FORS, ERA, & Winterstoke

Now I am safely moved to Southampton I feel it is time to post some facts about the winding up of the Eastcliff Residents Association, subject of much debate on the FORS Facebook page.

Further I think it time to put my story out there seeing as Kandy Jones has accused me of colluding with RTC Councillors in stopping the Friends of Ramsgate Seafront from having the ERA wind-up money placed in their bank account and having control of its use.

 This conversation took place on the 20th February 2015 just after Kandy had a screaming fit at me outside 7 Hibernia  Street where I had gone to get a FORS cheque countersigned. She also abused verbally my wife who had accompanied me for no apparent reason except she was in the car with me. More about this in the next blog however this screenprint shows clearly that Kandy accuses me of "ruining our funding potential for Eastcliff by saying to Councillors the funds will be used to promote a non signed member" Kandy knows this to be a complete nonsense as the incident she refers to occurred in October 2014 and was dealt with by myself at the time and she was kept fully in the picture at the time. So Kandy is not averse to lying to people on Facebook to big herself up and in a strange way her manipulations is symptomatic of those who are so involved in conspiracy they forget its easy to expose a lie.





The history of FORS constituted group's involvement with the ERA windup goes back to the beginning of 2014 then in April 2014 David Green confirms that TDC officers have no issue with the funds transferring to FORS. In June 2014 a series of emails from TDC, Rick Everitt and David Green were sent to me confirming there were no strings attached to the money.

So now FORS were just waiting for the windup meeting to occur so that the money could be paid to FORS with one proviso the money would be spent at Eastcliff.
So you can imagine my surprise when I get a private message from Paul Warrick on the 29th October 2014 as follows
"Barry - re the ERA money. We asked the opinion of Dave Green, Liz Green and Rick Everett and whilst 2 of them seemed to agree we should give Ramsgate Arts £1k and FORS £5k we received an email yesterday from Rick Everett (below). We (Chris Welch and I) just want to give the money to be spent on the Eastcliff to the most appropriate body. We don't want to be later accused of mis-handling the situation. Can you shed some light onto Rick's opposition to you getting it?
His message: "I am wary of giving the money to FORS at this stage. I know they have a constitution, but I am unclear about to what extent they might intervene in the local elections next year and I don't think it would be acceptable for this money to be used to fund a political campaign, for example."

I immediately rand Rick to find out what and who was the problem to be told Duncan Smithson was the issue.
After I confirmed Duncan wasn't even a member of the FORS committee Rick seemed satisfied.

Kandy was told of the messages and we had a laugh about it.

There have been no other incidents of this type so why this is still an issue for Kandy I have no idea as is also the fact that I have no personal knowledge of any other reason as to why know the ERA Committee paid the money into RTC so that constituted groups could apply for the just over £5000.

So cynical people might look at the current position and make up of the FORS Committee and the fact that in January 2015 I announced my move to Southampton and another would have to become treasurer. Some might think the events are linked some might not however what is clear between November 2014 and February 2015 ERA lost confidence that FORS could be trusted.

More to follow