Latest news. 15 December

King George VI Park

After considerable lobbying by your councillors from Eastcliff and Sir Moses Montefiore Wards the toilets in the park have been re-built in a more 'convenient' position.

Eastcliff Bandstand

The lights on the bandstand have been switched off to allow some final work to be done on them. As this work is unlikely to start before the new year we have asked for them to be switched on again for Christmas.

Eastcliff Promenade

The Promenade walk from King George VI park to the Marina is one of the most popular in Thanet, Eastcliff Councillors are working hard with County Councilor Elizabeth Green to improve many aspects of the walk.

Victoria Parade

• To increase visibility and security around the shelter near the War Memorial we have had some of the Panels removed.
• The new "Windsor" lamps are now installed and working. Funding was from the County Council and the Heritage Lottery fund
• We have successfully bid for funding for improved road crossing points at all the road junctions on to Victoria Parade. These 'build outs" should improve junction sight lines as well as provide dropped curbs.
• The fountain has been repainted and repaired, but currently cannot be used because of water shortage.
• Pugin's nose has been repaired and the bust cleaned.
• We have managed to negotiate an increase in the cleaning schedule along the whole Promenade.

Wellington Crescent

• Restoration of the Bandstand has been held up due to tendering problem but should start in the next month or two. Both the restoration of the bandstand and the sound and lighting systems are now fully specified.

We are extremely disappointed and angry that the ugly fencing along the cliff-top is still there one year after being installed. The engineer's report called for urgent action to stop farther deterioration in the cliff face. We wonder who's vocabulary includes 12 months delay as "urgent'.

With the help of Ramsgate Charter Trustees we managed to install the new flagpole in time to fly the Union Flag for the Queen's Birthday. We now have the means to commemorate special events, both local and National. We hope to dedicate the flagpole to Nelson on the anniversary of his death.

Another disappointment is the state of the Eastcliff lift. Once again this year it opened at Easter and promptly failed. We have queried why maintenance was not done earlier in the year, and why the ingress of water was not dealt with.

News in Brief
Your Councillors are investigating the possibility of Trust to administer Albion House. Moves to promote PAIRS. (Performing Arts in Ramsgate) are progressing well the election of a committee and adoption of constitution should take place shortly.

Planning Failure
Thanet Council Planning Committee failed hard pressed resident in Eastcliff at their meeting The Committee approved yet more social housing in the already high density area around Kennedy House and Trove Court lower blocks. A majority of Councillors ignored a plea from residents of King Street, Ramsgate and from Eastcliff Ward Councillors to delay approval whist a meeting took place. In not being prepared even to defer decision until after TDC and KCC officers have taken an overall look at the King Street area, the Planning Committee has confirmed the residents opinion expressed to me that the decision to approve was made when TDC sold the land to the Housing Association The immediate area around King Street in Ramsgate has a number of derelict properties and no amenities such as green spaces and parking. I asked the Planning committee to delay a decision for a week to allow a meeting to take place so that residents could explain to officers why they felt that packing even more social housing into the area would create social problems similar to those already reported in Cliftonville. I think the residents have a point and that the Council should examine their concerns.

Letter from the Mayor Cllr. Steve Ward
Most of the functions I perform as Ramsgate Mayor are reported in the local newspapers, and the work I do as a Thanet District Councillor is mostly confidential. So I would like to tell you about the things I do as one of the Charter Trustees.

The Charter Trustees are based in Albion House, and hold meetings there five times a year. It is also the home of the Mayor and provides a fitting venue for entertaining prominent visitors to the town

The Council chamber itself is used by many groups for meetings; these include, amongst many others, Eastcliff Residents Association, Friends of Ramsgate Library and Thanet Voluntary and Community Sector Forum.

Because I am to some extent the "face' of the Trustees, the "Ramsgate Fund" is often referred to as the Mayor's Fund, this is a complete misconception. The Charter Trustees administer the fund, which provides grants to organisations that provided services to Ramsgate residents. These grants are usually for capital projects, that is, for the purchase of tangible items.

During the last year we have provided camping equipment for local Brownies and Guides, a wheelchair for a lunch club, help with provision of disabled access to a variety of organisations, and recently money to provide a kitchen in a family resource centre.

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