Public speaking at Council meetings

Questions from Councillors

Question from Cllr Yates to Cllr Everitt

The leader was the Cabinet member for estates and finance in 2015 and was involved in reviewing the six bids submitted to operate Dreamland and selecting Sands Heritage as the operator. Later, as Leader of TDC he was involved in selling the site, and the TDC carpark, and the sunshine cafe to Sands Heritage. Since this point, Sands Heritage have started closing the number of operating amusement rides, have sold off part the site to LiveNation and have unilaterally announced the closure of the scenic railway. Would the leader like to take any responsibility for this situation occurring, and would he like to tell the public why Sands Heritage were sold the park without any requirement for them to keep the scenic railway in operation?

Response

To follow

Question from Cllr Green to Cllr Duckworth

High Street Rental Auctions (HSRA) are a new power for local authorities to require landlords to rent out persistently vacant commercial properties to new tenants, such as local businesses or community groups. They were introduced by the Labour Government in December 2024 as part of the Levelling Up and Regeneration Act 2023.

What has the Council done in the 15 months since then:

To ensure we have appropriate expertise and capacity to manage the registration of ACVs and crucially, to support the community with the Right to Buy process when triggered.
to gain best practice advice from the MHCLG and 17 local authorities already using the legislation, such as Bassetlaw District Council.

Response

To follow

Question from Cllr J Bright to Cllr Keen

In February 2025, I brought a motion to address violence against women and girls in Thanet. Specifically, I proposed that TDC:
1. Work towards a comprehensive strategy to tackle violence against women and girls
2. Promote a women’s safety charter to improve safety in public spaces
3. Leverage licensing tools
4. Make women’s safety central to planning and development
5. Improve education and raise public awareness of VAWG and healthy relationships
6. Tackle reporting and enforcement issues
7. Report to council within 12 months on any actions taken.

I was incredibly proud that this motion received overwhelming support within this council and Cabinet agreed to direct officers to explore how the council can implement these proposals to make Thanet a safer place for women and girls.

Please can Councillor Keen provide an update on the progress the council has made, or is planning to make, in response to this motion.

Response

To follow

Question from Cllr Manners to Cllr Bright

Could the Portfolio Holder advise whether current parking enforcement capacity is sufficient across Thanet? I am concerned that we may not have enough enforcement officers to ensure consistent coverage, particularly at peak times and in known problem areas.
Please provide the number of enforcement officers rostered and actually on duty on a typical weekday and weekend. In addition, could you confirm how many officers were on duty at (1) 10:30am on Wednesday 12 February 2026, and (2) 4:00pm on Saturday 1 March 2026?
Finally, are there any plans to increase staffing levels or review deployment patterns to improve coverage and compliance especially over the Summer months.’

Response

To follow

Question from Cllr Oxborrow to Cllr Bright

Residents in Garlinge, particularly along and near to Caxton Road, are facing persistent difficulties with parking congestion, restricted path access, and an unreliable bus service caused by inconsiderate parking blocking the bus route. Given these ongoing safety and accessibility concerns, will the Portfolio Holder commit to a site visit with me at Garlinge Recreation Ground to view these issues first-hand and discuss potential solutions for the local community

Response

To follow

Question from Cllr Austin to Cllr Everitt

East Thanet MP Polly Billington recently wrote: ‘Small and medium-sized businesses are the bedrock of Thanet’s economy. For months I have been pushing the Chancellor to do more to support coastal economies like ours…’ She goes on to welcome the Government’s decision to extend business rates relief for the retail, catering & hospitality sectors.

Small Thanet businesses in other sectors have not been so lucky, however, and many across all sectors are concerned about the impact of increased National Insurance contributions and the higher national minimum wage.
Can (the Leader/ Cllr X) please outline what we’re doing as a Council to support our small businesses, and how we’re working with KCC, parish councils and business bodies to ensure our SMEs can stay afloat and thrive in these challenging times?

Response

To follow

Question from Cllr Rogers to Cllr Albon

I raised this question at cabinet in January. I realise that savings have to be made due to financial restraints but why are we due to cut back on agency staff for waste collections? I was assured that staff sickness was at its height just after Christmas and steps were being taken to address this and collections would be back to normal by the middle of January. Here we are towards the end of March with no improvement. Why are bins still not being emptied on time and irate residents are contacting councillors and posting complaints on social media?

Response

To follow

Questions from Press and public

None

• You must give your name and address. Your address will only be used to identify that you are a Thanet resident entitled to ask a question at a council meeting.
• Your question must not be more than one hundred and fifty words.
• You must give the name of the Cabinet Member your question is for. To find out which Cabinet Member you should ask, please click on cabinet posts.
• Please check the summary of questions asked at past meetings via the link below to make sure your question or a similar question has not been asked within the last 6 months.
• Please view  Speaking at Council meetings – Frequently Asked Questions for more information.