Conservative parking claims

-by Cllr. Iris Johnston, Cabinet member for Community Services

    

Contrary to recent Tory claims the proposed consultation on parking was not a 'Conservative' inspired paper but part of the annual requirement to review Parking ( Parking Policy Transport Plan 2005 to 2011 Chapter 13).

The paper prepared by Mark Richardson and dated 13th December was for the Senior Officer Management Team led by Dr McGonigal. The next stage would be to inform the Leader and Cabinet of any changes and ask for their input. The report would come to Cabinet where all members have an opportunity to comment and ward councillors especially would have individual meetings in all our towns. The Public will be very much involved once Cabinet endorse the final document. This is likely to be in March and finalised in June.

When Labour last controlled Thanet Council (from 1995 to 2003) this was common practice and a series of public meetings on Parking were held around the Island so that everyone had an opportunity to be fully involved. I would want to reintroduce this.

I have absolutely NO evidence that Councillor Wells or any other member of the Conservative Party WROTE the report and one would not have expected them to do so. The dates and timing are important. Mr Richardson's discussion document  for Senior Management team is dated 13th December, Councilor Wells lost his Cabinet  position on the 9th. when I replaced him.

Although I find the document to be thorough, it was produced before the Mary Portus report and should take her points on Town Centres into consideration. 

 I also  now await the Senior Officer Team's considered  response before I ask for the paper to be taken to Cabinet.  

Iris Johnston 01843 299207

NOTE:

1. For the record I understand Mr Richardson shared his ideas with his then Cabinet member Councillor Wells and Cllr Bruce on the 23rd November. They made up a 'two man' working party and it would appear this is the only date the three met to discuss the  proposed document.

Objectionable Conservative Behaviour

The Labour Group in Thanet says the objectionable online behaviour of Conservative candidate Payam Tamiz is not the first time the local Tories have been shown to lack scruples.

Mr Tamiz has stood down after making offensive comments on Facebook about young women in Thanet and killer Raoul Moat.

Tory Leader and Leader of TDC, Bob Bayford said he had spoken to Mr Tamiz after being told of the comments but that he had left it for him to decide how to respond.

We believe Bob Bayford made a serious error of judgement and that he should have insisted on Mr. Tamiz’ immediate resignation.

Local Labour group spokeswoman Iris Johnston says: "This follows a string of unfortunate incidents for the Tories.  Their former leader Sandy Ezekiel was reprimanded by the Standards Committee after threatening the then Mayor of Margate at a civic function; a Thanet Tory Councillor was forced to resign when it was discovered he was living in Panama and receiving his Councillor’s allowance (although the Tories argued for a year that he could do the job over the internet by email) and another Thanet Tory Councillor was imprisoned after being repeatedly caught drinking and driving.

This is a party with very questionable standards of behaviour and voters really need to be asking themselves on May 5 if these are the kind of people they want running their District.

The Tories are not only pulling the rug out from under local communities by slashing local services and making cuts that go too far and too fast, but they also do not seem to understand what is acceptable behaviour and what is not."

The people of Thanet, who are facing massive job losses through knee jerk cuts from Central Government, deserve a Council that fights for them. Labour must win on May 5th to bring back some decency and confidence to Thanet.

Thanet Labour Leader Clive Hart said "A key part in the 'Bringing Back the Pride' section of our Labour manifesto is to insist on Criminal Records Bureau Checks for all councillors”.