Our Council must support the Pier Trust

An open letter to CCC from the Pier Trust's ex-Treasurer Jason Hollingsworth and ex-Chairman Graham Cooper:

In light of all the recent Council criticism of the Pier Trust in the press, as past Trustees we feel compelled to respond and set the record straight.

Firstly and perhaps rather tellingly, our first observation is astonishment that CCC should level any criticism at the Trust at all, after all the Pier Trust is a community organisation and if the council considers there are deficiencies why has CCC not done the right thing and wholeheartedly got behind the Trust and to support it and help to rectify those supposed failings.

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Music, Art & Poetry in Herne Bay

The Herne Bay branch of the WEA (Workers’ Educational Association) is starting a new season of courses.

There will be a seven week course starting 17th April - one two-hour session a week - looking at poets and poetry between the two world wars.

Tutor Ron Dodge introduces the course:

Do you like poetry? Yes? No? Think again... Hitler and German rearmament. The Spanish Civil War. Grinding poverty. Ominous noises off. Was it likely that anything poetic could come from this 'low dishonest decade'? Yet poetry is always being written however turbulent the times.

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Multiply and subtract: more beach huts

So the Herne Bay beach hut consultation was "long" and "public" and "very comprehensive". I wonder whether the report of that consultation is also "long" and "public" and "very comprehensive"... if anyone knows where this report is, do let me know, and I'll pop it on this website for all to see.

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Garage fire in Charles Street

Click it to big itClouds of smoke drifted across Herne Bay, and at first it wasn't entirely clear where the smoke was coming from. After criss-crossing town, I found the Fire Brigade doing their good stuff at one of the garages backing on to Charles Street.

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The "never apologise, never explain" approach to democracy

Here's a councillor who thinks he was elected to speak his mind. What do you think - did you vote for representation, or a brain dump?

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Battling Bay councillor Peter Vickery-Jones and campaigner Phil Rose have clashed over a campaign to get the Downs registered as a village green. At a recent council meeting, Mr Vickery-Jones blasted Mr Rose as "pious and lamentable".

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Minnis Day Center - KCC are the only ones who want it to close

KCC are riding roughshod over the needs and wishes of the very people they are suppose to serve. Having apparently discouraged referrals to the Minnis Day Centre, they then cite falling attendance as a reason for closure. They arrive at the community meeting to discuss the Centre's future with their minds made up. This is all very disappointing and, of course, not entirely surprising.

The good news is that all is not lost - this is far from being a done deal.

A campaign to save the Centre has been started by local residents, and users from across the Centre's catchment area, and people who just hate seeing the vulnerable and needy getting stitched up.

More details will be appearing on this site soon. If you want to be involved, or you just want to find out more, contact Barry Hardy:

hardy.barry@yahoo.com or 01843 845022

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Pier Trust reveals extension plans

Campaigners have unveiled plans to extend the pier and build a new pavilion. Members of Herne Bay Pier Trust revealed details of the scheme – the brainchild of graphic designer Dave Parish – ahead of a crucial council meeting to debate the pier's future after council officers claimed the lack of a clear plan for the site meant that "difficult decisions" would have to be made.

In a six-page report due to be discussed by the council's ruling executive on 2nd Feb, council officer Dawn Hudd raised a number of issues.

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HB Farmers' Market shaping up well

Stall holders lining up for market plan

Plans for a farmers' market in the Bay are gaining pace, with organiser Vanessa Hill already lining up stall holders.

She received a flurry of calls after being featured in last week's Times and plans to hold the first of the fortnightly markets on Saturday March 3 in the Methodist church hall in the High Street.

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Bandstand - rumours and speculation

Just weeks away from a deal

The café bar at the Bandstand is about to change hands, with a mystery punter just weeks away from taking over the whole seafront building, sources claim. Owners the Thorley family have told the Times they are close to a deal that would see their lease handed over to another business.

They refused to name the interested party, citing commercial sensitivity, but spokesman Phil Thorley said:

"We're in the middle of negotiations. That's all I can tell you. But we expect a deal very soon, hopefully within two weeks."

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Tesco at Herne: villagers fight, councillor gives in

The Herne villagers fighting Tesco are being stitched up by Cllr Vickery-Jones. The villagers and the parish council are refusing Tesco's "cash contributions", but the councillor is happy to take the money on behalf of CCC, contrary to the wishes of his constituents.

The Council is perfectly well able to make life difficult for people using the planning process, but Cllr Vickery-Jones seems very willing to throw up his hands in surrender when it comes to Tesco. It wouldn't be the "cash contributions", would it?

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