Fence down but battle goes on
09:50, 21 July 2010
updated: 09:50, 21 July 2010
by Beth Robson
Removing part of the fence that blocked the light from Kathleen Thomson’s window is "too little too late", according to the widow’s son-in-law.
Trustees at Deal Maritime and Local History Museum restored light to one window on Saturday but the fence remains, blocking the second window.
Trustees spokesman Mike Eddy said it will stay up until both feuding parties talk about how they can continue to protect the museum’s property and artefacts at the same time as honouring Mrs Thomson’s privacy from the museum’s newly installed CCTV.
Martin Catt said the family will not continue with mediation after failed efforts left them and mediator Julie Rook feeling let down.
He has now joined Dover and Deal MP Charlie Elphicke’s calls for trustees to resign and will launch a new petition for resignations on carnival night, July 29. He said: "The trustees have shown themselves incompetent in administering the museum in their charge.
"They failed to meet their commitments after mediation.
"Instead of taking the fence down, they have fitted CCTV cameras facing Kath’s property. Again they have wasted the charity’s money on another futile act."
Mr Eddy said no public money had been spent on the dispute with Mrs Thomson.
For full story, see page 7 of this week's East Kent Mercury and Letters to the Editor on page 2.
