MISA support the Demo

[P.W.]

[color:"blue"] This evening there was a MISA Committee meeting, where amongst the topics was the proposed Demonstration at TDC Offices. I understand that the Club support the demonstration. They have been notified that the Council meeting has been pulled forward to 5.30pm and MISA are to be handing out notices at the next home match and around the town - the wording is as follows:

"Your participation is requested at Thanet District Council Offices on Thursday 13th January 2005 at 5pm. This is to show your support to Margate Football Club in it's endeavour to redevelop Hartsdown Park and also to show your dissatisfaction in general in the way Thanet District Council have served our Community since coming to power."

THIS WILL BE A PEACEFUL DEMONSTRATION.

 

[Guest]

Margate people could not give a toss about the fotball club.

 

Now, if there was to be a fire at Dreamland...

[hartgeman]

this comming from someone who can not spell football.

[Dave Fatboy]

please support the football club at the demonstration....

[hartgeman]

i will and i hope to get some people to come.

[michael]

Most of you will recognise that i am a longstanding supporter and reasonably regular poster.

 

I'm obviously in a minority here, but i cannot see how a demonstration is going to sway the council ,particularly now the agenda appears to have been broadened beyond MFC to cover how the Council has failed to serve the community in its entirety.

 

If the submission stacks up it will get through on its own merits.

 

All i can see a demonstration achieving is getting the backs up of people who are needed to be supportive.

 

imo 'how NOT to win friends and influence people.'

 

Why are MFC and Developers not doing what 99.9% of businesses do and negotiate the deal to a success.It seems its almost there anyway.

 

There is not a refusal at the moment.Why take the risk of this demonsrtation overspilling into something nasty,or casting a negative shadow over things.

 

Do the developers themselves really think a demonstration will help the cause.What is there take on this.

 

 

 

Frankly, i find this suggested action unbelievably amateurish,but regardless hope you achieve the objective

[MargateFan]

michaelmichael, what else are we to do?

No amount of effort or discussion or negotiation seems to appease this council.

Amateurish or not, there are plenty of examples throughout history where the will of a collective bunch of ordinary citizens has made those in power turn and reconsider.

I take it you are not a trades unionist?

[Guest]

the people kicked the berlin wall down in 1989

[michael]

No-one could realistically expect such a grandiose commercial scheme to get through at first attempt.

That type of scheme never does;and normally takes 4-6 months to resolve at least; but it has not been rejected either so that is a positive.

 

Ok, the council are playing silly and the timeline request from them over the Christmas period was stupid.That was a council own goal , but now there seems to be an over reaction from MFC and developers ;and everyone is going to war, when alot more would be achieved to satisfaction of both parties if they just had sensible business discussions,got the deal and plans agreed, and then let it go to the commitee meeting with a recommendation to pass the proposal;and allowed Sandy to go public with how he's helped get it through and what a wonderful chap he is.

 

Play the game of the council and let them win the battle, let them get the publicity and voter appeal as to how they allowed it for benefit of community;but in the background, the club and developers will also have achieved their aims and won the war

[TonyM]

Very true MM,perhaps Wednesday is more important than Thursday.Lets hope so.

[Cookie]

Michaelmichael.Firstly I take offence when you say this is being done in an amateurish way. It has in fact been done correctly. No-one knows what will happen on the day of the demo but it is my neck on the line if trouble occurs. This is a small worry with me but in my opinion a demonstration of strength,as that is the aim in the case, to show our solidarity and disgust against the council will do no harm whatsoever.

Firstly for their stubborn approach to our submissions and requirments. Secondly for the disgraceful state of the island as it stands now.

It sounds like you are more new to thanet than most. Please correct me if I am wrong. Also as mentioned elsewhere you may not in your life have been in struggles with authorities therefore you may be more trusting than most.

Its been over two years now and the council are still doing the dirty. It dosent need a lot of brains to work that out. Yes, even I can see what they are up to. Dosent need the inside facts to know this. It shows up all too well on the outside.

I have personnally been involved with strikes and dismissal within a legal dispute and rest assured I have seen authorities working in the same way as the council are doing here. I am not a militant but a realist and the reality of it all is that the council, for whatever reason.only known to them are refusing us our home. One reason that can be ruled out is the viability of the project. Again there can be no guarantees that this will be viable in the future, no business has that guarantee but what the club have put forward more than shows that for the moment it is as viable as can be. Certainly enough to satisfy the council.

We are demonstrating against the councils lack of foresight,lack of respect for the communities voice and mostly the ignorance of them in keeping us from progressing. This could and should have been all sealed,signed and delivered weeks ago.

They are not conducting themselves in the proper manner and no amount of talking will shift them from their goals.Hopefully I am wrong on this.

The demonstration will show us still as one, still determined not to give up, still willing to fight for what we had and should have again. A football home in Margate.

This demo will hopefully show the council that their way isnt the way to go. They must be shown up and made to feel embarrassed at the decisions.

If you feel it a waste of time then you have that right to say so and to abstain from attending but be sure of this, the council need pressurising and they need our encouragement to do so.

It may not happen,we may still not get our ground but showing them our strength is never going to be a wasted journey.

Heres hoping the demo isnt nessasary but if we are to win over the council, I dont think talking alone will persuade them. About time we stood up for what is and should be right,fair and just.

Just because they have an authorative tag dosent mean they are right.

A peaceful demo, a trouble-free demo but with our message put over will not do us any harm provide the behaviour is impeccable on the night.

We are just showing them that we care and are passionate about this club and indeed about the thanet area as a whole.

 

Didnt mean to go on but you forced my hand there michael michael,sorry.

[Guest]

Cookie, much as I admire everything you try to do,there is much more at stake than your neck on the line if things go wrong at the proposed demo.What is at risk is the whole future of the already precarious plans,the reputatin of the club and its fans and possibly the very future of the club if the council do not like what they see. I know you have done everything correctley but on the day mmmm another thing . Everyone be careful!!!!!

[Cookie]

I agree with you on that. Wasn't meant to sound like I was more important because that isnt the case by a long chalk. I understand your fears,and I am with you to some extent on that but we do need to show them our resolve.I too hope people voice out their objections in a civilised manner. If that is forthcoming then no harm will have been done.

If now we are actually doing something and people are suddenly getting cold feet then I am amazed.

Still, a positive outcome from the meeting on the wednesday may mean we dont have to appear anyway.I would prefer it that way obviously.

Are you suggesting we call it off then and just carry on having talks break down until the councils threats to do no more actually come true? Until we have no home at all to play at.?

What do you suggest then. One thing is for sure,we have sat back for far too long and not really shown ourselves. We need to get up of our backsides and actually step into that higher gear.

[Guest]

Best of luck from Dover. Time TDC listened to people, real people!

[michael]

Hi Tony,

 

Read your post and respect your view.

 

It is simply not the way that i would approch things ,but that comment is directed at the developers/MFC who seem to be supportive of a demonstration.,when negotiating and talking would to me be more productive;but it appears that everyone wants to fire off legal letters and make provactive statements which is hardly conducive to success;when nothing had actually been rejected anyway.

 

Assumming you go ahead with this, i sincerely hope you are successful and everyone gets the positive response required.

 

Personally, i think that would have been forthcoming anyway,but these things take time, and whilst alot of hot air has been blown by MFC ,TDC and developers, it appears the commercial submission has only been with the council a 4-6 weeks and in most areas these things take 4-6 months to get approval for.

 

You do mention that the project is viable.Does that mean that you have seen and studied the business plan.Do we/you know that there are signed legal agreements with Banks to fund the project/cash flow from start to finish.That is what TDC will want to see-certainty of funding;and without the inside knowledge i would suggest it is where the project is most exposed.

 

Money talks and if as you suggest , the funding is categorically in place, then i would expect approval to be given.

You are correct that i have lived outside the area for 25 years.

There are alot worse areas than Thanet and i do see signs of improvement in the area ,but it could obviously be vastly improved.(why is everyone so negative to Westwood Cross which looks pretty good and a positive move to me-surely it will help keep many people within the confines of Thanet rather than going to Canterbury to shop.When we get back to HDP i will drop my wife off at Westwood for a couple of hours rather than have to go via Canterbury-i'm sure i'm not unique in that).

 

I wish you well in whatever direction this goes

[Cookie]

And what about the core of the towns,the high streets.What will happen there. Ghost towns. We already have out of town shopping without the westwood cross.

In answer to your question about the plans etc.No I havent seen them to be truthful.But I am trusting the club that at this stage of proceedings they wouldn't dare not have put them in. Surely that makes sense. After two and a half years they wouldn't be that naive. You raise some valid points though.

[Guest]

Cookie

 

Back you from afar over the demo idea and the state of Thanet's towns being left to rot for the sake of out of town shopping.

Just because we vote someone into office does not mean we sit back and let them "do their own thing"

They are voted for by people who feel they have a common interest BUT if that common bond is broken in a democracy we are allowed to raise our concerns through several channels. After 2 years the time to sit down and continue to talk has proved to be unsuccessful so more direct action is needed.

Back in the 70's the demo at the council offices following the banning of the "Life of Brian" seemed to remove a few blinkers from councillors eyes so they actually saw the film and lifted the ban.

 

More public awareness on a wider scale will show the situation the fans face.

[blueblood]

As much as being a demo to show our support for the club it is a demonstration to make us feel that at least we have a voice at least we are doing something. The odd Email to the council gets lost in the mountains of waste paper this organisation produces daily and is forgotten. Hopefully a peaceful but noisey demo will make a few off the more spinless reprsentitives challenge ther Fuhrer. Come on the GAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAte onwards and upwards from WENSDAY.