A Comprehensive Internet Guide to ‘Medway Brexit’

Medway Council’s ruling Conservative Cabinet have rejected calls to investigate the effect of Brexit on The Medway Towns.
So Keevil set out to find answers, bestowed with the knowledge that everything is available online, including knowledge. Keevil went armed with a search engine and the words ‘Medway Brexit’.
We present to you almost everything we found in all it’s visual (and helpful?) glory.

Continue reading “A Comprehensive Internet Guide to ‘Medway Brexit’”

Alternate Delivery

The Medway Commercial Group (MCG) has been in the news recently, whether it be over issues regarding CCTV or potential controversy regarding the building of a new Independent SEN School.
Who or what is MCG?
Keevil set to impartially find out, using an alternate delivery model of as many screen shots as possible to save on typing.

Ask Google

Google Image Search result
Inconclusive?

In Their Own Words

Don’t click the link.
MCC sounded busy.
Early ambitions included a large number of social alarms & 25 car park cameras

Continue reading “Alternate Delivery”

In memory of Stephen Kearney

Stephen KearneyA couple of weeks ago my friend Steve Kearney died. It was not really a shock as he has been unwell for quite some time and this has been exacerbated by Shelia’s poor health.

I first met Steve and Shelia at a Medway Liberal Demo
crats exec meeting back in 2010. I hadn’t been long with the party and had decided to leave my comfort bubble by meeting new people and seeing what it was all about. I had just arrived when someone asked me who I was and where I lived.

“Steve! One of yours!”

After a lengthy chat about everything I’d found myself volunteered for deliver Focus leaflets for Sturdee Avenue, Valley Road and Acorn Road but was happy to do it. It wasn’t until I woke up the next morning that I found myself thinking about what I had volunteered to do and how I had got there!

Steve had a long association with the Medway LibDems having sat on the council for some years, even serving as Deputy mayor, and with Gillingham itself. He was well liked by members, residents and politicians from other parties – something I hadn’t really realised until I had posted news of his passing with comments from Rehman Chishti and Vince Maple. I heard a rumour that had he not lost his seat in 2011 then the local Tories were going to offer him the position of Mayor.

I remember sitting with him over the night of the local election count in May 2011 and watching the votes come in. I had to leave him at 6 am as exhaustion set in but when I got home an hour later I got an email saying Steve had lost out. It was gutting for him as he had given his all into the position and only lost out by a handful of votes because of the Coalition.

Steve had amassed a vast array of deliverers across Gillingham South through personal loyalty and friendship. He was warm, friendly, very knowledgeable about history and militeria which he collected in vast swathes. We had several long discussions about military history – our shared passion and the Imperial War Museum (where I work) and Gillingham. He always stopped my wife in the street or at her work and asked after her and my children.

My thoughts and prayers are with Sheila who is recovering from her own operations and has lost her husband of many years right on top of Christmas.

He was a good man and friend and I will miss him.

Chris Sams is an author, Gillingham resident, and executive committee member of the Medway Liberal Democrats.

A Short Film Audioboom Union and Socialist Coalition

On Saturday, members of Medway Trade Union Socialist Coalition (TUSC) were in Rainham precinct following the zero vote result they got in the local elections for their candidate Paul Dennis in Rainham North.

We will be posting a more detailed look into those events and following events as they unfold.

Control

Back in 2010, just before the last general election, Medway Council demolished the Aveling and Porter building, a heritage site. Many felt that the building should be preserved, perhaps as a heritage museum. The council thought a car park would be much nicer, at least until there’s money to be made from development.

AP2
Click to see BBC News coverage

AP3
Click to see evidence of the campaign to save the building

Will the forthcoming election result in no single party holding overall control of the council?

Photos © Phil Dillon – All Rights Reserved.

The artist is Jim Hill

They Shall Not Pass

The first in a series of photo blogs looking at places, people and events in the Medway Towns

“About 30 members of the far right party Britain First came to Rochester to try to do a bit of hate speech fluffing for UKIP. They were outnumbered, outwitted and outclassed by the good people of Rochester who weren’t going to let them desecrate the war memorial with their presence, and sent home. A proud day for Rochester and a ringing endorsement of people power and the strength of a united community. The police were great too”

All photos © Phil Dillon All Rights Peserved
© Phil Dillon All Rights Reserved

All photos © Phil Dillon All Rights Peserved
© Phil Dillon All Rights Reserved

All photos © Phil Dillon All Rights Peserved
© Phil Dillon All Rights Reserved

 “Unfortunately, Rochester went on to vote UKIP”

Phil Dillon