howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#1
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#2
Good idea, the phrase which made my heart sink was 'working group of councillors.' This project needs fresh blood and fresh thinking.
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#3
certainly new blood is required but a coule of things stood out for me.
the cleaning of the town is the responsibility of the district council where would they find funding for this and any transport costs?
secondly what do they mean by the "future of the fountain"?
Brian Dixon
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#4
howard,they probably thinking of putting koi carp in it.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#5
i thought something fishy was going on brian, would give entertainment to the people who let their bull terriers go in the river terrifying the wild fowl.
thinking piranhas now.
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#6
The idea of working on making Dover a smarter, cleaner, more welcoming Town cannot be argued with - I have been pushing/working for and on it for years; in the short time I was working as Business Support Manager, achieved a fair bit, but was halted in my tracks from doing more.
I don't acually believe it should be the job of the Town Councillors or the the Town Council officers to work on this, but I do believe that the Town Council should financially support, in partnership with DDC and DHB, a person/body who will work full-time on the initiatives and projects that are necessary.
Dover also needs to become a tourism destination.
Roger
#7
I dare not mention councillors
....I get fed up with all of this...
HOWEVER,,,,never one to keep quiet...why these sudden blitzes
...surely little and often is the key...
Whichever Councellor(s) thought of all the flower containers around the lights, bulbous ones...of whom many are not working...
Anyway...all the flower containers on the ground and above are in a sorry state indeed.....it would be nice to have decent toilets open and clean at the Prince of Wales Pier end.......many coaches stop there, and people are always trying to get in the toilets................ which have been shut all summer.
Guest 716- Registered: 9 Jun 2011
- Posts: 4,010
#8
# 2 Spot on.
A group of Councillors will only produce what Officers want.
Fresh minds free from the Dogma of stale minds are required.
DDC Planning department record is proof of this.
They could not organise a P......Celebration for Kathy in Blakes.
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
#9
I was out this morning in My ward,with the PSCO and the Commuinty Warden looking ar where we have issues,and working with each other and passing on information can help.
It is funny how people see you and want to tell you something,of course my Ward includes London Road/High Street which is of course in the Town Centre.We have all ben asked at the Town Council what we would like to see,and the officers are following this up.Many of the items have been highlighted on here,Litter/drunks/cycling/dog mess,that we think causes people to think the Town Down.
It may not be perfect but we are trying to do something.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#10
that is right john, you don't need to speak to anyone in the town - we are all singing from the same hymn sheet.
the issue of fresh blood has been raised, this is important.
i am not knocking the town council but input from enthusiastic people is needed, i do not think that roger's idea will ever happen now.
we have seen the demise of town centre management, the tourism departent and rogers two jobs so we can safely forget that.
i don't see the chambers of comerce having a role to pay either.
Brian Dixon- Location: Dover
- Registered: 23 Sep 2008
- Posts: 23,940
#11
not in our lifetime howard.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#12
Good to see the DTC looking forward
The body needs to be a multi-disciplinary one involving not only DTC, but also DHB, DDC, the 2 CoC and local volunteer groups and neighbourhood forums.
This group needs a strong chair with charisma and vision who is not a councillor, the councils should provide funding and/or resources as should DHB, the CoCs should provide expert knowledge, ideas and maybe some specific funding or resources.
This is not a job for one man, whether he is on a mission or not
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
Guest 698- Registered: 28 May 2010
- Posts: 8,664
#13
Why DHB, Ross?
I'm an optimist. But I'm an optimist who takes my raincoat - Harold Wilson
#14
"The eyes of the world will be on Dover in 2012. While other agencies are organizing events around the Olympic Torch, Dover Town Council will be working alongside them to ensure that the millions watching on their television screens see Dover at its best and that the thousands of visitors expected here get a warm reception in a welcoming environment." why not now dose it have to be some big celebration before anyone dose anything, we can suddenly can find the money for this so were is it going to come from and when its all over will it be left to fall into disrepair like the rest of the town.I wish them all the luck in the world with it but cant see it happening.
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
#15
the last thing we need here is a multi agency thingy, the ideas are quite simple - just the town council with a few enlisted volunteers and a bit of extra funding from somewhere.
any other solution would take us along the road of focus groups and the like.
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,709
#16
Peter cos they are there at the moment and they are a big part of the town, whether we like it or not - if the Peoples Port gets to acquire the port I would look to you for finance etc too
Howard - you need to engage all stakeholders and by putting the emphasis on non public sector involvement other than resources and cash then things will get done - if we leave it to public bodies it will end up like DTIZ
"Dream as if you'll live forever. Live as if you'll die today." - James Dean
"Being deeply loved by someone gives you strength,
While loving someone deeply gives you courage" - Laozi
#17
If a Town is prosperous, with thriving businesses......people in full employment....with local jobs etc.....
This leads to a busy town, going about its business....
This town is far too small to have all these agencies concentrating on a few people watching the tele in the Market Square....with a road going passed it....
I suggest we have far too many officials with not enough to do.....
Guest 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
#18
Town Centre Management - as was, had a Board of Directors and a Town Centre Manager; the main trouble was that the board didn't take an active interest in what was going on, consequently it wasn't as asuccessful as it could have been and funding for it was always an issue.
The local Chambers of Commerce (Dover and Channel) have shown their lack of understanding and appreciation as to how and what should be done and what is important to the Town's welfare - not the same thing as the Chambers' welfare.
There should be a Board of Directors, made up of local Stakeholders and businesses to make sure the welfare of the Town is being progressed. The meetings wouldn't have to be too often and the Manager can get on with his/her full-time job.
Like I said on my previous posting, this should not be the responsibility of the Town or District Councils to do this, but funding such a person/body, should be.
The Stakeholders would get their recognition and praise and Dover would get its focus and drive back, with a Business Support/Town Centre Manager/Champion, call it what you will, working full-time for the Town and businesses.
Roger
Guest 675- Registered: 30 Jun 2008
- Posts: 1,610
#19
The important thing to remember here is that the working group for this is deliberately called, 2012 and Beyond. The Town Council are looking at ways if improving the town, in time for the huge publicity boost that will be the Olympic torch coming through, that will be ongoing and sustainable. We are a Town Council so of course we are looking out for the town as well as a limited budget will allow. In these cash tight times should we be finding money for these projects or use it to pay a manager and then try and find even more to fund the projects?
Politics, it seems to me, for years, or all too long, has been concerned with right or left instead of right or wrong.
Richard Armour
#20
So what our saying Mr Walkden is the the town and DDC councils should sit back and do nothing but take all the glory. And may I say that Mike Webb was an excellent town center manager but DDC keep knocking back anything they wanted to do for this town. something on the lines like there can only be one master in dover and DDC are it