An independent candidate who stood in this month’s General Election says he will continue his campaign to change the system of local government in Thanet.
Grahame Birchall polled 563 votes, putting him ahead of two other Independent candidates vying for the East Thanet seat, on July 4.
The former Yorkshire Regiment and Royal Engineers serviceman says Thanet needs a ‘Metro Mayor’ that residents can vote for and hold to account.
Grahame has put out a short video message thanking voters for their support of him and his campaign for Government Reform In Thanet (GRIT).
In his message, Grahame says he will launch a Mayoral Petition in the autumn and appealed to supporters for assistance in collecting the 5000 signatures necessary to force a local referendum on changing the system of government here in Thanet.
He referred to Keir Starmer’s statement on the steps of No 10 in which he said his party’s victory was the “beginning of national renewal” which is “unburdened by political ideology”.
Grahame said: “This is precisely what I want for Thanet. This is not just the start of renewal in the nation, but also “the start of local renewal here in Thanet, which will put community interests first, well ahead of party political ideals and spats.”
Grahame says he has several people who are committed to helping, but obviously “more hands make like work”.
He added: “I will also be holding non-party political meetings around Thanet to help spread the message.
“There is no point forcing a local referendum, unless you are confident you can win it.”
Details of his campaign aims can be seen at www.grit.how
Thanet council moved to a Leader and Cabinet model of governance in the early part of 2002. It says this model allows for efficient and effective decision making in a medium sized district council.
Much of England has two tiers of local government – county councils and district councils – with responsibility for services split between the two. Other areas have a single unitary authority responsible for all local services. There are then grassroots parish and town councils.
Thanet will have 14 fewer district councillors from 2027 following a decision by the Local Government Boundary Commission.
A new pattern of wards is being developed for Thanet following agreement that council seats should reduce from 56 to 42.
The Commission is reviewing Thanet to make sure councillors each represent about the same number of electors, and that ward arrangements help the council work effectively.
You won’t get a Metro Mayor for something as small as Thanet but if you want to campaign for change, what is needed is a Unitary authority that frees us from KCC and control from miles away Maidstone. Probably need one that covers Dover and Thanet [Canterbury is a large modern city that would hog all the revenue] but an East Kent Unitary would be great and we could control our own roads, fill in the potholes and have a direct say in our schools. Works jn Medway and would work here. Realistic target to go for.
Keith, I am obliged to disagree. Thanet would not be the smallest in the UK. However, we are open to the idea of expanding it geographically, if necessary, to include other similar neighbouring coastal towns, to make it ‘Greater Thanet’. The important factor is to make it ‘Thanet centric’. By the way, our campaign does already include, as its final and critically important act, a Unitary Authority for Thanet. Please read about ALL our aims at http://www.grit.how
Precisely what we don’t need.
What we need is an Executive that will do what it is told by the legislature without any deviation. Which will include the prohibition of links with outside third parties – like Leaders Romans which lobby on behalf of national commercial entities.
An extreme view if you don’t mind me saying. Not exactly democratic.
What we need is a council that does WHAT THE ELECTORATE tells them to do… period. They are fully aware of the views of Thanet residents (not Down-from-Londoners paying stupid prices for houses, not dross-from-London sink-estates creating Thanet sink-estates) about the way Thanet is run.
We already have a less than useless council chamber full of bottom-feeders presiding over clock-watching jobsworths in the council offices and paying totally unrealistic pensions to those same jobsworths who are already retired.
The Jewel in Thanet’s crown is the Winter Gardens and that says it all.
Everyone who lives in Thanet for most of the time is a Thanet resident now, even if they weren’t born here.
So, who is going to pay for this Metro Mayor, i would imagine, the Rate payers, don’t you think we pay enough, just to get our Bins emptied, No Thank you.
Who do you think pays for our council leader ? And do you think he/she is good value, given he/she never has to do a job interview or ever stand for what our communities actually need or want ? The current council leader only has one paymaster, his/her political party. Our current council leader is nothing more than a party ‘yesman’. You may be happy with that, but some of us believe we can do one hell of a lot better.
Some lovers are desperate to seek power in any way they can, Hitler was the same. Thanet is a hick back water, the sooner we play to our strengths and stop pretending we are something we’re not or the area geographically limiting as it is can become something it can’t, the sooner we will move forward with ambition to create some prosperity for the area. As opposed to creating a hamlet city to be loaded over by a self imposed local official with no idea, just a wish to be someone in authority.
The present kcc model is not fit for purpose because decisions for east kent including Thanet are made by west Kent conservative councillors and senior officers in Maidstone.we need like medway an unitary authority which would cut costs by ending duplication with district council and would be more democratic by increasing local decisions
Mr Lewis – and you think Medway is a success! Oh dear, you are deluded. I suggest you ask Medway people and you will find they are not happy. My relatives from Medway find it all a bit of an expensive exercise with no gains. Same old politicians with their snouts. in trough.
Will fail unless it encompasses Dover, Canterbury and Folkestone and Hythe. Thanet is too small and commercially a drop in the ocean compared to medway.
I tend to agree. Funnily enough I was thinking about this after Starmer met with the regional leaders last week. I hope it happens and they don’t just devolve more power to KCC. East Kent will just continue to be ignored.