Many good things happened in 2011 but there is no denying that the positive was largely overshadowed by the negative and there will be few who will be sorry to see the back of the outgoing year.
 
Looking forward we can anticipate that Thanet`s new Labour Council will swiftly offer a viable job-creating alternative to the development of the Manston airport to which they are so vehemently opposed: they will produce, like a rabbit out of a hat, the hitherto undiscovered anchor tenant that will justify the expenditure on the refurbishment of Arlington Square and House without the necessity to accommodate a Tesco store; Councillor Ian Driver will single handedly succeed where thirteen years of Labour government failed and bring an end to the export of live animals through Ramsgate; sufficient and hitherto hidden resources will be discovered that will facilitate free parking in Broadstairs and Ramsgate and Margate High Street and thus deflect the  attention of the District Auditor from the decision to confine such welcome largesse to Birchington- on-Sea; Margate Football Club will attract the investment of a Russian Oligarch who will redevelop the ground and stadium without the provision of extraneous commercial facilities: “Classic” trains will run fast, at low cost and on heated rails between Thanet and Central London and the City  and Old Spot will develop wings and fly.
 
With rather greater certainty we have the Queen`s Jubilee to celebrate and  Olympic and Paralympic Games that will project a tourist attracting, revenue-generating, job-creating image of the United Kingdom throughout the world and help us to fulfil the task of putting the Great back into Britain. And that has got to be worth the wishing of a happy, a peaceful and a healthy new year to all of those that I remain humbly and hugely privileged to represent. There is no magic wand that will quickly fix the economy but nevertheless 2012 is a year to look forward to with optimism.

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