Tuesday, June 03, 2014

Thanet Council Gets New Chief Exec

I must say it's been a long time coming, but at last those duffers at Thanet Council have seen the light and put me in charge. Well, according to 'vertical search engine' ZoomInfo, that is. Which will probably come as a surprise to the incumbent, Dr Sue McGonigal.

It just goes to show that t'internet ain't perfect yet. For example, Google on my smart phone seems to think that Thanet is synonymous with Margate...
And as for the National Lottery, it thinks Ramsgate is outside the UK...
Which sort of drives a lorry through Farage's chances round here!

Meanwhile, I can only get French TV on Freeview. Call me old-fashioned, but a Gallic discussion about piles doesn't, er, sit too well at lunchtime when you're trying to munch your way through the old buffalo mozarella and sun dried tomato bruschetta!

38 comments:

Anonymous said...

Macgonigal must go: what is Iris waiting for?

Anonymous said...

For a minute there I thought this was SMA group on facebook.

Anonymous said...

What. And have two loose cannons?

1 o'clock Rob said...

@ 5:50pm... errr probably the ability under the law to remove her?

Anonymous said...

If people believe that the Councils issues are all down to Dr Sue, think again. The Cabinet the officers, all need looking at, Driver, another absurd comment from him, Gloag should donate Thd field I Manston to the people of Kent for one final throw of the dice before developing it when it fails again, interesting that the Green party candidate, wants to try the most polluting business on the face of the earth. Speaks volumes about the calibre of people in TDC

Anonymous said...

err...Rob, corruption and incompetence at TDC means Macgonigal can't be sacked?

Anonymous said...

Richard does this mean your ambition to stand for PCC (when Barnesie resigns)may be put aside ?

Anonymous said...

6:57 Nobody is saying it is all down to Macgonigal but she has the title and salary and responsibility.

She has actively taken part in most of the pollution and corruption over the years and leaves it to the LGA to point it out. She is useless. And I agree most of the others and councillors are too.

1 o'clock Rob said...

@ 7:25pm, once she has been found guilty of those charges she can be dismissed.

As she currently hasn't been found guilty, a court of law needs to do that and not just a vigilante online lynch mob, she can't be.

Hence Iris has no ability under the law to sack her.

Anonymous said...

Mcgonigal must go. Why are we paying £100k for such crap officials. The councillors need to get a grip.

Anonymous said...

Absolute rubbish Rob. Of course Iris or council can sack her.

A court of law is irrelevant for ending employment.

Absolute rubbish.

Anonymous said...

I trust you have bought a french TV licence or you will get a knock on the door.

Anonymous said...

Michael Child is thinking of re-establishing his internet presence on Facebook. Presumably a closed group for his three regular blog commenters. Plus ce change.

William Epps had noticed a zero comments post on Thanet Online (48 hours without comment) and so kicked off with a comment tentatively relevant to the post subject.

Then it was business as usual as the three recidivist bloggeteers got down to their standard Thanet Online deja vu dirge. Yes commenting on anon comments from other blogs. Blaming anon commenters for diverting their attention from blog to tweet and facebook.

The wee snapper from Margate seems convinced that Thanet blogging had an era of public interest achievement.

There was expose' of Sericol aquifer contamination (Thanks Rick for the FOI)

There was expose' of Thor contamination and remediation project (Thanks Rick for the FOI)

There is now FOI seeking to establish if solvent theft inquiries at Sericol 92/93 arose from the Met Police arrests of UDA hit men and drugs importers at their Margate base in 1992.

It appears to have been the theft inquiry that discovered the massive contamination of Thanet aquifer.

How long had the UDA been based in Margate ? Was there paramilitary support/collusion ? Was it associated with 21 arrests 1987 of Broadstairs TA men "Duped" into paramilitary activity ?

Interesting then that two of the arrested TA men became tory cllrs. One of these became Sericol site safety engineer.

And now it appears that in 87 it was neither Attorney General nor CPS who took the nil prosecution decision.

Didn't the tory council 1993 know about the Sericol inquiry and discovery of massive contamination?

What was the argument about at a Planning Cttee meeting between tory Cllr Margaret Mortlock and Sericol site engineer former Kent TA man tory Cllr Maison ?

Wasn't tory Cllr Hayton on honour withdrawal ? He could not then be a witness of fact as he presented at High Court in May 1998. How convenient TDC say they have no records of the meeting. Or of the consequent inquiry and disciplinary raised pre 1995 by Margaret Mortlock into a mail intercept and intimidation of Labour lady cllrs.

In 19095 Cllr Iris |Johnson took tory Cllr Maison's ward and thereafter became subject of a venomous hatemail campaign (that Simon Moores claims is not a cold case consideration in the inquiries which saw him recently interviewed under caution)

Michael quitting just as it gets interesting ?


Unknown said...

Try as you might Rob, you cannot penetrate the skull of that anon. Good to see you making the effort though.

Anonymous said...

Breaking news

Another Kent PCC Youth crime tsar bites the dust over a a Thanet tory cllr

The story gets all the more interesting when the chap's history as a Hartsdown teacher (when the Head denied further use of school facilities to the Kent Adventure Training Corps) and became a project engineer for CUMMINS POWER GENERATION.

That company has been subject of many reports of concern and calls for inquiry including to ANN BARNES Chair of Police Authority and later PCC. In fact Ann may feel compelled to answer (Don't hold yer breath) the circumstances in which she protected these crime complaints from inquiry ?

And she may feel compelled to ask why Kent Special Branch Intelligence Analysis did not raise a security flag earlier perhaps during inquiries including interviews under caution of Thanet tory cllrs ?




Bemused of Birchington is a former Cummins engineer too I think.

With expertise like that available to him how come Simes never ventured to deny the case for sabotage at Petbow ?


Unknown said...

Rick, you are getting your association of events slightly confused.

The interviewing of councillors under caution arose out of a complaint by a Margate based landlady that they, jointly with John Hamilton, he of Arizona cowboy fame, were conspiring to harass her. They were in no way connected with any security issue or performed by Special Branch officers.

They do, however, link in with the current PCC criticism insofar that it is alleged Thanet Police initially saw nothing to follow up on the issue, but only did so after the intervention of the PCC. Subsequently those interviewed have been advised no charges will follow so I suggest your implication of misdoing is a bit naughty.

I do understand what you try to do, but on this one you are barking up the wrong tree.

Anonymous said...

50 year old Robert Burgess named as the former KCC councillor caught dipping his wick with the 20 year old youth commissioner according to BBC...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-kent-27692723

Would not be the first middle aged TDC/KCC councillor to be caught taking an interest in youth affairs.

Anonymous said...

Why would anyone think that with TDC's track record over 30 years and now there are no cover ups to bury things which may bring the council into disrepute, makes you wonder if this CPO business and doubtless conversations with "interested investors" Riveroak or whomever are strictly above board so to speak, as some associated with the alleged looking onto it. what mess is being created now which will not be know for many years to come?

Anonymous said...

Nuclear Security

I am glad you are endorsing references to law this day William.

The linkie is a relevant read concerning the PCC.

As you know after a comprehensive report to Lord Carlile QC last year a backup generator engineer came forward with a report of suspected historical sabotage at Dungeness A. The implications of this are too serious to brush under the carpet.

For example in 1996 the IRA deployment to black out London and South East for six months can now be said to have had a probable consequence if it had succeeded.

Chernobyl on the Kent coast. Lack of resilience and reliability in the safety shut down circuitry backup generator.

On the one hand Ann Barnes PCC knew that a retrospective inquiry was requested of Office of Nuclear Regulation. At the level of national survival threat.

On the other hand she invited a backup generator engineer, employed by a company under calls for inquiry, into the mentoring circles of her Police and Crime Commissioner Office.

Her lack of policing awareness and lack of judgment are breathtaking.

That is not an allegation against any employee of Cummins. It is about not associating the PCC office with people who might conceivably be interviewed under caution. (Like his fellow tory cllrs re John Hamilton)

Anonymous said...

FOI re Kent history sabotage, paramilitary collusion and advice given to The International Arms Decommissioners

I will not hold my breath waiting for Theresa May to write terms of reference for her Judge led inquiry that empower the Judge to get the FULL truth.

Anonymous said...

Crime commisioners then youth commisioners, another dumb idea from the Tories to try and put more of there own in a position of power, whats it costing us, scandals, money for refurbishment of offices, no mandate or job description, absolutely farcical. We as public need the right to fire poor cllrs, mps, pcc, and council cheif executive, then they would be accountable, and would have to perform and work for there money. Had enough, talk of youth commisioner scandels, corupt councils, cllrs and suspect executives, a clown for a crime commisioner, we don't need UKIP we need to rip apart the current political system in this country, and modernise it, hold people accountable, and make all these twats work for there living and be held accountable.

Anonymous said...

Whatever happened to John Hamilton? Was his real identity exposed?

Anonymous said...

Last night was the meeting of TDC General purpose committee, the committee where the actions of the Chief exec and ex leader Hart were being questioned concerning the planning appeal to built 550 houses by EKO. You may remember that both of the above are/were members of both EKO management and TDC. These is report on the TDC web site EKO complaint investigation that says TDC are saying nothing about what went on in the meeting so can we assume that the Chief Exec has a case to answer for regarding her role in the appeal?
Does anybody know anything from last nights meeting?

Still Even More Bemused Of Birchington said...
This comment has been removed by the author.
Anonymous said...

According to the Gazette the Chief Exec to be invesgtigated regarding the EKO complaint.

Anonymous said...

According to the Gazette the Chief Exec to be invesgtigated regarding the EKO complaint.

Anonymous said...

It might be a good time for you to be Chief Executive as presumably there will be a nice fee for being returning officer at the 2015 general election up for grabs!

Anonymous said...

Strange of Iris to try and clamp down councillors discussion of the Mcgonigal EKO case by referring to a council code of conduct.

What rot. Councillors report to the electorate not some self generated internal rules.

let's hear what the councillors think with Mcgonigal effectively acting as the rubber stamp for both Eko and TDC housing.

Anonymous said...

Toxic anarchist Councillor Driver strikes again.......well done Ian this episode will cost Thanet council tax payers at least £50,000 for an investigation that will undoubtedly prove the Chief Exective has done nothing wrong. I hate to think what the 'on costs' are going to be.
Opportunists Cllrs Bayford and Marson must be feelng very proud of themselves jumping on this particular bandwagon and playing politics.........

Anonymous said...

Because this allegation is so serious she should be suspended. The building of 550 houses will be worth tens of millions to somebody.

Still Even More Bemused Of Birchington said...

ECR, once again 12:13 pm speaks in riddles and innuendo. I for one do not have a clue what he is talking about, nor do I particularly care. My time at the company he refers to was very brief,18 months, and during that time I occupied a window seat up to my retirement.

Richard Eastcliff said...

I have to say I have some sympathy with your point of view, Mr EMBOB. Rick very much rows his own conspiracy boat, I have told him repeatedly that I don't have the time or resources to investigate his complex theories, however I do indulge his comments to a certain extent as he has been proved right on a number of occasions. That said, I think we've had enough for now, so regretfully I'm going to have to curtail his comments again for the time being.

Anonymous said...

8:26
Thanet council tax payers will mainly benefit. 30% of the housing was to be 'affordable'. The money will go towards paying for the construction of the new Haine Road.....£6m is still owed by KCC and TDC for the road.

Anonymous said...

Thanet taxpayers would not benefit from over building with empty houses Nor the costs and secrecy of the Kcc-Tdc quango Eko.

Seems like secretive staffing up like Top Temps at Kcc.

Tdc corruption and Kcc complicity is of course beyond doubt.

Anonymous said...

I think you will find that KCC paid for the road and TDC have to pay £3 millions to KCC.
But if 550 dwellings are allowed to be built, TDC will receive a tidy sum from the government's new build premium grant system which is based on council tax income. It would work out at over £3 millions for 500 houses, now that's a coincidence and would let TDC balance the books rather than cook them.
Just image how much TDC would get under this scheme if a ew town was built at Manston.

Anonymous said...

would rather have a doctor than a dick running TDC

Anonymous said...

11;55
You can of course prove corruption or are you just speaking through a hole that is not in your head?

Anonymous said...

Would rather not have a running dick nor dr Mcgonigal