Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Worse than that Sue,I even spoke to your replacement,but you know me I will speak to anyone.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Sue - bangers and mash and a pint sounds lovely! It is outrageous asking £250+vat for this. It will, indeed, be interesting to see the attendees. Any chance of some sneak-pics..?
JHG - I am sure it was you I spoke to this morning at the station.........I was the big old blonde getting confused about trains!! I looked up the Bleriot thread as you (if it was you!!) had mentioned it.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Don't remember any big old blonde,but yes it was me you should have introduced yourself,Bangers and Mash try the Carpathian,both Sue and I have had them there,not together off course.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
A couple of things have come to mind and prompt me to point out, about this Gala Dinner.
It is a Corporate Event - big companies like Shell, who are buying tables for some very important and influential people, are helping to fund the whole week-end.
The Chairman of Dover District Council (like every Chairman before him) has an entertainment allowance and is buying a table.
There'll be many people who can do Dover a lot of good who will be attending and so too will the Leader of the Council as he will be talking to them about Dover and what they can do for us. Paul has some powers of pursuasion.
As everyone knows (?) more business decisions are taken in a social environment than anywhere else - it's very conducive for it.
The company organising the event are taking all the risk and this Gala Dinner is part of the revenue process; the people of Dover are getting an excellant event at virtually no cost to the rate-payer; don't forget that all of this has gone through DDC, in fact, the process started a couple of years ago, it's been through Scrutiny and the Council.
There are many organisations and bodies involved in this weekend - Fleet Air-Arm, Air-Traffic Control, the Coastguard and of course Calais.
I understand there may be a relative of Charles Lyndburgh and Bleriot attending, but that has yet to be confirmed.
There'll be people from France and Italy (it was an Italian company that made Bleriot's engine); there'll also be marquees on the seafront for various activities including Corporate Entertainment tents and as it was in Edwardian times, how about dressing up in Edwardian clothes ? great fun.
All in all, a great week-end for all of us and as I said earlier, these "expensive seats" are expensive for a very good reason - they're Corporate, to raise funds so it can go ahead.
Let's wish all those spenders a great time - they're helping to pay for the week-end, including the Firework display on the Saturday evening (about 9pm).
What's for starters ?????
Roger
It's true that oiling the wheels is one of commerce greatest arenas! But it's a bit insensitive isn't it? £250 ph+vat when most people are struggling to feed the cat.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
Think I have mentioned before but I have been at an airshow event, proper VIP stylee. It was attended by people such as the Concorde chief test pilot, Chief Marshal Sir Michael Knight, various other knights of the realm and people of influence and they welcomed a couple 'youngsters' and cost well under £50.......
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
I have no idea about how much money was needed to be raised Scotchie, so can't answer that.
This is a big event and very expensive; would the local residents have been happy to pick up the bill, or most of it - I doubt it somehow.
We should be happy that there are Corporate bodies happy and able to do fund a great week-end.
Dover will benefit in the long term from this too.
Roger
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Yes Roger agree with you there,but let say The Chairman of DDC has a table booked say 10 people,he then invites all his friends and business contacts cost £2800 approx,and no drinks by the looks of it and who pays.Yes the Rate payer in the District.This smells like what we are seeing in Westminster to some extent.I think if any Cllr wants to go they pay out of thier own pocket,they get a wage from the positions they hold.
If they really believe they are doing it for the District then it wouldn't hurt them too much to pay for thier meal,rather than letting the general public pay for it,and not going.The cost has excluded most if not all the general population and it will have been done to pay for the cost of the diiner and I bet Gyles Brandreth isn't doing it for nothing.
So who pays DDC (US),Cllrs expenses (us),or the Clllrs themselves.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,019
The Chairman does have an allowance to cover corporate events but this one event will use most of it for the year.Yes Like members allowances it comes from the taxpayers of the district .
I well remember The Tour de France starting from the Castle .A breakfast reception was held at the Town Hall .School children were given the day off and quick as a flash the cyclists rode passed the Town Hall all of a couple of minutes .Not many shops were decorated and most people went home .
If £250 +vat brings new business to Dover I will again eat my hat .I have enough stored in my loft .By the way the first thing to be shewn on the big screen will be an opera .I could sit their with my hat next to Nigel who will be using opera glasses .
Guest 673- Registered: 16 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,388
Sue and Nigel discussing confidential council matters on the beach after the opera
Guest 656- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 2,262
Ah! Love it Ed, and the hat's big enough for both their heads
Only Joking Sue and Nigel I love you really
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
they do make a lovely couple.
it is just the politics that keeps them apart.
Guest 640- Registered: 21 Apr 2007
- Posts: 7,819
Ah yes indeed lovely poster Ed...but perhaps not quite Nigel and Sue anymore. There's a fair chance that the rose coloured sheen has disappeared from their relationship...but you never know. It wouldnt be the first romance to revive itself !!
But to go back to the exhorbitant priced dinner...I think we all know that bugger-all business is made at events like this, its a giant guffawed well oiled extravagance and will make no difference whatsoever to Dover's future. Although Roger likes to think so, it really isnt the case. What really happens is that people are well fed, well sossled, well entertained, and at those prices dont want to be interupted or harassed by Paul Watkins or Bernard Butcher asking them about investing in our inner delapidation. You want to do business you take someone to lunch. So Sue will not need to eat her hat.(post 29)
As JohnHG mentions above in post 28, a table for DDC will cost the taxpayer in the region of £3000. There will be no return for that. Its a complete no-no in this current climate. If it goes ahead we will have to make sure we find out which cronies make it onto that table.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,019
I just love the post card great .No Nigel is not on my Christmas Card List anymore for obvious reasons .Still the truth will out .Back to the thread .Never fear I shall find out who attends and pays .I shall not attend any receptions .I cannot see how this is going to help Dover .The time and effort that has been put into the preperation .
By the way the Art work that is being mounted on hoardings round the town which is costing an arm and a leg .,some of the contents have been made by dover people for free.I was talking to a lady who knitted one of the squares .I think she made the D as in Dover .£ 50,000 was spent on this .,and still I cant get toilets in Russell Gardens .
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Well I'm sorry John and PaulB that you can't see the benefit that this expensive dinner to Corporate clients (and now opened to the public) will benefit Dover.
Every Chairman of whatever political pursuasion has an annual allowance - as Sue has said and because this is a very important event for Dover - in many ways, the Chairman is happy to use most of it up on this event.
The Leader will be there talking to other important people who are attending and Dover will be better of for it.
If there was no £250 dinner, there'd be no Bleriot celebrations, or maybe there would, but DDC ratepayers would be funding most of it - and that would be much more costly.
Roger
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
Has your leader got to you Roger,because I can see a change of attitude
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
No one has "got" to me John.
I did decide to find out some facts and ask some questions that's all.
Roger
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
susan
i thought that russel gardens/kearsney abbey had brand new bogs?
this subject came up a while back when some old ones were being closed.
the town itself is desperately in need of new or renovated ones.
i believe that jhg was working on this.
Guest 670- Registered: 23 Apr 2008
- Posts: 573
Roger, if the hapless leader is going does that mean that his Wife will be there, if so who pays for her, us?
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
Wow im with BARRW on this one £250 snub it !!!!
stupid, im with you barryw
