Wednesday 17 September 2014

Town Councils What's it all About?

I do not get involved with politics but I am worried about increasing bureaucracy especially with our local council.

The proposition is that Westgate becomes a parish council and Margate (including Cliftonville, Garlinge and Westbrook) becomes a town council.

The consultation is ending on 29th September either on line or by getting a form from the Gateway.

There have been a few public meetings but generally I would allege that many residents do not know anything about what is going on. Everyone I have spoken to appears against the proposed town and parish councils.

It is all very well putting it on line but many people have not access, ability or interest to do this. Why has every household not been leafleted with information and a form?

It worries me that this extra layer of local governance will take place by stealth.

We have problems at the present between KCC and TDC and who deals with what. Put another layer in place and chaos rules. On top of this we are expected to pay a premium for the privilege.

We have enough trouble in this neck of the woods contacting current councillors or even getting them to attend residents' meetings so another increase in the same seems to me ridiculous.

Can anyone tell me why we should have town councils?

Follow this link to find out more:  http://thanet.gov.uk/the-thanet-magazine/get-involved/consultation/2014/stage-2-margate-community-governance-review/

3 comments:

  1. More direct and cheaper governance for each town rather than TDC badly running some of the towns. With Town Councils do we need TDC?

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  2. Quite simply the case for a Parish Council is that Kent & Thanet Councils only recognise as Community Leaders members of either of their Councils or Parish Councillors.Therefore folk in Westgate are at a disadvantage compared with residents of any of the parished areas of Thanet .The price to equalise our influence is a Parish Council for Westgate at a cost of £25 per household per year

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  3. Quite simply Kent & Thanet Councils do not recognise anyone in a community as representing that Community unless they have been elected as a councillor ,whether County ,District or Parish .Without a Parish Council we in Westgate will always be at a disadvantage compared with other parished areas .To give Westgate proper influence we need a Parish Council -at a cost of £25 per household per year.

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