No confidence: Weymouth hoteliers launch petition against council leader (From Dorset Echo)
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No confidence: Weymouth hoteliers launch petition against council leader
12:00pm Saturday 30th June 2012 in News
MAKING A STAND: From left, Sue Leach, Glyn Owens, Carol Owens, Rob Mann, Rose Brunt, Paul Nash, Alison Weller, Wayne Nicholas and Dave Price
PRESSURE is mounting on Weymouth’s council leader Mike Goodman over his comments about hoteliers.
The hoteliers have now launched a petition in support of a vote of no confidence into the Tory councillor’s leadership.
They will present the petition to Weymouth and Portland Borough Council at the next full council meeting on July 11.
The Tory chairman of the council’s management committee sparked outrage when he labelled hoteliers ‘scruffy and miserable’ in a leaked email obtained by the Echo.
Coun Goodman has not apologised publicly for his comments.
He telephoned just one of the hoteliers concerned to apologise and said the rest could ring him if they wanted to speak to him.
Dave Price, chairman of Weymouth and Portland Hoteliers and Guesthouse Leaseholders Association, is the driving force behind the petition.
Mr Price, of the Molyneux Guest House, said: “His actions are a disgrace and we need to make a stand.
“The petition is to get the council to address this issue instead of hide it away under the carpet.
“I waited a week and then emailed Mr Goodman directly; however, the response I got was not what I was hoping for.”
In the response email to Mr Price, the Tory leader said: “I am certainly very sorry that your members have been dragged into a party political campaign and as a consequence have been upset.
“Of course, if I had known that my internal communication was going to be used in that way, I would have used much more diplomatic language.”
Mr Price added: “The petition is also to do with all the things that have and are happening to Weymouth under his poor leadership.
“These include the fairy lights disappearing, the Weymouth Pavilion fiasco, traffic chaos, the laser lights, bad advertising campaigns and the list goes on.
“Coun Goodman should not be able to continue as leader now that his true thoughts and feelings are known. We really want to work with the council on this issue and have tried for two years-plus now, all to no avail. I am glad to say that I have had some very positive and constructive discussions with council officers with a view to initiating a steering group for the town with all parties invited to be a part.
“The council has acknowledged that there is a general assumption that accommodation is already fully booked during the Olympics and has proposed a plan of action including additional promotion and Olympic-themed materials to give to guests and put on their websites.”
The petition is available to sign until July 6 online at ipetitions. com/petition/voteofnoconfidenceinwpbcleader2012/
Email response to plea for apology
‘THANK you (David Price) for your e-mail. I am certainly very sorry that your members have been dragged into a party political campaign and as a consequence have been upset.
However, publishing my e-mail was not my decision and perhaps you should be asking who chose to try to damage my reputation and in so doing, inflamed the situation.
Of course, if I had known that my internal communication was going to be used in that way, I would have used much more diplomatic language. I get very upset when the best efforts of the council are regularly undermined by small sections of the community who prefer to use the pages of the Echo rather than engaging in genuine open debate with the council.
Recently, I have signed off several press releases about the torch relay event on the beach on July 12 and other events of this summer.
I have done interviews for ITV and Radio Solent about the laser lights and just today, with Wessex FM about the Olympic Games and our message that people should plan their visits and their stays during that period.
In all of these I emphasise that people should come to Weymouth to experience what we have to offer.
With respect, it is now your job to capture them and get them to sleep in your beds. Your people were set up by the Echo and I have been set up by a political opponent.
I am not going to give either of them the satisfaction of conducting my business through their pages and to their agenda.’ Mike Goodman
Comments(24)
Graeme Trim
says...
1:55pm Sat 30 Jun 12
marabout
says...
2:08pm Sat 30 Jun 12
Graeme Trim wrote:I dunno.... One of them looks very nice
I can only say that I would not like to be greeted at an hotel by any of the people shown in the original picture shown a couple of weeks ago.
harbourwalk
says...
2:29pm Sat 30 Jun 12
bigrand wrote:I know of many very good guesthouses in Weymouth who would have charged you a lot less if you had asked.
Not surprised numbers down. I recently wanted a few days in a b&b and it was nearly £100 per night for two of us. So I went to Majorca all inclusive for just £350 for a week. No contest I'm afraid it's just too expensive in this country!!!
harbourwalk
says...
2:36pm Sat 30 Jun 12
marabout wrote:I assume you don't know any of these people ? You are just going on a picture? You can't see that this picture was for the benefit of the Echo? You really are that....
Graeme Trim wrote: I can only say that I would not like to be greeted at an hotel by any of the people shown in the original picture shown a couple of weeks ago.I dunno.... One of them looks very nice
manyogie
says...
3:14pm Sat 30 Jun 12
They are being corraled by an unexperienced Council im this Olympic year who are, it seems, acting like a six year old with a new responsability.
The moving of the Condor seems, to me, far too coincidental this year, did the Quay suddenly crumble last winter, or was it left to fit an agenda one wonders!
Good luck to you all with your petition, the local residents should be the ones who vote in, and out of, key office posts, not their chums!
Crabber
says...
3:23pm Sat 30 Jun 12
harbourwalk wrote:Yeah and I know a few on Portland who are a lot better and a lot cheaper as well so ask next time
bigrand wrote:I know of many very good guesthouses in Weymouth who would have charged you a lot less if you had asked.
Not surprised numbers down. I recently wanted a few days in a b&b and it was nearly £100 per night for two of us. So I went to Majorca all inclusive for just £350 for a week. No contest I'm afraid it's just too expensive in this country!!!
oldbrock
says...
6:54pm Sat 30 Jun 12
irisred
says...
7:04pm Sat 30 Jun 12
How about they take his comments on board and do something pro-active about their businesses and not mis-direct their energies! Prove him wrong if you don't like what he said!!
This is hardly reflective of the warm welcoming hosts I'd want to stay with if I were coming to Weymouth!
Never Wrong
says...
10:27pm Sat 30 Jun 12
As a council payer i would like to know why we are paying for there advertising campaign.
If they make a profit this year (and they should do if they get there prices right and not try and fleece every paying customer) will the council be getting a cut of the profits.
OK that will be a no then.....
malkie
says...
11:31pm Sat 30 Jun 12
weylin
says...
2:30am Sun 1 Jul 12
Generally the Councillors don't seem to know much about anything. I used to live in London where there was a monitoring process so no individual could be solely responsible.
It never ceases to amaze me how shambolic the Councillors are here!
Phaedrus
says...
9:57am Sun 1 Jul 12
Genghis
says...
11:06am Sun 1 Jul 12
portland rebel
says...
12:36pm Sun 1 Jul 12
Phaedrus wrote:and that is why weymouth & portland are in such a state, because of the arrogance of our so called councillors who forget they are there to serve & represent the people, not be against them.
Cllr. Goodman's email was at best ill-informed and ill-judged, but not expressing one word of regret in public is amazingly arrogant.
Hardy Lass
says...
9:52pm Sun 1 Jul 12
The poor old pensioner charabanc brigade may be grateful for scruffy seaside lodgings - wrong wrong wrong-
Times have moved on, and more is expected for value for money.
Cllr Goodman was spot on- Weymouth and Portland holiday hotel landlords have forgotten they are in the tourist industry- people will go elsewhere if they are not satisfied-
I sincerely hope they heed Cllr Goodman's advice!
Loamingloof
says...
11:52pm Sun 1 Jul 12
Hardy Lass
says...
7:55am Mon 2 Jul 12
Loamingloof wrote:Weymouth and Portland are not ready to host a tea party let alone an Olympic event!
Keelhaul him in the Olympic opening ceremony: apparently the livestock originally chosen has been bleating to the animal welfare societies.
Sadly , that community possesses the nastiest meanest cruelest people who have bred the meanest cruelest youngsters who torch everything and have no respect for anyone or their property
JoeyJo
says...
1:49pm Mon 2 Jul 12
thetiger
says...
2:10pm Mon 2 Jul 12
1) The hoteliers are ripping people off.
2) The hoteliers are being fleeced by the council in terms of business rates and have to charge accordingly.
I suspect the reason is the latter. WPBC has to many high earning employees on ridiculous salarys and thus has to pay the price. Before anyone says we need to pay these parasites a high renumeration so as to compete with the private sector, the fact of the matter is these 'high earners' wouldn't last 5 minutes in the private sector. Most wouldn't know what a days work is, Weymouths hoteliers on the other hand, do.
blobby96
says...
5:51pm Mon 2 Jul 12
weywey
says...
7:53pm Mon 2 Jul 12
weylin
says...
9:43pm Mon 2 Jul 12
http://www.wenlockwe
ymouth.co.uk/tariff/
I stayed there a couple of times some years ago. Nice people who really care.
I'mavoter
says...
12:13am Tue 3 Jul 12
irisred wrote:Perhaps Goodman should take a look in the mirror before he starts calling other people scruffy and miserable ! As a council leader he should take greater care with his appearance, ( looks like a tramp ) and what he says. He should remember that those people he slagged off contribute heavily to the Great wad of expenses he is happy to draw each year. Goodman should resign, or be removed from office immediately.
Really? He wrote the truth and its hard for them to take so they want him out?
How about they take his comments on board and do something pro-active about their businesses and not mis-direct their energies! Prove him wrong if you don't like what he said!!
This is hardly reflective of the warm welcoming hosts I'd want to stay with if I were coming to Weymouth!
bigrand says...
1:48pm Sat 30 Jun 12