A consultation for a Margate Town Council to be established has begun and will run until 5pm on Saturday 28th September
The survey asks whether residents agree with the creation of a Margate Town Council and why, and if they agree to parish the whole of Margate. There is also an opportunity to give general feedback on proposals.
The Mayor and Charter Trustees say they think the best thing for Margate is to say yes to a Margate Town Council.
Margate Mayor Katie Pope said: “It gives us extra powers to have a say on planning applications, to own and/or manage buildings, play parks and allotments and have local funding and focus for the seven wards of Margate.”
According to the TDC website, the main activities of a town council are:
- delivering services like parks and play areas
- giving the community a voice and representing local people
- improving quality of life and wellbeing in the local community
Parish councils can own land and buildings. They can also provide or manage certain local public services, such as grass cutting, litter bins, street lighting, parks and playgrounds, community buildings and allotments.
Parish councils are also consulted on local planning applications within their area and can make recommendations, though they do not have the power to make planning decisions.
Cllr Rick Everitt, Leader of Thanet District Council, said: “Town and parish councils play a very important role in local government, representing people at the most local level. Margate doesn’t currently have a parish or town council, unlike every other town and village in the district.
“Although the survey is open to all, we’re keen to hear from the people who live, work and own businesses in Margate, whether they feel it is now time to set up a Parish council for the town.”
Margate Charter Trustees received more than 1800 signatures from residents in support of a Margate Town Council when the process first began in 2021.
The costs associated with the review process (distribution and printing costs alongside external advertising for the consultation) are expected to be in the region of £40,000.
A Town Council is likely to charger higher precept costs but the charter trustees believe the higher rate would be compensated for through the additional benefits to the community, such as greater involvement to influence decisions and policies.
Find the consultation at: https://www.thanet.gov.uk/info-pages/community-governance-review/
Anyone who is unable to complete the survey online can request a paper form by calling 01843 577000. Paper forms will also be available from Thanet’s Gateway Plus, Cecil Street, Margate CT9 1RE during normal opening hours.
After the survey closes, the findings will be reviewed. Thanet District Council will then decide whether to create a new parish council for Margate.
If the decision is taken to go ahead, detailed proposals will be developed and a second consultation will take place between November 2025 and January 2026. People will be invited to give their feedback on those proposals.
It is expected that a final decision will be made in March 2026 and that if a new parish council were to be approved, it could be formed in May 2027.
Thanet town councils
Ramsgate gained its town council in 2009 after a successful campaign by resident Gerry O’Donnell.
A referendum was initially held in November 2006 with a total of 11,753 votes cast out of a total of 28,912 potential votes, with the result as follows: 59.5% not returned, 23.9% in favour and 16.7% against.
The order was eventually drafted in 2008 and the town council held its first meeting in 2009. The change of governance resulted in a precept rise for Ramsgate residents but also in greater powers for the new grassroots authority.
Broadstairs and St Peter’s Town Council is long established.
Westgate also established its own town council in 2015 following a community governance review, which was initiated by Margate Charter Trustees.
For any Margate residents thinking of supporting this, please look at what happened in Ramsgate when their town council was formed. More Council Tax to pay and continual cost and service shunting from TDC to RTC. Residents really don’t get a good deal from these changes.
Further confusion for residents in terms of who will end up being responsible for what coming on top of the additional proposals for new Unitary Authorities to replace of KCC and TDC…
Well done Frank, for cropping Arlington House out of the photo. You’re right; the place does look a lot better without it!
It’s a crumbling slum, that needs to be removed.
Yes, there may be a bit more council tax to pay,but not a vast amount and as I have often pointed out would you rather have a run down neighbourhood or a slightly better long weekend in Europe. People complain about council tax,but have no difficulty about what they spend on holiday or how much fuel their car uses. It’s a matter of priorities, we buy bigger,better,more expensive cars, but drive them on rundown, potholed,highways,because of the choices we make.
Devolution and reorganisation ought to allow for greater local autonomy,which is a good thing. I think the Mayor is being a bit optimistic in expecting TDC to hand over the parks to the new Margate TC,but it is a worthy objective.
Ramsgate fought for years to have its parks and gardens returned to the town with no success, but the situation may be changing.
If Margate refuses to have its own council, then it must expect to find that even the tiniest activity, will be decided in Canterbury eventually.
Ramsgate broke free because of the Margatecentric attitudes of TDC,Margate will not have that safety blanket in future.
Please take a look at Ramsgate town council, they are really useless, giving money away on things like the arts barge which went bust costing Ramsgate council payers a lot of money, they are fond of giving money away on lost causes
I’m completely against this proposal for a Margate Town Council. All it’s going to mean for residents is yet another increase in council tax through a new precept. At a time when people are already struggling, adding another layer of cost is the last thing we need.
And let’s be honest – if this ends up being run by the same old councillors who’ve been responsible for poor decisions and lack of progress, then we’re just setting ourselves up for more of the same. The idea of “accessing more powers” sounds great, but it will be meaningless if it’s badly managed by the usual suspects.
If a town council is ever going to work for Margate, it needs fresh faces, genuine accountability, and a proper plan. Without clearing out the dead wood, we’re doomed to repeat the same mistakes. As it stands, I can’t support it.
Another expensive layer of bureaucracy nonsense to be paid for by taxpayers!
Total waste of money. We should be improving on what we have, not creating another layer of the gravy train and adding to the corrupt representatives.
More cobblers talked by people who no nothing and care even less for the communities they live within.
The arts barge was donkeys ago and the sum involved piffling.You want to save money start with KCC social services, their budget would run hundreds of town councils
If RTC had not existed Radford house would have ended up like the police station in Cavendish street,a right mess,and the local community would have missed out in £750k so next time you winge about council tax look at the whole picture.Nothing stopping you volunteering to clean up the crap your fellow citizens have left, because that’s what tge council has spent most of its money doing.
Radford house is costing a fortune, Ramsgate council tax payers are getting conned, demolishing Radford house is the only answer, RTC can’t even stop cars going up a pedestrian high street, we spent a fortune on a gate in harbour street but can’t afford a barrier in turner street to stop cars , RTC are run by a bunch of idiots
How do you know Radford house costs a fortune, please name your sources.As it is listed,demolishing is not an option, and with Mr Radford’s legacy not such a problem anyway,what’s more it was used as a depot for the food banks during the covid pandemic, and now it is used every day for multiple purposes.
As for the gate in Harbour street it took 8byears to get permission from KCC to install it.So, Jenny get your mates in Reform to stop faffing around and let RTC put in multiple gates.
I am afraid Jenny, your ignorance, malice and spite is leading you to come out with conspiracy theories rather than truth.
I don’t know what you have against RTC, but I think you need to engage brain before shouting the odds.
I repeat instead of shouting slogans and calling people names,offer fully worked out alternatives, and people might listen to you, rather than write you off as an ignorant ranter.
I do not think the question should be about forming a Council for Margate. It should we thinking of get rid of Town and Parish Councils for Ramsgate, Westgate and Birchington etc. As all a waste of money. Why would anyone want to pay twice for work and services we are paying TDC to do.
Well Paul,what you propose is unlikely.Some of the Town councils such as Birchington and Broadstairs were formed in the 1974 reorganisation.
Ramsgate was formed in 2009, because TDC didn’t and still doesn’t do much for Ramsgate.If TDC stopped hanging on to some assets instead of devolving them to the town councils in a sensible way, a lot of these assets would be better managed. Westgate broke away from Margate because they felt that TDC were not acting in their interests.
The people who support TDC either worked for them or are Tories, who still believe that the 1974 reorganisation was a good thing.TDC was and remains a disaster for Thanet,even though there present regime has tried to do something about the housing crisis.
I ask Paul and Jenny do you remember the no ferry/ferry fiasco? That shambles originated at TDC and with Grant Shapps and turned the name of Thanet and Ramsgate into a music hall joke.
So some form of reorganisation will happen, and the town councils will be well placed to take on any opportunities arising from local devolution.
This time round there is no point in opposing the town council, as the alternative will be rule from Canterbury or Maidstone,and it is unlikely that the Tories will be running either outfit.
Why don’t Ramsgate town council come clean and publish how much they have spent on Radford house
So we move as always off piste by making unsubstantiated allegations about RTC.
I suspect that is a single sad old key board warrior with a grudge over a planning issue, in my experience that is often the case.
So ask RTC how much Radford house costs to run, but remember it is also their depot for all the activities they do, and various community outfits use it.
There is no conspiracy it will be in their accounts posted online.
I think it is high time we had a proper debate instead of all this fakery,and faux outrage.
Yes, you will get all the old cllrs.Why because they are the only ones prepared to stand, thanks to the unrelenting abuse they receive from some here.
What’s more Thanet elected some new cllrs last May and what happened? Daily fake news,fake claims, and concentration on unimportant issues,like flags and library books.
Maybe if some here stopped expecting perfection and their own way all the time things might improve.
Can anybody recall how much RTC spent fighting the reopening of Manston Airport? or the price of the table they purchased for their Headquarters in the building they rent from Thorley Taverns? All money well spent I suppose?
£10000,on a wasted appeal to Jenny Dawes fund
I think the money spent on the judicial review by the hundreds if not thousands of local people who understandably don’t want another airport at Manston was very well spent. t
What’s “understandable” about it?
I can and the sum for Manston was £10k, which I recall when you used one of many aliases said was illegal and you and others like you would go to the auditors and say that RTC was acting ultra vires.What happened? Nothing it was perfectly lawful, and what happened with Manston also Nothing even though they have had a clear run for some time.
As for the Custom house,Thorley taverns sold the site 15 years ago, and RTC have rented the site when it was done up and you can see for how much by looking in the accounts online.The reason RTC rented the Custom house is because the perfidious TDC wanted to lease it to RTC at a higher rent,and then sell on tge freehold, using RTC as the draw, nice of them wasn’t it.Now you know why I think getting rid of TDC is a good thing for Ramsgate and Thanet at large.
Look, you are embarrassing yourself with this ancient history, of which you know so little.
If you live in Margate oppose the new council, but be prepared to have all the decisions made up country. If not, stick with what you know,and stop spouting and making yourself seem foolish.
As I said I am quite prepared to discuss any local govt matter, quite amicably as long as we stop being shouted at by people whose ignorance is only outreached by their anger. If you keep coming up with poorly researched allegations,I will keep knocking them on the headwind my trusty truth mallet.
Just to clarify, it was Albion house where the various Ramsgate councils had their HQ for many years where TDC wanted to make RTC someone’s investment slave. I can tell you they were dead pissed off when it didn’t happen and RTC decamped to the Custom House.
George can I ask you please who you feel is shouting at you? Also as you seem informed can you please tell me how much RTC paid for their table?
What are you talking about? The tables they use at the Custom house are all go-paks which cost around £100 each.
As far as I know they have not purchased any tables from Thorley taverns and if they did, you can look it up in their accounts. Any expenditure above £100 has to be publicised.It is a pointless activity seeing as central govt splurge money right left and centre without telling anyone, but there it is.
So, the great conspiracy is that RTC once contributed to the Nanston judicial review, while Shapps spent millions supporting an off shore consortium whose membership is opaque and who have not reopened any part of the airport to date.If you want a conspiracy theory there is one right there.
Your only other claim, is that RTC might of bought a table from Thorley taverns for an undisclosed price,well hold the front page.Except RTC didn’t and if they had, the amount would be logged and declared in the annual returns, which by the way are audited internally by an independant internal auditor and externally by an auditor approved by the MHCLG.
I think Paul, either you are incapable of accessing the RTC records,or you are so far gone, that you have dropped into meaningless rabbit hole of conspiracy, and therein lies madness.
Go into the Custom house and ask to see this fabled table,of course if doesn’t exist, you will claim they have deliberately hidden it.
This is the problem of today, there is so much lack of trust, that these bonkers stories circulate,feeding on the fevered imagination of those who feel overlooked.
Have you been overlooked Paul, did RTC object to your kitchen extension or something? Because this is a very sad crusade if it is.
I am not going to waste more of my life trying to reason with someone who clearly out to get RTC for reasons I cannot fathom, nothing I say will change a fixed idea, but I do think you need help.
I think you are the one who needs help George if you thi k RTC do a good job
They are a council Elsie, made up of fallible human beings,not perfect, but considerably better than TDC who nobody in their right minds would consider a success.Some of the parish councils have had issues such as Cliffsend, but most have got on and done what they could with limited resources.
I suspect those criticising RTC and the others are Tories who can’t get arrested let alone elected,or ex TDC staff attempting to blacken the name of the Parishes in a vain attempt to burnish their own sad reputations.
For the final time, the charges you have laid before are:
RTC costs too much, whereas in fact it would cost more for a meal for 2 in spoons, than the annual RTC precept.
Next when Radford House was mentioned, some of you want to pull it down even though it us listed.
Finally, there is all this derangement over a table that may not exist oh! And the £10k you all said was unlawful in supporting the Manston fighting fund, which was in the manifestos of many cllrs for 2 elections in a row.
Finally, RTC was controlled by UKIP for 4 years so I presume that was OK, being dyed in the wool reactionaries.
The fact is you gave nothing to base your complaints but will no doubt shut up if Reform run RTC in 2 years.
None of this of course has anything to do with Margate.
There is no such thing as a free lunch, and however you organise things, it will cost money to run things.
If some here find things done better in Europe (a) it shows we should never have left,and (b) it shows that they fund their services properly and pay higher taxes to fund them.I know we have been told that you can have cake and eat it, in the last decade or so,and that the ‘wealthy’ should fund extra spending, well they ain’t necessarily so.
RTC was run by ukip ,when I have missed something here, George