Daft huts

Campaigners have slated plans to put beach huts at the foot of the Downs as "daft and opportunistic". Phil Rose, founder of the Friends of the Downs, said:

"I thought this idea was dead in the water. This time officers are trying to put beach huts on the concrete rather than the slopes. But our concerns remain about vandalism. The Red Shelter was burned down."

The city council has marked the area as a low "priority 4" site, but notes the site was originally designed for beach huts. Mr Rose said:

"If the council puts beach huts there and we gain permission to register the site as a village green, they will be obliged by law to remove them again. It strikes me as a bit daft and opportunistic given the vociferous opposition they've faced."

HB Times 17th Jun 2011

Future of shelter to be decided

A long-running battle over where to place a Victorian shelter looked set to come to a head this week. Councillors were voting on where to put the historic Green Shelter as the Times went to press, after failing to come to a decision at a meeting in March. At the moment the shelter is in storage after having been taken down and repainted.

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Council says beach hut demand is outstripping supply

City councillors have found 11 potential sites to build more beach huts on. A full report was being discussed by members of the Herne Bay area members panel on Tuesday and by Whitstable members last night (Wednesday). The council's ruling executive will discuss the comments on July 28.

Members of the Herne Bay Beach Hut Association, Tankerton Bay Beach Hut Association, Herne Bay Residents Association, Whitstable Society and Whitstable Harbour Board took part in the review of all sites from Seasalter to Reculver.

Thirty-one sites have been ruled out for expansion including land near Seasalter Sailing Club, central Tankerton Slopes, the green gap at Swalecliffe, Studd Hill in Herne Bay, Herne Bay's Central Parade and Bishopstone Glen to Reculver.

Community groups have been invited to comment on the report by July 4. It is available on the council website. Reculver councillor Gillian Reuby said:

"I have no problem with more beach huts in principle, but when it comes to Herne Bay we need to be very careful. I divide the town into three parts: the western part is beach huts and family areas; the middle is day-trippers and shoppers and is very lively; the eastern part is tranquil, undisturbed and for those looking for peace and quiet and nice walks."

The city council's head of community development and outdoor leisure, Suzi Wakeham, said:

"Demand for beach huts in Herne Bay and Whitstable is outstripping supply. Beach hut associations have waiting lists and huts sell quickly on the market. They are also good for the local economy and have an important role to play in the regeneration of Herne Bay."

The report is available at council offices in Herne Bay, Whitstable Improvement Trust and Whitstable library. Do we need more beach huts? Email newsdesk.times@KRNmedia.co.uk or leave a message on our Facebook site.

HB Times 17th Jun 2011

Onion's Tardis

A life-sized Tardis on the seafront could be a real draw with tourists, according to a Bay councillor. Tory Andrew Cook, who represents Heron ward, raised the issue for discussion at Tuesday's meeting of the town's councillors. The unusual agenda item came up after local prop-maker Jason Onion, 35, suggested the town go Dr Who mad and put a Tardis on the seafront.

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Post mortem and the afterlife

May's election is done and dusted, the rosettes stored away, the leaflets recycled, and the manifesto promises are just fading memories.

What are we left with for the next four years, here in sunny Herne Bay? Well, we've got eight of the old guard (one re-badged) and five newbies - a decent rate of turnover, by the look of it. Twelve of them are Conservative, one Liberal Democrat. And this is where our problems start.

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A tragically lonely death

A woman who died alone except for her pet parrot was left undiscovered for FIVE months. The woman, named locally as Laura Keevil, 47, of Rowland Drive in Greenhill, was last seen alive before Christmas. But it wasn't until May 12 that worried neighbours finally called police after spotting thousands of flies gathering at her upstairs window.

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Fishing ban reviewed

Councillors will discuss the fishing ban at the Memorial Park fishing lake at the town's members panel on Tuesday. Bay resident Andy Newell was incensed 'no fishing' signs had appeared at the lake and asked Councillor Ron Flaherty to raise the issue.

Byelaw 10 (iii) says it is illegal to "attempt to take, injure or destroy, any fish in any such water, or wilfully disturb or worry any waterfowl". But councillors spotted a loophole and decided that fishing might be allowed with barbless hooks and new signs should be installed. Officers had other ideas. They said:

"Legal and other officers have reviewed this matter and advise that fishing is prohibited by the byelaw. However, a review of byelaws will come forward during the new administrative year."

HB Times 10th Jun 2011

AGM - Change of Date

We have unfortunately had to postpone our AGM which will not now be held on 14 June. We apologise for any inconvenience this causes you.

When we set our date we checked the diaries for all other important local meetings. The Herne Bay Area Panel was scheduled to meet on 7 June but has now been changed until a week later, 14 June, and therefore the same night as our AGM. As this meeting cannot be rearranged a second time, the Pier Trust has been asked to move its AGM.

Due to the unavailability of trustees during July and August, the AGM will now take place during the first week in September. The date will be notified as soon as possible.

Seafront Gallery

The third exhibition at the Herne Bay Pier Trust Gallery opens on 27 May and will run until 12 June. The exhibition is called Herne Bay's Helping Hands by Theresa Gaston St John. The Gallery is open from 11am to 6pm every Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday.

For all enquiries about the Gallery from artists and groups please contact Andrea Leach andrea.leach@yahoo.co.uk or telephone 07802 630871. Andrea is still looking for more volunteers to help out at the Gallery during opening hours. Please contact him if you are able to assist, even for a few hours.

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Reclaim Regenerate Rebuild

www.hernebaypiertrust.co.uk

It's Kitewood. Again.

Yes folks, it's Kitewood. The people who brought us Altira Tumbleweed Park, and didn't bring us a new Blacksole Bridge. The people who said they would bring us a new Blacksole Bridge if they could have a huge swathe of Beltinge to play with.

To be honest, I don't think we're any closer to getting a bridge, but Kitewood are starting to nibble away at the open spaces of Beltinge, laying the foundations of "Kitegate" a development area the size of Hampton.

They've got their eyes on the eastern end of Kitegate, where they hope to knock up 40 homes on farmland, much to the annoyance of the local residents who thought they would be living next to, er, farmland.

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Making allowances

Council leader John Gilbey once again tops the table for take-home pay among city councillors, new allowances figures show. Mr Gilbey, who represents Blean Forest, earned £32,382, more than half of which came from his special allowance of £21,361 as council boss. The Tory's expenses included £2,000 in mileage and £570 for his mobile phone.

Conservative vice chairman of the council's executive and Seasalter representative Jean Law was runner up with £17,235 – her basic allowance of £4,710 topped up by special responsibility allowances totalling £8,502.

Executive member Peter Vickery-Jones, who represents Herne and Broomfield, came next – his £13,093 including £5,505 in special responsibility allowances and £408 for his mobile phone.

Lib Dem leader Alex Perkins, who represents Wincheap, earned £12,378.23 including £6,611.78 for special responsibility, while former Labour leader Julia Seath, who did not stand in this year's elections but used to represent Harbour in Whitstable, claimed £6,134.

The figures were released by the council last week and broken down into basic allowance, special responsibility, travel and subsistence and PC allowance for the financial year to 31 March 2011.

HB Times 9th June 2011