Sunday 24 October 2010

Thanet District Council consultation on Night Flights from Steve Dawe, Press Officer, Kent Green Party

TO: Thanet District Council consultation on Night Flights – DRAFT for comments


FROM: Steve Dawe, Press Officer, Kent Green Party

October 2010


Kent Green Party covers Kent and Medway with a network of local branches and has about 45,000 supporters in this area. As part of the Green Party of England and Wales, Kent Green Party supports initiatives to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and opposes those proposals which add to them. Consequently, we are opposed to aviation expansion in the UK and support increased taxation on flights and ideally on aviation fuel to reduce emissions and to push businesses and travellers towards less polluting transport modes.

1.       CONSIDERING NOISE AND HEALTH
2.       PEAK OIL AS AN OBSTACLE TO CIVIL AVIATION EXPANSION
3.       NEW RESEARCH SHOWS AVIATION AND SHIPPING POLLUTION WORSE THAN EXPECTED
4.       LOCAL FOOD NOT AIR FREIGHTED FRUIT AND VEG
5.       THANET DISTRICT COUNCIL AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION ON NIGHT FLIGHTS

Introduction:  

Manston Airport proposes to have more night flights. To do this ignores the known health impacts of aircraft noise. Research around the world shows exposure to aircraft noise is damaging to health and even impairs learning in children. Since half of the EU’s population is exposed to noise levels likely to damage their health, according to World Health Organisation standards, this is not a minor issue.[1]

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 (see below) is that there is a strong association between aviation noise at night and blood pressure problems. There are also associations with increasing stress and anxiety. Some studies show increases in allergies – especially amongst children. But more worrying is evidence that the learning ability of children is appreciably reduced if they live near busy airports. Near major airports, elderly people are more prone to die at earlier ages from heart and circulation problems.

Manston may opt for more air freight, bringing in higher value light weight items that are passed on to the China Gateway for distribution. Since employment in warehousing is low density ( perhaps as little as 13 jobs an acre) and airports similarly use large areas of land for very little employment, we should all look sceptically at claims of significant jobs from Manston’s expansion – or the China Gateway for that matter. We are still very much in recession and no regional airport in the UK is doing well at present. If successful, Manston and the China Gateway could potentially generate a lot more local air pollution from increased traffic. But oil prices are rising again as we head rapidly to the global peak of cheap, recoverable oil supplies (see below), so success from these initiatives seems very unlikely.

Any believed gain in jobs for Thanet at Manston has to be set against the losses of productivity and skills which are created by ill-health from noise and associated air pollution. What about the alternative of a combination of Pleasurama in Ramsgate, a revived Dreamland and Margate sea front and the creation of all-weather leisure facilities at Manston instead of airport expansion. Couple this with the Turner centre and the possibility of a creative quarter in Margate copying Folkestone’s and you might have an overall economic strategy that is more sustainable than more warehouses and more aircraft. Promotion of the No Use Empty approach to empty commercial properties – renting them at low rents rather than keeping them empty - to local arts groups and other locally-based organisations – could help fill up long-term empty properties. Thanet’s tourism has been day tripper-based for too long: more leisure and cultural facilities could change this.

It is a practical impossibility for the UK to cut greenhouse gas emissions if aviation use is not constrained. If aviation emissions are averaged across households, then each UK household is making about one third of its carbon emissions by the flights its members take. This is accomplished by a small proportion of households making a lot of flights and accounting for a lot of emissions in consequence. Even more surprising, the UK is top in the world for aviation emissions per adult - far ahead of the USA and other rich countries. Currently, each UK adult averages about 603 kg of carbon emissions from aviation use per year whilst the US average is only 275 kg per adult per year.

Journeys to Europe can be made by rail. This alone would cut emissions from aviation significantly.

Domestic tourism and rail travel to the continent can substitute for flights, helping to boost UK tourism revenues. Kent Green Party wants all of Kent’s airports converted to other leisure uses to support domestic tourism, not international flights.

Each year, civil aviation is already getting about £9 billion in subsidies from Government, particularly towards transport infrastructure serving airports. Each year, emissions from aviation in Europe increase by about 6% - the rate of increase of any sector. It is impossible to fight climate change by expanding airports.

It is also clear that both Lydd Airport and Manston, like other regional airports, showed losses even  before the recession. Why on earth would councillors in Shepway want to fly jobs out of the country by supporting tourism elsewhere in the world? Lydd, like Manston, can and should be an all-weather leisure site, not an airport. The rising cost of oil, and the impact of rising energy and food bills upon household spending, may well curb this planned airport expansion before real damage is done. Let us hope so.

Looking at these issues in more detail:

CONSIDERING NOISE AND HEALTH
Airport expansion should be stopped on public health grounds. A large amount of research indicates damage to the intellectual development of children exposed to high levels of aircraft noise. Children are a high-risk group vulnerable to the effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure:  Birmingham Airport anti-noise group: http://www.bhamantinoise.org.uk/Noise_effects.htm See also: S. Stansfeld, M. Haines, & B. Brown (2000): Noise and Health in the Urban Environment. Reviews on Environmental Health 15, p43-82; M. Haines, S. Stansfeld, R. Job, B. Berglund and J. Head (2001a): Chronic aircraft noise exposure, stress responses, mental health and cognitive performance in school children. Psychological Medicine 31, p265-277; M. Haines, S. Stansfeld, S. Brentnall, J. Head, B. Berry, M. Jiggins & S. Hygge (2001b): The West London Schools Study: the effects of chronic aircraft noise exposure on child health. Psychological Medicine 31, p1385-1396; M. Haines, S. Stansfeld, R. Job, B. Berglund & J. Head (2001c): A follow-up study of effects of chronic noise exposure on child stress responses and cognition. International Journal of Epidemiology 30, p839-845.

The World Health Organization has also recently emphasised "the striking contribution of noise to premature deaths from disease".[2] Kent Green Party is calling for airport expansion at Lydd, Manston, Biggin Hill, Heathrow and elsewhere to be stopped on public health grounds.

If a household was guilty of the prolonged loud noise of typical aircraft late at night, its inhabitants could expect a visit from the Police, and, if they persisted, prosecution. However, if noise is made from the overflight of aircraft, those disturbed by it are not protected by law. Instead, aircraft may disrupt our sleep and make our working days more difficult, with the most serious effects upon children’s concentration and ability to learn.

Since we already know that aviation is the fastest growing source of greenhouse gas emissions in Europe as well,[3] the noise factor provides another reason to curb airport expansion. Kent Green Party will continue to argue for minor airports like Lydd and Manston to be converted to leisure uses and housing. People have a right to sleep and a right to be able to peacefully live and work without major noise disturbances. We will continue to press decision-makers to withdraw the £9 billion subsidy to civil aviation each year and to protect the public from irresponsible aviation expansion.

PEAK OIL AS AN OBSTACLE TO CIVIL AVIATION EXPANSION
There are a number of major reports which examine the research on the global peak of cheap, recoverable oil supplies and conclude that a peak in such supplies is imminent – usually referred to as ‘Peak Oil.’

Authoritative reports have been prepared by groups such as: by the UK Energy Research Council: http://www.ukerc.ac.uk/support/tiki-index.php; the UK Industry Task Force on Peak Oil and Energy Security: http://peakoiltaskforce.net/download-the-report/2010-peak-oil-report/ ; the Hirsch report to the most recent Bush presidency: http://www.mnforsustain.org/oil_peaking_of_world_oil_production_study_hirsch.htm; Kjell Aleklett et al., http://www.liv.ac.uk/~jan/teaching/References/Aleklett%20et%20al.%20in%20press.pdf

The previous Government commissioned research on Peak Oil but did not release it to the public.

The current Government is refusing Freedom of Information requests to allow the documents it holds on Peak Oil to be released to the media:


The German armed forces have investigated Peak Oil and conclude that the Peak of cheap recoverable oil supplies is this year, 2010. Their report, leaked to the German media, is clearly concerned about public reactions to the impacts of Peak Oil upon prices. Ref: http://www.energybulletin.net/stories/2010-09-01/german-military-study-warns-potentially-drastic-oil-crisis

Not unlike the Green Party of England and Wales, The Transition Towns movement, active throughout the UK, has based its efforts to make local communities more sustainable upon two concerns: the threat of climate change and the imminence of a Peak in global oil supplies. Since the latter is commonly discussed in meetings of this Movement and in those of other environmentally-aware bodies throughout the country, it is hardly sensible that the Government attempt to suppress information on the topic: particularly as it has major implications for aviation expansion.

What implications might a long-term rising trend in oil prices have? Significant implications include: an inflationary trend because of higher food prices and increasing costs of distribution of goods; the necessity of a relatively rapid transport revolution influencing technologies used in all transport sectors; a need to substitute existing forms of road repair and maintenance with sustainable means of achieving the same objectives. Given these impacts, engaging the public in an early awareness of adjustments they may have to make is highly desirable. Thanet District Council needs to lead on this rather than looking for jobs in what is rapidly becoming the past history of transport.

NEW RESEARCH SHOWS AVIATION AND SHIPPING POLLUTION WORSE THAN EXPECTED
Recent research shows the effects of aviation[4] and shipping[5] pollution to be considerably worse than previous expectations. This has major implications for the expansion of airports and ports in Kent.

Airport expansion in Kent could be halted by its climate impacts alone. New research shows that aviation emissions are far more damaging than previously thought. With Manston and Lydd both showing major financial losses recently,[6] this provides another reason to accept Kent Green Party’s argument that these sites should be used as all-weather leisure centres to support our expanding domestic tourism in Kent and Medway.

Even more startling is research showing up to 39,000 people in the European Union are dying prematurely each year as a result of pollution from shipping. Since all of Kent’s ports, but particularly Dover, are trying to expand, this pollution now becomes more important as a climate change and a public health issue. Both aviation expansion and Port expansion generate more traffic movements so we need to consider if we really want public money used on road maintenance, or lorry parks or - even worse – new road building when the aviation and shipping industries need to cut their emissions radically and rapidly.

LOCAL FOOD NOT AIR FREIGHTED FRUIT AND VEG
Food prices are rising rapidly, due to more extreme weather events associated with climate change, and because the price of oil is rising once again as some states (notably India and China) shrug off recession. Since we are now roughly at the peak of oil production,[7] and the effects of climate change are likely to worsen until effective policies are followed, it is very probable that air freighted foods will become considerably more expensive. The benefits of increasing local production for a County like Kent are obvious.[8] Kent Green Party is supporting a phase out of air freighted fruit and vegetables and more local production, as in places like Thanet – particularly to meet local needs.

Clearly, stopping long-distance air freighting of foodstuffs is necessary as oil becomes ever more expensive. Isn’t this what Thanet Earth is about? Isn’t this what the polytunnels that cover parts of West Kent are about? However, this is no simple matter: first, these initiatives may have transport and environmental impacts here and impact upon the relationships of dependence which have been created in countries much poorer than our own, including many in Africa.[9] Since about 17% of UK carbon emissions are from growing, distributing and preparing food, we cannot simply ignore these emissions when cutting back on greenhouse gases. A kilo of Kent apples generates about 120g of carbon dioxide in its travel to a home in Kent. By comparison, a kilo of apples air freighted from New Zealand would generate about 300g. Buying organic and buying locally will help keep emissions down, even more so if you grow food in your own garden.

Kent Green Party is calling upon supermarkets, which are claiming policies on climate change, to phase out air freighted foodstuffs and to do so in a manner which helps producers in poorer countries to adapt. Clearly, this means more Kent and UK produced food in our supermarkets.

THANET DISTRICT COUNCIL AND ASSOCIATED DOCUMENTATION ON NIGHT FLIGHTS
It is emphatically not the job of Thanet District Council to advocate or support any type of economic activity in the name of more jobs at any price. Decades of doing this in Thanet have failed to prevent the area retaining low incomes, one of the highest rates of empty shops in the UK and generally higher unemployment than the Kent average. It is abundantly clear that Thanet needs entirely different and varied employment strategies to become more self-sustaining and more resilient against external shocks. This has never been more important than at a time when a return to Thatcherite policies threatens a large boost in UK unemployment whilst taxes for the wealthy remain low, tax havens remain open and HM Customs and Revenue managed not to collect £42 bn in taxes known to be due , last year. We have suggested a variety of methods which might help to change this situation, including a wiser use of the Manston site.

TDC’s propose Night Time Flying Policy deliberately understates the impact of noise on public health and offers an over generous time period during the night when night flights might take place. Given the unique characteristic of Thanet, that it has all of its urban area on its periphery at the coast, it is clear that protecting the public from aircraft noise – day and night – has to be a TDC priority. Given the increasing number of people in the UK who work at night, daytime noise levels from Manston should not be ignored. Kent Green Party therefore proposes a complete block on night flights except for emergency landings. We also wish to see a new economic Masterplan for the Manston site, including the phasing out of aviation as a major use other than for aircraft repair or emergency landing facilities. We think the site should be looked at for leisure uses, including the possibility of a major Park perhaps linked into existing walking and cycling routes and using neighbouring land if feasible. This is consistent with the Government’s stated aim of reducing greenhouse gas emissions, whilst continuing the search for new employment for Thanet.

The TDC Night Flights policy takes no account of Peak Oil (see above) or the strength and severity of recession, not the Government’s tendency to reinforce recession through making 600,000 public sector workers unemployed up to 2014. (This would have the effect of reducing the spending of these workers in the private sector, probably leading to 600,000 private sector job losses in sectors such as retail, tourism, home repair and construction,  and in financial services.

We suggest that any decibel level set for the Airport should consider day and night noise impacts, and reflect the actual health and vulnerabilities of people living in the whole of affected area – meaning all those areas of Thanet which might experience aircraft flying over them at less than 500 feet at any point in the year. This is consistent with the idea of a Health Impact Assessment for the affected area, which should be carried out by the Airport at its expense and with peer review of the consultants it uses. This should either take place before any night flights are permitted, or should be considered as a permanent block on night flights if the Airport declines to carry out such a study. Kent Green Party reiterates that it sees no pressing reason for any regular night flights.

The existing consultants reports do not take health seriously as a factor which should be considered with regard to night flights. It would seem that their brief was either insufficiently broad, or tailored to minimise the impacts of increased aircraft noise.

Future housing expansion – planned or possible – in areas under the complete ‘noise footprint’ of Manston are not considered in the documents linked to this consultation. This is unacceptable.

We note the legitimate concern of people in Herne Bay concerning Night Flights at Manston.[10] We wonder to what extent TDC will ensure that people outside Thanet who may already be experiencing noise from Manston Airport may get a chance to comment upon the proposals for increasing night flights.



[1] European Federation for Transport and Environment – T&E bulletin, November 2008.

[3] S. Cairns and C. Newson – Predict and Decide: aviation, climate change and UK policy Environmental Change Institute, Oxford University, 2006; European Federation for Transport and Environment & Climate Action Network Europe – Clearing the Air: the myth and reality of aviation and climate change, 2006.         
[6] About £4 million in the case of Manston and over £1 million in the case of Lydd.


[7] See the website of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Caroline Lucas and Andy Jones – Fuelling a food crisis: the impact of peak oil on food security . At: www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk
SEE: Caroline Lucas MEP and Andy Jones – Local Food: benefits and opportunities at www.carolinelucasmep.org.uk

[8] Govt stats on benefits and carbon costs of horticultural trade with Africa: http://statistics.defra.gov.uk/esg/reports/Final%20Africa%20trade.pdf  See also Department of Transport – UK Air Freight Study Report and the Soil Association’s consultation on what it should do about organic produce being airfreighted into the UK.

[9] SEE: East Anglia Food Link: Food and Climate Change


Vote to bring in more money and work into Thanet!




From: Damien Cooke [mailto:damien@cookeandco.com]
Sent: 18 October 2010 12:45

Thanet could benefit from super fast broadband but only if Thanet people vote!  I have emailed all of the Cooke & Co clients, as I think that if the Thanet exchange got upgraded it will bring work, commuters and new business to the area. At the moment we have some of the slowest broadband in the UK and no cable at all!!

I think it is very important for our local paper to let people and businesses know in Thanet as BT seems to have kept this quiet. I will also be contacting TDC etc.  When I voted I was vote number 19!!!! It is now 47!!!!!  Here is letter we sent to encourage people to vote.

From Cooke And Co

If you want 40mb plus broadband in Thanet you have to vote for your area on BT's infinity site.  BT will then upgrade the Thanet exchange to fibre optic broadband - if they get enough votes for us.

We currently get a max of about 4mb to 8mb so just think of the difference to downloads and the possibilities of London clients working from home etc.

It's about time our area was put first for a change as this will create wealth, jobs and will encourage people to move to Thanet. This will result in the quality and prosperity of the area increasing.   Visit the link http://www.racetoinfinity.bt.com/, put in your postcode and vote for Thanet.   Thanks so much for you help in advance.

 Damien Cooke Msc MNAEA




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Thanet Newswire
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thanet.newswire@gmail.com
http://thanetnewswire.blogspot.com

Dreamland workshop - FREE creative, family event


Come and share your Dreamland Memories
with local writer, Maggie Harris

Event held at Margate Media Centre
King Street, Margate CT9 1DA
(in Margate Old Town—old Lloyds Bank)

Whole family are welcome.
From Nans and Grandads, Mums and Dads and of course the children too! (school age children)
You bring your lunch & we'll provide the drinks!
To book, call Nicola on 07845 979 024



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Thanet Newswire
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thanet.newswire@gmail.com
http://thanetnewswire.blogspot.com

NIGHT FLIGHTS - Public Meeting, Monday 25th October


Dear All,

Sorry for any cross posting. 
Please try to attend the Meeting on Monday the 25th at 7.00 at Chatham House School with Ramsgate Town council, to show your opposition to night flights. It's important that a big crowd turns up to all of these meetings.

See you there !

Claire



Clarie Dugue
Hurdy-gurdy maker
Unit 5
St LAwrence Industrial Estate
Manston Road
Ramsgate CT11 0QZ

00 44 + (0)1843 588 470





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Thanet Newswire
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thanet.newswire@gmail.com
http://thanetnewswire.blogspot.com

Friday 22 October 2010

THANET STUDENTS MARCH AGAINST RACISM



EAST KENT LOVE MUSIC HATE RACISM GROUP
 

PRESS RELEASE

OCTOBER 2010

THANET STUDENTS WILL JOIN MARCH AGAINST RACISM

Thanet students are planning to go a major anti-racism demo in London on Saturday November 6th – and are calling on others in Thanet to go, too.

Hannah Bartlett and Letitia Stewart, both students at Thanet college, went to the highly successful Love Music Hate Racism festival in Margate in September. There they were inspired to go on the demo, which promises to be the biggest anti-racist event for many years.

Hannah said: ''We are urging everyone who came to the festival in September, to now come with us to make our voices heard and send an anti-racist message out far and wide."

Letitia added: "We are taking the banner that was on the stage for the festival and we will be proud to be holding it with all the others from all over the country''

The demo, which is supported by major trade unions and leading politicians, will take the form of a march followed by a carnival in central London, where well-known performers including Jerry Dammers of the Specials and Missing Andy will take the stage.

A special coach has been laid on to take people from Thanet to the demo. The coach will leave the Royal Pub, Ramsgate at 8.30am and Cecil Square, Margate at 8.45am. Tickets cost £5-£10.

Hannah said: "Come and get on the coaches with us for a great cause."

For more information ring Bunny la Roche on 07947 424505
 email: lmhrkent@gmail.com www.lovemusichateracism.com

PICTURES ATTACHED.

BROADSTAIRS SINGER GOES CABARET



INDEPENDENT MEDIA SOCIETY
11 GROSVENOR ROAD, BROADSTAIRS, KENT CT10 2BT TEL 01843 604253

PRESS RELEASE

October 2010

BROADSTAIRS SINGER GOES CABARET!

Broadstairs singer Sarah Hale will be "going cabaret" in her concert in her home town on Saturday 6th November at the Sarah Thorne Theatre Club.

As well as her established repertoire of classical songs and traditional British melodies, Sarah will be performing a variety of sensational numbers including sexy show-stoppers from the musical Cabaret and other hit shows.

"People who've seen me perform me before are in for some real surprises," Sarah said.

The new flavour to her latest performance will mark an important departure for Sarah.

"Switching between different styles of singing is one of the hardest challenges you can undertake," she said, "and understanding how you do that successfully has become a quest for me."

"I think I've made some real discoveries in this area and this concert will be a chance for me to put some of these ideas into practice."
 
Three years ago Sarah took a masters' degree in music performance in Christ Church Canterbury University, where she won the prestigious Metropole Arts Scholarship and the Alan Parnell competition.

Since then she's been performing across the country and made successful  appearances in Belgium and Holland

In addition to performing, she also teaches singing and works in the field of speech therapy. She said: "I've always been fascinated by the amazing capacity and versatility of the human voice.  The key to it all lies in your mind – what you think you can do, you will be able to do."

As well as songs from the musical Cabaret, Sarah will be singing songs by Stephen Sondheim and Kurt Weill, and numbers from hit musicals. The second half is made up of classical songs, inspired by folk music and traditional melodies set by British composers.
 Photos attached of Sarah Hale.

This concert will be performed on Saturday 6th November at 7.30pm, at the Memorial Theatre, Hilderstone, Broadstairs. All seats at £8.

Seats are bookable in advance from the Box Office on 0845 2626263. Whilst the 24 hour booking rule applies to non-members of Sarah Thorne, seats can be reserved by telephone or on the 24 hour on-line booking service at info@sarahthorne-theatreclub.co.uk .

FOR MORE INFORMATION RING CHRISTINE TONGUE ON 01843 604253  or email  tv.choice@virgin.net or
                       


What's on at the Tom Thumb Theatre


  1. A Little of What You Fancy
  2. Saturday 20th November 2010
  3. 8pm (Peformance time approx 90 minutes)
  4. Tom Thumb Theatre, 2A Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville, Kent. CT9 2LB
  5. Join Miss Maybe and her Minxes and Mr's as they entertain you with traditional British Burlesque, Boylesque and Caberet songs as well as a Retro Raffle, tea and cake served by delightful trolley dollies. Come dressed to impress with glitz, glamour and a little dollop of sauce!
  6. 01843 221 791
  1. Jack and the Emperor's New Clothes
  2. 21st-23rd December 2010 (Tuesday-Thursday)
  3. 1:30pm (Performance running tim approx 90 minutes)
  4. Tom Thumb Theatre, 2A Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville, Kent. CT9 2LB
  5. Come and celebrate the Tom Thumb Theatres one year anniversary with our Christmas production of Jack and the Emperor's New Clothes, performed by Changing Faces Theatre Company.

    Told in rhyming verse, with live music, puppetry, shadow puppetry, audience participation and plenty of humour too, this show promises to be a festive fairytale experience you won't forget!
  6. 01843 221 791

  1. Mandy Winters Up Close and Personal
  2. 18th and 19th February 2011 (Fri and Sat)
  3. 7:30pm (Performance running time approx 90 mins)
  4. Tom Thumb Theatre, 2A Eastern Esplanade, Cliftonville, Kent. CT9 2LB
  5. Spend an intimate evening with Mandy Winters, up close and personal. A very special "one off" show specially created for The Tom Thumb Theatre. Mandy's last show in Thanet sold out so early booking is advised.

    A very special evening, with a very special person, in a very special theatre.
  6. 01843 221 791

Thank you

Tom Thumb Theatre



Thanet Local Board Meeting



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.


October 6 2010
Dear Councillor Carter,
 
I write to make you aware of the increasing disquiet and anger of a widespread and rapidly growing number of East Kent individuals and groups involved in examining the future of the proposed Kent International Airport development.  
 
The two recent public meetings I have attended (KIACC 17/9 and Thanet Local Board 27/9) attracted a larger than expected number of members of the public. Discussion at both was less than useful, as was accurate information sought from those elected to represent them in response to the publics' questions.

The Thanet Local Board meeting (attended by yourself) was a travesty - shambolic, bullying and rude chairmanship by Cllr Bill Hayton; avoidance or refusal to respond to questions; another exercise in kicking the real issues into the long grass.

I now understand, surprise, surprise, that there is no record of this meeting.  No accurate minutes were taken and the video document taken of the whole proceedings has disappeared.  We're told that the operator didn't press the right button (despite members of the audience seeing the red record light was on!). How very convenient! If this farce continues a growing number of East Kent constituents will be seeking a quick exit for members of both Councils - and their highly paid executives.

I would like to know what action you intend to take to prevent any repetition of this kind of fiasco and allow your constituents to access factual and honest information about KIA developments. In the light of the impending consultation process through TDC now being mooted it is essential that the whole exercise is both democratic and transparently fair, and not, as many fear, a quasi-legal rubber stamping of matters already decided behind doors.

Yours Sincerely,


Here's some of what would undoubtedly have been a viral video hit, as reported by yourthanet.co.uk:
A member of the public got up close and personal to remonstrate with Kent County Council leader Paul Carter on Monday night (September 27). Ramsgate resident Malcolm Kirkaldie mounted the stage at Chatham House Grammar School as the atmosphere at the KCC Thanet Local Board meeting soured.

He was annoyed at the way the meeting was being chaired by councillor Bill Hayton and said he felt that not all the people asking questions of the panel were not being allowed to ask supplementary questions. He was riled when a man asking questions before him was not allowed to ask a further question, and then when his own turn came to ask something immediately afterwards, a growing sense of disorganisation and clarity took its toll.

Just a few seconds into his question, Cllr Hayton tried to hurry Mr Kirkaldie into getting to his point before he was allowed to add some context to what he was saying. An irritated audience berated the chairman as Mr Kirkaldie got up from his seat to leave.
At first it looked like Mr Kirkaldie was going to storm out, but he turned on to the stage and, standing yards from the shocked-looking KCC leader, gave him a tongue-lashing – although exactly what he said was not clear. Cllr Hayton told Mr Kirkaldie to get off the stage several times before he obliged and left the meeting in the school hall, slamming the doors behind him.

He complained outside that the whole meeting was being carried out in an undemocratic fashion but later re-entered looking relaxed. Mr Kirkaldie was seen chatting amicably with Cllr Carter outside the hall after the event, and Yourthanet understands he was able to put his question to him in the end. Nevertheless, there was widespread dissatisfaction with the way the meeting had been conducted.

One member of the audience, who declined to be named, described the event as "probably the worst public meeting I have attended in my whole life".

Turner Contemporary - Listings

Sea Whisperers
Turner Contemporary
Droit House
The Pier
Margate
Kent
CT9 1 HB

FREE EVENTS
Droit House Weekend events 30th October - 12th December, everybody is welcome:

Ghoulish Sea Stories
30th October, 11-12pm and 2-3pm
‘Scandalmongers’ theatre company will send shivers down everyone’s spine with a ghostly sea tales performance including their retelling of the local Goodwin Sands phantom ship legend Lady Lovibond. Then create your own ghoulish tale, inspired by objects found in our ‘Curiosity Sea Shop’; at our afternoon workshop.

Seazine
13th and 14th November, 10-4pm
Create a page for Turner Contemporary’s DIY publication ‘Seazine’. With the help of artist Polly Brannan, we’ll be exploring your stories, memories and thoughts about the sea, using text, drawing, collage and photography.

Sea Shanty Sing-Song
11th and 12th December, 10-4pm
Join us for some shanty singing, celebrating this great sailor tradition with some fantastic acts, great to listen to or take part in.

The Boat Project
27th and 28th November, 10-4pm
Be a part of artist duo Lone Twin’s large-scale public art project commissioned for the Cultural Olympiad. Bring whatever wood you can spare to Droit House, to help to build a sea-faring boat in 2012.

For further information please visit www.turnercontemporary.org or contact us at info@turnercontemporary.org




ENDS

Notes to Editors: For more information and images please contact Communications and Relationship Manager David Yard Dyard@turnercontemporary.org or Press Officer Chloe Barker Cbarker@turnercontemporary.org alternatively call 01843 294208

Turner Contemporary – www.turnercontemporary.org
Taking inspiration from JMW Turner, Turner Contemporary is a contemporary arts organisation that aims to enhance the understanding and enjoyment of historical and contemporary art through; a dynamic and diverse international programme of exhibitions and events.

Turner Contemporary is based in Margate, Kent and will open in spring 2011




Chloƫ Barker
Press and Events Officer

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Turner Contemporary 17 - 18 The Parade, Margate, Kent, CT9 1EY
T +44 (0) 1843 294208 Ext 207  F +44 (0) 1843 294390 

For more information about all our exhibitions and events, and to sign up for our free e-newsletter please visit www.turnercontemporary.org

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Turner Contemporary Registration No: 06772337. Registered Address: 17-18 The Parade, Margate, Kent CT9 1EY
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Sea Whisperers
Every weekend from Sat 30th Oct - Sun 12th Dec 2010, 10am - 4pm
Droit House, Stone Pier, Margate
Help us fill our ‘Curiosity Sea Shop’ full of weird and wonderful Thanet sea stories. Bring your local tales and an object that represents them to us at Droit House.

Visit www.turnercontemporary.org/whatson to find out more.