Keith Sansum1
- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
Well, well that was interesting,,,,,,well done Howard, Having just got in from work I thought I was going to need to ask John to walk away as he promised but I then read on and the Labour party has seen sense in trying to take credit when It was deliberately non political when it was arranged All we need now is for the same party to admit the 68 bus was also NOT a Labour campaign but WAS a campaign by local people, for local people.
If we can achieve this then labour may well be on the long road back to recovery
I will wait the post.
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Guest 1862- Registered: 23 Sep 2016
- Posts: 163
Folkestone Road is not my usual area for a daily constitutional and, my goodness, I was so dissapointed. Many properties in disrepair and so much litter. It must be soul destroying for home owners to endure that constant depreciation of the value of their property. Are they not inclined to take their representatives to task to demand improvement of their area? Surely if they are tax payers, all are entitled to expect an equal standard of public cleanliness to other area's in the district. Following on I then walked over Astor Avenue; Tower Hamlets too must send homeowners into a downward spiral of depression. No offence intended to those who keep their own frontage clean but my goodness, it's unforgivable to let areas reduce to that standard. A dear friend showed me photos of Dover in years gone by, it WAS stunning, historically beautiful, including both areas mentioned, what happened? Sincerely hoping that Cllrs who represent those areas were some of the newly elected ones. Dover deserves love, care and respect from all.
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
The Folkestone Road disaster zone is a long standing problem that others who have lived in the area longer would be better qualified to comment on. Basically the council many years ago gave the go ahead to converting properties from Malvern Rd to Belgrave Rd into doss houses resulting in overcrowding and families sharing kitchen facilities There have been a few sticking plaster solutions such as DDC waste officers knocking on doors with interpreters advising people how not to overfill their bins and the importance of recycling. They were laughed at of course and the problem persists.
One building was converted into 4 flats and were put on the market last year for £.20, 000 each and there were no takers!! There was talk of a multi agency approach to the problem involving all Councillors, police, social services etc but the truth is that not enough of them are really interested.
Keith or Sheila would be better able to describe the history that has led up to this.
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Jan Higgins
- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,876
As long as any area is turned into an area of multi occupancy it will go down as those who have no interest in the area they live in will far out number those who do care.
Many of the inhabitants are there for such a short time maybe 6 months prior to moving on so have no time to develop any interest while others are sadly quite simply the dregs of humanity.
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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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Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
Hi
well over the years I was not the only one that warned the council and other agencies that they are storing up problems for the future.
houses in multi occupation are not the answer
bed hopping(or whatever todays term is) is also unhelpful.
I have continued to urge anyone with influence to make major changes to the priory ward.
without doubt dover and priory deserves better.
Over the years we had the channel tunnel being built so workers took over Folkestone road and left it in a state.
Following this we had the bootlegging which at it's height was big problem for the ward, again the Folkestone road suffered houses taken over short term by gangs from liverpool, Newcastle etc they left and houses again in a state. resulting in a shooting
Then 30 years or so ago the Asylum issues came about where the Govt badly handled the situation together with KCC's social services.
resulting in stabbings.
Priory has had to live with this,and once they have gone, locals have had to try to repair the damage.
Priory deserves better.
There is nowa multi agency group(priory together) looking at the ward and I have said I will sit on it if its constructive and doing something, not just a talking shop.
I have got agreement for them to meet in the hall.
I'm meeting Samphire also as they deal with other nationalities to put out the issues
Iv met the council both portfolio holder, multi agency unit, and officers
to try to get all on board.
All in the past 2 months or so
All this before I even got elected to the Town council lol
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
I think the main problem we have at the moment in the Priory part of the ward is rogue landlords who get rent for sub standard properties. The other week when leafleting Clarendon Street I was astounded by how run down most houses were with gates hanging off hinges, badly fitted doors, windows and letter boxes and dangerous steps leading to front doors.
I believe the local Labour party were in favour of a landlord registration scheme but the ruling party didn't want to know for some reason.
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Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,876
I think landlord registration is an excellent idea, from what I understand of the idea it keeps landlords and their tenants on their toes to keep a property up to a set standard.
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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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Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
Just on the landlord registration scheme I'm all for it, this has been looked at before, but with it there is no compulsion to join.
therefore all the good landlords will join, the bad landlords of course wont
but lets push it, its a good scheme worth pushing.
When we talk about local parties we have seen theres been a reaction to local politics and a wake up call, so they as a party can look to work with the people
or find themselves losing more seats
the choice is theres.
But whilst they ponder the work will go on
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
It is up to each local authority whether they make it compulsory Keith, in Scotland and Wales every landlord has to be registered.
Newham council launched dawn raids on HMO's in 2011 and because of the terrible state of many properties started compulsory registration in 2013.
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Guest 1862- Registered: 23 Sep 2016
- Posts: 163
Thank you all for the information. Only having lived in the Dover area for months rather than years, I find it all rather interesting and surprising. Are the comments made about Folkestone Road and "Priory" ( forgive me, not familiar with that area at all) applicable to the Tower Hamlets area? I did not spot many houses suitable for multiple occupancy but I may have missed a particular area. I walked along the main road with the 2 large schools, then down a slope towards a crossroad which led me back on to the High Street and a collection of secondhand shops etc. Admittedly there are some very disturbingly delapidated buildings there , the majority having bulky waste outside. Surely fire risk and open invitation to rat infestation? Apologies, I may have strayed off topic.
Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
Well howard I will be pushing DDC to have compulsory registration
and lobby priory cllrs support
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Anna
The Priory area is from the station along to Belgrave Rd up to the roads that back onto the Western Heights.
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Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
quite a description howard
its from pencester(flats above the shops) saxon, norman st priory rd Folkestone rd st johns rd, priory street, part of the high street, Malvern road, all the clarendons, all the westburys, all the winchelseas, belgrave road, underdown rd, north street, gln grove, elmsvale road from number 2 to junction of eaton road, vale view rd, monins road, eaton road
think I got them all lol
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Surely Elms Vale Road, Eaton Road and Vale View Road come under Elms Vale.
Guest 1881- Registered: 16 Oct 2016
- Posts: 1,071
Mornington Crescent?
Just because you don't take an interest in politics doesn't mean that politics won't take an interest in you. PERICLES.
Guest 1590- Registered: 22 Oct 2015
- Posts: 86
Great conversation going on.
It came to my attention late last year that HMO's are only legally required to be inspected once every five years.Once every five years,now that is a sobering thought.This is totally inadequate and myself and Peter have been pushing to try and make this a yearly occurrence.A question was brought up at a DDC meeting and I was informed that this would be to expensive and logistically unviable.However,this is an issue that will not go away and one that needs to be addressed.I think myself ,Peter and the newly elected community representative
hopefully can exert enough pressure to try and make this happen.
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Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
Howard the old priory ward included the bottom part of elms vale and up to eaton road where it then went into elms vale and Maxton.
And yes the effinghams also included.
John
Yes I understand the issue around private landlords, but if the council and other agencies are serious about making priory a better place unless they address this issue they won't get to far.
I will be pushing DDC to get a compulsory scheme, and for more to be done to brighten up the area.
let me at it lol..
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howard mcsweeney1- Location: Dover
- Registered: 12 Mar 2008
- Posts: 62,352
Thanks for info Keith I tend to think of the area I described earlier as Priory because of the problems. Having said that I had a walk into town earlier and took a close look at the Captain Webb development that looks as good as it did when it was built about 10 years ago, the flats opposite are well looked after and the front landscaped, along from there St Monica's is beautifully designed and well looked after and close to town Christchurch Court always looks good.
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Keith Sansum1- Location: london
- Registered: 25 Aug 2010
- Posts: 23,920
Yes Howard and I think we need to talk up the positives, whilst being critical of the negatives.
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Jan Higgins- Location: Dover
- Registered: 5 Jul 2010
- Posts: 13,876
I could not agree more with John #196, places can go downhill within months never mind 5 years. I wish you all luck with your endeavours I think you might need it.
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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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