I see next Wednesday's edition of the BBC's local news magazine Inside Out will be tackling China Gate - the day before the big council meeting to decide on planning permission. From what I've heard, roving reporter Glenn Campbell will be taking a more robust look at the proposed development than his previous effort, and the show will include a no holds barred interview with CGP boss, squillionnaire Ken Wills.
Expect: More empty promises of jobs by CGP, councillors and MPs.
Do not expect: The entire report to be set to the tune of 'Rhinestone Cowboy'.
20 comments:
Thats wonderful - that shoulsd put a stop to all the scaremongering and propagada from the Anti Mob
Thats wonderful - that shoulsd put a stop to all the scaremongering and propagada from the Anti Mob
Anonymous 1.35, I'm not sure it will, or can even be expected to. Unless Kent's Finest are planning some kind of sting that entails them jumping out of the bushes and feeling the collars of all concerned during filming - unlikely - then the programme is likely to go like this.
Reporter - What's the idea behind this?
KW - Jobs, inward investment, jobs, gateway to new markets, jobs etc.
Reporter - what about the opposition to the scheme?
KW - We'll do whatever's necessary, jobs, Environment Agency, jobs, only a few lone voices in opposition anyway, jobs etc.
Reporter - Thank you. And now we await the decision of tomorrow's meeting of TDC ...
The script writes itself; some people will learn something, most people will learn nothing, and if our councillors feel the need to watch it to 'appraise themselves of the facts' then there's no hope for any of us.
Whatever the programme says the facts are before the council (I hope I don't have to eat those words)and we have to rely on them to make the right decision regardless of TV / blogs / editorials etc.
Rely on the council to make the right decision !!!!!!!!!!!!Come now Jack this is Thanet you know!
Stranger things have happened you know, 5:18, since starting the Thanet Star I've managed illicit entire conversations with councillors and council works and it was (mostly) productive too!
Well 1.35
A week ago the "Anti mob" expressed concerns that the ground drainage was not properly designed. This would be a fact.
The "Anti mob" hypothesized that non-compliant ground drainage arrangements could lead to a threat to or contamination of the aquifer.
Rick (aka Irritating Bloke) vhose that to be the time he would publish, on blogs, the Thanet District Council response to his Freedom of Information Act inquiry re Sericol in the 1990s. And yes there was a ground strata contamination incident involving a chemical cyclohexanone.
Rather worryingly the Chair of Planning Ken Gregory implicitly denied knowledge of that incident.
So it would seem that up to Rick's FOI request the Planning committee were unaware of the serious incident at Sericol. And the lessons that should have been learnt by TDC from that incident and appplied to future planning applications.
It is not a case of "pro" or "anti" but a matter of fact that cyclohexanone is a chemical used to make terrorist explosives or to make drug pusher drugs (such as Angel Dust).
It seems also a matter of fact that the TDC and Environment Agency did not establish whether the volume spilt to ground strata represented the whole volume missing. IE AS Sericol allagedly suspected there may have been theft of this chemical.
Now we come to Jack. "Kent's Finest" (if they had been doing their job) would have been on to this. And they would have determined whether this was or was not an "Incident" or an historical problem. And if the ground strata contamination had occurred over years (till an anonymous whistleblower intervened) then at what stage of the period did what volume go missing.
We know that in 1988 evidence was given to Kent Police that a certain man (later tory cllr) engineering qualifications were forgeries. And we know this evidence was given in support of requests to review security at Deal Royal Marines barracks.
And we know that ten years later Sericol had inquiry and chose to give said tory cllr ten grand severance. And that they did not report any possibility of the loss of dangerous chemicals from 88 to 98 to police. Even though their MD was asked to do so in 98 by me.
Currently Kent Police Authority are considering the conduct of Cllr William Hayton and part of that is whether he told the High Court on oath in 98 that there were no procedures in place against his tory cllr erstwhile Sericol employee colleague. And if he gave such evidence was his witness status such that he can be held accountable under the 2002 Code of Conduct adopted four years later.
Cllr Hayton is of course former Chair of Planning joined at the hip with present Chair of PLanning Ken Gregory (see above) who just implicitly denied knowing anything about the serious Sericol matters.
The facts are that there was this contamination incident in Thanet where contaminants could reach soakaway to ground (when they should be prevented) and NOW on the record the Chair of PLanning knows about it and this represeents an added aspect of due diligence for them to get the CGP ground drainage right.
When I first saw the emergency of Thanet blogs (esp Eastcliff Richard) I thought it is just a cowards charter. But I now think that through the efforts of some bloggers Thanet District Council has felt pressure which is in the interests of Thanet.
That said I will still do my fighting straight at em.
Good to see 1.35 from his office in Cecil Sq or up at the Loop, still villifying anyone who might just think that all is not quite right yet with application 08/0400 and the words scaremongering, propaganda and mob being used.And just in case we hadn't got the message, sending it twice.
What words might describe the pro-lobby if the anti's were to resort to the same approach? Let's see: corrupt? bought? bent?
Or just perhaps CGP? TDC Cabinet? CGP? TDC Cabinet? One seems to be dictating to the other,so please feel free to select either.
Christ almighty Rick, will you shut up banging on about the police, you completely sad, boring arsehole!!!
Sorry.... please!
Rick, please don't shut up - some of us find all these shenannigans extremely interesting.
Rick - perhaps just cut to the point a bit more?
Oi Rick! Stoppit!
Rick you are a nice bloke, but you need to get to the point quicker if you want people to bother to read your text.
And Bertie you are making judgements that you are in no postion to make about people, this says more about you than it does them. You are a total SEE YOU NEXT THURSDAY
4.33, that was witty but neverthe less vulgar and I take the personal abuse as par for the course now.
Weren't you at the Council Planning meeting when you told us you were on your hols Bertie? If you were telling us porkie pies what credibility does that give you as a blogmaster?
Don't be deterred Rick. Some of us are listening.
Scaremongering eh? We (and you) will see.
Interesting about the aquifer thing. I recall a CGP spokesperson telling us that this issue has been addressed after the Environment Agency expressed concerns. And yet in this weeks Gazunder:
Quotee:"There will be no constuction work until details of foul water disposal via public sewers has been agreed by Thanet Council. CGP will also have to submit detailed plans on how to deal with surface water drainage"
So.....this is CGP's idea of addressing the issue...by...er...not exactly addressing it.....yet.
I can't believe how rude some people are. If you don't like this blog or the master of it, start your own then we can come over and slag you off and see how you like it.
If the water issues were resolved, what would be most serious objections to the China Gateway Phase I be?
Easy, the misery and blight caused to Acol by putting all the HGV loading and unlading re-distribution warehouses nearest to the village and unnecessarily so. The problem is they cannot be put close to the airport because your own Council and KCC,through its own property company EKO, will not release land at the Airport end, other than to screw over CGP for its Gateway building and the ransom strip for the sum of £2.5 million. The problem could be solved easily you might think?
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