Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
25 January 2011
07:4790152Vic is not a patient man !
Roger
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
25 January 2011
07:5390153Well said Roger
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
25 January 2011
09:3190166I know all about this ,and again we see this planning Dept at D,D,C, doing its own thing again,lets hope when May comes that we will see new faces in the D.D.C. and that they take back control of this runway dept,and also that cllrs siting on the planning dept can read site drawings ,not like some of them siting on it now,if you can not read the planning drawings in front of you how can you pass them.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
25 January 2011
10:0790173Sorry Vic - you've never been a District Councillor as far as I am aware and have never been on the Planning Committee at DDC - I know you've spoken there sometimes and some decisions have gone against what you (and me) wanted.
We get to see all the site drawings for the applciations if we feel it's necessary - some applications don't always require you to see them.
DDC's Planning department is not a "runaway department" at all - it is made up of very professional and qualified planning officers, who know their business.
The Planning Committee members do not always agree with the officers recommendations and say so. They are the professionals not us, or we'd be doing that job.
Roger
Guest 649- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 14,118
25 January 2011
10:1690176I do not agree with you Roger, I have been to some of your planning meetings,and some siting there do not even know what they are looking at.And you are the cllrs you are voted in by the public,the planning officers are not the cllrs should have the last say,but some of you just sit there and let the planning officers take over.
Sue Nicholas- Location: river
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 6,025
25 January 2011
10:3990182Prior to the site where the River surgery is now being built in Lydden they put in an application for a site between Temple Ewell and Lydden .I spoke on that application in support .It was turned down .I did a lot of research before making my speech ,namely finding out the catchment area for patients .400 were from River .I cant remenber all the figures but a lot of people were from Temple Ewell .Alkham ,Lydden,Sheperdswell and Eythorne .It is classed as serving a rural community.
I will try to find my letter .
I was told i could apply to change to their facilities .
It was nothing to do with up market River .Thety had the funding and I understand it was to provide a facility for the the rurals .
They did not want to move into Dover .
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
6 February 2011
06:3991609Authors join day of protest at library cuts
Protesters at New Cross Library decided to occupy the building all night Continue Protesters have held "read-ins" and storytelling sessions at dozens of libraries across the UK to campaign against planned branch closures.
At one library in south London the event has turned into an all-night sit-in involving about 35 protesters..
Some councils have said keeping libraries open would put services for vulnerable and elderly people at risk.
More than 450 libraries and mobile services across the country are currently threatened with closure.
At New Cross Library, in south-east London, protesters taking part in an earlier "read-in" resolved to occupy the library overnight. Three security guards have been brought in to stay in the library with the group.
"
Other events during Saturday included a rally outside Bolton's central library and a flashmob book reading at Cambridge Central Library.
Oxfordshire County Council defended its proposed cuts to libraries, saying it, like other councils, had a requirement to make "significant financial savings" to its budgets.
Doncaster is planning to axe 14 out of 26 branches, including Bawtry. Doncaster's mayor, Peter Davies, said he regretted having to cut funding to libraries, but said he was morally obliged to continue other vital services.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 645- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 4,463
I thought I would update forumites on the latest ''going on's'' in libraries. Be warned that what other councils do today Dover normally does tomorrow!!
Oxfordshire cuts test 'big society' as librarians are replaced with volunteers. Professional staff also to be removed from libraries in David Cameron and culture minister Ed Vaizey's constituencies
The council has decided to keep only 22 of the constituency's 43 libraries fully staffed, but had planned to close 20. The initial plan to close libraries outright led to a wave of protests including some involving authors such as Philip Pullman, Colin Dexter and Mark Haddon.
The shadow libraries minister Gloria De Piero said: "Volunteers have a role to play in libraries, but I would be amazed if you could run libraries by volunteers alone. It is a professional job. "I have asked Vaizey whether he has any plans to run the House of Commons library through volunteers, and he has not replied so I presume he realises he does not."
She claimed there were signs of another wave of closures following the local elections.
The website Public Libraries News claims that of 4,517 libraries across the UK, 460 (391 in buildings and 69 mobile) are under threat.Councils are required by law to provide a "comprehensive and efficient" service under the Public Libraries and Museums Act 1964.
Marek
I think therefore I am (not a Tory supporter)
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
Actually Marek, in many things, Dover leads the way; we don't imitate other local authorities; we punch above our weight and are innovators, not immitators.
For Oxfordshire, read Kent. DDC does not provide library services, KCC does. Some big cities, Oxford perhaps, may well have a surplus of libraries, I have no idea, but whenever anything closes, people will be up in arms; it must be up to the County Council to decide whether a service is to close.
Roger
Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,942
ROGER;
If only you were correct.
sadly most people in Dover would tell you of Dovers decline.
but we must remain upbeat
ALL POSTS ARE MY OWN PERSONAL VIEWS
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
our library is now self service, so far there appears to be no job losses but inevitably there will be.
Apparently it costs £25,000 a year to run the mobile library. I do not think the person who thought that "good neighbours" would provide a book changing service has any idea. The visit to the mobile provides a reason to go out, a way to meet others, even to have a chat with the driver can be a lifeline. The service should remain for those who want it, and many do. Absolutely the TV screen should be dumped, An eyesore and a waste of money though not £25,000 I fear.
At present I believe, some casuals are being used to help staff the library, but if they are needed much longer, one might wonder why proper library staff were let go or redeployed.
I went into the library the day it re-opened. I could wish they had spent some of the money repairing the broken toilet seat and making the ladies loo more appealing, frankly. The damage and disrepair in the ladies was exactly as it was before the refurb.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
it was only the reception area that was earmarked for refurbishment.
the gents is also in need of looking after, people are coming off the streets to use them, leaving little time for the staff to keep them up to standard.
That's the point, really. If there are to be efficiencies in the staff, who will clean the loo? And why refurb the front of house and leave the bogs a mess?! A bit like botox on a dirty face........
Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,895
If the toilets are clean and smart the vast majority will treat them well, when they are dirty and tatty people don't care how they treat them.
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I try to be neutral and polite but it is hard and getting even more difficult at times.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
the problem is the dire state of the public ones in town.
shops/cafes have seen what is happening and only allow paying customers to use theirs.
nobody knows what will happen with the public ones in future, the town and district councils both blame each other.
Perhaps they should bring back the iconic gentleman's area of relief. I believe it was in Woolcomber Street, as a child I was fasci nated by it's architecture and could not un derstand why I was hurried past, when I wanted to stand and gaze... (yes, I was a weird child!)