Guest 674- Registered: 25 Jun 2008
- Posts: 3,391
23 October 2009
14:1031304Think HOWARD has replied to your comments VIC
look at the savings can also be made on M,P's expenses/wages.
lots of other areas to.
Ross Miller
- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
23 October 2009
19:5131320Frankly, most of our fellow citizens care little who provides the service they need, what they do care about is:
1. Is the service delivered well and on time
2. Is the council tax fair value for money based on the services I receive
3. Is it clear who is responsible for what in my local community
4. Do the things that need to happen to make my community a better place actually happen and is it done promptly and efficiently
5. Is there a clear understandable plan for how to improve my local community and the services that are delivered
Sadly, I think most local authorities include those that serve Dover and its environs fail on al 5 of these questions most of the time.
In my profession (project/programme management) we are judged solely on the quality of our last deliverable all else is hot air. In order to make sure that each and everyone of our deliverables is high quality and meets our customers needs we concentrate on doing the right things right at the right time and as far as we can keeping it simple - our local authorities need to do the same.
As an aside, but along the same theme, the advent of a shared services model between local authorities is clearly beneficial to the local residents in so far as it is much more likely to deliver value for money.
"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 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
24 October 2009
07:0731347Ross, I would disagree with your view on the above, inasmuch as:
1) The vast majority of services provided by DDC are well (good ?) and on time - if not let me know which ones aren't and if they are the responsibility of the District Council, I will inquire.
2) I believe the Council Tax is fair and good value for money. DDC has, historically been a very low-rated District, but has improved the services over the last 6 years or so.
3) Is it clear who is responsible for what in the local community ? are there specifics you're referring to Ross ? Do you mean responsible as in DDC and DTC ?
4) Do the things that need to happen to make my community a better place, actually happen and is it done promptly and efficiently ? again Ross, are there specifics you are referring to ?
5) Is there a clear understandable plan for how to improve my local community and the services that are delivered ?
There are many services that help make up a successful community and the District Council are not responsible for all of them, but if you're talking about things like clean streets and litter, yes the District (Council) do have a responsibility for street cleaning; if you're talking about community cohesion, that's a different matter and in many instances it's helped by the community itself.
Let me know the specifs of your posting and I'll see what I can find out for you on who is responsible.
A lot of this can of course be found out from your local ward Councillor.
Roger
Ross Miller- Location: London Road, Dover
- Registered: 17 Sep 2008
- Posts: 3,707
24 October 2009
09:3631360Roger thank you for your response
I was talking more in general terms and reflecting on the complaints I hear and read in the press and on this and other forums. These range from poor to no street cleaning outside of the main town area in Dover, lack of dealing promptly with anti-social behaviour, the overall street scene (planters, seating, paving, etc throughout the town), the lack of progress on developments, etc. etc.
Whilst I am a well educated, intelligent, well informed individual who is perfectly capable of going and finding what I need from various sources and taking my issues direct to source, I am not necessarily the norm - most people I talk to want one single point of contact for services etc in their area. They do not want to be shunted from pillar to post between DTC/DDC/KCC reps and back again.
"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 653- Registered: 13 Mar 2008
- Posts: 10,540
24 October 2009
15:4731384Thanks Ross
Dover Town's streets are cleaned every day by a chap called Tyrone; he and the rest of the street cleaners work well and work hard.
The outer/other roads around the Town and District are on a schedule and each area is different, but all are cleaned at least weekly.
Anti-Social-Behaviour, or as it is now called the Community Safety Unit work very hard on the many aspects of ASB and have, to their credit, many successes.
The general street scene of Dover Town certainly needs looking at and given the chance, I will make that a high priority.
The big developments - DTIZ etc. are now outside the remit of DDC, inasmuch as ASDA have paid their section 106 money, the planning consent has been issued to them and CPOs issued for the necessary "difficult" landlords.
Dover Town Council are being much more supportive of measures to improve the Town and work with DDC on a number of issues that are currently at a delicate stage.
I'm hoping they will be equally as supportive with the Dover Business Support Body, when it gets started.
There cannot be one body that deals with every aspect of our daily lives and I'm not sure you are looking for that; the Gateway at the end of Castle Street would deal with most people's problems, but if they can't, they'll know where people should go, to resolve them.
Hope that helps Ross.
Roger
Guest 660- Registered: 14 Mar 2008
- Posts: 3,205
25 October 2009
19:1131523Perhaps Paul(Watty) would like to tell us where the Council has overspent, as the money the goverment gives the Council is set every 3 years and next year is the third of the 3 year cycle,so the Council knew what they were getting centrally 2 years ago.Can he confirm the extra cost of Deal Pier from the original estimate,how much Bleriot cost us and how much is spent on consultations by DDC.
We can understand that somethings are tight,and there are always things that you can review and rework but this smacks of early electioneering.The other thing about 'giving' services away is in fact a problem,if we have a toilet say in Dover High Street and we pay our poll tax to DDC including a few p (sorry about the pun) for this toilet,and DDC give it to the Town Council who I also pay my Council Tax too it means I am paying 2 councils for the same thing.
If you knew what I know,we would both be in trouble!
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
25 October 2009
19:4231526From the freedom of information database, What do they know
"The total expenditure on the Dover 2009 (Bleriot) event by Dover District Council to date was £95,007.44. This figure includes £44,174.10 (£179,174.10 less £135,000 external funding) spent on the refurbishment of the memorial site, £9,244.63 on the civic event at the memorial site, £39,943.53 on the project feasibility studies undertaken by Cresting Ltd and £18,610.41 in upfront funding to key suppliers in the days leading up to the event to assist Cresting with cash flow."
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
25 October 2009
20:1431532the phrase "feasibilty study" keeps cropping up, always seems very expensive.
40% of the cost of the total event does seem rather high.
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
25 October 2009
20:3831534Not really total event cost as Mr Tipple stated that he put £100k of his own money into the event...
Been nice knowing you :)
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
25 October 2009
20:3931535Plus I don't know how many people defrauded him as I could quite easy have got £25(?) back for a ticket I could have paid a lot less for....
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
25 October 2009
20:4831537who is mr tipple?
is he part of cresting?
Guest 651- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 5,673
25 October 2009
21:1231541Yes he is/(was) the MD I think.
Been nice knowing you :)
howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
25 October 2009
21:3731544seems rather odd to me, i thought that the company had cash flow problems well in advance of the event.
not many people would invest a large sum of their own money at a time like that.