A full council meeting has been reinstated following an outcry over its cancellation.
The meeting takes place at the Thanet council offices in Margate on September 5 at 7pm.
Earlier this week councillors were notified that it had been cancelled. The decision was formally taken by the Conservative chair of council, Cllr Jason Savage, due to “a paucity of substantive items”- meaning a lack of items to discuss. The council is led by a minority Conservative administration.
Cllr Bailey has submitted a question to council about the broken Viking Bay lift.
Thanet Greens also have questions they want answered about allegations on social media that TDC regularly intercepts emails between residents and councillors; the recent suspension of Section 151 officer Tim Willis; the council leader’s claim that he could not disclose any information on Sands Heritage Ltd’s future plans for the Dreamland complex to the Overview and Scrutiny Committee on grounds of commercial sensitivity; a lack of minutes/ records of a series of recent decisions and the initial decision by the Chair of the Council, without consultation, to cancel the September full council meeting.
Campaign group Save Our NHS in Kent were also outraged as they had been given three minutes to talk at the meeting. The group is alo holding a demonstration outside the offices from 6pm.
Thanet Labour leader Rick Everitt said: “I’m pleased that the chair of council has now listened to Labour’s concerns and feedback from elsewhere and reinstated the September 5 council meeting.
“Had we been consulted in the first place, as would have been courteous and prudent, this muddle could have been avoided. I would have advised that the public perception would be damaging, whatever the business argument.
“Labour had already submitted two important questions about the state of the council’s multi-story car park in Ramsgate and the council’s preparations for a no-deal Brexit.
“There are other matters which require early explanation, including about Ramsgate Port, and it is appropriate that the minority Tory administration be held to account by elected members at the full council meeting, even if it has nothing to bring forward itself.”
