Green Party councillor, Mike Eddy, proposed that the Council should demand the re-instatement of the sacked staff, expressing the council’s disgust and anger at the way in which the sackings were done; that crewing levels should be increased to fully satisfy safety levels; that P&O Ferries should be nationalised as traffic to and from Europe is vital to the nation’s economy; and that facilities for drivers hoping to use the port of Dover should have decent facilities in place as soon as there are hold-ups in the Channel for whatever reason.

Cllr Eddy’s proposal was supported by the Council though Labour’s Deputy Mayor abstained. The Mayor of Deal will be writing to the Government, the County Council and District Council to get some meaningful action to support the local community and the national economy.

Written Statement to Deal Town Council 19 April full council meeting from a member of the public

With reference to the report by County Councillors Bond and Murphy regarding the P&O situation (Item 14, Attachment 11), it is unlikely in my view that P&O Ferries will be able to operate at full capacity until new tonnage is brought in. All P&O ferries should be fully crewed with mariners who are fully qualified to carry out their roles in an emergency. It is not acceptable, for example, to have a crew member from the galley allocated to both fire-fighting in the galley and at the same time allocated to dealing with the lifeboats on deck. The issues of vessel seaworthiness and muster lists are down to the Maritime and Coastguard Inspectorate and we have to wait until they are fully satisfied with the safety of the vessels sailing from Dover, as no-one wants to see another Herald disaster.

In the meantime, we in this district have the serious problem of how to deal with the tailbacks of lorries and holiday-makers. It is damning that there is still no provision of toilet facilities for drivers on the M20 and that the county councillors are simply talking in their report of seeking additional funding from Government for the clean-up of the verges. The damage to Dover and the country’s reputation has already been done. So has the damage to public health, just as we are coming out of a pandemic.

I would ask Deal Town Council to press DDC, KCC and the local MP to do more than express “concern regarding P&O’s actions”. Those bodies should be expressing their disgust at the way mariners have been treated by the company and expressing their disgust at the way in which drivers are being treated by government as they wait for P&O to behave like reasonable employers and competent service providers.

Additional Comments by the member of the public at the Meeting

Members will already have read, I hope, the public statement about the P&O situation, referred to in the county councillors’ report (Item 14, Attachment 11). That report goes on to outline some of the benefits of working with partners on the other side of the Channel. But to be taken seriously as partners we have to show that we want communications between this country and the rest of Europe to be efficient and well-run, with ferries which are fully crewed with fully trained crew members.

As for a Jobs Fair some time later this month, I doubt if that will be of any consolation to those mariners who have been sacked with 30 minutes’ notice. A statement of the government’s intention to take P&O into public ownership and to re-instate all those sacked would be more helpful.

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“Deal Town Council condemns in the strongest possible terms the decision by the MP for Dover & Deal to vote in favour of allowing water companies to discharge raw sewage into the sea & water courses at levels above EU regulation standard. Given that the constituency is predominantly made up of seaside towns that rely on tourism and clean & safe beaches, her decision is perverse in the extreme. We urge Natalie Elphicke MP to represent the people of Deal by voting against these measures when the issue returns to the House of Commons for a 2nd vote on 27th Oct.”

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Elphicke versus Rashford

Among all the justified outrage at our current MP’s comments about Marcus Rashford (Mercury, July 14 and 21), readers have focussed on her attack on Mr Rashford.

Marcus Rashford was a volunteer helping to deliver food to people in need before he used his fame as a footballer to attract attention to the plight of more and more families being forced on to, and below, the breadline during the pandemic.

Like every other volunteer in the country, Marcus Rashford gave his services to his fellow citizens because he wanted to help them by stepping in where national or local government could not or would not help. And by helping those that national or local government could not or would not help, every volunteer is, in our MP’s terms, “playing politics” with a small “p”.

Marcus Rashford’s status allowed him to do more than most volunteers might ever dream of. He was able to change the policy of national government.

Our current MP, Natalie Elphicke, would do well to remember that when she has a go at Marcus Rashford, she is having ago at all volunteers. And she should remember that it was Marcus Rashford who did what he could to put food in the bellies of hungry children, something which she and her government initially tried to stop.

The post By criticising Marcus Rashford, Natalie Elphicke is criticising all volunteers. appeared first on Dover & Deal Green Party.

Mike has a wealth of experience on planning matters which have helped the 3 parish / town councils on which he holds a seat to prepare robust responses on the DDC new Local Plan consultation.

He is the vice-chair of the Indy-led Walmer PC and is also an active member of the team on Ringwould with Kingsdown PC.

He says, ‘ These are very, very tough times we are facing in East Kent, it was discouraging for example that Kent and Medway CCG weren’t able to start vaccinating here until 14 January, 4 weeks after vaccinations started in West Kent on 15 Dec, but the strain, fragmentation and cuts that Conservatives have subjected our NHS systems to since 2010 tell their own tale. ‘

Mike’s experience serving as an elected KCC councillor elected in 1997, 2001, 2005 and 2013 is an enormous help to our local party’s work on the issues of social, environmental and climate justice affecting our communities. We were delighted to select him to stand as Green Party candidate for Deal and Walmer in this year’s (6th May) Kent County Council elections.

The post Cllr Mike Eddy, stands up for Freemens Way, and Mill Hill. appeared first on Dover & Deal Green Party.

The motion was passed unanimously.

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