Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
18 August 2009
20:3527557DT1 this is yet another reason why we need a change of ruling clique up at Whitfield, coupled with a clear out of officers who seem to have forgotten that their role is to serve all of the people of the district.
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,018
18 August 2009
22:5227559DT1.Im pleased to read you have done your homework .Good at jigsaws .Howard is correct Connaught Barracks is intended for housing .Farthingloe not council owned .Personally I think it would make a good retirement village .
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
19 August 2009
07:5427567I don't think "clique" is an appropriate word Ross, nor do I believe the Administration should change from Conservative to Labour; we would be back in the old days of bad services, bad financial management and a housing department that was described as poor.
It has been the most efficient Council at DDC for many, many years (ask the Audit Commission) and the strategic moves to bring long-term dynamic change could only have been done by this adminstration and Leader.
What Dover Town needs is "ground-floor" work being done, in, on and around the Town; work that can only be done by a Dover Business Support Body, working inpartnership with DDC and DTC.
Businesses also should accept that for the Town in which they trade, to make progress, they have to play a part too, if only by supporting (financially and morally) a Business Support Body through subscriptions.
I do think that better communications (from DDC) would keep people aware of what is going on and what is intended to happen for the Town.
Roger
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
19 August 2009
08:5027573Even if it is the most efficient council we have had, it does not necessarily make it good! In terms of Planning it is well known as being inefficient and incompetent, finding it very hard to recruit the necessary number of professionals to function effectively. I also find unbelievable that some decisions/recommendations are made contractors, in some cases the same parties that make applications.
As I have mentioned before, I find it quite significant that most of the officers offering 'advice' on planning matters, live outside the district. Serving the people of the district does not happen on a professional or personal level. These decisions have been made and there is very little we can do about it....and they wonder why people have become disenfranchised with democracy!
Roger, I totally agree. The town needs a bit of cohesion and businesses need a common support network, rather than just thinking about their own business in isolation. I like it even more because it's like a socialist model. Businesses can't be blamed individually when the construct they exist within is so poor. People need to use the town and the town must offer what the internet cannot. i.e. Personal and tertiary services, fresh produce and good value. It still amuses me how much people get ripped off in supermarkets and still quote convenience over value or the quality of an experience.
Guest 684- Registered: 26 Feb 2009
- Posts: 635
19 August 2009
13:1027579Well said again DT1.
As for this notion that there's no site in the town for a new sports centre, well there is one, actually:
The Charlton Centre and its environs. Yep, that's the place. Long overdue the wrecking balls.
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
19 August 2009
13:1627580I agree they are the best talking council we have ever had they are very good at that.
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
19 August 2009
13:5527581Yes Andrew, I can think of a few. There does however seem to be an inability to plan 'into' the town. It's seems the only way wrongs can be put right is to start again elsewhere...Whitfield, a pretty sustainable approach don't you think?. There is no way any planner could work out the problems of Dover town centre without a suitable number of roundabouts (the planners answer to everything)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
20 August 2009
06:1327607Planning rules and guidelines are written at Government level, so where ever the planners live, those rules and guidelines are adhered to.
I must admit to having discussions and arguments with some Planning Officers over what is allowed to happen in Dover (Folkestone Road and its environs mainly); it would never be allowed to happen in Deal, Sandwich or St. Margarets.
There is much discussion and "strategic" forward planning for the mid-town development area, that will bring great improvements to Dover, but I am not a party to those discussions.
Roger
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
20 August 2009
08:4527626Yes they are set at a government level, but they are as you say guidelines. If decisions could be absolutely objective then there would be no need for decisions to go to commitee, or appeals to the planning inspectorate for that matter. On top of this conservation issues can be specific to one town, as a result requiring interpretation, something that tests competence.
I think where people live does matter, as you say some of these decisions would not be allowed in neighbouring towns. Sandwich obviously get a huge amount of consideration due to the historic nature of the town. But Deal also seems to get more sensitivity when decisions are made.
What I am questioning is the ability of the our council to form forward planning decisions, when small ones are dealt with so poorly.
Guest 684- Registered: 26 Feb 2009
- Posts: 635
20 August 2009
12:0127633From DT1: "But Deal also seems to get more sensitivity when decisions are made."
Don't bank on it, DT1. Deal seems to be getting the same downgrading, dead-hand treatment these days too, sadly: amusement arcade approved for the listed Black Horse (Strand) building in the High Street, plans for a tattoo parlour next to Dunkerleys, prominent empty shops in South Street, Victoria Road, Beach Street and the High Street, the atrocious empty shell of the Job Centre, no tangible movement on the Woolworths building, etc...
It's an epidemic of mediocrity and short-termism.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
20 August 2009
12:0727635Maybe thery are the only ones that can pay the inflated rent and rates.
I agree about mediocrity spreading and no sight of good quality shops opening - yet.
Roger
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
20 August 2009
23:3227655ROGER
Obviously we wont ever agree on the present administration, it will take to long to go into all the issues/probs they have caused.
On planning, i have as a cllr fought and tried to explain to officers the problems some of there decisions will make to the District/ward
sadly a lot of it fell on deaf ears and that hasnt changed
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
21 August 2009
07:0327664I agree Keith that we have sat on the same side when many/all of the planning applications came up about these conversions from lovely family homes, to tiny boxes.
Not even Police input was listen to.
Roger
DT1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 15 Apr 2008
- Posts: 1,116
21 August 2009
08:1327668Keith, I don't think there is a problem with the overal administration. I feel DDC do quite a good job, I think PW seems to care and it feels like things are moving. My problem lies within certain areas of leadership and the advice being given.
Roger, Keith, I think we all agree it's not serving us as well as it could.
Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
21 August 2009
10:3427686DT1
Roger/Marion munt and I often were on the same side sadly the council and cllrs diidnt listen.
What did concern me was many of the Cllrs came from outside of Dover and made decisions on Dover without any concerns for the impact(didnt matter to them they didnt live there anyway)
I havn't changed my view on that.
Obviously I wont ever agree on this administration but thats no surprize.
What iv always felt is that cllrs should run the council not the officers.
This will never happen because cllrs are not around very often, so officers fill the vacuum.
In todays climate the thought of full time cllrs will never happen, maybe thats a debate for another time, but it is one that needs to be had
PatrickS
- Location: Marine Parade, Dover
- Registered: 19 Sep 2015
- Posts: 448
Well here we are. Dover's Leisure Centre
How it was .....
How it is now .........a sort of lockdown knockdown
25 April to 20 May 2020
Just the right space to accommodate some green leisure activity - open space, gardens, flowers or a gym or funicular to the Castle..... the possibilities are endless, or will DDC just sell it off (perish the thought).
Weird Granny Slater, Chris, ray hutstone and
3 more like this
Weird Granny Slater, Chris, ray hutstone, Jan Higgins, John Buckley and Reginald Barrington like this
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
I can't help feeling a sense of loss about the old place. Spent many hours in there and have not yet been able to get to Whitfield.
Karlos- Location: Dover
- Registered: 1 Oct 2012
- Posts: 2,478
I think it should be the place for a footbridge over Townwall Street, but I expect to see the site empty when I'm collecting my pension.
Jan Higgins and Judith Roberts like this
ray hutstone- Registered: 1 Apr 2018
- Posts: 2,158
Karlos wrote:I think it should be the place for a footbridge over Townwall Street, but I expect to see the site empty when I'm collecting my pension.
You old cynic, you.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,696
This site was part of a land swap between DDC & Citygate, the latter provided the land that the new leisure center is built on and in return got this prime site next to one of the busier roads in the UK.
I would expect the new owner to submit a planning application at some point that will get nodded through by planning no matter how inappropriate it might be.
Cap'n Haddock is a font of information on the iffy relationship between these 2 august organisations.
Captain Haddock likes this
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
