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John

I accept what you say as I don't know any different, but I have been told on more than one occasion that it isn't just Labour Councillors who decide who will be nominated for Mayor (or other major decisions), but members of the local Labour party - who are not elected Councillors.
That's the big difference, non elected people (members of the Labour party) are advising/telling the Councillors what they are going to do/say/vote and that can't be right.

Maybe they're not telling ALL the Labour Councillors what to do or say, maybe it's just the chosen few, then they pass on that message or instruction.

I wish Sue and Jan a good year; with Sue's message of support for tourism and business, it should be good for everyone.





Roger

17 May 2009 at 6:44 pm

 

new mayor making scheem,i,each party select 1 person,2,put through norma proses the one with the most votes wins,3,heres the twist the person who comes last will be the mayor the following year so on and so forth.much fairer than the preasnt methed.

17 May 2009 at 2:51 pm

 

About time someone spoke out about the cosy consensus, back slapping,minor politiking that has be come endemic in this town.People are crying out for real change,not just the charade that we have been spoon fed for years.

17 May 2009 at 12:35 pm

 

well done sue you have our vote anytime.
thank you for letting us be with you on your big night
its a shame some people feel there better than you but we can allways hope they don,t come back, which will be a bonus for dover

17 May 2009 at 9:57 am

 

At the end of the day its all politics

17 May 2009 at 9:17 am

 

Of course Max but the biggest group would/should always win,and normally this is decided at group meetings which both sides will have had.

17 May 2009 at 9:15 am

 

shouldnt it be a open vote on a cross party agenda,not just one sided afair as it is now.ie,a full council meeting to discuse the candidate for mayour with nominations from eash party [1 person from each party].

17 May 2009 at 8:58 am

 

I cannot see what the fuss is here. As JHG says, the Labour councillors voted 7 - 4 in their private meeting and then 7 - 4 at both the Town Council meeting and at Mayor Making. As it is a democratic process the votes of the full council are counted and that came to 7 -11. A fair democratic decision with two Labour councillors as Mayor and Deputy so why the fuss. No other candidates were even put forward. Well done to Sue as I know that she will do a great job and be a hard working credit to the Town and the Council.

16 May 2009 at 11:35 pm

 

Damn - an opportunity missed............

16 May 2009 at 6:43 pm

 

Bob sorry that is wrong as well,in previous coronations the Mayors of the Cinque Ports become Barons for the Day,and they carried the canopy over the monachs head,this tradition stopped when some of the Barons had a few too many and nearly dropped the canopy on the monachs head.

16 May 2009 at 3:27 pm

 

Congratulations to our New Dover Mayor Sue Jones and also our Deputy Mayor Jan Tranter, they make a formidable pair and I am sure that together they will do a splendid job for Dover. I enjoyed the proceedings, it was an interesting evening to say the least.

Very good pictures above, they capture the spirit of the occasion. Sue and Jan look great in their ceremonial robes not forgetting Ronnie and her husband Chris who look especially well.

16 May 2009 at 12:13 pm

 

Is it true? If the Queen dies the speaker of the Cinque Ports gets a Knighthood.

Let me remind you all that the Mayor of Dover is the Speaker this year, I wonder why Gordon wanted to be the Mayor?

16 May 2009 at 10:56 am

 

I can see the argument from both sides but what ever happens now, myself and sue were put there to do a job which what ever the odds we will do for the town and the people.
Yes if you wish to think of me as a recycled mayor ok, but that does not stop me from doing my job for the good of the town or the people.

16 May 2009 at 10:53 am

 

I will have to rewrite my response .Like Keith i had typed a whole response went to correct it and it flew away .I have noticed before hence sometimes spelling mistakes are left .

16 May 2009 at 10:32 am

 

Roger sorry you have got it wrong the Labour Group of Town Cllrs would have met as the indies did to choose 1.who wanted to be mayor,2,who could do the job,3,then they the Cllrs would have voted.
As I understand it this was what happened and Gordon won that vote 7 to 4,the 4 instead of going on with the Party line and all voting for the winner decided to not vote along group lines and this is how the split happened.
Roger your group does the same thing,you decide at your group meetings probably with guidence from your leader on who fills what position.
As I have said before at DDC Paul Watkins would not offer me a position on the Cabinet because I am the wrong Party,so why then is it a surprise that Labour Cllrs will only vote for a Labour Mayor.The Indies because they are the smaller group have not got the votes to choose the Mayor.One intresting fact is that Roger Frayne Con voted for a Labour Mayor!

16 May 2009 at 9:37 am

 

PaulB - Forgive my ignorance and I know this has been brought up before on here, but what has the Mayoral vote got to do with the local Labour Party and why should a complaint be lodged with them ?

The Labour Party is (or should be) separate to the Labour Councillors; is there an implication that the Labour Town Councillors were told who to vote for by non-elected members of the Labour Party ?

I find this disturbing - decisions at Town (or District for that matter) should be made by the elected members, not by those of that particlar party who are not elected - surely ?

I can honestly say that the Conservative Party do not tell me or any other Conservative Councillor how to vote - on anything.




Roger

16 May 2009 at 6:57 am

 

Thanks to everyone for the support! Jan, Ronnie Philpott and I will be working hard for Dover this year, thats the job and I will give it my best shot. Thanks also to the other Councillors who do work very hard as well against all the odds.

16 May 2009 at 6:22 am

 

Phil you hit the nail on the head petty minded people throwing there toys out of the pram.

15 May 2009 at 10:42 pm

 

If Gordon was annoyed, it was on behalf of Diane, Jan, and others that had been re-cycled Mayors as you call it, how insulting to hear about re-cycled Mayors when you have just completed an exhausting year of engagements, he was only defending these re-cycled Mayors, him being one of them. As I stated previously Sue has worked very hard, I do not fault her, but she can also through her toys out of the pram, make no mistake.

15 May 2009 at 10:33 pm

 

Having not attended a Mayor Making before I did not know what exactly to expect, although I expected the proceedings to be conducted with dignity, calmly and professionally. I was therefore quite surprised to hear the (barely) concealed vitriol in some of the Councillor’s speeches with regards to the proposed nominations and proposers. As an outsider, it was unexpected to hear this and gave the unwelcome impression of a rather nasty embittered little circus. I am now led to believe that such sentiments are not particularly unusual with sarcasm regularly creeping in to these occasions!

Nonetheless Sue made a good very speech but it must have been disconcerting to have Diane, her predecessor, voting against her immediately before the hand-over. I cannot comment on the ‘walking out’ as I was busy talking at the time and missed it, but it certainly seemed to cause a stir.

Still, good luck to Sue, I’m sure she’ll do a fine job.

15 May 2009 at 9:55 pm

 

Nothing wrong with re-cycled Mayors - people like Sir William Crundall, Dickeson, Adcock and wartime leader Jimmy Cairns built the town. But now it is just a game with people with no say or influence.....

15 May 2009 at 9:32 pm

 

Thank you Terry.

15 May 2009 at 8:11 pm

 

Cllr David Lloyd stated what many Dovorians feel, the mayorality seems to have been a game of roundabouts in recent years, i.e. "I've had my turn, now it's yours again". That is what he meant by "re-cycled mayors".

Cllr Gordon Cowan took umbridge at this and angrily described the remarks as "insulting".

Back in the days of the Charter Trustees I was always invited the record the proceedings. It might be an idea to considere that for next year.

From a professional point of view I thought that business of continually handing the mic around was a bit amatuerish.
I won't even mention the door episode. Missing Bryan methinks.

15 May 2009 at 8:01 pm

 

And we all know we can trust politicians to be unbiased............

15 May 2009 at 7:41 pm

 

maureen

you have said yourself that the behaviour was "suggested" in the report.

opinion is clearly divided about his "storming out".



15 May 2009 at 7:11 pm

 

Howard my remarks are not ubstantiated. All I have done is read the report above and comment on it. If Cllr Cowan behaved badly last night as was suggested in the report then I for one am glad he did not become mayor. Sounds to me like he needs to grow up and stop being a childish fool

15 May 2009 at 5:35 pm

 

it appears that dover has shot itself in the foot again.

personalities seem to have taken over from policies here.

any arguments or differences should have have been kept from the public.

15 May 2009 at 5:17 pm

 

Yes Bern that would be the same Gordon Cowan. But I dont know anything about his years in the Post Office there as its before my time in Dover. But Gordon is our KCC Councillor and doing a good job, having taken over from our Keith 'Keef' Sansum.

Yes I suppose only Gordon himself will know for sure if he "stormed out" as one councillor put it to me. But there were a great many people there at the event and Im at one end of the hall photographing so impossible to keep total tabs on everything..but while photographing a whole brace of different people, a whole brace, came to me telling me of his early departure along with his SIX cohorts. Now he did stay for the voting but..after that...I did look for him. Im reporting the situation as told to me by quite a few people. Was that a wildfire rumour powering around the hall?? or was it accurate!?

There's no doubting this however, the Labour Party are once again very split over this issue. Gordon made it clear he was not at all happy...so much so that an audible gasp was heard in the audience, a sharp intake of breath.

As I understand it a complaint has been lodged with the Labour Party itself over the voting....so there we are.

15 May 2009 at 5:01 pm

 

that is the same gordon, standing in the county council elections.

15 May 2009 at 4:59 pm

 

It would appear people attended two entirely different events....................will the real event please reveal itself?!

For the sake of clarity (mine!) is this the Gordon Cowan who used to run the Post Office social club? It made some peoples lives (including mine and my children) a misery with the unrestricted and non-sound-proofed-despite-requests music that was broadcast all over my part of Dover every Saturday a few years ago. And before anyone starts on at me, it is all documented and isn't just me!!!!

15 May 2009 at 4:37 pm

 

Sorry Paul you got that wrong I spoke to many of the Councillors after Mayor making including Gordon perhaps 25-30 mins after we were relased,and apart from Bobby Royston who has to get home to do his onions and Sheila I saw and spoke to all those who were meant to have walked out.
Sue is a really hard worker,and I get on with her and I am pleased she is looking forward to her year as Mayor,but the affliation of Independants and the 4 Labour Councillors together may make it hard for the rest of the Labour Councilllors as of course most wanted Gordon.Time will tell.
On the subject of walking out by the Labour Cllrs which did not happen,Did Diane Smallwood stay,what about Jan Tranter of course they stayed and they voted for Gordon so how can it be a mass walk out

15 May 2009 at 3:53 pm

 

well done sue & jan, hope you and the town have a fruitfull year
with a little bit of fun!!!

15 May 2009 at 3:35 pm

 

looking at the report gordon cowan has not been quoted as saying anything.

the remarks from maureen seem to be unsubstantiated.

15 May 2009 at 3:09 pm

 

Get facts right I certainly did'nt storm out, I stated before the event that I would be leaving right after Mayor making, along with Councillor Royston, who also never stays after the event, but has turned up at every Mayor making event, not just the one to get certain people elected, all 18 councillors turned up last night, since I have been on Town Council, NEVER have all councillors turned up, at the 1st Mayor making after election, 17 out of 18 councillors turned up, after that you were lucky if you got 10, also some never turn up for special events, so for them to turn up on one night gives out the wrong signal. Sue has worked very hard, I speak as I find, but there are reasons that people are against, and perfectly good reasons, in our eyes. And do not say its sour grapes on my behalf, I would not want that position for all the tea in China, good luck to anyone that takes it on

15 May 2009 at 2:19 pm

 

HOW CHILDISH Cllr Cowan!!! You really do need to grow up. His behavious smacks of a naughty child throwing a tantrum because it cannot get what it wants.
Perhaps it is a blessing that he didn't become Mayor with that sort of childish behaviour, and storming out with his 6 supporters is just disgusting. Is it any suprise that the Town Council has an uphill struggle bridging the gap between them and the general public, with such stupid behaviour from a minority. I feel sorry for those Cllrs who are working hard for the town, Cllr Cowan is a liability.

You are meant to be a grown man Cllr Cowan. ACT LIKE ONE!! Anyone would think you didn't have a role. From what I know he has a few titles,and demanding roles. Cannot for the life of me see how he would have been able to give his full commitment to the role of Mayor as well. Or is it just a title hunting case. Well done Cllr Lloyd for standing his ground.

Now all we need is Town Council to break their usual ranks next year and elect Cllr Hannent for Mayor, who without doubt has been a patient and hard working man worthy in my eyes of the role as mayor.

Good Luck Cllr Jones I am sure you will do a superb job, just watch out for the Cowan knives

15 May 2009 at 1:46 pm

 

It seems to me that DTC consists of four parties, two opposing Labour ones, the Alliance and the Conserative. With all the squabbling it's no wonder that I avoid politics.

15 May 2009 at 1:17 pm

 

No Jasper youve got that the wrong way round. It was Councillor David Lloyd who didnt want to 'recycle' former Mayor Gordon Cowan.

As stated in editorial above, Gordon wasnt too happy about that. Sometimes though previous experience in the job is desirable. Diane Smallwood for example has been Mayor numerous times now. She is certainly popular, knows the score, and did a great job last year as I think everyone agrees.But yes you are right too in that fresh blood is also required, so perhaps they have it about right this year. Gordon though isnt seeing it this way at the moment.

15 May 2009 at 12:16 pm

 

Not sure that was what Gordon was saying, he wanted to be Mayor again.

15 May 2009 at 12:12 pm

 

Well done ladies but i do think Cllr Cowan has a point, we need fresh blood in Dover and not the recycled people of yester years

15 May 2009 at 11:48 am

 

Thanks for all the nice comments we will try and do our best for the town and the people which is after all the mayor and deputy's job over the comeing year.

15 May 2009 at 11:17 am