Gale's new opinion: part 2

In this section, Roger fails to grasp why Manston is failing, and then grasps at straws. (Emails are already winging their way to our glorious leader, David Cameron, asking whether he can condone Gale's conduct. Do feel free to join in - if you get any meaningful replies, please send them in to be posted here.)

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Gale's new opinion: part 3

This is the bit where Roger Gale displays his shocking ignorance of key elements of Infratil's proposal, and has the cheek to call other people dishonest.

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More from the rumour mill...

Our diligent spies never rest and never sleep, even without night flights.

The latest news is that the gaggle of Kiwis visiting Thanet will be meeting our dazzling local MPs Roger Gale and Laura Sandys. As we all know from recent posts here, both MPs have publicly declared their opposition to night flights...

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Public consultation: the next steps

Thanet District Council say:

The council will be carrying out a full twelve week public consultation to gather the views of as many local people as possible in the next couple of months. This will be facilitated on behalf of the council by Ipsos MORI. Please could I encourage you to take part in this process once it begins.

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Politicians Against Night Flights

In April, a number of local politicians were asked: 

"Do you support night flights from Manston Airport?"

It's great to have such high profile local Conservative politicians agreeing with our message:

No Night Flights!!

Roger Gale said "No"

Laura Sandys said "No, I do not support night flights from or to Manston."

Infratil top brass come to Kent

Kiwis fly in

All along the flight path, the whispered words are spreading like wildfire: the bigwigs of a company on the other side of the world are coming to Kent on Monday. I'm thrilled at the prospect of these well-travelled, high-spending visitors plastering shop counters with their New Zealand dollars, but I can't help wondering why exactly they're coming, and why now?

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Public get the chance to air views on airport expansion plans

Cllr David Green

Clipping: thisiskent

RAMSGATE town council is to hold a public meeting to discuss proposals for more night flights from Manston airport. Chairman David Green said the council decided to hold the debate after residents used last Wednesday's council meeting to vent their fears over more night noise disturbance.

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Clear boundaries

Breaking News - Council are not "in cahoots" with Manston Airport

I can't understand what would make people think such a thing! Behold the front Page of
"Around Kent, A magazine for the people of Kent. Your voice, Your services."

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Sleepless in Thanet

Steve Dawe

Clipping: thisiskent

MANSTON airport proposes to have more night flights. To do this ignores the known health impacts of aircraft noise. Research shows exposure to aircraft noise is damaging to health and even impairs learning in children. How productive will people in Thanet be if their sleep is disturbed, perhaps by noisy freight-carrying aircraft at night? The health evidence collected by researchers throughout the world is that there is a strong association between aviation noise at night and blood pressure problems.

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Chairman sorry after complaints

Clipping: thisiskent

THE chairman of Kent County Council has apologised after complaints about the way he ran a Thanet Local Board meeting. Residents and councillors were angered by Bill Hayton's chairmanship of the meeting at Chatham House school on 27th September. They claimed Mr Hayton rudely curtailed and interrupted questions from the public on the issue of increased night flights from Manston airport.

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The consultation and the election timetable

Updated on Nov 9, 2010 at 18:09 by HBM

Cynical timing?

Night flights consultation: November to late February.
Local Election: May 5th.
Council decision on night flights: July.

This is clearly a clumsy ploy by TDC to avoid the electorate kicking the daylights out of them on election day for inflicting a lifetime of sleepless nights on them.

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Night flights plan requesting take-off

Clipping: thisiskent

THE owners of Manston airport have applied for permission to run regular night flights. The planning application was submitted to Thanet council last Wednesday, seeking the right to run scheduled flights between 11.30pm and 6am. Airport boss Charles Buchanan believes permission, which it needs from Thanet council, is vital to the success of the airport

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Herne Bay is 'the fall guy' for night flights

Clipping: thisiskent

HERNE Bay will be getting the worst of the night-flights deal being thrashed out at Manston, campaigners have warned. Kent International Airport owner Infratil is asking Thanet District Council to overturn the ban on regular night flying and let up to six cargo planes a night flying directly over Herne Bay. Manston claims development of passenger services will be possible only if the existing freight business is successful. And, to attract more freight, it must be able to schedule planes to land and take off at night.

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Public set to be asked for views on night flights from Manston airport

Bob Bayford

Clipping: thisiskent

THE public will be asked for their views on plans for regular night flights from Manston airport from 1st November. On Tuesday, Thanet council's chief executive Richard Samuel said its consultation on an application from airport owners Infratil for scheduled flights between 11pm and 6am will last approximately 12 weeks. Infratil submitted its proposals to Thanet council, the planning authority, last week. Part of its application is an assessment of the noise impact of its plans on surrounding towns and villages. Thanet council will have those claims independently reviewed before it launches its public consultation.

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Sleepless in Ramsgate

Clipping: yourthanet

People living under or near the flightpath of Manston airport could have their sleep shattered up to seven times a night if Thanet council supports plans from operator Infratil. The company’s application for a night-time flying policy has gone in to the local authority – and it wants as many as seven aircraft a night to fly in to the airport between 11.30pm and 6am – a period being labelled the ‘Night Time Quota Period’. Up to 1,995 planes could fly in at night during the year, which has been set as an annual limit.

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Meeting? What meeting?

I was looking forward to the minutes of the TLB (That Lamentable Balls-up). I was really looking forward to the video. I was going to teach myself basic video editing, so that I could splice together Cllr Hayton's interjections and set them to an amusing soundtrack. However...

One of the audience at the Thanet Local Board's entry in The Worst-run Meeting of the Year awards agreed to being video-recorded on the understanding that a copy of the recording be made available. The recording proved elusive: first there was a brief diversion: "we need permission from the parents of the kids from the Kent Youth Council". Then came the suggestion of a phone call, for a quiet word presumably. And now, in a dazzling masterstroke... it vanishes.

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Calling All Whistleblowers

If TDC decide to give Infratil the night flights they've asked for, it'll have a significant impact on the everyday lives of all of us under the flight path. The elected representatives taking that decision should be as transparent as possible about the factors they are taking into account.

Some of you have already offered us interesting and valuable insider insights into what's really going on - keep 'em coming! If you think you know something about Infratil's or TDC's plans that the wider public should know, tell us at NoNightFlights@gmail.com. We respect our sources' request to keep names confidential.

Alternatively, share what you know with the statutory consultative body responsible for issues between the airport and the community, KIACC.

QQQQQQQQQQQ!

Here's an economy dozen of the finest, freshest questions to come marching in the door, demanding answers.

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TDC Councillors and the flight path

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Questions for TDC for the consultation

Eleven pointed questions

Here's an economy dozen of the finest, freshest questions to come marching in the door, demanding answers.
QUESTION 1 Would you please ask TDC to put the Schedule 106 currently applicable to Kent International/ Manston Airport up on its website so that the electorate can see what it says?
QUESTION 2 I notice that Infratil advises KIACC of the number of passenger and cargo flights each month...

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