Last night I spoke for the first time at a Full Council Meeting. It was one of the most nerve-racking experiences of my life. I had the questions that I wanted to ask written in front of me so all I had to do was read. I was scared that my voice would crack or that I would sound like an idiot. Perhaps my questions were actually ridiculous and my fellow councillors would pity me as a young fool. A fellow councillor said to me on the way up the stairs to the chamber that as long as I didn’t burst into tears everything would be fine. At that moment I couldn’t rule anything out.
My first question asked the Leader of the Council, Cllr Fran Wilson to outline the policy for councillors publicly commenting on the KIG proposals. I was told that we had to be very careful as any public comment could lead to allegation of having prejudged the application. That leads to trouble. It is safer to not comment, otherwise we would be disqualified from debates on the KIG or even the Local Development Framework.
I followed this up with a question that asked whether a Liberal Councillor that had made comments a recent election leaflet objecting to the proposals would therefore be disqualified. I was given exactly the same answer as before which although certainly was an answer to a question, it just wasn’t an answer to mine.
I don’t mind that we cannot comment publicly on the proposals. It is obviously a rule there for a reason. As long as each councillor plays by the same rules. Otherwise, what is the point?
My second question was to the Environment Cabinet Member. I tried to get a commitment that any money made from the sale of the land that currently holds the soon to be closed (despite our better efforts) Coombe Quarry Park and Ride service will be reinvested into transport initiatives and not used to fund retaining weekly bin collections. An argument can be made to suggest that the Liberals are in control due to their opposition to alternate weekly collections. However the residents of Maidstone should not be expected to give up vital services to help the Liberals keep campaign promises.
Thursday, 26 July 2007
Friday, 20 July 2007
Coombe Quarry Park and Ride
Cllr Tony Harwood, Lib Dem Cabinet Member for the Environment has decided that despite the public outcry at the proposals to close Coombe Quarry Park and Ride, despite the objections raised by myself and other councillors including a Liberal Councilor and despite the many alternatives provided to him, the Coombe Quarry Park and Ride is going to close.
Despite some 'liberal' truths that have been published stating that the Conservative Cabinet Member for the Environment last year was planning on closing the site therefore suggesting that Cllr Harwood inherited this decision, it must be pointed out that Cllr Mrs Parvin asked for a report on OPTIONS FOR FUNDING THE COOMBE QUARRY PARK AND RIDE. No plans for closing the site were considered by the Conservative Administration last year.
Despite some 'liberal' truths that have been published stating that the Conservative Cabinet Member for the Environment last year was planning on closing the site therefore suggesting that Cllr Harwood inherited this decision, it must be pointed out that Cllr Mrs Parvin asked for a report on OPTIONS FOR FUNDING THE COOMBE QUARRY PARK AND RIDE. No plans for closing the site were considered by the Conservative Administration last year.
Wednesday, 18 July 2007
A&E Update
So far the online petition has 2,837 signatures.
We need more.
If you want to save Maidstone Hospital's A&E then sign the petition.
If you don't want 60 lives a year lost due to longer travelling times to Pembury then sign the petition.
If you want a Hospital with a Helipad and good access from both major motorways then sign the petition.
If you want the Government to listen then make sure you shout. Sign the petition.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/MaidstoneAandE/
For those of you with Facebook join the group 'Closure of A & E at Maidstone Hospital' at this link.
We need more.
If you want to save Maidstone Hospital's A&E then sign the petition.
If you don't want 60 lives a year lost due to longer travelling times to Pembury then sign the petition.
If you want a Hospital with a Helipad and good access from both major motorways then sign the petition.
If you want the Government to listen then make sure you shout. Sign the petition.
http://petitions.pm.gov.uk/MaidstoneAandE/
For those of you with Facebook join the group 'Closure of A & E at Maidstone Hospital' at this link.
Friday, 13 July 2007
My letter to the KM...
Earlier on this week I sent this letter to the Kent Messenger.
It didn't get pulished so I thought I would put it on here. I'm nice like that.
Dear Sir,
I am afraid that Cllr Harwood has brought the outcry against the closure of Coombe Quarry Park and Ride in last weeks KM entirely on himself. The sheer number of complaints against this decision only serves to highlight the most disturbing aspect of the affair. The lack of public consultation.
Is this a signal of the Liberal Democrat policy for the rest of the year; just making decisions without asking anyone their opinion? Do we really want an administration that doesn’t bother asking what you think when it comes to something as important as cutting back services. Surely a decision of this nature and with its potential ramifications deserves to be discussed in the greatest detail.
I could understand relocating the site to another facility nearby, if it really was still within reasonable reach of the current users who depend on the service. However reports written on the decision to close the Coombe Quarry service state that a replacement will not be available until 2011. That is four years without a Park and Ride site servicing the South of Maidstone.
Maidstone Borough Council Leader, Cllr Fran Wilson was quoted in last weeks edition saying that she is concerned about how people use their cars in Maidstone. How does her Cabinet Member for Environment’s recent decision to force 71,000 extra cars onto the roads sit with her concerns?
Ben
It didn't get pulished so I thought I would put it on here. I'm nice like that.
Dear Sir,
I am afraid that Cllr Harwood has brought the outcry against the closure of Coombe Quarry Park and Ride in last weeks KM entirely on himself. The sheer number of complaints against this decision only serves to highlight the most disturbing aspect of the affair. The lack of public consultation.
Is this a signal of the Liberal Democrat policy for the rest of the year; just making decisions without asking anyone their opinion? Do we really want an administration that doesn’t bother asking what you think when it comes to something as important as cutting back services. Surely a decision of this nature and with its potential ramifications deserves to be discussed in the greatest detail.
I could understand relocating the site to another facility nearby, if it really was still within reasonable reach of the current users who depend on the service. However reports written on the decision to close the Coombe Quarry service state that a replacement will not be available until 2011. That is four years without a Park and Ride site servicing the South of Maidstone.
Maidstone Borough Council Leader, Cllr Fran Wilson was quoted in last weeks edition saying that she is concerned about how people use their cars in Maidstone. How does her Cabinet Member for Environment’s recent decision to force 71,000 extra cars onto the roads sit with her concerns?
Ben
Wednesday, 11 July 2007
Coombe Quarry Park and Ride - has anything changed?
Last night the people of Maidstone had their chance to appear at Town Hall to speak out against the planned closure of Park and Ride. I hope they don't feel like they wasted their time. I have a feeling however, that they may feel precisely that way.
Countless objections were raised including the fact that no replacement will be available for 4 years and that no public consultation was carried out. Previous searches for alternative sites have failed completely so what is to say that 4 years is a realistic timescale - leaving aside that fact that 4 years without a service for the south of Maidstone is a scandalous amount of time.
The Scrutiny Team came up with a list of numerous realistic alternatives (although the list was certainly not exhaustive) but none of these, nor any suggestions made by the public or Councillors were met with any real response from Cllr Harwood, Lib Dem Cabinet Member for Environment. The financial argument that everyday Coombe Quarry spends open loses us money just doesn't seem to hold any water on the back drop of the alternatives suggested.
Another issue of concern was uncovered when it was outlined that any money saved by closing the service isn't actually money gained, it just gets us back on budget. However money made from selling the site afterwards is money gained. It is capital, and that can be spent on all sorts of things. When asked by Committee Vice-Chairman Cllr Beerling and pressed by Cllr Mrs Marshall, Cllr Harwood failed to answer what this money would be spent on and didn't convincingly agree that it would be reinvested into transport.
So, after last night Cllr Harwood has 5 days to reconsider his decision and respond. I am not certain that he will change his mind thereby completely ignoring the public wishes.
As for the money made from selling the site, it is indeed possible that it would be used to fund weekly refuse collections which Liberals promised to keep at the last election. We are therefore left asking at what price will weekly collections be kept? If it isn't by means of raised council tax we have to ask... is anything safe? What public services will be cut next?
Ben
Countless objections were raised including the fact that no replacement will be available for 4 years and that no public consultation was carried out. Previous searches for alternative sites have failed completely so what is to say that 4 years is a realistic timescale - leaving aside that fact that 4 years without a service for the south of Maidstone is a scandalous amount of time.
The Scrutiny Team came up with a list of numerous realistic alternatives (although the list was certainly not exhaustive) but none of these, nor any suggestions made by the public or Councillors were met with any real response from Cllr Harwood, Lib Dem Cabinet Member for Environment. The financial argument that everyday Coombe Quarry spends open loses us money just doesn't seem to hold any water on the back drop of the alternatives suggested.
Another issue of concern was uncovered when it was outlined that any money saved by closing the service isn't actually money gained, it just gets us back on budget. However money made from selling the site afterwards is money gained. It is capital, and that can be spent on all sorts of things. When asked by Committee Vice-Chairman Cllr Beerling and pressed by Cllr Mrs Marshall, Cllr Harwood failed to answer what this money would be spent on and didn't convincingly agree that it would be reinvested into transport.
So, after last night Cllr Harwood has 5 days to reconsider his decision and respond. I am not certain that he will change his mind thereby completely ignoring the public wishes.
As for the money made from selling the site, it is indeed possible that it would be used to fund weekly refuse collections which Liberals promised to keep at the last election. We are therefore left asking at what price will weekly collections be kept? If it isn't by means of raised council tax we have to ask... is anything safe? What public services will be cut next?
Ben
Friday, 6 July 2007
Thursday, 5 July 2007
Save Maidstone Hospital
Gordon Brown says he will listen to the people.
Save Maidstone Hospital.
Stop 60 lives a year being lost.
Send him a message he cannot ignore.
Sign this petition.
Save Maidstone Hospital.
Stop 60 lives a year being lost.
Send him a message he cannot ignore.
Sign this petition.
Widget...
Ok, so I am an idiot.
I tried moving the page layout around and unfortunately there was a slight deleting incident surounding the page counter. Woops.
I tried moving the page layout around and unfortunately there was a slight deleting incident surounding the page counter. Woops.
Wednesday, 4 July 2007
Coombe Quarry Park and Ride
The Liberal Democrat administration has decided to close the Coombe Quary Park and Ride on 3rd September 2007. There has been no public consultation. There will be no replacement for at least 4 years.
Conservative members of the Council have called the decision in which means it will be reviewed at a committee meeting. To register your comments email louisesmith@maidstone.gov.uk or contact me.
Conservative members of the Council have called the decision in which means it will be reviewed at a committee meeting. To register your comments email louisesmith@maidstone.gov.uk or contact me.
New Website for Residents
A new website has been launched by Conservative members of the Maidstone Borough Council to enable residents to get more involved in the debates currently underway within the town.
http://www.maidstonewealdbandolier.blogspot.com/
Click on this site link and have your say now. First topic for discussion is the proposed closure of Coombe Quarry Park and Ride by the Lib Dem council. The most worrying aspect of this decision is the lack of consultation with the public over the proposals. Is this the kind of administration you want? Where you only discover decisions have been made when you have been waiting for a bus for 2 hours!
Join this discussion or suggest your own using the form on the website.
I have added a link to the site in my 'links' section.
http://www.maidstonewealdbandolier.blogspot.com/
Click on this site link and have your say now. First topic for discussion is the proposed closure of Coombe Quarry Park and Ride by the Lib Dem council. The most worrying aspect of this decision is the lack of consultation with the public over the proposals. Is this the kind of administration you want? Where you only discover decisions have been made when you have been waiting for a bus for 2 hours!
Join this discussion or suggest your own using the form on the website.
I have added a link to the site in my 'links' section.
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