Thanet Green party is calling for outside intervention to help the district council amid a crisis of bullying allegations, a breakdown of trust and financial fears.
Thanet Green Party Branch Chair Tricia Austin Hartley said: “Our three Green councillors on TDC are willing to admit that the council has some very serious problems to tackle and to request external help to deal with them. Will other members join them in calling for the Leader of the council to bring in the support and expertise we need while there is still time?”
The group says trust between elected members and senior officers at TDC, and within the officer group and amongst members, is under considerable strain.
They add that allegations of bullying and harassment, the suspension for undisclosed reasons of a well-respected senior officer, threats by the Chief Executive to refer an elected member to the Standards Committee and suggestions that a motion of No Confidence in the Leader of the Council is imminent all paint a picture of an organisation in crisis.
In a statement the group adds: “Meanwhile, TDC’s financial picture is equally worrying, with substantial sums paid out in non-disclosure (gagging) settlements with former staff, ‘fire sales’ of assets, little staff capacity to bid for or manage external funding, hurried sale plans for the Dreamland complex and the proposed ‘emergency’ £1m spend on pontoons for Ramsgate port, now apparently halted as breaking financial rules.
“It appears increasingly unlikely that the council will be able to set a balanced budget for the 2019-20 financial year, particularly in light of the continuing suspension of its chief financial officer.”
Thanet Green Party say that between them, officers and members have emphatically not shown they have the range of skills and expertise that are now required to run the council effectively and they have reluctantly concluded that members need to ask for external help for TDC now – before this is imposed on us and the council placed in special measures.
The statement adds: “Asking for help now has several things to recommend it – It’s the responsible thing to do, while there is still hope of turning things round; it gives councillors the chance to do what we elected them to do (ie take control) – even if they do so by admitting they urgently need help and it may help avoid the councillors we elected to represent us being suspended for up to 6 months at some point in future, as is likely to happen if they cannot fulfil their legal duty to set a balanced budget resulting in the authority being compulsorily placed in special measures.”
A demonstration is currently (September 5) taking place outside Thanet council’s offices in Margate ahead of tonight’s full council meeting
Wouldn’t trust the green party as far as I could throw them. Why even give them space on here? The Greens are anti-growth and anti-abundance, and people come second with them.
People certainly do not come second with the Green Party. Could you please explain what you mean by “anti-abundance”? Thank you.
Look it up Marva. You seem to know everything, another post that makes me and many people laugh. You just don’t get it.
I would like to know what the word “anti-abundance” in the 10.45 posting means to its writer.
I don’t know what your on, but I suggest you ask your GP for a review! I am not a member of any political party, but at least the Greens are more concerned with the welfare of all of us, and not just environmental issues! Keep up the good work holding our non elected TDC officers to account, that’s what your elected for!
So tell me do you trust the Tory party or labour ? I for one would be much happier putting my trust in the Green Party at least they appear to appreciate the bigger picture
Something has to be done to keep the Council going. It really needs to stop losing all the government money that has been stopped because of “austerity”(which isn’t over, by the looks of things).
This seems to be national Tory strategy. Run down Council finances so much that everybody despairs of “that useless Council that never does anything”. When people lose all interest in even voting , we just get used to going without things like Care Homes, Youth Clubs, effective Social Services protecting children, enough Police Officers, Libraries, adequate street cleaning, manageable class sizes in understaffed schools etc. Our whole expectation of life declines. We despair and plead for ” a proper Leader” because our democratic politicians(who we elect) don’t seem to get anything done and squabble among themselves about the few crumbs the Tories in Westminster give them. Eventually, we will only want to be ruled by a small group of remote “strong leaders” who “know what they are doing” and “speak their minds” and “tell it like it is” etc etc. So we end up with the likes of Trump or Putin or even worse. Straight out of the text book of Dominic Cummings.
Let’s criticise TDC and KCC by all means, but let’s not forget that they are being set up to fail.
If you want evidence of a party that is anti-people look no further than the Conservatives. Locally and nationally they have shown themselves to be ideologically opposed to tackling inequality. The Greens, on the other hands, are committed to making the economy and public services in this country work for all.
I wouldnt say the conservatives are anti-people I mean just look at all the high end cars in the are from Ferrari, Lamborghini to the very common top end cars of jaguar and Porsche which are two a penny in thanet. These people are doing very well under the Tories as i am guessing that are Tories.
Should the people who cant afford these type of cars live in thanet than it’s just tough luck. TDC dont care about the common person in the same way the tory party doesnt care about the common person.
And yes I think TDC are a joke but they just mirror the tory party.
Thanet is a tory stronghold even if the Tories did illegal over spend at the last election to make sure it remained that way.
Good luck to the green partly but I feel you are fighting an council that doesnt use a even playing field
Sorry typo should read arent anti-people !!
Well done the Greens for speaking the hard truth.
Well said “Keefogs”, you’ve summed up the conservatives perfectly. This has been their politics since Thatcher, divide and rule, reduce public services so much that we blame our local councils who have been starved of funds. I don’t suppose Boris would continue with this do you? Hang on, of course he will, this is exactly what he’s doing with Brexit, running down the clock so there’s no alternative than to leave with no deal and then blame someone else, probably us. I have a dream, the tories will be wiped out by their own in fighting, Boris and Reece-Mog being consigned to history and my grandchildren having a better chance at school, in work when we return to being governed by politicians with some scruples . Some dream!