We received this email, copied to us from a local resident on Thursday evening. Self explanatory and truly shocking. It really does seem that democracy is dead in Shepway.
'I have in front of me the Folkestone and Hythe Express dates Wednesday 8 June 2016. On page 10, the article from "our man in Westminster" by MP Damian Collins raises an interesting question.
Collins stated "Shepway Council has put in an expression of interest to the government to create a garden town on land close to Otterpool farm".
Really Mr Collins? This paper was in the shops the morning before the Shepway cabinet meeting to vote on making the expression of interest. The paper would have already been printed when local parish councils unanimously rejected the scheme when consulted on it on Tuesday 7th June.
So the Tory cabal of our MP and Shepway Council were performing their usual trick of making decisions first and ignoring all external opinion and legal process until later.
This is the same sham of democracy that presented a choice of two adjacent lorry parks, apparently the only places in Kent that would serve the purpose. The official decision to build has not yet been made, the Transport Select Committee, Eurotunnel and the Port of Dover have all cast doubt on the benefits of the plan. No decision made, but still a multi million pound contract to build has been given to Balfour Beatty.
Our local politicians are acting like the mafia.
Legal processes are bypassed, due processes ignored and we, the public are repeatedly told "nothing to see here, move along".
Currently the owners of Folkestone racecourse are involved in a land grab, buying up farms around Sellindge. I understand that a local Farmer is involved in a sale at the moment for a multimillion pound sum. I also understand that another 2 Farmers have been similarly approached along with numerous residents bordering the new Town footprint.
Our communities and countryside are being stolen from us in a process that is making a mockery of democratic representation. The electorate of Sellindge, Lympne, Newingreen and Westenhanger are being treated as an inconvenience in this disgraceful abuse of power and position.
Shepway Council would make a dictator from a dodgy banana republic blush! Our councillors must resign'.
Sellindge Resident
