Tory profligacy means newly elected Council must find savings of £3m
‘History repeats itself, first as a tragedy, second as a farce’ Karl Marx In Feb 2004 the then Tory led Shepway District Council voted for a 39% increase in its [...]
Overview & Scrutiny Committee
Council begin to firm up FOLCA plan, but contract issues with building abound.
The former Debenhams building which has been been renamed as the FOLCA building, was up for discussion at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee on Tuesday 27 June, 2023. [...]
Climate & Ecological Emergency motion was not referred to committee or priced,
How much has it cost? Well the honest answer is nobody knows, as it was never priced. Nor did the Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee discuss the best way [...]
Part 42: Princes Parade – further evidence of incompetence by Council
It never rains around here it just comes pouring down, says Mark Knopfler on the song It Never Rains, from the Love Over Gold album. And after today’s installment of a [...]
Chance to raise local community issues which affect us all.
Each year you the residents of the district are offered the opportunity to submit your ideas about which local community issues you believe Cllrs should discuss at Overview [...]
All current spending paused on Princes Parade
Last week it was announced the Leader of the Council recommended suspending further spending on Princes Parade due to price hikes on the contract and the energy. Well today [...]
Is Operation Brock “illegal”?
Updated 06.10.22 @18:08 Again and again and again. The issue of traffic jams blocking up the M20 and local roads has gone on for more than two decades, and regardless of who [...]
Veolia dispute £450,000 claim by Council over Waste Contract Fiasco
As we moved into June 2021, the issue of bins not being collected by Veolia, due to a “route optimisation project” began. Reported across social media and [...]
Cllr Monk alone approved David Wimble’s £19,000 High Street Fund application
On the 22 June and July 6 2022, we wrote about Mr David Wimble’s application, as proprietor and owner of the Looker Magazine, to the High Street Fund for nearly [...]
The Looker’s £19,000 High Street Fund application to be heard by Overview & Scrutiny on the 13 July
On the 22nd June we ran the post: Wimble’s Looker Magazine, applies for £19,000 from Council’s High Street Fund Since then things have moved on at pace. The amount [...]
Princes Parade update: Costs rise 655% between 2014 and 2022
In January 2014 there was a review of a New Leisure Centre at Princes Parade, undertaken by Strategic Leisure Limited, for and on behalf of our Council. In May 2014, the [...]
Overview & Scrutiny can ‘follow the council pound’ to discover where the £88 million in borrowing will come from.
The Council’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee (OSC) has long been the lion which never roared. The OSC can go on site visits, conduct public surveys, hold public [...]
Veolia Fiasco: What a Waste.
No they didn’t see it. Yes they should have seen it, but it was for some inexplicable reason withheld from them. How do the Councillors who sit on the Task & Finish [...]
The Overview & Scrutiny Committee Inquisition into the £40 million waste contract cock up has begun
It was a miracle, whether divine or not is impossible to say. On Tuesday 15th June at 6.30pm at the Overview & Scrutiny Committee, the number of apologies from Cllrs [...]
Council issue Veolia with two week ultimatum to turn round £40 million waste contract fiasco
Updated: 11/06/21 @ 20:05 Empty vessels, they say, make most noise and actions speak louder than words. On Wednesday 9th June Cllr Stuart Peall (Con), Cabinet Member [...]
Cllrs to consider potential new civic centre at Otterpool Park
Updated 06/10/20 @14:10 Location, Location, Location and the location for a potential new civic centre at Otterpool Park is to be considered by Cllrs on the Overview & [...]
So, Where’s The Money Gone?
So, where’s the money? The financial data below has all come from Folkestone & Hythe District Council. It excludes VAT. It is the Temporary staff costs data from [...]
Otterpool Park Update: Cllr Jim Martin “Shocked” Council appoint Tibbalds using a waiver for phase 1 of the Otterpool Park, at a cost of £120,000.
At a behind closed doors meeting of the Otterpool Working Group in April, an officer of the Council let slip that Tibbalds had been appointed as consultants to prepare [...]
Otterpool Park Update
Tomorrow the Cabinet will meet to discuss report Report Number C/20/02 -which makes recommendations about the Otterpool Park Delivery Vehicle, how it will be structured and [...]
Changes afoot to Overview & Scrutiny are decided behind closed doors continuing the lack of Openness & Transparency.
We have long said the effectiveness of the Overview & Scrutiny Committee (O&S) has been unacceptable and that it has been the lion which never roared. It has been a [...]
“The True Value Is Probably More Scrap Value”
Love or loathe it, the Arch in Folkestone at the town end of the Leas has caused controversy from the moment it was born. According to the latest valuation the arch is worth [...]
We counted them all out and We counted them all back
At last night’s Overview & Scrutiny Committee, agenda item four was Report C/19/63 Proposed Disposal of Fernfield Lane Hawkinge. Fernfield Lane is owned by FHDC and [...]
Coming Soon: Proposals for more money for Otterpool Park acquisitions, proposals to purchase Ship Street Gasworks and an EKH tenant consultation.
Coming soon to the council chamber – 16th Oct – are proposals and recommendations to be put to Cabinet. These proposals are to allow further spending on land [...]
Misleading omissions, council properties and drugs
At 6pm on the 10th June 2019, The East Kent Housing Board convened at Garrity House, Aylesham. Present were the following people :James Queay – Chair, Cllr Trevor [...]
New gas safety & maintenance contractor selected but should Deborah Upton continue to lead East Kent Housing?
The Governance Manager of East Kent Housing witnessed an East Kent Housing tenant address Deborah Upton, the Chief Executive of East Kent Housing (pictured), about a forged [...]