Sadly, but perhaps unsurprisingly, Faversham Town Council has voted this evening against the creation of a Strategic Planning Committee. Such a group would have helped the town plan for its future.
The idea of the Strategic Planning Committee was not to replace any existing function of the Town Council’s Planning Committee – a fact lost on Cllr Mulhern, who gave a bizarre speech claiming just the opposite. He must not have read or perhaps understood Cllr Martin’s briefing note, which could not have been clearer.
This vote marks another sad day in the life of a council that is looking increasingly out of its depth.
Tim Stonor for Faversham 
It’s worrying that a town council made up of Faversham residents could be so out of touch. This town could be great yet they refuse to see that it’s such a shame.
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I have to agree fully with Tim Stonor’s comments.
Saddest of all is that it was not understood that the Strategic Planning Group was not intended to look at planning applications. It was supposed to look ahead, 10 or 20 years ahead, and think about how we might want Faversham develop.
The group set up by Safeguarding Faversham on 9th Srptember now becomes even more important, to indulge in the ‘blue skies’ thinking that is so manifestly required.
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Did you really expect such a council to try to take on some of the strategic thinking, after the Creek Neighbourhood Plan fiasco. Barely reactive, never mind proactive, and certainly in favour of giving way to developers, the idea that they might involve, even consult with, interested parties and get ahead of the game, would only be slightly amusing, if it was not so sad. I am curious to know how closely tied to Swale BC this TC is, but it is not the first time they have not bothered to read the briefing notes.
The only way to get things moving is to just go ahead and do it independently…. and ignore the nay sayers…
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I agree with Bob to a large extent. On the bottom line we need to sack the entire Town Council -I say it again -they have a vested interest in working AGAINST the town to the dictate of Swale. It’s time it stopped! and Bob’s right – we should ignore Swale and get on with it Independantly!
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