can also be viewed by visiting Thanet's Gateway Plus in Cecil Street, Margate from 9am to 6pm, Monday to Friday, with extended opening until 8pm on Thursdays. Thanet's Gateway Plus is also open from 9am to 5pm on Saturdays. The Gateway will have different opening hours for Christmas between Thursday 24 December and Monday 3 January.

The deadline for comments to be received is Friday 7 January 2011. Comments should be sent to planning.services@thanet.gov.uk The application will be considered by the council’s Planning Committee early in 2011.

VOTE FOR YOUR FAVOURITE MARGATE PHOTO

Nearly 400 photos have been entered into the This is Margate photography competition and now it’s down to the public to decide the winners.

The panel of judges, which included top international Magnum photographer Martin Parr, each chose their favourite photograph from the six competition themes and now the public can vote on the final 30 photographs.

You can only vote for one photo in each of the six categories, which are:
1. Margate’s heritage, icons and traditions e.g. buildings, personalities, food, seaside entertainment
2. A secret Margate e.g. Margate’s little known places and hidden gems
3. Active Margate e.g. watersports, cycling, walking, fishing and more
4. Natural Margate e.g. nature, coast, wildlife and ecology
5. Creative Margate e.g. what inspires arts and culture in the town
6. My Margate e.g. what’s your Margate?

You can either vote online at www.thisismargate.co.uk or in person at a display of the 30 shortlisted photos at the Tudor House, Margate on Saturday 11 and Sunday 12 December between 12pm and 4pm. Public voting closes at midday on Wednesday 15 December.

One of the other judges was Derek Harding, Programme Director of Margate Renewal Partnership. He was impressed with the standard of photos entered into the competition. "It’s been great to see such a huge response to this competition from the public. So many different people from so many different places made the effort to come to Margate and take some amazing shots. We've seen a real selection of different photographs that show the wonderful and diverse attributes that Margate has. Now it’s up to the public to help us decide the winners.”

The winning photographs will be announced at a VIP judging event at the Tudor House, Margate on Monday 20 December by the guest judge, international photographer Martin Parr, who will also present the prizes to the winners.

The panel of judges also included Laura Ford, artist and trustee of Turner Contemporary, Lynnette Clark, Marketing Manger for Visit Kent and Cllr. Mick Tomlinson, Mayor of Margate. For more information about Martin Parr, visit www.martinparr.com

IMMIGRATION BACK UNDER CONTROL

Immigration was one of the biggest issues on the door step during the election. Weak borders, lax immigration rules, ineffective enforcement all resulting in significant increases in migration to the UK that was unsustainable.
And we were clear about our commitment to address this system that was out of control. The Coalition has introduced the first annual limit on non EU migrants that will strictly control the number of people coming here to work. A limit of 21,000 has been placed for those with skills or exceptional skills, and transfers within companies will be limited to those earning more than £40,000. This is to ensure that it is only those with exceptional talents are able to come and work in the UK.
These are really important measures to bring back some common sense to our immigration policies and ensure that we respond to the difficulties that unabated immigration has caused.
But in Thanet we do have to get the balance right. Our wonderful English Language schools were very badly hit by the disproportionate regulations that the last government imposed on them restricting numbers and hitting our local economy. Our language schools not only employ many local people but also provide extra income for the many families who welcome the students into their homes during their courses and our high streets benefit from the extra trade out of season.
Roger Gale and I have been pushing for the Home Office to recognise that our local language schools – that are some of the best in the country – do not represent the risk to illegal migration that many others do. We have lobbied to ensure that their high standards are recognised and that the students coming to support our local economy are welcomed as being an important part of our local economy.

EARLY CLOSURE FOR COUNCIL OFFICES

Severe winter weather has hit Thanet District Council’s services, with all council offices closing early for a second day running.

Thanet’s Gateway Plus in Margate, which was due to be open until 6pm this evening, will now be closing at 3pm today (Friday 3 December) instead. It will re-open for business tomorrow morning (Saturday 4 December) at 9am.

All other council offices, including the main offices in Cecil Street, Margate and the council’s telephone switchboard will also be closing early at 3pm today, as opposed to 5pm.

Chief Executive Richard Samuel said: “A lot of our staff have struggled into work over the last two days to ensure that our services keep running and I’d like to thank all our staff who have made that effort. We know that it’s been difficult for many of them to get into the various offices we have and we want to ensure that they’re able to get home safely again. A number of our staff have walked in and the pavements are still very slippery, so we want to give them a chance to get home before it gets dark. That’s why we’ve taken the decision to close early today.”

Refuse collections have already been suspended in Thanet for the second day running, due to the icy conditions.

Wherever possible, staff have been helping Kent County Council to clear roads and pavements, using sand from the area’s beaches. For full details of the gritting service being provided in Thanet, please visit Kent County Council’s website at www.kent.gov.uk or call 08458 247 247.

WASTE COLLECTIONS SUSPENDED FOR THE DAY

Waste and recycling collections in Thanet have been completely suspended for the second day running (Friday 3 December) due to exceptionally icy conditions.

Once again, as happened yesterday (Thursday 2 December), the council’s team of refuse collectors were able to get into the council’s depot, but it was impossible to get any of the fleet of trucks out. The council will instead try and use four by four wheeled vehicles to collect any black sacks that are out and in danger of splitting open.

If you are on a wheeled bin collection and were due to have your waste or recycling collected yesterday or today, please keep your bin outside. The council’s refuse crews will try to get out to people from early next week, as soon as weather allows.

There are only a few black sack and no blue recycling bag collections due today. If you were due for a collection today, please keep your black sacks inside and put it out on your normal waste collection day next week. With paper and cardboard collections, please take these inside and keep them until the next scheduled collection.

Mark Seed, Director of Environmental Services, said: “Our crews were at our depot early this morning, waiting to see if they could get out on collections today. However, the conditions are simply too dangerous to risk using any of our freighters, even the smaller ones. Sadly, despite our patience, the conditions are showing no sign of improving, so we’ve had no choice but to suspend collections for the second day running.”

Council teams spent the day yesterday trying to keep the area as safe as possible. The council’s tractor unit was out helping Kent County Council, who are responsible for gritting the roads, by clearing the entrance roads around Margate fire station and the QEQM Hospital, as well as some bus stops. This work will continue today.

A large group of drivers, street sweepers and refuse loaders cleared the road into, and the public areas around the Crematorium, so that funerals could continue. The grounds maintenance team spread a total of around 10 tons of a salt and sand mixture in town centres, while town centre street cleaners concentrated on ensuring litter bins were emptied.

Latest updates on disruption to collections are available on the council’s website at www.thanet.gov.uk and by calling 01843 577115. For full details of the gritting service being provided in Thanet, please visit Kent County Council’s website at www.kent.gov.uk or call 08458 247 247.

WEATHER DISRUPTS COUNCIL SERVICES

Severe winter weather has hit a number of Thanet District Council’s services, with Thanet’s Gateway Plus and the council offices closing by mid afternoon.

Waste and recycling collections have already been suspended today (Thursday 2 December). Thanet’s Gateway Plus, which was due to be open until 8pm tonight, as it is every Thursday night, will now be closing at 2pm instead. It is planned that it will re-open at 9am tomorrow morning (Friday 3 December) as usual.

The council offices in Margate and the telephone switchboard will also close early at 3pm, as opposed to 5.30pm and will re-open at 8.45am tomorrow morning.

Tonight’s planned Cabinet meeting, due to take place at 7pm, has been cancelled. It will now be re-arranged for next week (week commencing Monday 6 December), although no date has yet been set.

The area’s car parks remain open and council staff are attempting to visit as many as they can to grit the car parks. The council’s tractor unit has been out today, helping Kent County Council by clearing snow away from the Crematorium, the road by Margate fire station and the entrance roads around the QEQM Hospital.

Council teams using salt supplies from Kent County Council are out trying to keep pavements clear around doctors’ surgeries and chemists and in the main high streets in Birchington, Minnis Bay, Westgate, Broadstairs, Ramsgate, Northdown Road, Margate and Minster. They have also been working at Margate Cemetery and Crematorium.

Road gritting is the responsibility of Kent County Council. For full details of the gritting service being provided in Thanet, please visit Kent County Council’s website at www.kent.gov.uk or call 08458 247 247.

Although some of the area’s main public toilets have been open today, they are being closed early today from 2pm onwards.

WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTIONS SUSPENDED

Waste and recycling collections in Thanet have been suspended today (Thursday 2 December) following overnight snow.

Although crews were able to make it into the council’s depot, it was too dangerous to get the refuse freighters out, following heavy snow in the early hours of the morning. The freezing temperatures have turned the layers beneath the snow into ice, causing vehicles to skid dangerously, while the footpaths are exceptionally treacherous.

The council’s tractor has been out and cleared the access to the crematorium and its car park and will be now be trying to help Kent County Council by clearing areas, such as town centres.

Mark Seed, Director of Environmental Services, said: “Although our staff have been able to get into work, the problem is getting our trucks out on the road to do the collections. We have 26 ton vehicles and once those start to skid on an icy road, it’s almost impossible to stop them. The last thing the council wants is an accident and, in this weather, we simply can’t take that risk. Our freighters also have to collect from side roads, which are often not cleared of snow and can be exceptionally dangerous. We will do everything we can to get the collections back on track as quickly as possible when the weather improves, and the fact that our crews working as usual during the Christmas week this year, including Bank Holidays, should help.”

If you are on a wheeled bin collection and were due to have your waste or recycling collected today, please keep your bin outside. The council’s refuse crews will try to get out to people, as soon as weather allows.

For those on black sack or blue recycling bag collections, please take them in to stop animals or seagulls attacking them. Please do not leave them outside overnight. Please put your bags back out for collection from 6am each day. Priority will be given to collecting black sacks, as soon as services resume.

With paper and cardboard collections, please take these inside and keep them until the next scheduled collection.

Latest updates on disruption to collections are available on the council’s website at www.thanet.gov.uk and by calling 01843 577115.

GET BACK ON THE NIGHT BUS THIS CHRISTMAS

The night bus is returning to Thanet this Christmas to help ensure those enjoying the festivities get home safely after a night out.

The bus will be back on the road on Friday 10 December, Friday 17 December, Friday 24 December (Christmas Eve) and Friday 31 December (New Year’s Eve).

The bus will circle Thanet five times during the evening, with the first bus departing at 11pm from Ramsgate Harbour. The bus will then leave the harbour again at midnight, 1am and 2am, with the final departure at 3am. It will follow a route taking people along Boundary Road through to Queens Road in Broadstairs, Northdown Road in Cliftonville and Cecil Square in Margate. The bus then travels on an extended route to Westgate, stopping at the Hussar Hotel in Garlinge, and Birchington Square, before heading past Manston and then back to Ramsgate Harbour along the London Road. The bus will only stop if people are waiting at the stops or if someone rings the bell to request the stop.

Depending how busy the bus is, it may run slightly late, but will never leave a stop before the designated times, which are:

Ramsgate
On the hour

Broadstairs
Quarter past the hour

Northdown Road, Cliftonville
Twenty past the hour

Margate
Twenty five past the hour

Westgate
Half past the hour

Birchington
Twenty five to the hour

Prices are fixed at £2.00 per person, wherever you go for one journey. The bus is a hail and ride service, which means that you can flag the bus down anywhere along the route and it will stop, so long as it is safe to do so.

The money to put on the service, which was first successfully trialled in the summer of 2009, has come from Kent Police and the service is being operated by Eastonways. There will be a police presence on the bus, if anyone has any concerns around their night out.

Cllr. Chris Wells, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “It’s great to see the night bus returning to Thanet, thanks to funding from the police. The area has a thriving nightlife and we want to provide a cheap and easy way of getting home, so that people won’t be tempted to walk home. When it last ran in summer 2009, the night bus proved to be a great success, helping to reduce violence and criminal damage. In total, there were 126 less violent incidents in Thanet, which is an excellent result.”

For more information, look out for the posters at bus stops and wallet sized cards in local pubs, visit http://www.thanetcommunitysafety.org.uk/ or search ‘Thanet Community Safety Partnership’ on Facebook.

GARAGE CHECKS HIGHLIGHT ISSUES

Checks of vehicle repair companies in Thanet have revealed a variety of issues, with a total of 10 notices served.

The inspections were carried out as part of a Kent wide health and safety crackdown, looking at businesses that repair vehicles, fit tyres and exhausts, MOT stations and spray shops.

To date, 20 premises have been visited in Thanet and, during those visits, a total of nine notices and one prohibition notice have been served. The prohibition notice was served for unguarded work equipment.

Problems found include:
Businesses not having an asbestos survey or system for managing asbestos.
Poorly constructed or maintained electrical systems or unsafe wiring.
No extraction system for carbon dioxide emissions.
Unguarded or unsafe machinery.
No evidence of maintenance of vehicle hoists
General untidiness, which has included issues such as failing to keep floors clear from obstructions or spillages.

Throughout Kent, a total of 172 visits were carried out by officers from local authorities and the Health and Safety Executive. A total of 85 notices were served.

Cllr. Chris Wells, Cabinet Member for Community Services, said: “These inspections have highlighted a range of issues at some of the premises we visited and shows that we have targeted the right industry. While there have undoubtedly been some examples of good practice, sadly that’s not been the case everywhere, with a number of places operating well below the required standard. Where there are problems, our officers will be returning to ensure that standards have improved. This is something the council takes seriously, particularly when you consider that, in the last five years, there have been 24 deaths and over 8,000 injuries in the vehicle repair industry in this country. Anything we can do to stop that figure increasing in Thanet has to be a good thing.”

collections update - need help getting message out to residents

HELP US TO HELP YOU WITH WASTE COLLECTIONS

Please put your wheeled bins and black sacks out as usual today (Wednesday 1 December) – that’s the message from Thanet District Council.

Waste and recycling collections are continuing across the district today, despite the icy conditions, with crews working to provide a normal service. Residents are being warned that collections may take longer than usual, as crews deal with slippery roads in some parts of Thanet.

However, the biggest problem the teams are finding is that some people are not putting their wheeled bins or black sacks out for collection. Crews are reporting that, on a number of roads that are due to have collections today, nothing has been put out.

To check if your waste and recycling is due for collection today, visit http://www.thanet.gov.uk/databases/refuse/

Other parts of the council are pitching in to help keep the area moving, with the grounds maintenance team clearing snow and slush away from pavements yesterday (Tuesday 30 November). They will be out again today (Wednesday 1 December), focusing on the busiest areas in Thanet, such as town centres and outside doctors’ surgeries.

WASTE AND RECYCLING COLLECTIONS CONTINUING

Waste and recycling collections in Thanet are continuing today (Wednesday 1 December), despite the icy conditions.

The situation remains the same as yesterday (Tuesday 30 November), with residents being asked to put their wheeled bins or black bags out for collection as usual today. However, although the council’s refuse crews are already out on their usual rounds, collections today may take longer than usual.

For full details of your collection dates for waste and recycling, visit http://www.thanet.gov.uk/databases/refuse/

Other parts of the council pitched in yesterday to help keep the area moving, with the grounds maintenance team spending the day removing snow and slush away from pavements. They were focusing on the busiest areas, such as town centres.