Web Wars Heating up in Folkestone and Hythe Campaign

A 12 second video of Lib Dem candidate Lynne Beaumont's pledges has been posted on the Lib Dem Website.

In the video, Ms Beamont lists her three pledges as – “no other second homes allowance, I will commute to London like everybody else and no other paid employment.”

The use of ‘new media’, meaning freely accessible sites such as Facebook Twitter and blogs, is a relatively new development in English politics and is leading to some interesting interaction between politicians and voters.

Ms Beaumont’s Conservative rival Damian Collins appears to have the sharpest web presence, with regularly updated pages on Twitter, Facebook and Youtube. His Facebook avatar is a nod to an iconic image of Barak Obama, who used new media to great effect in his campaign for the American presidency.

While these sites help raise candidates’ profiles, they can also allow very public comment and criticism, which becomes more likely as the site or page becomes more popular. Mr Collins appears to be dogged by one persistent commenter, although occasionally others step into defend him.

Mr Collins background in PR and advertising leads many to tip him to win the new media race although given Shepway’s elderly demographic and the history of the seat it is not clear what effect this will have on the result.

Ms Beaumont is beginning to post but has yet to achieve Mr Collins’ success - Mr Collins boasts 866 Facebook friends, while Ms Beaumont has 149.

Donald vs Adonis Ding Dong

Labour candidate Donald Worsley has again taken his own party to task over the Eurotunnel fiasco that disrupted travel over the Christmas break.


In a letter to Secretary of State for Transport Lord Adonis, Mr Worsley suggests Lord Adonis should visit ‘the Tunnel at Longport and passengers at Ashford Station to instill confidence in the travelling public that measures have been taken to ensure the chaos that reigned before Christmas will never be repeated on your watch.’

Mr Worsley had previously written to Lord Adonis to air his concerns that the independent review into the disruption was far from independent, that the board should be sacked and that the franchise should be taken under government control.

These suggestions were dismissed in a letter from Lord Adonis’ staff.

Mr Worsley has previously disagreed with his own party on the issue of a referendum over signing the Lisbon Treaty and the decision to not use Dungeness C as the site for a new power station.

Sounds of the Underground*

*Scurrilous gossip alert - this might all be B.S. but makes a good story. Check Herald Thursday for details?

Hmm...what is happening in Folkestone Town Council?
Fresh from bumping into a fuming town councillor who remained admirably tight lipped after last week’s meeting, word is reaching FUTS that the Lib Dems have gone cloak and dagger.

Some spurious and as yet unproven allegations of a high profile defection TO the Lib Dems, as well as shenanigans over the choice of the next mayor - rumour has it a gentleman’s agreement has been reneged upon.

Tim Prater is not the most popular person in the chamber, at least with some people – but no change there then!

Still waiting for pistols at dawn on Sunny Sands.

Mixed Response to Budget

Conservative, Lib Dem and Labour politicians in Shepway have criticised the Government’s budget, announced March 24.

Shepway Liberal Democrats posted an article ‘Stealth Income Tax Increase will hit Folkestone and Hythe hard’ which opens with; ‘The 2010 Labour budget has frozen income tax threshold limits, meaning a real terms rise in income taxes on tax payers across Folkestone and Hythe. The Lib Dems had announced plans to take all those earning under £10,000 out of income tax entirely by raising the lower tax threshold.’

The article has a quote from leader Nick Clegg but little about the specific impact on Shepway’s economy and voters.

In a statement on the Shepway Conservatives website parliamentary candidate Damian Collins criticises the budget as offering ‘more of the same debt, taxes, and waste that have got the economy into the terrible mess it’s in.’

Mr Collins then offers opinions specific to Shepway around the changes to taxes on holiday lets, stating; ‘local businesses who offer self catering holiday accommodation could be particularly badly hit, and will lead to higher prices, putting off visitors.’

Mr Collins also criticises the 10% tax increase on cider, although his joining of the Kent Cider Company on Facebook was criticised as ‘shameless electioneering.’

Labour Candidate Donald Worsley has also criticised the budget, though he does not think it will lose the election for Labour. Talking to FUTS, Mr Worsley described the budget as ‘Too little, too late – this should have been done a year ago. It will not win the election – neither will it lose it.’

Mr Worsley has past form of disagreeing with Labour Government decisions such as Dungeness C and the failure to hold a referendum on ratification of the Lisbon Treaty, although he has maintained any disagreements with the national party are for the benefit of Shepway.

News, News, News...

What is going on at Yahoo News? Ok, I appreciate it isn’t the world’s greatest news service, but in addition to reporting that a new type of human had been identified from DNA extracted from a ‘pinky finger bone’, a story about those pesky Russkies flying bombers around the North Sea appears to be confused as to whether they entered British airspace or not;
“After being tailed for four hours, the Russians eventually left British airspace.

The Ministry of Defence stressed that there was no indication that the planes intended to enter British airspace.”

Eh?

Truly some of the oddest phrasing since the Herald a fortnight ago which referred to Lynne Beaumont’s ‘real life opponent Damian Collins.’

You Gotta Love 'im - Love Promoted to Deputy Leader

Conservative Cllr for Harvey West Ward Rory Love is deputy leader of Shepway District Council, replacing Cllr David Monk.
Shepway Liberal Democrats are claiming that Cllr Love has ‘ousted’ Cllr Monk. The Conservative website as yet has no comment on this issue. Cllr Love’s title on the Shepway District website is now ‘Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Strategic Services’.

This adds to the ‘Revenues and Benefits’ and ‘Environmental Services’ portfolios which were already under Cllr Love’s control. He also sits on six panels, committees and boards and represents the council on various issues including Rail for Folkestone.

Cllr Love has overseen an improvement in benefit payment, for which his team narrowly missed out on an award . He is an eloquent speaker in meetings, has a reasonably active webpage, stood for the Lewes constituency seat in 2005 and was previously council leader in 1999.

He has not escaped criticism. Cllr Love was singled out by Cllr Paul Marsh of the People First group as having awarded himself a 600% pay rise, and his expanding power base in the council led to an unfavourable comparison with Peter Mandelson.

*Cllr Love is surely waiting in the wings to take over as Leader of the Council. With the imminent election of young Conservative Candidate Damian Collins as MP, perhaps the Tories are seeking to have a younger, more dynamic and modern leader for the District Council to represent a break from the past.

Shepway Lib Dems - Dead as a Dodo or Phoenix From the Flames?

Opinion piece for my own amusement - feel free to comment, email, etc.

What to make of the Shepway Liberal Democrat party? Their spectacular and widely publicised fall from grace has seen them go from losing a 27 strong majority on the district council to a six councillor rump in a few years.

Disastrous policies, splits, defections and bitter spats have dogged the group. Chewing through PPCs like they were going out of fashion has left slim Liberal hopes of ending Conservative control of the parliamentary seat in tatters.

Leader Lynne Beaumont has declined to give figures of how far membership has fallen. Six local councillors come from three families, perhaps a sign of of a seriously limited membership to draw candidates from, with other amid rumours circulating of the membership halving or worse in 3 years.

As if this wasn’t bad enough, at the time of writing several key aspects of Lib Dem policy seem destined to drive them further onto the rocks of Shepway politics.

Opposing Dungeness C and Lydd Airport, the Lib Dems are accused of stifling development at a time when the area is crying out for jobs. While Lib Dem claims that their green eco-tourism initiatives will provide jobs are unproven, could they be playing a masterful long game, accepting crushing defeat this year in the hope of making headway in the long run and rising from the fallout of both issues (pun fully intended)?

The Lib Dems are adamantly opposed to Lydd Airport’s expansion. This is a contentious issue, and it is hard to see if any side really has the ‘silent majority’. If it goes ahead it is far from a guaranteed success, with no infrastructure to serve it, a possible third runway at Heathrow not far away and nearby Manston struggling. If more of the Marsh is concreted over for no discernable benefits the Lib Dems will be well positioned to make political headway.

The issue of Dungeness could represent a similar plan. Unlike the airport, it seems the majority of the population would like to see a new power station. No matter how strong this wish nor how doggedly the council fight, it is hard to see any government going back on the decision not to consider Dungeness – the national Conservative site does not return any results for a search of the word ‘Dungeness’ and the wisdom of building a nuclear reactor on a marsh barely above sea level with purported sea level rises is questionable.

Therefore, in a similar vain to the Lydd Airport tactic, opposition to the power station now could see short term losses accepted for long term gains.

Politically, the Lib Dems are attacking local Conservatives for not having a plan B. Making ‘Green’ a centrepiece of her campaign, Ms Beaumont has pressed ahead with an ‘Eco-tourism’ initiative. A recent meeting of stakeholders had a somewhat low turnout and there was hostility to the ideas expressed in the room - hardly an impressive start.

However, should the council be unsuccessful in getting the Dungeness decision reversed and the Lydd Airport expansion be a disaster, no doubt the Lib Dems will crow about their Eco-initiatives till the cows come home and make some headway.

Several other factors should be borne in mid. Although a shadow of their former selves, they are hard to ignore.

In Ms Beaumont they have a PPC who is prepared to make it personal, dismissing rival Damian Collins as a ‘wannabe MP’ and highlighting her ‘localness,’ a tactic we can expect more of. Association Chairman Russell Tillson has answered these charges while Mr Collins remains tight-lipped – these may be uncomfortable home truths for the dead cert.

With no other job, Ms Beaumont can pour all her efforts into campaigning. She is unlikely to win, but she is raising the group’s profile ahead of the local elections of 2011.

The Lib Dems also appear to have the upper hand on the Web, with a regularly updated site. Cleverly mixing Lib Dem announcements and community news, the site acts as a newswire, bringing visitors to peruse the Pravda-like articles, which cut out opposition councillors from events and spin defeats into victories in a manner worthy of any AgitProp department.

Lib Dem web guru Tim Prater has said the site is simply about what Liberal Democrats are doing, which is clearly rubbish.

A story on the site about grants awarded to local groups cheerfully opens with the line ‘As a County Councillor, I've had no say in any of these bids or grants, but thought they may be of interest!’ This comes slightly before an announcement of a talk on the Apollo 13 mission (not given by a Lib Dem) and numerous announcements of roadworks (no info on which councillors are out in the road gangs).

In addition to the site, every household in Shepway is receiving fancy, glossy, colourful flyers. Rarely a week goes past without Lib Dem councillors staring angrily from the pages of the local rags. Their twittering is almost constant. All of this gives them a presence that far outweighs their six member minority on the District council.

The key is turning this into votes. There have been some successes. The Lib Dems just about retain control of Folkestone Town Council. Tim Prater now has a seat on the County Council, though a case of something nice should have been sent to UKIP for this – UKIP split the Conservative vote, allowing Mr Prater to squeeze to victory by 11 votes.

Real success, which would be control of the District Council or returning an MP is still some way off. Whether the Liberal Democrat group can increase members and councillors with the current incumbents in charge, or whether history will repeat itself with splits further splits in the groupremains to be seen.

Should they be able to forge a united party, 2011 could mark the start of a Lib Dem resurgence.*

Err...if anyone reads this post-election, I'd like to point out the date and this was written BEFORE the Lib Dems jumped into bed with the Conservative Party. In fairness Ms Beaumont, on a visit back home I noted Ms Beaumont has decried the U-turn on education fees.

Blinded by the Sun / News in Briefs

I was as upset as anyone at the terrible misfortune to befall David Beckham. I struggled for the words to encapsulate my thoughts when I chanced upon a copy of the Sun on the train.

On Page 3 Rosie, from Middlesex, said; “Like Achilles, son of Peleus, king of the Myrmidons, Becks is a dashing warrior.”

Quite!

These wise words reminded me of the wisdom of the ancients used closer to home.

In four full pages of Remembrance Sunday coverage last year, the Folkestone Herald managed to include quotes from Plato (“Only the dead have seen the end of war”) and Mother Teresa (“If we have no peace it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other”), yet none from servicemen taking part in the ceremony.

Surely their reporters would have gone to the event rather than cribbing quotes from Wikipedia?

Still, the KM’s amazing attempt at giving the Leas Lift a brush with ancient glories lives on here.

Lib Dem Lynne Leads After Debate

Liberal Democrat Parliamentary Candidate Lynne Beaumont proved more popular than her rivals at a public debate in South Kent College.
Around 100 students attended the event to hear the candidates’ views on jobs, education and the future of Shepway. In a ballot after the debate, Ms Beaumont polled 66%, Conservative candidate Damian Collins 19% and Labour candidate Donald Worsley 15%.

Mr Collins did not explain why he thought Ms Beaumont polled most votes, but did say he thought it was ‘a very good debate and enjoyed meeting with the students.’

Labour Candidate Donald Worsley took heart from the result, reasoning that it was an improvement on Labour’s disastrous showing in recent county elections and could represent a fall in Conservative support.

Mr Worlsey also stated ‘the meeting Shepway has had a Conservative MP for the last 27years yet unemployment continues to go against the national trend, in a District in that time which has also seen a Lib Dem administration but not a Labour one.’

This is one of several events where all candidates will be speaking. The result is interesting as it goes against all expectations of an easy Conservative victory. However, at the moment this result is an aberration rather than a trend and Mr Collins is still clear favourite to win the seat.

Conservative Campaign Continuing Smoothly

Conservative Candidate Damian Collins is unconcerned at aggressive Lib Dem leafleting and campaigning in Shepway.

Large numbers of Lib Dem campaign flyers, in which Lib Dem candidate Lynne Beaumont attacks Mr Collins for saying MPs having extra work is ‘fine’ have been delivered across Shepway.

The leaflets repeatedly stress Ms Beaumont’s long ties to the local area, a widely anticipated tactic against Mr Collins, who previously contested the Northampton North seat.

Speaking to FUTS after a meeting addressing Braebourne Lees and Smeeth residents at a public meeting, Mr Collins said;

“I wasn’t surprised by the Lib Dem leaflets.

“We have been out canvassing and are getting a good response. We are hopeful we can build on our share of the vote in this area, but I take nothing for granted and will be working hard in the campaign.”

Mr Collins also said that his recent video had proved to be extremely popular.

“There was a real spike in traffic when the video was posted. We will have more videos, and as the campaign progresses we hope to have one video per day posted online.”

The latest video to be posted by Mr Collins can be seen here. Mr Collins discusses how to support small businesses, touching on local initiatives and Conservative policies.

Lydd Airport Applications Grounded? (L.A.A.G.)

Government Advisory body Natural England has called on the Secretary of State to call the Lydd Airport Applications.

Both Kent Online and Shepway Lib Dem websites are reporting that the decision has been called in and that the Government Office for the South East will decide whether to refer the matter to the Secretary of State.

In a press release dated March 12, kindly passed onto FUTS by Conservative Cllr Russell Tillson, Natural England Area Manager Rob Cameron is quoted as saying;

“We [Natural England] have to be consulted by law because the proposed expansion at the LAA at Lydd may affect nature conservation sites of national and international importance. The scientific evidence supports the need for the ‘call in’.

“If the Secretary of State agrees to Natural England’s request, this would most likely result in a Public Inquiry,

“We believe the applicant has been unable to demonstrate that the sites of national and international importance for nature conservation would not be adversely affected by the proposed developments.”

Natural England, set up on 2006 to be an independent advisory body, is also concerned that the Bird Control Plan is insufficiently detailed and the potential reduction in air quality.
The Lydd Airport expansion applications are the most controversial of recent times. Strong views have been expressed both for and against.

Shepway planning officers recommended refusal. Councillors voted to combine the Shepway officers’ report with the London Ashford Airport report before passing the planning applications, after a 7 hour meeting on March 3, with 27 councillors voting in favour.

It was widely expected that any decision would lead to an appeal. Lydd Airport Action Group, the largest organised group against the applications, announced their intention to request a call in the day after the approval.

Candidates Clash in Student Fees Debate – What Really Happened Part II

Following on from the earlier post, a second YouTube video has been brought to the attention of FUTS, courtesy of Lib Dem councillor Tim Prater.

Conservative Candidate Damian Collins and Lib Dem candidate Lynne Beaumont took part in a debate on the Future of Student Fees, held at Canterbury Christchurch University.

Ms Beaumont told FUTS that Mr Collins had been heckled after advocating higher fees for top level universities. At the time Mr Collins admitted that some issues were ‘contentious’, but stated he only said colleges ‘should have to back up why they were charging more ... When I said this there wasn't a reaction.’

The video, with less than 30 views at the time of writing, shows one student accusing Mr Collins of ‘blatantly’ lying as Conservative policies would price people out of University.

Mr Collins clarifies that ‘I’m not saying [variable fees] is what I want. The principle is that institutions should give you much better information.’

The student then attacks rumoured Conservative plans for ‘ten grand tuition fees’ and graduate tax, to loud applause.

Mr Collins answers that everyone pays top rate tax regardless of university education and appears to say that this is not enough to pay for university, though speech is obscured by the noise in the room.

In an email, Cllr Prater states ‘I think that Damian doth protest too much on variable tuition fees - he laid out clearly the grounds on which universities would charge different fees.

‘If you don't agree with variable fees and wouldn't allow them, then you say so. He didn't.’

Given that Mr Collins was speaking to an audience of students, some heckling is unsurprising and his willingness to debate in this atmosphere is commendable.

However, it appears his initial statement of ‘when I said this there wasn’t a reaction’ was avoiding admitting the more uncomfortable aspects of the meeting.

Neither the party website nor Mr Collins appears to give a clear indication of controls on variable fees (should they be introduced), presumably leaving the door open for top universities to charge more for their courses.

Conservative policy states ‘We recognise that higher fees have brought benefits to universities, but we need to ensure that they are providing a better student experience in return’

Silver Lining for Labour After 'Disapponting' Day Campaigning

Labour Candidate Donald Worsley took cold comfort from the opening of Labour campaigning in Shepway last Saturday.

Mr Worsley was disappointed that few Labour members turned out to help, but was positive about the reaction from members of the public.

Speaking to FUTS, Mr Worley said; ‘it was a bitterly cold day with leaflets blowing everywhere in the wind.

‘The main concerns expressed were the need for jobs and the need to protect the NHS. Given Shepway is a deprived ward we should be more successful here. We need to rebuild a Labour presence in Shepway.’

Labour are currently languishing in third for the seat and do not have any councillors sitting on District and Town councils.

Mr Worsley hopes to improve on previous Labour performances. In 2005 Labour polled only 12.5% of votes.

However, without an internet presence or a reliable party membership to call upon it is uncertain that he will be able to do this.

Collins Campaigning on Small Screen

Conservative Candidate Damian Coillins has launched the first of what is promised to be a series of internet campaign videos.

Posted on his blog and on YouTube, Mr Collins says the videos will  enable him to give instant reaction to news and events during the campaign.

In the clip, filmed in Broadmead village, Mr Collins voices his concerns that ‘too many people are missing out on opportunities,’ such as education and business ownership.

Mr Collins ends by promising to fight for the ‘hardworking, law abiding, tax-paying members of society who are the bedrock of communities.’

These videos will be uploaded on Mr Collins’ YouTube channel, ElectDamianCollins.

Mr Collins is widely expected to win the seat in the upcoming general election, but has stated he is taking nothing for granted.

He has extensive experience in PR, and it is perhaps surprising that although his YouTube channel was set up in May 2009, this is the first video posting.

The only other local party to have any real presence on the internet and to have posted videos is the Liberal Democrat Party. Recently a video of Lib Dem candidate Lynne Beaumont addressing students was posted on YouTube and on the Shepway Liberal Democrat site.

Fellow Lib Dem councillor Tim Prater was also videoing Ms Beaumont’s address at the recent ‘Eco-tourism summit’ though none of this footage has yet surfaced.

Labour Campaign Kicks Off on Saturday

Labour Parliamentary Candidate Donald Worsley will begin his campaign tomorrow in the town centre.
Although Labour is a distant third in the district to the Conservatives and Lib Dems, Mr Worsley says his campaign will show the national Labour Government is delivering for Shepway, citing the High Speed rail link the Little Cheyenne Windfarm and the new academy schools among its achievements.

Talking to FUTS, Mr Worsley denied that this was part of a long term strategy and that he had little chance of succeeding in the forthcoming election. ‘This is about showing the voters we care about the constituency.’

Promising to ‘put employment at the heart of everything we do’ Mr Worsley emphasised the importance of existing technical colleges and academies of the area and road and rail network saying ‘all we need now is industry.’

When challenged that industry has either already established other bases in the country or died out in the face of global competition, Mr Worsley countered that ‘we need a council that will create employment rather than take it away.’

Emphasising the importance of Dungeness, Mr Worsley vowed to fight for the power station. Questioned that his Conservative rival Mr Collins had stolen a march on this issue, Mr Worsley countered that ‘he might have the high ground on publicity, but I think I win the argument when it comes to commitment and determination.’

Listing the granting of Gurkha settlement rights as one of Labour’s achievements, Mr Worsley countered the observation that in fact the Labour government initially went against this saying ‘Yes, we listened. Yes, we bowed to pressure. It wasn’t a Conservative or a Liberal Democrat that did it.’

When asked about his chances against his Conservative rival’s, Mr Worsley said ‘I accept he has a good chance of winning. Sadly he will be in opposition for the next decade or more, and we will show the people of Shepway that they made the wrong choice.’

It is almost certain that membership of the local Labour party is lower than that of the Liberal Democrats and Conservatives. When asked if the local party had the resources for campaigning, Mr Worsley said ‘the journey of a thousand miles starts with the fist step.’

Mixed Messages at Lib Dem Eco Tourism Summit

Local interest groups and a small number of residents attended the ‘Eco –Tourism summit’ at the RSPB visitors centre on March 3.

Although only 24 people attended, the meeting was generally thought to be a success with important issues addressed and discussed.

Representatives from the wildlife organisations on the Marsh, the Romney Hythe and Dymchurch Railway, Angling Associations, Shepway Cycle Forum and several Conservative Councillors were among those present.

Many speakers were strongly in favour of the initiative, although sometimes the meeting was a fractious as attendees disagreed on several issues.

Concerns were raised that residents did not want extra tourists visiting the area and the current infrastructure, especially the lack of public toilets, would not be able to cope with an increase in numbers.

Chris Kirkham of Discover Folkestone cautioned against Dungeness becoming ‘tawdry and tacky’ if initiatives were not well managed.

The need to create jobs was repeatedly stressed and caused some of the sharpest exchanges.

Malcom Dyer of Romney Marsh regeneration Partnership said, ‘we have to provide something that will improve the economic wellbeing of the area.’ Conservative Councillor Russell Tillson echoed this point and cautioned that any plan would likely need a ’15 to 20 year timeframe.’

Resident Brian Godfrey raised the strongest concerns that the project would fail. Mr Godfrey criticised the speakers, saying ‘not one of you has talked directly about job creation.’

Lambasting Marsh-based organisations and councils for the lack of communication, Mr Godfrey also raised concerns that charitable organisations were taking over vast swathes of the Marsh and were stifling development and improvement of infrastructure.

Conservative Councillor Carole Waters criticised Cllr Beaumont for ‘sounding naive.’

Speaking after the meeting, Cllr Beaumont admitted that the number of attendees was not as high as hoped, saying several organisations had expressed interest but were unable to send a representative.

Cllr Beaumont accepted the concerns raised but emphasised that an alternative plan was needed for the Marsh given that Dungeness C will not go ahead.

Cllr Tillson, who had previously called plans ‘cloud cuckoo land thinking’ said ‘I fully support any initiative to promote the Marsh,’ and added that he was pleased Ms Beaumont had been alerted to some of the difficulties faced by such projects.

The issue of the Marsh has become a major political issue in the area, and the Eco-tourism summit has so far been a key point in the Liberal Democrat’s green message.

Since the government decision not to consider Dungeness C as a site for new nuclear power station, Conservatives continue to fight for Dungeness C. This divide seems to be gaining in importance and could have a great effect on the national election this year and the District elections in 2011.

Conservative Candidate says -Lydd Airport Affect Good (L.A.A.G.)*

Conservative Candidate Damian Collins has welcomed the expansion of Lydd Airport, stating in a press release;
‘Shepway has now sent a clear message that it is serious about attracting investment into the area to regenerate the economy and create new jobs. This investment is badly needed in Lydd and Romney Marsh ... particularly now that the future of nuclear power at Dungeness is uncertain.

‘The recession has made life harder for many people, and we cannot afford to throw away the chance of new jobs from the development of businesses that already exist – there has of course been an active airport at Lydd since the 1950s. This for me has always been an important consideration in supporting both the development of Lydd airport and building a new power station at Dungeness.

Noting that after the expansion flying time will be more controlled, Mr Collins also states he believes environmental issues ‘were answered in the presentations and that the members made the right decision in voting in favour of the development.’

Prior to the meeting, Mr Collins had stated that he ‘supported limited expansion depending on what the [planning officers’] report said,’ and subsequently expressed concerns that Natural England had too much power in the debate after officers recommended refusal.


* I know it's not the correct word but it was the best I could do

Liberals' Airport Anger Greatens* (L.A.A.G.)

The Liberal Democrat group, in an article titled ‘Vote Blue, Go Green, Feel Sick,’ have lambasted the decision to approve expansion of Lydd Airport.
Wondering how much money has been wasted the piece, authored by Lynne Beaumont, slams local and national Conservatives.

‘For many years now, the [Shepway] Conservatives have hidden behind the view that there should be a public enquiry, and this is what they have said to people. They gave their sympathy to people who are going to be affected.

‘People didn't want their sympathy, they wanted their councillors’ support’

‘David Cameron, only 4 days ago said;

"It was you (conservative activists and councillors), who campaigned at local election after local election, under the slogan Vote blue, go green, that have demonstrated our councils are the greenest and the best in Britain, and that we are the new environmental party in Britain, and you should be proud of that.."

‘The Conservatives who voted for Airport expansion last night in Shepway obviously didn't listen to their leader. They have proved once again that they don't care about our environment, and they do what they want to do in Shepway.’

*not great but the best I could do

Lydd Airport Appeal Guaranteed (L.A.A.G.)

Lydd Airport Action Group (L.A.A.G.) are expecting a long legal battle to overturn the planning applications for the expansion of Lydd Airport which were approved last night (March 3).
In a press release seen by FUTS and believed to be distributed to all councillors and probably other outlets, L.A.A.G. state ‘Our legal advisor Matthew Horton QC has confirmed that the decision is contrary to European Law as the councillors have not correctly interpreted the Habitats Regulations.

‘We have requested the Government Office of the South East to call in this planning application for a public inquiry as it fulfills four of the five criteria used to assess whether a public inquiry is applicable. We are confident that the decision will be overturned in a public inquiry on the correct interpretation of the European Habitats Regulations.’

L.A.A.G. also claim the nuclear safety issue was ‘dismissed by Shepway and say they can show the methodology used to assess crash damage risk was flawed.

Before the meeting last night groups for and against the expansion had vowed to take the case appeal. In the local press L.A.A.G. figurehead Louise Barton had spoken of her expectation that the case would go to appeal whatever the outcome.

Lydd Airport Expansion - Cleared For Takeoff!

Shepway Council has approved applications for the expansion of Lydd Airport, under the banner of London Ashford Airport.

At 1:40am, after a mammoth six and a half hours of meeting, including three adjournements, the council voted to approve the recommendation having combined aspects of reports produced by the council’s consultants and the Lydd Ashford Airport group’s consultants.

Conservative Cllr Malcom Dearden then proposed accepting the revised application, which also involved him listing almost all planning policies in existence and gaining a round of applause for doing so. A last ditch attempt by the Lib Dems to stop the vote on account of unfamiliarity with the policies was quashed, and the motion passed.

This overturns the recommendation of the council’s officers, which was for refusal.

Over 15 speakers, including representatives of environmental groups, ward councillors and current MP Michael Howard spoke for and against the applications.

The majority of speakers were from environmental groups and spoke against the applications. Mr Matthew Horton QC, speaking for Lydd Action Airport Group (LAAG) the most vocal group against the application, called the proposals ‘damaging, dangerous and dispiriting.’

Concerns over the nuclear power station were occasionally raised. Mr Paul Black of Greatstone School Governors raised concerns over the effect on pupils’ education, as the school is only 600m from the site.

Speakers in favour of the application repeatedly highlighted the need for expansion to generate jobs. In a gutsy speech Caroline Chambers, formerly of the Channel Chamber of Commerce but speaking as a resident, asked ‘since when did newts become more important than people?’

A series of local ward councillors spoke of the importance of jobs and claimed that the ‘silent majority’ were in favour of expansion. Michael Howard MP spoke to assure councillors that they could vote against the planning officers’ recommendation without fear of legal challenge.

Not until 10:15 did the applications become open for debate by members of the council.

Conservative councillors generally supported the applications citing the need for jobs. Early on in the debate Conservative Cllr Malcom Dearden gave a long list of statistics highlighting the dire economic performance of Shepway and the Marsh in particular, before proposing that the council accept the applications subject to conditions.

As previously expected the Liberal Democrat group were strongly against the development. Shepway Liberal Democrat Leader Cllr Lynne Beaumont repeatedly stated that some of the evidence presented was misinformation, and that consultants used by Lydd Ashford Airport had been ‘paid to sell their story.’

Cllr Beaumont raised concerns that councillors should be in the chamber with pre-prepared notes and speeches in favour of the application. Council Officer Jeremy Chambers clarified that this was acceptable as pre-prepared briefings did not mean councillors could not change their mind during the debate.

Cllr Beaumont also questioned if any of the jobs in the plans were full time or not and whether the airport would lead to a net loss of jobs on the Marsh due to the negative effects of airport expansion.

Lib Dem Councillors repeatedly expressed concerns that to accept the applications would go against legal guidance. Lib Dem Tim Prater concentrated on this, saying the decision was not about weighing up pros and cons, but about a test on the issue of reasonable doubt, a point which appeared to have little impact on the debate.

Later in the debate the Council’s legal adviser cautioned that if councillors were not satisfied beyond reasonable scientific doubt that environmental regulations were not going to be broken they would have to reject the applications.

These points were repeatedly clarified to members, showing a great deal of concern in the chamber over the legal constraints and risk of appeals.

Conservative Cllr Gane asked how up to 500,000 passengers would get to the airport given the poor infrastructure in the area and the lack of a direct rail link.

Most questions followed similar themes with some colourful interjections. Most Conservative Councillors spoke of the need for jobs in the area and it was repeatedly claimed that the ‘silent majority’ were in fact in favour of the application.

Conservative Cllr Ewart-Jones noted often objectors make the largest noise, and many letters objecting to the development are ‘round-robin’ letters (wasn’t this mentioned somewhere before?) and added that councillors, like King Canute, ‘cannot stop the tide of progress.’

Conservative Cllr Carole Waters said she felt ‘very aggrieved’ and ‘worried’ that Natural England were designating large areas as ‘special interest’ and holding up development on the Marsh, although she expressed concern for Greatstone school.

Cllr Beaumont later said the council had voted for the expansion of protected zones, after consultation with Natural England.

Conservative Cllr Love, emphasised the need to have a more holistic view of what is good for the district as a whole. Conservative Russell Tillson said he needed assurances on the net number of jobs, the quality of jobs and that jobs would go to local people and expressed concerns that development scare tourists away from the Marsh.

Comparing the relationship between nature and airports to the relationship between John Terry and Wayne Bridge, Cllr Tillson appeared to be the most cautious Conservative speaker on the night, and  was in the minority that voted against the application.

Although the applications have been approved, the decision is likely to be looked at by the Government and could be the subject of lengthy appeals processes.

Webcast / Eating Words Latest

Credit where credit's due - the webcast is thus far clear, crisp and not splitting up or stalling. Well done Shepway!

Case officer currently going through report and late representations. Video window is showing details of maps, pics when they are referred to - nice touch.

Didn't the Lib Dems call for more of this? Get ready for more calls for web broadcast from the Lib Dems - shame normally it's only the press and 3 others that attend, including myself.

I'm wondering what the old guy that turns up just to read his book must be doing now. Such is the interest in local politics!

D-Day for LAA

After years of debate and delays, tonight’s the night for Shepway Council to approve or reject the applications for Lydd Ashford Airport.

Planning officers recommend refusal though there are plenty of precedents from the Development Control Committee to show councillors will not slavishly follow their officers’ recommendations.

What can we expect?

The Lib Dems will surely vote to reject the applications. With ‘green’ and ‘eco-tourism’ being current Lib Dem buzzwords, and repeated articles on their website AGAINST the application, it seems unlikely that the arguments put forward tonight will change their minds although of course they are prepared to listen to both sides of the argument.

Shepway Lib Dem Leader Lynne Beaumont told FUTS she has taken legal advice to ensure that the group’s votes will not be challenged. Fellow Lib Dem Peter Carroll will not be able to vote, having previously stated the expansion would go ahead ‘over my dead body.’

Labour Candidate Donald Worsley is strongly in favour of the expansion, as a hub for jobs and apprenticeships, yet with no councillors Labour’s influence on the decision at this stage is non-existent.

The key lies with Shepway Conservative’s overwhelming majority on the council.

Statements and clues as to how they will vote are somewhat sparse. Were there any Labour councillors, headway could have been made here. Conservative councillors have been notably tight-lipped on this issue. The news section of the conservative website has little mention of Lydd save for noting that Michael Howard MP, who will speak at the meeting, is in support of limited expansion.

Conservative Candidate Damian Collins has previously stated he would support limited expansion depending on officers’ recommendations, yet after officers’ recommendation of refusal he now wants to look at the power of the Natural England veto. Some observers see Mr Collins perching on the fence as delicately as any protected species on the Marsh. Surely the key point here is that Mr Collins is not willing to reject the airport.

The Conservatives have presented a united front over Dungeness, campaigning hard for it to ensure jobs are on the Marsh. Although numbers are contentious, there is no doubt some jobs would come from the airport – should it be a success.

Whether the airport is a success or the jobs materialise is another matter and will surely be the crux of the Conservative debate against the Liberal Democrat stand. The debate will no doubt be fierce at times, but will those outside the chamber ever know what happened? The meeting is being relayed over the web, though there are concerns that the link will crash. Good for poor taste puns but not so good for following how our elected representatives are controlling our area.

Tonight the Conservative councillors will have to pin their colours to the mast. Given their stand on Dungeness and their Westminster men’s views, if I were a betting man I would take a long-odds punt on the application being approved.

Such a highly contentious issue on such a large development has polarised opinions. An extremely vocal pressure group, Lydd Airport Action Group, (L.A.A.G.) is against the application and garners more publicity than the groups supporting the application – most notable Friends of Lydd Airport (F.L.A.G.). Does it represent the feelings of Marsh residents? This is difficult to answer as any poll is denounced as biased, unfair or representative of a small sample of residents.

The only point of agreement in the debate is that any decision will be subject to an appeal. Peter Carroll may have to wait some months before he lies down before the bulldozers.