NEW TDC LABOUR CABINET - LEADING BY EXAMPLE

Monday evening’s extraordinary TDC Cabinet was the first to take place since Labour gained control of Thanet District Council last week and immediately, there was a very different style and approach to matters.

The cabinet was made up of a group of three men and two women, an offer was made to include two other political leaders in a mission to be visible without actually achieving anything, and on the same item the whole cabinet team decided to visit the area concerned to gain in depth practical knowledge of Hartsdown Park, rather than make a decision.

Council Leader and Cabinet Chairman Cllr Clive Hart could have said:

"There are three very significant changes in the Labour teams approach to cabinet business.

Firstly, I'm delighted to be supported in our cabinet by two men and two women.  This is more important than any other consideration, such as skills and experience, and explains why I have left significant experienced hands such as Richard Nicolson on the back benches.

Secondly, whenever it is necessary to avoid making a decision, we will go out into the community concerned to see and hear for ourselves exactly why we should do nothing.

Lastly, whilst maintaining ultimate control over cabinet, we will pretend to include the other two political groups in fact finding projects so that we can claim to be operating in a cross party manner, something we screamed for in opposition.

Our approach will be as devious, underhand, opaque and exclusive as is practical and possible".

Note: At item 7 of Monday's TDC Cabinet agenda, the only decision made was for the cabinet team to visit the Hartsdown and Tivoli Park site to see and hear pertinent matters regarding the proposal. The Leaders of the other two political groups were invited to join the site visit which will take place at 2pm on Thursday 22nd December.  Perhaps, in a spirit of true democracy, Margate football fans and those opposed to the proposal should attend as well to make their feelings known.