It's a little over 60 days since Bob Bayford became the leader of Thanet council.

Since then the Coalition Government has come to power and an emergency Budget was announced which, as well as setting out cuts to spending in the public sector, outlines plans for further savings of between 25 and 40 per cent in some departments.

In December the Government is to announce the results of the Comprehensive Spending Review, which will give the clearest picture yet of what Thanet council – and all other local authorities – can expect as a Government grant.

In Mr Bayford's words, there has to be "a fundamental change in the way local authorities are run".

In an exclusive interview with the

Isle of Thanet Gazette

, Mr Bayford talks to REBECCA SMITH about his first months in office, his priorities for Thanet, and what lies ahead.

THERE have been easier times to be the leader of a district council.

"Austerity measures" may be the current buzzwords in Whitehall, but local government budgets have been getting tighter for years and the phrase "difficult decisions" is not a new one.

If Thanet council's new leader Bob Bayford feels he has been handed something of a poisoned chalice, he doesn't show it.

There is an air of calm and a certain good humour about him which belie any anxieties he might have over future funding for the district.

When he was first elected as leader of Thanet council Mr Bayford, an accountant, played his cards close to his chest. He declined to discuss any of the major decisions that face the council – the upcoming consultation on Manston airport and the possibility of new homes on the Eurokent business park.

Instead he asked for 60 days to get his feet under the table, read all the papers and then, he said, he would give his views.

His request harks back to the tradition of US Presidents being given 100 days in office to prove themselves which started with Franklin D Roosevelt's election in the 1930s and is true to this day.

"I had hoped to be more on the front-foot in these first days as leader," Mr Bayford admits.

"But I have had to spend a lot of time reacting as more news filtered out of central government about what we can expect. Then of course there was the emergency Budget."

The emergency Budget set out public spending cuts of between 25 and 40 per cent across all Government departments, bar health and international development.

That means that, although Thanet council was already aiming to find £7.9 million savings over the next four years, now it has to find £3.03 million extra.

The Comprehensive Spending Review will give details of Thanet council's Government grant, one of three wways the council's funding is raised. The others are council tax – which has had increases capped – and fees and charges income, which is falling as a consequence of the recession.

It does not make for an easy time, but already Mr Bayford is making his mark on the leadership of the council.

He intends to conduct a review of all properties and sites for sale under the council's asset disposal programme. Failure to listen to public opinion over the sale of sites, including Montefiore tennis courts and Albion House, was a criticism levelled at the last administration.

Mr Bayford pledged all sites on the list agreed for sale but not actually sold would be reviewed, but he warned: "It is entirely possible that we will end up concluding that the sale will go ahead anyway, but we will review each site."

He added: "The lengths that people are prepared to go to to protect these sites may mean that we have misjudged public opinion."

The review will consider the value of each site in light of the current economic situation and whether another use can be found for them by working with local people.

Mr Bayford also intends to delay the completion of the Local Development Framework, which sets out what can be built in the district and where.

He says: "The reason is to take into account changing circumstances, to actually review what different planning needs are for different areas."

Part of this is a review of the number of new homes needed.

With the impending demise of regional planning body Seeda in 2012, there is the chance to revisit the housing targets set by Labour's John Prescott, says Mr Bayford.

As part of that review a new Local Plan will be drawn up setting out where development can take place in the district, including plans for new homes at the Eurokent business park. The land is designated for employment creation only in the current plan, but proposals have been put forward for up to 600 new homes on part of the site.

Mr Bayford, who will be involved in the creation of the new plan, says the council needs to be realistic over the use of the land, and whether there is any "appetite" in the current economic situation for building the homes, or if the land might be used for another purpose.

He is keen to produce a Westwood master plan considering the development of the entire area.

Another surefire topic for contention is the consultation on a change in flying regulations at Manston airport.

Long delayed, the consultation comes after airport owner Infratil requested a move to "quota points", abandoning the current ban on regular scheduled flights at night.

The council's airport working party has asked Infratil how many points it envisaged.

So far that detail is lacking, but Mr Bayford is confident it will come.

If agreed, the new system would give an agreed number of "points" to be used up by the airport, depending on what type of aircraft lands and when.

Mr Bayford says: "My view is that we need to know when Infratil want planes to land, what type of planes and how often. At Southend there are flights 24 hours a day with no restrictions. I have indicated that this would not be acceptable to us."

Then there was what Mr Bayford calls "the Dreamland rescue plan"; a reference to the £4 million which Thanet council is now putting into the development of the former Margate fun park, after the company which owns the site was unable to come up with the cash.

It means plans for a classic-rides fun park will go ahead, but critics say the Margate Town Centre Regeneration Company should not have been bailed out with public money.

Mr Bayford admits it was "high risk" but adds: "The people of Thanet would not have forgiven us if we didn't do it."

There has been other action. The size of the cabinet has been reduced by one, with Mr Bayford taking the roles of both leader and finance chief – saving £16,000.

And deputy leader Martin Wise will not take an extra responsibility allowance – saving £3,500.

For the third year running the recommendation is that members' allowances will not go up.

Mr Bayford has campaigned to keep a £500,000 grant from Kent County Council that will support the Margate Taskforce – a new group committed to tackling serious problems with managing privately-rented accommodation in Margate Central and Cliftonville West wards.

On August 7 Thanet council will launch the Pathway to Turner, with £150,000 to improve the area around the gallery for its spring opening.

There has been "extensive dredging of Ramsgate harbour" says Mr Bayford, adding: "We're going to keep it up."

Chairmanship of the council's scrutiny committee has been handed to Labour. Mr Bayford held the role before becoming leader, and says giving the position to the opposition is a clear indication of his intention to involve all parties in decision making.

The council's Corporate Plan has been "refreshed" to look at what is achievable in the new tighter financial position.

One thing that will not now happen in the next financial year is the building of a new Ramsgate swimming pool. Mr Bayford pledged the project, would happen, but not by March.

The new cabinet has also outlined its top ten environmental projects, including better signs and painting the Margate harbour arm lighthouse.

An agreement has been signed with the London Array wind farm that a base for the company will be built at Ramsgate port, hopefully bringing new jobs.

Street-cleaning rotas have been changed, with workers out until 8pm during the summer.

Other issues include working on Total Place, an initiative working with other groups and public bodies to share resources, buildings and people – so saving money – and working with Local Enterprise Partnerships, which Mr Bayford dubs "the Son of Seeda".

And finally, he says we're "well on the way" to getting the Maritime Museum reopened in Ramsgate and agreeing a suitable lease with the Preston Steam Trust.

All in all it's been a busy 60 days for Mr Bayford. With new details emerging every day about possible areas for cutbacks, it shows no sign of slowing down.

What do you think of the leader's first days in power? What do you think Thanet council should tackle? E-mail your views to newsdesk.tha net@KRNmedia.co.uk or write to the address on this page.