A Thanet district councillor is donating his member’s allowance to local projects and is inviting Thanet groups to apply.
Marc Rattigan, who is the Conservative councillor for Cliffsend, says the covid pandemic has resulted in a drop in donations to worthy causes and so he plans to plug the gaps with grants of up to £500 per project.
The cash comes from the allowance given to district councillors for carrying out their role. This stands at £4,500 per year. Marc also runs Bright Start Nurseries so his allowance is taxed at a higher rate but he still has £1,500 allowance allocated since February to give away in the first round of grants.
The father-of-four, from Cliftonville, said: “I have decided to donate my Thanet council councillor allowances to local projects. I feel with the drop that Covid has caused on people now donating to good causes, I would like to give something back locally.
“I will be inviting local community groups, sporting clubs etc to apply for grants of up to £500.
“Any organisations that would like to apply for the grant, can email me at rattigan@post.com for a simple application form.”
The closing date for the first round of grants is November 15 with recipients notified by November 30.
Cllr Rattigan added: “I hope and invite other TDC councillors who may share the same passion to give back to our local community it these hard times.”
In the TDC register of interests, Mr Rattigan looks as though he has 5 properties! Is this correct & what are they for?
Esme. Your point is? And if he has 5 properties what business is it of yours?
What a strange response. Surely it is everyone’s business, which is why the info is in the public domain.
Kind and generous of him that it is, I agree with Paul’s comment that any donations should be to the area he was elected to represent.
Peter. Of course it’s everyone’s business if it’s in the public domain that he an interest in properties as an elected Councillor. . What I am getting at is why Esme is raising it in the context of him planning to donate his remaining allowance to community good causes. Poorly worded by me I’m afraid! By the way totally agree he should donate to causes in his ward which to be precise is Cliffsend and Pegwell
Peter sorry badly worded by me! Of course as an elected Councillor interest in property within the Council area should be disclosed and be in the public domain. What I am getting at is why Esme is raising it in the context of this article.
Finally agree the Councillor should donate to good causes in his ward gaining its full title and geographic area Cliffsend and Pegwell.
Fair comment Laurence, I understand now.
HI Esme I’m very transparent so I’m happy to answer your questions, the property’s are my
Nursery Schools were I employ over 135 local people, My family home and my parents home. (When it says interest It doesn’t necessarily mean you own them
But never a connection to them. Regards Marc
That is very thoughtful of Marc. The foodbank in Cliftonville at St Paul’s church would be grateful of any donations of tinned and longlife products or funding. It all helps at this difficult time.
https://cliftonville.wixsite.com/thanetfoodlink
Amazing how someone is kind enough to donate a sum of money, to good causes, yet it creates so much bitterness, among previous readers.
I am indeed a Cliffsend and Pegwell Councillor, but all Councillors are working to create a better Thanet for every resident.
I think your forgetting this is my choice to donate my allowance (monies given to me In the form of PAYE by TDC for services rendered)and as such its at my choice whom I donate that to and I will donating on the merit of the benefit and need to the local community and not by the area it’s based in.
It’s a very sad world when you try to do something positive but you still get negative comments, perhaps spend this time focusing more on ways you can help in the community instead.
Yes, it is your choice who you give it to – I couldn’t care less if you spend it all on class A drugs and prostitutes as long as you do your job properly. Rather sad that you consider the area that you were elected to represent as low on merit though (a place where the post office is only open 2 hours a week and it is impossible to buy fresh fruit & veg obviously has severe issues for pensioners and other vulnerable people, far more important than funding “sporting clubs” in my humble opinion)…
Peter. Well said agree with your comments entirely.
Cllr Rattigan
You say ‘perhaps spend this time focusing more on ways you can help in the community instead’ what a condescending comment. There are many people who do many things in their local area and don’t seek publicity for it. Whether it’s cleaning the road assisting refuse collectors in gaining access to roads blocked by illegally parked vehicles, doing shopping for others that are unable shop for themselves and other things.
Man with significant wealth gives a negligible amount of his significant wealth in a grand public gesture to those desperate for help.
All of this would be more profound and meaningful if he a) wasn’t a Tory which, by definition means he couldn’t care less about those who are deprived and living in Thanet and b) if this didn’t look like a wealthy, out of touch man throwing the scraps from his banqueting table.
How can you judge his wealth? You have no idea the impact the pandemic has had on his business. And the donations by Marc would be seen as a good thing by you if he was Labour? Marc has been thoughtful and considerate… maybe more people should get behind him and offer to add to the money available.
I can judge his wealth by the number of properties he owns (5, by the way). Normal people do not own 5 properties. So, you can justify it all you like, try and make out that I’m being unfair or judgemental, but, you can’t kid a kidder. Be sensible.
As for your comment about his donation being great if he was Labour. Don’t be so ridiculous. This is showboating and political grandstanding, whatever his Party affiliation. It just so happens that Tories do have a nasty habit pretending to care about working class people then shafting them (perhaps you’ve missed the last 100 years of British politics).
Perhaps I already do donate to charitable causes. Only, perhaps I don’t make a big song and dance about it because I’m not doing it so that people like/vote for me. Have you considered that, Jules?
Peter you was the man taking pictures of nude women
In graveyards in Thanet? My friend had a experience will you very creepy, a pillar of the community!
I’m certainly not a Tory but the bitterness to this poor guy if he didn’t advertise how will local charity’s know??
Good on you Marc don’t listen to the small minded people
Which friend is that? I’m retired from photography now, but most of my models came to me via personal recommendations (through friends and relatives that had also posed for my art). Whatever, not sure why this makes my opinion less than valid?
As for party politics, I vote Tory more often than not, so that has nothing to do with anything.
I’ve already said that he’s “kind and generous” in a post above, but I just stated that struggling pensioners in his own constituency are in my opinion of far greater importance than “sporting clubs”. Cliffsend has lost more shops than most in recent decades.
James you Say my love
“he looks like a wealthy man out of touch ”
How did you come to that? Is he wearing a suit and tie even??? How shallow lol he actually looks very dashing young man, if only I was 20 years younger, what a bunch of unpleasant people and before you say anything back I don’t support any political party but have respect for human beings as individuals, not by the colour of there party
Sorry Jean Clarke, I have no respect for Tories. Did you miss their performance last night over school dinners? But you keep tugging that forelock…
I didn’t say he looks wealthy. I said he is wealthy. This is proven by his ownership of no less than five properties. Or, is this now considered de rigueur for the good ol’ working classes?
If this councillor wanted to prove his credentials as a man of the people who cares about Thanet he could a) stand as independent, if Party means so little and b) donate anonymously or privately so that it doesn’t look like grandstanding and self-aggrandisement.
He’s a very handsome chap (looks a bit like Prince William with hair!).
Marc you need to go back to being a Prince William double
Well done Marc Rattigan for freely giving money where there is no obligation to give. If all public figures took such initiative, huge changes could be made for the better. Thank you for setting a good precedent. As for some of the comments here, there’s no pleasing some people.
Regardless of party politics (Labour to the bone) this is a fine gesture.
Marc should be commended for his actions.
Having an “interest” in a property does not mean you own that property.
Even if that wasn’t the case; should owning property stop you from donating to good causes?
That seems to be the implication by a few posters.
Well Done Marc