Friday 15 February 2013

Open letter to Councillor Poole

Dear Councillor Poole
I am writing to you about your e-mail to a Ramsgate resident concerning the Pleasurama meeting held on Wednesday 6 February at the Belgian Café Ramsgate. Your e-mail says
“I would like to put the record straight.........I arrived after the start of the Belgium Bar meeting with Cllr Driver in full flow expounding his usual misinformation and half-truths. This is why I intervened with my 'rubbish' comment. I was referring to what Cllr Driver was saying. I was not referring to the residents and apologise if this was the impression given”.
Your recollection of events is wrong. I did not speak at the meeting until AFTER you had spoken. My opening remarks when I did speak were in response to your outrageous statement that people at the meeting were “talking rubbish”.
The meeting was filmed by the BBC and TV choice. It is clear from their  footage that your comments about “talking rubbish” were directed at the people attending the meeting. The footage also shows that I spoke AFTER you. There were over 80 people at the meeting. Many of them have posted on Facebook and contacted me privately to confirm that I spoke AFTER you.
I can only assume that you have told a deliberate lie in order to avoid blame for your arrogant abuse of Ramsgate residents who have genuine and deep-seated concerns about the Pleasurama development.
I am also rather mystified about your claim that I am peddling half-truths and misinformation about the Pleasurama development. When the BBC challenged you about this claim you ended up agreeing with what I had said!
The transcript of this interview has been widely published including todays Thanet Gazette.
Finally, I am extremely concerned that you appear totally determined to push through the Pleasurama development come what may. You have attacked ridiculed and insulted people who oppose the project. You have accused people of spreading half-truths and misinformation which when challenged about, you are unable to substantiate. Now you tell lies to extract yourself a difficult situation.
Frankly I do not think you are a fit and proper person to oversee the Pleasurama development as you seem incapable of viewing it objectively.
Perhaps you should consider you position.
 
Ian Driver (Councillor)

9 comments:

  1. Councillor Poole is just one of the old guard, deperately trying to protect his party's reputation. Driver's the only one intent on exposing the truth.

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  2. If the public wanted handbags, they'd go to Westwood Cross...

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  3. Not sure of what you are trying to say James. Poole wouldn't recognise a scandal if it jumped up and slapped him round the face. What he attempted to do and failed miserably, was to repeat something he had been told earlier. Trouble for Poole is, he doesn't understand the subject so it is impossible for him to put forward a sensible argument when he was put on the spot. He should always take his henchwoman with him to rescue him from being shown up for the idiot he is. I have never witnessed a situation where all the Labour Councillors are so stupid. It is embarrassing. Please God there surely has to be one amongst them with some brain cells.

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    1. Most Labour politicians in my experience are pretty light on grey matter, Anon, but I hardly think Driver is the next Mastermind winner nor do I trust his motives. If he is the best champion of the people Thanet can produce then heaven help us.

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    2. Unfortunately or not, that is the state of Thanet. Driver is the only effective opposition. Where oh where is the conservative opposition.

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    3. If Driver is your idea of effective I hate to think what you would find ineffective. Driver is about Driver, nothing else.

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    4. I am with you, Allan, for has Cllr Driver done anymore than Michael Child has been trying to do on this issue for years. Furthermore, Michael has backed up his postings and FOI requests with factual information rather than inuendo and bluster.

      For those thinking Driver is fighting your battle here, remember he has previously kicked off storm in a teacup rants about the closure of our Margate A & E, the Broadstairs Broadway Practice and contraventions of employment law at Thanet Earth, now all forgotten or found to be without substance. He also supported wasting council time on the Equal Mattiage debate although outside of TDC remit.

      TDC may leave much to be desired, but is the alternative offered by Driver what you really want. I have lived in a loony left administration area before where taxpayers money was wasted on nuclear free zone signs and councillor jollies to the then Soviet block, a West Indian Women's Club was acceptable, and given funds, whereas The Harp Club was accused of racial prejudice for trying to restrict entry to folk of Irish origin, and the council spent most of its time ranting at the then Conservative central government rather than dealing with local affairs. Things could be worse.

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    5. Bayford would be the Tory version of ineffective? Or Gale? or Sandys? Or Gregory? Or Wells?

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    6. Rather a nonsensical tit for tat comment, Anon 16:40. This is not about whether Labour or Tories are right for Thanet, but what does Driver, once Militant, once Scargill's Real Labour, once Thanet Labour, once Thanet Independent Group and now just Independent have to offer. You will not find me debating with you over the limitations of the political classes or which is worse than another for I have myself often lamented the dire lack of leadership at all levels. Just, in this debate, should we look to Driver anymore than Poole. Having met both, I would be inclined to trust Poole before Driver.

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