Plea to Save Another Open Space

Graham Rickett has been campaigning for the last two years to save a valuable open space in Westgate. Please read his article below. If you remember WASPS successfully registered the Westbrook Undercliffe as a Town Green protecting it from development. Open space is shrinking in Thanet due to development and registration as a village green will give this space legal protection. So if you can help please contact Graham.

A Village Green in Westgate-on-Sea?

 

We would like to safeguard all further use of this field at the rear of Ursuline Drive  and to the east of King Ethelbert School (black rectangle) for the community of Westgate-on-Sea and our neighbours by registering it as a village green. This area has been used for over 30 years for different recreational uses over the years. “The Linksfield Estate” community are selfishly trying to preserve this area for a community use of this small field at the south west end of Westgate-on-Sea. This can preserve an area of open space, which is rare in Thanet, for our future generations of children to use. We are asking for evidential support from anyone who is interested in adding their voices to the protection of this area for the local use that it has always enjoyed so far. This is also an area with populations of wildlife which are unusual such as the green woodpecker, lesser and greater spotted woodpecker and butterflies – small skipper, marbled white and small heath (recorded in Kent as unusual) amongst others. It would be a shame to see the loss of their habitat if this area was to be developed upon.  People have enjoyed the use of this field for many years – walking, playing with children/grandchildren, dog walking, blackberry picking, picnicking, kite and model plane flying, etc.

Our application to have the field adjacent to Ursuline Drive registered as a village green has entered the public consultation phase and we need your support to make our campaign a success and to safeguard access to this field behind Ursuline Drive for our and for future generations. The hearing after 2 long years was held on the 26^th February of this year (our evidence questionnaires (71) were sent to KCC on the 28^th November 2011),  the panel of 5 KCC members could not decide to grant us this area on legal grounds and so the case has been referred to public inquiry (November 18^th – 22^nd). We now need your support more than ever. So if you have ever used this area of land, please get in touch. The important thing for us now is

1)      We need you at the public inquiry – 18^th to 22^nd November during the day and evenings at the Swan in Westgate-On-Sea

2)      supply email or phone details for contact, if you want more details – email better

3)      Any offer of support – or suggestions for us to get the most from our inquiry

If you are happy to do any of these – please let Vince or myself know ASAP by emailing grahamrickett1@gmail.com or phone 07870563918

v.macey@btinternet.com or phone 07795987553

We are counting on you for support of this area thanks for your
support. This is for you and future generations

A Peek Under the Waves at Sunset

Shore Search Walpole Tidal Pool Draining.

What an opportunity to examine marine life not normally seen in the intertidal region of our coast.
Thanet Coast Project sea search in Walpole Bay tidal pool during its annual draining last evening. Here are some images of the evening in perfect weather.

Creatures found included lobsters, squat lobsters, eels, hairy crab, spider crabs, bootlace worm, pipe worms, sand gobies, dahlia anemones and most importantly a colony of velvet swimming crabs which shows their recovery from the disaster reported on this blog in January 2010.

The Secret Residents Meeting. Where have all the councillors gone?

Westgate and Westbrook Residents Association

You have to keep your ear to the ground if you want to attend the WWRA meetings as they could be in Westgate or Westbrook. For those of you that are interested the next one will be the second Monday in November (11th) and will be at the Bowls club in Westbrook (allegedly).

The previous mix ups have been due to double booking and a number of other problems.

Where have all the Councillors Gone?

Apart from  Tom King (chairman) and our UKIP KCC councillor there has lately been a lack of presence from councillors. Have they lost interest or are they less able to find out where meetings are held than the rest of us.

There is a particular lack of Westbrook councillors. Kiss me quick and off I go seems to be the order of the day. No doubt they will reappear at election time.

My worry is that the Captain Mannering brigade will take over our local political scene if apathy reigns.

I do not like politics and feel that councils run by political parties are detrimental to our towns. Will we ever get councils who get on with the job instead of petty political squabbles.