Biggles Shot Down By Standards Committee

Word on the island grapevine is that Tory Cllr/Dr Moores has had his complaint against Labour Cllr/Sherriffof Nottingham turned down by the standards people. The complaint, regarding some kind of blog-related hissy fit between Thanet Council's two political heavyweights, had already been rejected once. Now it's been rejected again on appeal.

Quite how that affects Westgate-based, banner-tugging Dr Biggles' libel case against The Sherriff, lord knows. (I would have said 'law lord', but we don't have any of those these days, do we?) As previously reported, Cllr Nottingham has obtained the services of top London libel lawyers Carter Ruck to defend himself against cabinet member Dr M's accusations.

Oh well. At least the news is an excuse to use an amusing photo which was sent to me by top Thanetian author Iain Aitch!

Ruffelling Feathers

Cripes! I see Bertie Biggles over on Thanet Strife has been forced to scotch a rumour that the next Mayor of Margate was involved in a contretemps at the opening night of the new Rokka bar in the town last December.

Tory but ex-Labour councillor (where have I heard that before?) Ted Watt-Ruffell was rumoured to have been involved in an argument at the door on the night, and to have threatened to make life difficult for Rokka after he was refused entry. Rokka subsequently had their licence called in, and were forced to shut for two weeks while they re-applied.

That a man 'claiming to be a councillor' turned up 'drunk and disorderly' and 'extremely abusive' is not in doubt, as the redoubtable Bertie has published a letter from the owner of Rokka, Nick Panteli, to Cllr W-R confirming the fact. Nor is the fact that this mysterious 'councillor' departed 'muttering there would be repercussions'. However, Mr Panteli goes on to explain:

After looking at our CCTV there did appear to be some resemblance however I was still not convinced. Having never met you, I decided to discuss the issue with Sandy Ezekiel, he assured me you were not in the area at the time, do not drink and that you are a strict Methodist. Sandy is a family friend held in high regard and his comments were enough to convince us that maybe we were indeed pointing the finger at the wrong man.

However it does appear your name has been tarnished by association and for this I offer our wholehearted apologies. It was never our intention to bring this into the public domain in this manner.

I can categorically state that I am satisfied that Councillor Watt-Ruffell had nothing to do with the sequence of events that transpired following the opening weekend of Rokka Margate and that he was not the gentleman who was refused entry.

So that clears that up then, thanks to a quick chat with Our Glorious Council Leader, who has himself been up before the Standards wallahs twice for, er, less than moderate behaviour!

For some reason, Bertie has disallowed comments on his item. But that doesn't mean you can't comment here (as long as you keep it clean and legal). For example, can anyone confirm that Cllr W-R is a teetotaller and a strict Methodist? Were you at Rokka on the opening night, and if so, what did you see? And if the mystery 'councillor' wasn't W-R, then who was it?

If this chap's going to be Mayor of Margate, I think we should be told!

A Song For Thanet

With apologies to The Crystals

Ezekiel and Latchford coming down the street
They do run run run, they do run run
They've heard there's a petition that they gotta beat
They do run run run, they do run run
Yeah, it's in the Woollen Shop
Yeah, they gotta make it drop
And when they get inside
They do run run run, they do run run

Iris and the manager are having words
They don't run run run, they don't run run
They think the council's policy is for the birds
They don't run run run, they don't run run
Yeah, Sand and Rodge barge in
Yeah, they make a right old din
And when the petition drops
They do run run run, they do run run

Thom and Nick the hacks are looking quite aghast
They don't run run run, they don't run run
Sandy's misbehaviour isn't in the past
They don't run run run, they don't run run
Yeah, the standards chaps step in
Yeah, the Gruesome Twins can't win
And when it came to the crunch
They did run run run, they did run run

Sandy Beach Deemed Unfit For Purpose

Nope, not another story about dirty nappies strewn across Viking Bay (eeurgh!), but the result of my latest 7 day poll asking whether people would prefer to see the back or front of our glorious council leader. A whopping 63 people cast their votes, here's the final tally:

Question: Is our Sandy fit to be leader of Thanet Council?

No: 87% (55 votes)
Yes: 12% (8 votes)

An overwhelming majority in favour of putting the former pugilist and 'f*cking tosser' utterer out to pasture, then. I expect he'll hand in his resignation first thing Monday morning!

A Right Pair Of Knits

Here's something you won't have read in today's Gazunder. (So what's new? - Ed.) Barely a month after being rapped by the Standards Board for his famous Fannit f*cking tosser/wanker outburst at a black tie do, the Blue Rinsers' glorious council leader has been caught tussling again - this time in front of startled shoppers at the Edinburgh Woollen Mill outlet on Margate High Street.

Apparently the former pugilist wasn't there to buy a kilt yesterday morning, but to object to a 1500-signature petition against his proposed redeployment of the community wardens to fight the litter louts on the beaches, instead of bagging shoplifters (which they're rather good at, I hear). The petition was jointly sponsored by Margate Labour councillor Iris Johnston and the Edinburgh Woollen Mill store manager. At Sandy's side was none other than Deputy Dawg, Rodge OBE. One shopper who witnessed the entire incident has emailed me with the following account:

Bystanders, including the store manager, were aghast at the behaviour of Cllrs Sandy and Rodge as they berated Cllr Iris. The 'boys' turned up unannounced and uninvited to throw their weight around and quite frankly made very big fools of themselves. It's safe to say they weren't the least bit interested in purchasing tartan trews, bonnets or kilts from said retailer!

Iris just about remained composed throughout but this was clearly a shocking turn of events for her. Roger tried to snatch the petition from Iris at one point and lunged forward to get it from her as she swept up the sheets of paper. Sandy then carried on berating Iris saying she was wrong to suggest that wardens were being made redundant or taken away from the High Street altogether.

To put it charitably, this was very ungentlemanly behaviour from both of them and they deserve to be exposed.

Our Sandy seems to have a thing about petitions. Only last week he complained that those fighting the flogging of their own assets by his junta of Jurassic Tories were making 'mischief and they should know better'. How different from the lovely new image the national Conservatives cultivate! There's Cuddly Dave, pedalling to parliament, and the other Dave, resigning over liberty, justice and freedom. Down here in the tip of Kent one gets the impression that it would still be possible to stumble across a Maggiesaurus roaming the fields of brassicas!

Update: A full account of the incident has now appeared on Thanet Extra. Click here to read it. And another eyewitness account on the island's second most premierest blog after me, Thanet Strife. Click here to read that.

Falling Standards

Interesting that this week's Isle of Thanet Gazunder has returned to the Famous Fannit F*cking Tosser/Wanker debacle on the front page, under a mysteriously un-bylined lead about local bling kings the Hiltons facing 52 charges brought by Trading Standards.

Far from the abject apologies/law suits predicted by some of its media rivals last week, the Gazunder's story is headlined: 'Ezekiel's Fracas Apology' and goes on to detail how Our Sandy has said sorry for his behaviour, but has refused to bury the hatchet with the former Mayor of Margate for his 'f*cking tosser/wanker' outburst.

Tucked away in the second paragraph is the line: 'Former Mayor Doug Clark was found to have breached the code, not at the ball as we reported last week, but was found to have broken the code in an earlier, separate incident.' Hmm. About as close to an apology as Sandy's, I suppose!

Red Faces After Air Turned Blue?

The front page of today's Isle of Thanet Gazunder seems to have copped a world exclusive! The paper reports that the people who govern the ethical behaviour of local councillors have ruled that both council leader Sandy Beach and Labour's former Margate Mayor Doug Clark were in breach of its code of conduct over the Famous Fannit F*cking Tosser debacle last year.

If you recall our Tory head honcho and former pugilist was alleged to have called the Mayor of Margate a 'f*cking tosser' at a black tie do last year, on the same day he had given a speech condemning anti-social behaviour, and allegedly said to Labour councillor Clive Hart who attempted to intervene: 'Come on, just put your face in mine.' Councillor Hart has been cleared of any misconduct relating to the incident, but is still being investigated over claims of racist language, alleges the Gazunder.

The paper makes it clear that it's running the story ahead of official publication of the Standards Board of England verdict, and adds that it understands the Board will not be taking any punitive action. It also reports the incident extensively from our Sandy's point of view, who claims that he was provoked after enduring months of racist comments. He tells the Gazunder: 'It was clear (Doug Clark) was in an aggressive mood. My first reaction was to turn away but he started berating me in a semi-coherent manner,' and adds: 'Hart came towards me with clenched fists. I told him if he put his face in front of mine he would pay.'

In response the Labour group launched a stinging attack today, accusing the story of being 'inaccurate'. They claim that members of the public who witnessed the 'shameful' incident were 'horrified', with the former Mayor accusing Sandy B of 'yobbish behaviour' and making 'false allegations... in an effort to cover up his own appalling behaviour'. Councillor Hart has demanded that Sandy should 'apologise to all concerned'.

Oh dear oh dear oh dear. Will any good come of all this? Somehow I doubt it!

Lamp Standards

Harking back to that lamp post yesterday, I'd just like to make it clear that it wasn't in any way meant to be a slur on the brave lads and lasses at Kent Highways, who do a difficult job, often under dangerous circumstances.

No, it was rather directed at the 'higher ups' who have clearly made a decision that Wellington Crescent deserves less than gold standards when it comes to the new lighting along there. The new posts are definitely not of the same quality, calibre or character as the ones they erected along Victoria Parade last year. They're not black (yet - but let's hope they paint them soon), and I counted at least four which were just the old lamps with new bits bunged on them.

Why? Search me, guv. Perhaps one of my frequent KCC readers would like to explain.

Old Lamps For Old

Good to see Kent Highways' contractors out yesterday installing the new, long-awaited 'heritage' lamps along Wellington Crescent. Of course, we had ours changed along Victoria Parade a year ago.

There's something rather odd about these 'new' lamps though.

They're not actually new. They're just the old lamps with new tops and a couple of fancy bits from B&Q bunged on them.

Presumably someone will come along and paint them black at some point, so they at least look half convincing, but I won't be holding my breath. Honestly, what a cheap trick!