Love Dover
- 23 February 2017 10:02324584The above post is very informative.I also heard about the coach stops .We need the visitors to come into market square.The Musuem and some of the shops there need the trade.Why would they be dropped off on the seafront?When the buses travelled via Market Square a reBiggin Street then the town buzzed.Guest 1862 likes this
- Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
23 February 2017 11:12324586Anna by the time you remove any agents selling fee, which in this case would be several thousand, together with the worry and stress of how long the property will take to sell it is well worth taking the lower amount. Maybe you have never sold a property as it can be very stressful if a buyer pulls out prior to exchange of contracts, BTW the seller does not usually pay an agent to value a property as they want your business.
I am sure Simon will correct me if I am wrong.-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 23 February 2017 11:32324587I have sold a number of houses as we moved around. It's always the case that the buyer, in this case, town clerk and Cllr Rix, have a survey done. My question was based on experience and even MY OWN cash in hand, I never managed to get a surveyor at such short notice, never mind getting the survey done and reported back on. Surely the property would not have been bought with our money if they had not had a survey done? The comment of rolling our sleeves up has truly irked me. You see, I thought we had pulled our sleeves up to be able to pay our rates and taxes, intended for services, we obviously did not receive or were overcharged for. Those like the Clerk , earning a hefty wage - paid by us and all others have the duty to pull up sleeves and give answers.
- Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
23 February 2017 12:07324588Anna, you said "Who paid for valuation of the property " which is completely different to a survey hence my confusion. As an aside I did not have an official survey done on my present house or my last.Guest 1862 likes this-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 23 February 2017 12:52324589Indeed, I stand corrected over causing confusion with that. Apologies.
- 23 February 2017 13:00324591As you will know, I was there last night.
Ross, sorry if I was a bit long winded
Anna, currently there is one Stage Coach bus stop in the Market Sq outside Londis and one Tourist bus/coach stop on King St.; The Stage Coach bus stop remains in the Market Sq and the Tourist stop moves into the Square in the plan that I showed last night, so there is no change in provision.
Someone from Gateway flats mentioned to me about coaches parking all along the seafront with the agreement of the DHB, but as it is the first time I've heard about this, I want to find out if there is any substance to the rumour first before making any further comment.
The meeting was scheduled 1800-2000 last night and, whilst I wasn't clock watching, as I didn't get to leave until 2020, I figured that it had ended pretty much as scheduled. - Terry Nunn
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,321
23 February 2017 14:06324593I've no idea about "all along the seafront" but the landward side at the west end by the clocktower where the toilets used to be is for "coaches only". Mind you, at the moment it's no go area.
TerryQuis custodiet ipsos custodes? - 23 February 2017 14:09324594The Gateway flats have had leaflets about coaches parking on the seafront, in front of the actual Gateway flats themselves. Thank you for further info Neil.
- 23 February 2017 14:46324595Anna Liesens wrote:The Gateway flats have had leaflets about coaches parking on the seafront, in front of the actual Gateway flats themselves. Thank you for further info Neil.
Who were the leaflets from and what did they say? - 23 February 2017 15:22324596At a rough guess, relocated from the bays near the Clock Tower which can no longer be used; and in front of The Gateway rather than in front of the hotel as there is open space between the road and the flats.Lew Finnis
- 23 February 2017 16:00324597Yesterday Evening.
I attended the public meeting at the Dover Town Council offices.
Excellent turnout. Which challenges the mindset of those who feel they must dictate to us what Dover needs. That no-one that is the Dover populace, is interested in Dover.
Or will not roll-up their sleeves.
One of the biggest turn outs for some time. Obviously, I am, like many other local people very concerned over the hasty and secretative set up of the Love Dover "Charity".
There are no answers to these questions that many local people are asking.
Who appointed the directors? When, where and who attended this and other meetings?
How accountable to the People of Dover, is the taxpayers £350,000 money that has set-up this private charity?
Taxpayers money, a large amount appears not to have been reported to Dover Town Council.
Any recorded minutes?
Who, what or how many Estate Agents were asked to take part other than
Tersons Estate Agents.?
There appears to be no accountability regarding the Taxpayers Money. Indeed, the present Town Clerk, seems to have set up a business on our behalf, and appears to be running it in secret.
Last night, both the Dover Express and a local man attempted to raise
these concerns.
The other Town Councillors - of the 18/19 that we have, seem to taken a vow of silence.
However when searching questions were asked. The Chair Woman (P Brivio) closed the Meeting.
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Alison Burton - Town Clerk declare herself to be a qualified Legal Lawyer.
What are her Legal Qualifications? Where did she attain them?
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I will emphasis and clarify - there is nothing personal regarding any of this.
Merely a sense of outrage that we are continually treated as numb nuts and fools.howard mcsweeney1 likes this - PatrickS
- Location: Marine Parade, Dover
- Registered: 19 Sep 2015
- Posts: 448
23 February 2017 18:29324599The meeting at Maison Dieu House last evening was met, apparently, with an unprecedented turnout many left standing or sitting on the floor (for which the 'Chair' apologized at the outset), demonstrating in part, curiosity, a wish to know what was going on and be constructively informed, and concern over how matters were being dealt with.
There were three presentations.
Tim Ingleton, DDC's Head of Inward Investment, started the ball rolling with what was expected to be an update on the St. James (DTIZ) Development. Regretfully it turned out to be no more that what was already common knowledge to anyone even vaguely interested in the project. There was still no main contractor but all sub-contractors were in place. One was left wondering just who was controlling them and who was financing the steel work constructions taking place on the cinema site and adjacent blocks. The same can be said for the work progressing above ground on the Hotel site. Apparently all is still on track for completion by the end of 2017, although the tenants will ultimately decide the date.
At this stage of construction it must surely be unprecedented to not have a main contractor in place.
Neil Wiggins gave an illuminating presentation on the Town Team project - plans for the Market Square and King Street up to Market Street (yes, that little street that leads off Cannon Street to the open land behind the Roman Painted House). Plenty of information here to absorb with emphasis on attracting locals and visitors to a more vibrant area throughout the day and into the evening. 2m high fountain jets sporting projected laser images of Dover past (no ghosts), directional lighting and comfortable seating with Roman 'balls' dividing road from pedestrian area are just a few of the proposals to revitelize the area. Opening up King Street and removing the present bus stop there to provide more connectivity, visibly and aesthetically, to the seafront and St James Development was another of the points well made. The result of the second bidding round due at end of March/beginning of April is awaited in order to secure the necessary funding.
All in all, the best presentation of the evening; thank you Neil.
Now, the third and final presentation - and the most contentious, if later Q's & A's are to be believed - 'Love Dover' - given by Alison Burton. A recently registered charity that hopes to improve the appearance of Dover by buying up properties, developing them into business and residential use, selling or leasing them off, reducing business rates on those properties where floors above ground level would be converted to residential use. To achieve this Dover Town Council has allocated £350,000 of rate payers money to the charity (presently run by Ms Burton and Cllr. Rix) starting with the purchase of the property known as 'Dickens Corner' at 7 Market Square. The secrecy about this operation was the subject of much concern during the Q&A session (which was woefully all too short) and was in no way allayed by somewhat terse responses from Ms Burton. All this left one wondering exactly what and where our taxpaying monies were being directed, and just, if not more, importantly what future involvements in this 'project' would go to vested interests without full disclosure of the processes involved. No clarity at all here I'm afraid. The idea of improving properties in Dover may be laudable and as an ideal much needed in our town centre, but without complete transparency by all those involved it will not carry the day with Dover's residents and taxpayers. This will be closely watched all the way.
[My personal interpretation of last night's meeting. I am sure that others on this forum will disagree or make necessary corrections].
[If you teach all your plumbers to become philosophers, neither your theories nor your pipes will hold water]Guest 1862, howard mcsweeney1, Guest 1831 and 1 more like thisGuest 1862, howard mcsweeney1, Guest 1831 and Jan Higgins like this - 23 February 2017 18:32324600I have not been well for some time now and know nothing about the running of the charitiy called the love of Dover but I was a town cllr and have been a cllr of four other parish councils at the same time,but for years I and others looked into the running of the group called the Municipal Charities of Dover without any luck of finding out the running of them has this love of Dover Charitiy joined up with them.?
- PatrickS
- Location: Marine Parade, Dover
- Registered: 19 Sep 2015
- Posts: 448
23 February 2017 18:39324601 - Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,931
23 February 2017 18:42324602Thank you Patrick for an excellent informative and unbiased post.
Ms Burton certainly does herself no favours where the public are concerned, seems she and others still likes to treat us the tax payer as idiots and keep us in the dark as to what is going on behind the scenes.Guest 1792, Guest 1862 and howard mcsweeney1 like this-----------------------------------------------------------------------
I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
------------------------------------------------------------------- - 23 February 2017 18:46324603With regard to the coach parking spaces on the seafront:
As far as I can ascertain, because of the DWDR works on the new Cut and the new Eastern Marina Pier, the existing coach parking spaces opposite the Sea Sports Centre are no longer going to be usable, so the same number of coach spaces will be provided at the Eastern end of Marine Parade instead - same seafront space provision for coaches as before, just a new location. - Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,397
23 February 2017 20:00324605PatrickS wrote:The idea of improving properties in Dover may be laudable and as an ideal much needed in our town centre, but without complete transparency by all those involved it will not carry the day with Dover's residents and taxpayers. This will be closely watched all the way.
Oh yes!
"The world is still a weird place, despite my efforts to make clear and perfect sense of it".
Dr. Hunter S Thompson - 23 February 2017 21:30324607Re post 33 Love Dover has no connection what so,ever with Municipal Charieties of Dover .The latter provides homes for the elderly. our accounts are open for scrutiny.We are in the process of building on Cowgate Hill which will provide six more units of accomodation.Im the Chairman of the chartity and nothing is hidden or secret.Jan Higgins, Ross Miller and Guest 1862 like this
- 23 February 2017 21:43324608Indeed Sue very open and some quality people overseeing things.
http://moderngov.dover.gov.uk/mgOutsideBodyDetails.aspx?ID=242 - 23 February 2017 21:49324609Glad to hear that.end