Just in case you do not wish to wade through the whole 36 pages of the Conservative Manifesto to verify that the items which I have identified as Core Strategy policy are in fact contained in the Conservative manifesto. Here they all are:
AIRPORT EXPANSION
4.3.7.5 Manston Airport
Your Conservative Council supports the expansion of Manston Airport subject to suitable environmental safeguards.
The TDC Scrutiny process will inform your Conservative Council’s Cabinet of areas to be included in a Night Flying Policy.
Infratil will be invited to resubmit a modified Night Flying Policy provided this can be supported by a robust economic justification for any change to current operating hours of 7am to 11pm. This will then go out to consultation with the public. That consultation will inform the Council’s decision regarding night flying.
The Conservative Group will propose a free (unwhipped) vote on the Policy, as we believe that public opinion should be paramount in this important issue when voted on by Members of the Council.
COMMENT: A vague description of airport expansion without mentioning 6 million passengers. The vote mentioned in the last sentence would benefit from more Independent Councillors.
PARKWAY STATION
4.3.8.1 Transport Links and Infrastructure
Securing commitment of sufficient funding to enable by 2014 the construction of Thanet
Parkway Station and a minimum reduction in rail journey time of two minutes.
COMMENT: A commitment to the station by 2014. Grant funding by KCC has already been applied for.
CHINA GATEWAY
4.3.1.2 Marketing Thanet………………….
Thanet Thrives – supporting the establishment of more small and medium sized businesses, by making available the necessary land and facilitating the provision of modern efficient business units at realistic and affordable prices.
COMMENT: A vague reference which would allow the construction of China Gateway.
7500 NEW HOUSES
4.2.1.13.1 Providing housing opportunities and choice for the residents of Thanet
- Making sufficient land available through the development and planning process to meet the housing requirements for Thanet (6,000 homes between 2001-2016).
COMMENT: 6000 homes by 2016 becomes 7500 by 2026 in the Core Strategy.
So nothing NEW in the Conservative Manifesto then – All in “Shaping our Future” last year.
So the Parkway Staion is going to reduce the journey time (presumably to London) by 2 minutes - well that'll be worth it then. That two minutes mnight make all the difference!
ReplyDeleteThe Manston Airport consultation will presumably be the same as the one on local governance - little advertised and buried away in the bowels of the unfathomable TDC website.
China Gateway and houses - incomprehensible poppycock
Andrew
ReplyDeletethe parkway station will cause a detriment to existing services at HS served stations in Thanet. Minimum journey time from Ramsgate todasy - 1hr, 16 mins. Post parkway - 1hr, 18 mins.
Its called progress, Thanet Tory style.
Well, at least the Conservatives have a plan even if everyone does not agree with it. Labour are going to tackle dog poo (like how?) and reduced the number of councillors (not within the remit of the council but down to the Electoral Commission).
ReplyDeleteAccording to a leaflet through my door, the Lib/Dems are also going to deal with dog poo and make sure that nodbody builds houses on Culmers Field allotments (not that there exists any such proposal anywhere).
Let's all hope Ken has some plans other than dog poo though I suppose, if enough of it were collected up, it could be used to underpin the cliff face support pillars at the Pleasurama site. Only joking, honest!
Oh, I almost forgot, UKIP are going to pull ot of Europe.
Not much to choose from in the parties then, Disenchanted. I suggest you vote Independent and put some common sense back into Thanet politics.
ReplyDeleteOh! I don't know, Ken, the UKIP idea has increasing merit. Shame they have no other policies and no real quality candidates apart from Nigel himself.
ReplyDeleteI don't think the local UKIP candidates will have much influence on those policies and you will end up "More Disenchanted".
ReplyDeleteWent to a candidates hustings during last years General Election campaign and dear old Trevor, of UKIP, was going on about saving our caulis and cabbages. All great stuff except that the question from the floor was on the state of the nation's finances.
ReplyDeleteThere is a time and place for "local" and a time and place for "national" issues. Even the major parties seem to have difficulty in distinguishing between the two.
ReplyDeletePersonally, as a prospective district councillor, my influence on local issues is paramount, working within the rules set by central government. There are a few opportunities for local issues to influence national policy, such as the plight of Pfizer's workers but so far central government has chosen to turn their back on that problem.
Ken, for an independent who is going to refresh local politics, your last shot is more worthy of Labour at their worst.
ReplyDeleteThe efforts made instantly Pfizer announced their decision have been well publicised. Immediately a working party of local Thanet and Dover MPs, KCC leader and ministerial representation was set up to investigate possible takers for the Sandwich Site facilities. A meeting with Pfizer has been held at ministerial level to agree a longer timetable to give more time to bring other replacement firms in.
Regular press releases have been forthcoming on this work and the progress made, so there can be no excuse that you were unaware of this. Hence your comment that central government has turned its back on the problem is totally out of order.
Whilst the impact of Pfizers closure is local, it is not something local district councils could have influenced and, as such, is not a local election issue making your jibe even more of a political point scoring nature.
You certainly would not get my vote with that kind of approach. If you want to be a breath of fresh air then be one, not an old fart engaged in smelly tactics like the rest.
Anon 14.13 I agree that there was great concern in the first instance with regard to the plight of Pfizer's (soon to be) redundant workers.
ReplyDeleteI was refering to the fact that Central Government has failed to make the complex at Sandwich an Enterprise Zone in the first round of allocations.
It is no use them shouting about it if they are not prepared to back up their promises.
The first round of enterprise zones had already been agreed on far greater priorities than those of East Kent even though only announced after the Pfizer decision. Laura Sandys is heading up the team making the case for us in the second phase.
ReplyDeleteIt still makes your comment out of order and the 'shouting about it' remark is also more of local Labour uncouth electioneering style. Policies, Ken, proper ones costed into a budget are what you should be presenting not just snide, largely unfounded, digs at present encumbents.
Sorry, but despite your promises at the outset, your campaign is becoming no better than those you seek to remove from local governance.
Anon 16.55 I have told many posters on this blog that you can lable me under any banner you wish but the difference remains I do not have to swear allegience to any party.
ReplyDeleteThe view quoted is my own, for what it is worth and seems to be in agreement with yours for the most part. I agree Laura Sandys has done a fantastic job in bringing this to the attention of Central Government and the media, I am a great admirer of her work in South Thanet.
I sincerely hope that the EZ designation comes through in the second round now the media interest has died away.
As you rightly said this is not a local issue and therefore we should not be at odds over it but I am standing for Thanet Villages, where a number people under threat of redundancy live and I am sure they would not criticise me for keeping the matter in the spotlight, it can only help Laura's case for funding.
Now you are talking sense and far better than suggesting central government have turned their back on the issue. Laura is our representative at central government and is keeping this very high profile as is the Dover MP.
ReplyDeleteAnon 0921 clearly doesn't recognise irony. Believe me, I think the Parkway Station is a terrible idea.
ReplyDeleteAll the other Anons have the whiff of a blue rinse or one of the other Tory apologists
Clearly Andrew also has a problem with irony for 09:21 is on his side and, far from having any blue rinse, is actually criticising the Tories.
ReplyDeleteThe excessive use of the expression Tory apologists suggests something of a phobia about the blue party and as another commentator suggested elsewhere, does Andrew have a hidden story on this issue. Perhaps he is the Mark Nottingham of the Thanet Conservatives.
If he truly were of the apolitical view he claims, why always attack Tories and even label anyone he disagrees with as one. Never a word from him about other parties so makes one wonder.
Incidentally, before I get the blue apologist response, I am UKIP, Eurosceptic to my soul.