howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
As explained at the time Graham was recovering from a three hour heart operation and the only thing he could wear at the time without being in severe pain was a dressing gown. He suddenly realised that a flag should be flown over the Town Council offices for the birthday of Princess Anne and decided to make the two minute walk to the office to explain why he had not done it. Photos from the time clearly show that the service was over with just a few stragglers chatting but the pitchfork brigade on social media will never accept the facts and leave him alone.
Guest 1862- Registered: 23 Sep 2016
- Posts: 163
When did you, or anybody else on this forum, last wander through town in a dressing gown? What is so difficult about communicating by mobile? What about common courtesy and common sense? Is that truly the level of standard you accept from a representative of this town?
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Guest 1792- Registered: 2 Jul 2016
- Posts: 111
He only had a pace maker fitted and that does not take 3 hrs , There was no excuse for him to appear dressed like that and certainly not the sort of behaviour we should expect from someone representing the Town & public .
Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,299
As you know, I am a relative newcomer to this Forum. I have a genuine question, what is the Town Council? And why does it exist?
I have always had a huge interest in national politics but never really understood local politics. I am now trying to get my head around the latter.....
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Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,875
Neil Moors wrote:
I have always had a huge interest in national politics but never really understood local politics. I am now trying to get my head around the latter.....
Does anyone really understand local politics where you scratch my back, I'll scratch yours and where party politics can seem all too often more important than their constituents needs.
Oh! and not to forget ego and the desire by some to simply have the label councillor in front of their name.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Town Council is the lowest of the three tiers of local politics, the only statutory duty of our one is allotments. They receive approx £.800,000 a year to spend on what they like, sometimes on good things other times on seemingly daft things. My main gripe is in the opening post on this thread plus why do political parties have to get involved?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
c.bp 666,it does take about 3 hours from start to finish.prep.op and recovery.i have had one recently.
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Neil Moors- Registered: 3 Feb 2016
- Posts: 1,299
Thanks, Howard. That is where my initial confusion lie; what on earth could a Town Council look after that isn't already picked up by Kent County Council and Dover District Council? The answer, of course, is allotments
Seriously - I think I get it - National Government devolves stuff to County Councils, who devolve stuff to District Councils, who devolve stuff to Town Councils.
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
The Ideal solution as we have probably at least one council to many, once the councils of East Kent can stop bickering and put the people first, maybe a unitary authority would be good, disband KCC and then make Districts/Town councils have more work and more teeth.
on Cllr Wanstall it has been agreed he didn't attend the even in his gown, he attended after it had all finished, which puts a completely different light on it.
It was probably his keenness ofletting someone down(even though he was ill) that probably drove him to pop round.
Could he have phoned? in hindsight it would have been better.
Post 25 Jan I'm afraid I cant fully agree with your contribution.
There are a number of councillors from all 4 parties trying to do there best for Dover, I will agree there are some that put having a chain around your neck first, but that's the sadness ofnot having enough candidates.
I would welcome all those feeling they can do better to look to 2 years time and stand you may even get elected(although we have seen very vocal people put up and not do well at all)
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The next meeting of the Supreme Soviet is this coming Thursday and I can see no mention of the "Crown" and where it will end up. Maybe it is a case like the sad looking sailing ships in Market Square, once the photo opportunities are done so is the interest.
https://dovertowncouncil.gov.uk/wp-content/uploads/2016/05/Mayor-Making-Agenda-25-May-17-full-papers.pdfJan Higgins likes this
Captain Haddock
- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,070
Here's a picture of last year's ceremony for those who are unable to attend this year.
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"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
At the beginning of my tenure as a Town Councillor all the councillors were Labour and as such would not and were not Masons. The Council was more mixed at the end of my time and the only person who was a Mason was the Town Clerk as far as I am aware, The fact you are a Mason is irrelavent as is the photo in the previous post surely.
I am not and would not consider being a Mason for clarification although I do consider them to be very generous in their support of local causes.
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Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
The town council should not seen more then what it is ,it is only a parish council like River and all the other parish,a town council has not more power then they have.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The lodge issue is a running joke Ken, some might say like our present Town Council.
Captain Haddock- Location: Marlinspike Hall
- Registered: 8 Oct 2012
- Posts: 8,070
Ken Tranter wrote:At the beginning of my tenure as a Town Councillor all the councillors were Labour and as such would not and were not Masons. The Council was more mixed at the end of my time and the only person who was a Mason was the Town Clerk as far as I am aware, The fact you are a Mason is irrelavent as is the photo in the previous post surely.
I am not and would not consider being a Mason for clarification although I do consider them to be very generous in their support of local causes.
Yet the word on the street is that it was only through membership of the Snargate Street Mafia by so many on DTC that the Teflon Mayor survived Sherbert-gate?
"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"
Dr. Hunter S Thompson
Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,875
The present Dover Town Council seem to be conspicuous at the moment by their lack of action on anything of any importance.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 687- Registered: 2 Jun 2009
- Posts: 513
Captain Haddock, and it is only word on the street and I only consider things 'gospel' if I read it on the Forum.
Jan, from my point of view the DTC is really proactive, but then I am biased as they are immensely supportive of Karen and the elderly of Dover.
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Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,875
That is good news Ken but they seem to be very quiet about everything, I only know they are helping Riverside because
you have told me.
The DTC mantra seems to be silence tell the people nothing.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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Guest 706- Registered: 25 Oct 2010
- Posts: 285
Who is mayor now?
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
Jan
You are probably correct about how DTC doesn't reach the public
All I can say is that I contribute to the forum
I have a face book page which I update nearly every day
I chair local community assoc which I update on a regular basis
so from my little corner I do a little
but its all about how time I can commit I have to also work for a living and the family of course
Penny
Really?
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1 likes this"We are living in very strange times, and they are likely to get a lot stranger before we bottom out"