It was quite clear that there had been a briefing before the meeting to vote for an amendment that would mean that the Town Council must look in to running the toilets directly. The concession and the toilets are to be re-advertised for a fresh round of tendering. Cllr Hood let this briefing slip during his very long speach. Cllrs Brivio and Goodwin alluded to it as well.
It was stated that the Biggin toilets cost the Town Council £24,000 a year to run via DDC, yet the councillors present did not seem to be able to grasp that there is a big difference between that figure and the £3,500 they have set aside to pay the rates, insurance and standing charges if the seafront ones remain closed. Well, if there is half a million in the bank, who cares about operational costs?!!! Significantly, none of the councillors offerred to open, close and clean the loos in the interim.
Cllr Brivio stated quite clearly that if the Pebbles bid was not put in to operation then the facility would not open this year. The RFO and Town Clerk also stated very clearly that they have an obligation to tender for any contracts and they would have to investigate carefully if it is possible to save time and piggy-back DDC's tendering process by extending their contract to maintain these toilets as well as the Biggin ones until this mess is sorted out.
The public wanted the toilets open. Due to Cllr Cowan's amendment and the sheep he has following him, the toilets will remain closed for at least the rest of this season because their next meeting is not until the end of September. They were at pains to say that they had listened to the people and had taken toileting very seriously, and then vote by 10 to 4 agians opening them!!
It is little wonder little happens in this town. Leave aside the procedural issue they seem to have with this, Sue Jones who nobody disputed works hard for this town, has only 4 friends on this council and that is such a shame. She must feel absolutely wretched now. Well done to Mr Mayor and Cllrs Brivio, Hood and Goodwin for voting for Dover and common sense.
If I were Sue, I think I might have to take my ball home.
