THANET has paid more to Visit Kent to promote the area's tourism than all the other districts in the county combined.
The figures were revealed through a Freedom Of Information Act request to each authority after Visit Kent refused to reveal how much public money it receives.
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PROFILE: Visit Kent used Turner Contemporary and Botany Bay as images in its advertising campaign. Chief executive Sandra Matthews-Marsh (left) insists Visit Kent is open about how much money it gets from the public purse, and Iris Johnston, right, said the council reviews payment to external organisations
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Sandra Matthews Marsh
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Thanet. Margate. Cabinate member for Tourism Iris Johnston infront of the tudor tea house which is set to re-open.
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Thanet. Margate. Turner Contemporary. National launch of Tracey Emins's new exhibition called "She Lay Down Deep Beneath The Sea". Evening showing. No celebs but snapped a few people as they went in including Clive Hart, Laura Sandys and Stuart Neame.
Since 2005 Visit Kent has received nearly £2.8 million in public money with more than £671,000 of that coming from Thanet.
The Thanet share is £2,000 more than that paid over the same period by all other Kent districts and Medway.
Over the same period Kent County Council has paid £1.3 million to Visit Kent.
Robert Oxley, campaign manager of The TaxPayers' Alliance said it was "appalling" that Visit Kent had resisted attempts to publish how much taxpayers' money it receives.
He said: "If Kent residents are unable to scrutinise how much of their cash is ending up in the company's coffers, then it makes it impossible to judge whether they are getting good value for money from the agency.
"Thanet residents in particular will be left wondering why on earth so much of their council tax has been handed over as they appear to disproportionately foot the bill for this opaque tourist agency."
Visit Kent chief executive Sandra Matthews-Marsh said she "resented" the implication that Visit Kent was anything other than transparent.
She added: "Visit Kent monitors all its activities to ensure good value for money, guaranteeing that for every £1 from local authorities it is match funded at least by £4.
"Tourism is worth £3.2 billion to the Kent economy and employs 63,000 people. Thanet makes up eight per cent of this.
"From 2006 until 2009 Thanet as well as Shepway saw the biggest increase in economic value of tourism growing by ten per cent.
She added that last year Botany Bay and Turner Contemporary had featured heavily in the Kent Contemporary London advertising campaign – something the district could not afford to do on its own.
She said: "Botany Bay was the image that most appealed to potential visitors with 43 per cent saying it made them want to come to Kent. Thanet is only one of six partners in this campaign."
In 2010/2011 financial year Thanet council saved £75,000 by closing its Visitor Information Centres in Ramsgate and Broadstairs. The following year it increased its budget for Visit Kent from £73,720 to £87,784.
Councillor Iris Johnston, cabinet member for tourism said the council's payments to Visit Kent had to be seen in context.
She said: "Much of the Thanet economy depends upon a healthy tourist trade, so it's not surprising that we would place more emphasis than, for example,
Sevenoaks."
Source: www.thisiskent.co.uk
London 2012 Olympics: Bear Grylls zipwires from Tyne Bridge with Olympic Torch - Daily Telegraph
He added: "I think you're not human if you're not nervous when you're standing 200ft up and it's blowing you around a little bit.
"It's a long drop.
"They said the torch had been tested in a wind tunnel but you don't really know.
"A wind tunnel's one thing but the Tyne Bridge when it's a bit blowy is a different thing.
Source: www.telegraph.co.uk
Russell Brand criticises Graham Norton for divorce questions - Digital Spy
Source: www.digitalspy.co.uk
Off with her head! Margate traders complain Mary Queen of shops is ignoring poverty in the seaside resort and making it too trendy - Daily Mail
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Mary Portas has been tasked with rejuvenating Margate
With her track record of helping ailing retailers get back on their feet you would think residents of any town would welcome Mary Portas with open arms.
But those in Margate have shown some resistance to the Queen of Shops because they fear she is trying to make the town too trendy.
The seaside resort in Kent has been chosen as one of 12 'Portas pilot towns' which will receive a 100,000 boost from the government in a bid to try and revive it.
Tasked by David Cameron to find out what was causing the death of Britain's high streets, Portas put forward a list of recommendations to improve towns.
Much of her advice has been taken on board and a 1.2m Government grant was given to towns who needed it the most.
She now hopes to transform the 'practically dying' resort by creating an enterprise centre and will help instal free public wi-fi in shops and also open a quality market.
But some in the town, where 36 per cent of shops are boarded up or closed, are worried they won't be able to afford anything and fear she is ignoring the needs of poverty stricken residents.
Matt, a store manager of JC Rook, the butcher told the Independent: 'You can't turn the town into something it is not. People here don't have an awful lot of money. There is no point creating lots of high-end clothing boutiques.'
There have also been concerns that Portas is more worried about putting the needs of her television company before the town.
Three of the 12 towns chosen to receive the grant will be filmed as part of a TV show and Margate is one of them.
At a public meeting held by Margate's Town Team to showcase plans of how they hope to spend the money Portas, followed closely by the camera crew, said they were an integral part of the rejuvenation.
'This isn't about me. They [the cameras] are not here to trip you up, they are here to show the journey. You either let the cameras in with me, or I go back on the train and some other town gets it and I would be very upset about that.'
Thirty six per cent of shops in Margate are boarded up or closed
The seaside resort was once a buzzing holiday destination for Britons
Chairman of the Margate Town Team Robin Vaughan-Lyons said that concerns had been raised about the presence of TV cameras.
'What we did was forward the bid for the good of Margate and Margate High Street so, of course, we are very protective and passionate about our town.
'We want to make sure it is portrayed well. You could say the eyes of the world are on Margate, so obviously we do not want to be let down.'
Shopkeepers have also expressed concern about a gagging order which prevents them discussing what is happening with members of the media or posting messages on Facebook or Twitter.
They feel it is important for local people to know what is happening.
Portas has since asked production company Optomen to lift any restrictions.
A spokesman for the Department of Communities and Local Government said the retail guru had 'asked for any restrictive elements of the contract in question to be changed'.
The department also confirmed the town would still receive their grant even if they withdrew from the series.
Source: www.dailymail.co.uk
Divorce bill to worsen RH bill word war — Chiz - The Daily Tribune
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Now is not the right time to push for divorce bill in the country, especially since it will only worsen whatever tension there is between the government and the religious sector over the pending reproductive health (RH) bill, Sen. Francis “Chiz ...Source: www.tribune.net.ph
London 2012: Australia men's four shock GB Olympic rowing gold hopes - The Guardian
Britain's flagship crew, the men's four, have been fashioned by Jürgen Grobler into one of the strongest gold medal prospects for London 2012 in six weeks' time but on Saturday in the semi-finals of the final round of the World Cup, Andrew Triggs Hodge, Peter Reed, Tom James and Alex Gregory came up against Australia with the three-times Olympic champion Drew Ginn on board and lost.
It was agonisingly close but the Australians had too much pace in mid-race and Britain could not get past, finishing half a second adrift. The stroke man Triggs Hodge said: "Britain has made a habit of losing at the last World Cup before an Olympics ever since Sydney yet won the title."
Having beaten Australia by half a length in Lucerne three weeks ago the score is now one apiece and Sunday's final will be a cliffhanger. Triggs Hodge and Reed have been here before. Their close but unsuccessful 14-race rivalry since Beijing against New Zealand in the pair is a bruising and ever present memory and they must have hoped the four would have offered a less fraught option for gold on the Eton Dorney Olympic course.
The top two women's crews, Katherine Grainger and Anna Watkins in the double and the pair of Helen Glover and Heather Stanning, both won comfortably through to Sunday's final and need to beat their main London opposition from Australia and New Zealand respectively to confirm their status as gold medal favourites.
Nothing else will satisfy Grainger, who has her sights set firmly on gold having finished in silver medal position at the last three Olympic Games.
Twelve crews race in Sunday's 14 Olympic event finals. The men's lightweight four, back at full strength with Pete Chambers now recovered from injury, look to have an edge against a very tight bunch of fine crews in this most competitive of events. The reigning Olympic and world champions Zac Purchase and Mark Hunter struggled against New Zealand in their lightweight double heat but won their semi-final.Alan Campbell looks set to win on Sunday in the absence of his three main rivals from New Zealand, the Czech Republic and Cuba, who all finished ahead of him in Lucerne.
The two eights events were also missing the worlds best rowers and both British crews should medal, while the two quad boats have both made good progress since Lucerne and could make the podium.
Source: www.guardian.co.uk
Kent’s chief constable honoured by the Queen - Kent News
Chief Constable Ian Learmonth
Saturday, June 16, 2012
10:45 AM
Ian Learmonth among a list of the county’s finest to be recognised in the birthday honour’s list
Kent’s chief constable has received the prestigious Queen’s Police Medal in the birthday honours list.
Ian Learmonth, who joined Kent Police in July 2010, was among a list of the county’s finest to be recognised for their services and work in the county.
The chief constable was awarded the Queen’s Police Medal, which is given to officers for distinguished service.
Mr Learmonth joined Essex Police as a Cadet in 1974, and served with the force in a variety of uniform operational roles until 2005 when he was promoted to Assistant Chief Constable of Strathclyde Police.
In that role he led the major police operation for the G8 summit in 2005, and the policing response to the attack on Glasgow Airport by terrorists in 2007.
He was promoted to Deputy Chief Constable of Norfolk Police in 2007, where he led a major programme to redesign the force to put more officers on the frontline.
In July 2010, he was promoted to Chief Constable of Kent Police. His work with the force has been praised by both the Prime Minister in August 2011 during the disorder that gripped the country, and by the Home Secretary.
Mr Learmonth is the national lead for the police service on public order policing, a role he was given after last summer’s disorder.
He said he was both delighted and humbled to receive the Queen’s Police Medal.
“The success of Kent Police is down to the hard work and deep sense of public service of my officers and staff,” he said.
“I have not worked with a more dedicated team.
“I don’t consider what I do to be special, but I’ve worked with some amazing people over the years and seen the profound impact that effective policing has on people’s lives.”
Deputy Chief Constable Alan Pughsley added: “Ian Learmonth has given 38 years of his life to selflessly serving the community in a variety of difficult and dangerous police roles.
“He is an exemplary police officer who has always put the public first. It is a privilege to serve under his leadership, and this award from the Queen is very richly deserved and brings honour to the force as a whole.”
Director of Turner Contemporary, Victoria Pomery, was honoured with an OBE for services to the arts.
Ms Pomery runs the hugely successful gallery in Margate, which attracted more than half a million visitors in its first year of opening.
Others recognised in the honours list were leading hop grower Tony Redsell, who farms across Kent, who was awarded an OBE for services to the UK’s hop industry; Sally Anne Sweeney Carroll, founder and mentor of Transport for Sick Children, who received an MBE for services to child care; and Professor Christopher John Rudge, formerly national clinical director for transplantation and consultant in renal transplantation, who was honoured with CBE for services to transplantation and organ donation.
Mary Butcher, from Canterbury, and Heather Clemence, from Tonbridge, were both recognised for their talents and services to the community.
Ms Butcher was awarded an MBE for services to basket making after 35 years in the industry.
She said: “When I first saw a letter from the cabinet office, I wondered what I had done. Then I opened it and I couldn’t quite believe it.
“It’s such an honour, not just for me personally, but for the craft too.
“I have taught people in the last 35 years who have become traditional basket makers, and I have taught people to think differently about the basket making process.”
Heather Clemence has volunteered at Sevenoaks’ British Heart Foundation branch for more than 30 years and received a British Empire Medal for her long service.
She said: “I was completely surprised because I had no idea about it at all. I got it through my charity work which my husband and I have been doing since 1978.
“The award of the BEM is a great surprise and honour. I must share it with all those who, over more than 30 years, worked together as fundraisers.
“But most of all I will always remember the friendship we all shared, the happy meetings, the fun which we all had over coffee and biscuits and the pleasure of fundraising events.”
Source: www.kentnews.co.uk
I'm not sure I trust this woman, she calls for British made products and wants to bring the manufacturing industry back to Britain. But she was the first one who took the manufacturing unit to the east to cut costs when she was heading Harvey Nichols.
- Sam, Essex, 16/6/2012 13:03
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