The Thanet Star

Cat's in the cradle.

Written by Matt B · first published 12/02/2010

With the news that Ted Watt-Ruffell has resigned lacking only a formal confirmation from TDC will Dane valley be seeing a second embarrassing by-election for the conservatives?

While, thanks to the fairly normal (read totally unacceptable) process of information release at present, it is unclear as to from what Cllr. Watt-Ruffell has resigned exactly and if he will be departing the local council it does look likely that he will soon be leaving a space vacant for both Mayor of Margate and Ward Councillor for Dane Valley.

In case you have been living under a rock of late Mr Watt-Ruffell was recently told off (formally, in the courts) for not looking after his kitten properly. While having a crap pet owner on staff is probably a straw too many for the besieged Conservative group one has to ask what reflection, if any, it has on the man's ability to do his job? On this subject I had the mic over to you.

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Public Comments

Peter Checksfield wrote:

The neglect & suffering of that poor kitten was bad enough, but people might respect him more if he'd just put his hands up & pleaded guilty - & resigned - straight away. Instead he dragged this on for months, trying to wiggle his way out of it, all the while carrying on getting paid...& to make it worse there's now whispers that he lied about his income to get legal aid!

As you know Matt, I (unlike you) have little political bias, counting prominent councillors from both sides as my friends. But the whole thing has been handled appallingly, making Thanet (once again) the laughing stock.

13/02/2010 09:59:15

Bertie Biggles wrote:

All one can be firm on Matt, is that he is no longer a Conservative Party Cllr. His press release on Thursday talks of 'intending to step aside' as Mayor and nothing about resignation from TDC as a Cllr, so Dane Valley now has a disgraced Ind Cllr looking after the ward who would still appear to be Mayor of Margate.Clear as ditch water.
This time last year Dane Valley had 3 Conservative Cllrs; it now has only one, Mike Jarvis.

13/02/2010 10:00:26

Bertie Biggles wrote:

13/02/2010 10:00:45

Matt B wrote:

I consider myself to have a similar lack of political bias but for different reasons - I count people at every stage on the political spectrum among those of whom I have a very low opinion. Each of the primary political approaches have a good deal of value to them but sadly I am not in a position where I could say the same of any of the representatives of said approaches.

That the Councillor in question was the only Dane Valley Councillor of which I had a positive opinion and a good word to say about just re-enforces my highly cynical opinion that none of them (and possibly none of us too) are any where near up to the job at hand.

The problem is that we humans are inherently self serving even when in a role of serving others.

13/02/2010 21:11:54

Matt B wrote:

Indeed Bertie, Dane Valley does not seem kind to those right of centre (I'm not to sure it's much good for those left of it).

13/02/2010 21:13:49

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