Council Tax freeze for 2012-13

At the Full Council meeting of 23rd February 2012, plans to present a zero per cent increase in the Council tax for 2012-13 was agreed. As part of the Budget process the minority Labour administration, with support from other parties, had passed a zero per cent increase. This decision was then confirmed at the most recent meeting of Thanet District Council members.

Councillor Rick Everitt, Cabinet member for Financial Services, said “We recognise that whilst we prioritise local jobs and services, we also need to do all that we can to help hard-pressed families.”

“Our objective was a safe and sustainable budget that delivers the policies and aspirations of the Council as far as is possible within the current funding settlement. I am pleased that these proposals enabled us to present a budget that supports a zero Council Tax increase and I am glad that Full Council has again agreed this freeze for the next financial year. I am sure that residents will welcome the Council Tax freeze for another year, and we are committed to ensuring that we protect the resident of Thanet from the brunt of these cuts imposed by the Conservative led Government.”

NOTE

Since 2010 Thanet District Council has been subject to cuts in grant funding of 5.3% in the financial year 2011-12, and cuts of 16.9% in the financial year 2012-13.

Leader's report to Council (23/02/2012)

From Labour Leader Cllr Clive Hart

"Thank you Chairman

Since becoming leader I have had series of meetings with local business groups across Thanet and I'm pleased to say I have been made very welcome by all. Indeed, it is most heartening when the local business community send and post messages of support and thanks through the internet following such meetings.

I have been open and honest and have made it very clear at each and every one of these business meetings that we are a moderate centre left
administration that is elected by residents but share wholeheartedly the interests of local business. I understand the business community has developed very mixed feelings about dealings with this council in the past and we will do everything possible to rebuild their confidence in TDC. We truly want businesses to succeed and they appear to get that message loud and clear. Further meetings are planned and despite the
desperate national and international economic situation I am very optimistic for the future. I'm particularly optimistic regarding Ramsgate Port and Harbour where companies involved in renewable energy are establishing themselves along the shoreline in ever increasing numbers. 

Cllr Poole and I had an excellent meeting with the Principal at Thanet College, and I was pleased to see his enthusiastic response to that meeting also posted on the internet through Twitter. We were in firm agreement as to the need for a clear focus on training and skills.

Unemployment figures here in Thanet, particularly in relation to young people, are nothing less than appalling and statistics regarding family and child poverty in areas of Ramsgate, Margate and Cliftonville are truly shocking.

The voluntary sector is a key partner to TDC and I am constantly meeting with residents from all manner of organisations who desperately want to help the council in numerous ways. From heritage, arts, sport and culture through to improving the local street scene and staging events, these voluntary organisations do incredible work and this administration is doing everything it possibly can to help and support them in return. I get the overall impression the voluntary sector, particularly those in Ramsgate, have too often been marginalised and sidelined by TDC in the past. We will most certainly do all we can to correct that!

Cllr Johnston and I met with KCC and the Housing and Community Agency earlier this week and I am convinced that with the help of council officers we put forward an excellent case for further assistance with the Live Margate project.

I recently attended the Kent Forum at County Hall and I left council leaders from across Kent in absolutely no uncertainty as to the devastating effect the governments proposed welfare reforms, changes to housing rules and the forthcoming universal credit plans will have on our district. The 'perfect storm' is brewing and its eye will be centred well and truly here in Thanet if significant changes are not made to these drastic proposals! 

We now have a Labour led district council here in Thanet, working in partnership with a Conservative led county council on many crucial issues affecting our island and this too calls for a special kind of understanding. I was therefore delighted when I first became Leader, and in what was my very first communication from Paul Carter at KCC, he called for us to leave the politics out of our 'new' relationship. I couldn't agree more and I too made that very clear.

Anyone attending the recent GEEK 2012 Business Breakfast at the Winter Gardens will have noticed the excellent working relationship that I share with Kevin Lynes, the KCC Cabinet Member for Regeneration and Economic Development. This is particularly pleasing given that part of my role at TDC now oversees strategic development services in line with Kevin's county portfolio.

I recently met with the Cabinet Member for Customer and Communities at KCC, Mike Hill and I'm also delighted to say we saw absolutely eye to eye on future processes and procedures that should see TDC and KCC work much more closely together on local issues affecting Thanet. We also agreed to do that business in a far more balanced way than has been the case in the past.

Indeed, the very serious issues TDC and KCC face jointly here in Thanet call for frank no-nonsense dialogue that could well be enhanced through a more businesslike approach to matters, even if that means we have a slightly less cozy conversation than my predecessor may have been used to.

Paul Carter, Kevin Lynes and Mike Hill are old adversaries from my time at County Hall, but I truly believe we developed a healthy respect for each others views during what were much easier times for local government. I'm also convinced that we each and all accept the serious issues affecting Thanet are far too important to play politics with at Leadership level.

I'd like to finish by thanking my fellow councillors, the Chief Executive, the Senior Management Team and the army of officers and foot soldiers who have made the last ten weeks or so of my life a very interesting and rewarding time. I have to offer particular thanks to my PA who very subtly makes sure I do exactly what I'm supposed to do each and every day.

In a hung council I know exactly how precarious the position of Leader is and I know the only way I can hang on to this role is to give 100% day in day out and as long as you will have me as leader, that is what I intend to give to the role".

Standing by our manifesto commitments

From Cllr Clive Hart - Labour Leader of Thanet District Council (TDC).

Amendments to Special Responsibility Allowances (SRA's)

In line with our Thanet Labour manifesto commitment, I have asked the Democratic Services team at TDC to bring a report to council on the 23rd February reducing by 20% the Special Responsibility Allowances paid to some councillors. SRA's are additional allowances paid to myself as Leader, the Deputy Leader, Cabinet Members, Shadow Cabinet members and Chairs and Vice Chairs of committee's. At present, in our 'inclusively' hung council, these extra allowances are spread across all political parties.

If agreed by council, the money saved will be used to reinstate a 'Members Community Grant Scheme' for all 56 councillors to use to support voluntary and community groups in their wards across Thanet. Around two years ago the former Conservative administration scrapped the original scheme which used to support numerous voluntary and community groups and projects across the island. Our Labour plans will see funding reinstated at no extra cost to the ratepayer whatsoever - sum neutral!

Special Responsibility Allowances are paid to councillors who take on posts requiring extra workload and which carry extra responsibility. I know how very hard these councillors work and that the SRA's paid at present are already in relative terms, low pay.

However, we are a hung council and no political party has an overall majority. We need to work together and find new ways to solve our problems. In this instance I am therefore asking those councillors receiving SRA's to sacrifice 20% of their own allowance for the greater benefit of our local community.

Response to Laura Sandys MP

Thanet Labour decision is reasonable, proportionate and appropriate

 

By Cllr Clive Hart - Leader of Thanet District Council (TDC)

 

Let me be absolutely clear.

 

My decision to change the public consultation on night flights proposals at Manston follows legal advice given to the council which explains that at this stage, the proposals DO NOT require a planning application.  Just as importantly, the advice goes on to state that the council’s role is one of CONSULTEE ONLY and as such the council will not be in a position to make a binding decision on night time flying at this stage.

 

My Conservative predecessor Cllr Bob Bayford had already spent several months and tens of thousands of pounds on this process before Labour took control of the council. His plans would have seen the council spend around a further £50,000 of public money on consultants to run the consultation process his way. Cllr Bayford may have been content to use ratepayers hard earned cash in this way and apparently Laura Sandys would like us do the same, but Labour will do precisely what is reasonable, proportionate and appropriate.

 

As for Laura Sandys' accusation that I am in some way 'watering down' the process, nothing could be further from the truth. The new TDC consultation process approach will now be focused here in Thanet with a strong weighting for the opinions of those directly affected by the proposals. I firmly believe this to be reasonable, proportionate and appropriate.

 

It is clear my Conservative predecessor was struggling with this issue. He had created a monster of a process that had got completely out of control. It would have left the council in the ridiculous position of spending enormous amounts of time and effort and a small fortune of public money on a consultation process that was only ever going to be used to form the council's 'opinion'.

 

Thanet residents, the airport consultative committee and the airports Chief Executive all complained to me about the long drawn out process we had inherited from the previous Conservative administration that was getting us nowhere. I therefore acted swiftly and did exactly what was reasonable, proportionate and appropriate.

 

Last but not least, I am pleased to see that on the serious issue of the environmental impact of the proposals, Laura Sandys shares exactly the same concerns as Thanet Labour and is firmly against night flights! 

Dealing with Night Flight proposals - and halting the creation of a Monster

Since Labour took control of Thanet Council in December it has become clear that the airport, its consultative committee, and many local residents are extremely concerned regarding the long drawn out time the council has been taking over Infratil's night time flying proposals.

 

The former Conservative administration had commissioned an expensive independent consultants report and at further serious cost legal opinions were sought. Large amounts of council officers valuable time had been used up on the process and yet another expensive company had been engaged to carry out the consultation, but little or no real progress was visible.

 

Indeed, many people were rightly angry at the lack of action, mainly because at a public meeting earlier in 2011 the former Conservative council leader had suggested the consultation might even start before Christmas. This when he must have known that through the process he was following, it could not have started before late February (after the TDC Overview and Scrutiny Committee). Even then, under Conservative plans, it would have had to run for several more months before council officers could even started to produce the findings and present them to councillors for further discussion.

 

Swift action is needed to take back control of a process that has clearly spiraled out of control under the previous Conservative administration.

 

Labour council leader Cllr Clive Hart will therefore today sign a TDC decision notice which outlines the intention to carry out an in-house 28 day consultation of Thanet residents that will be weighted strongly for those directly affected. 

The decision follows legal advice which explains that at this stage, the proposals do not require a planning application.  Just as importantly, the advice goes on to state that the council’s role is one of ‘consultee’ only and as such the council will not be in a position to make a binding decision on night time flying at this stage.

Labour council leader Cllr Clive Hart said: "it is clear our Conservative predecessors were struggling with this issue. They had created a monster of a process that had got completely out of control. It would have left the council in the ridiculous position of spending a small fortune of council tax payers money on a consultation process that was only ever going to be used to form the council's 'opinion'. The council has been advised that if there is an intensification or change in operation at the airport in the future then this position may change, and a planning application may be required, but at the moment the council is simply being asked to provide a response to the proposals.

My Conservative predecessor had already spent tens of thousands of pounds on this process before we took control of the council. His plans would have seen us spend around a further £50,000 on consultants to run the process his way. He may be content to use ratepayers hard earned cash but I am not!

Labour will do precisely what is reasonable, proportionate and appropriate under the circumstances".

The decision comes after the findings of an independent assessment commissioned by the former Conservative administration and carried out by Parsons Brinckerhoff Ltd. on behalf of TDC, call into question a number of the environmental and economic claims of the airport in their submission to the council. 

Notes. From the Thanet Labour Manifesto 2011:

'Labour will support the development of Manston Airport but will always be mindful of the impact on residents and the environment'.

'Labour will seek a policy of no flights during the hours of 23:00 to 07:00, except for emergency landings and humanitarian flights'.

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

Cllr. Driver and his resignation from Thanet Labour Group

By Cllr Clive Hart - Labour Group Leader 

 

THE FACTS

 

Firstly, Cllr Driver sent his apologies and did not attend the Group meeting where our original draft budget proposals were agreed. 

 

Immediately after I received Cllr Driver's email regarding our draft budget press release I phoned him and discussed his concerns with him.

 

In public at the Thanet District Council (TDC) Cabinet meeting on 5th January Cllr Driver was allowed to speak and give his views on the issue and further discussion took place.

 

In public at the TDC Overview and Scrutiny meeting on 12th January Cllr Driver spoke at enormous length on the issue and even more discussion took place.

 

In the days between the Scrutiny meeting and our Group meeting on Thursday evening I spoke at length with our Group Deputy Leader, our Group Chair and our Cabinet member for Finance regarding Cllr Driver's concerns.

 

At Group on Thursday evening Cllr Driver was again encouraged to voice his concerns and ALL members present, including Cllr Driver repeatedly, debated the issue for well over an hour. When the final decision was made at the end of the debate, no-one supported Cllr Driver's view.

 

There were no 'scenes' and Cllr Driver left the meeting quietly, leaving behind his written resignation.

 

Our Group is a very inclusive and democratic organisation and I truly believe Cllr Driver was given every possible opportunity to put his case.

 

I think it is very sad that even after this lengthy procedure, he felt unable to accept the views of his fellow group members.

 

Cllr Driver's resignation changes little and I hope our sincere and positive actions since taking control have won us support outside of our party. Cross party working is essential in a hung council and I would think that is exactly what the public would wish to see.

Dreamland petition is presented to Public Inquiry

Yesterday (10th January) the Public Inquiry into the future of the Dreamland began with a final decision expected around June. For the past two weeks campaigners have been running a 'Save Dreamland' petition in support of the plans put forward by Thanet Council and the Dreamland Trust. In this short space of time they managed to get almost 3,000 signatures - the original target was 1,000! 


One of the organisers of the petition Dane Valley Ward Councillor Will Scobie said, " We would like to thank everyone that has given their support to this campaign. We know that any decision made on the future of Dreamland is going to be on a legal basis, but we felt it was important that the decision makers were aware of what the public wanted. Officers at Thanet Council and members of the Dreamland Trust have put so much work into the Dreamland project to get it this far, and we just hope that in some small way we have helped their case. It is clear from our discussions with local people that they want Dreamland open, and that they have no faith in the current owners of the site to deliver that. We hope the Planning Inspector looks at the facts of the case and the history of the site, and makes the right decision that will continue the regeneration of Margate."

Councillor Clive Hart accepting the 'Save Dreamland'
petition from Jodi Hibbert and Councillor Will Scobie

The petition was presented to the Leader of Thanet District Council Councillor Clive Hart, and then it was officially presented to the Planning Inspector in the Public Inquiry by Margate resident Jodi Hibbert who started the campaign and has been heavily involved in organising it.


Notes:


1. A copy of the petition can be found here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1A4PbpXvHyNyMJmeueyG4-OGmksRL30f25394ryAW6C0/edit?hl=en_GB&pli=1


2. For more information on the campaign go to: http://williamscobie.blogspot.com/