3 different political versions of the same Wirral West Constituency Committee meeting

3 different political versions of the same Wirral West Constituency Committee meeting

Wirral West Constituency Committee 30th June 2016 Left Cllr Jeff Green Chair Right David Armstrong Assistant Chief Executive

3 different political versions of the same Wirral West Constituency Committee meeting

                           

Wirral West Constituency Committee 30th June 2016 Left Cllr Jeff Green Chair Right David Armstrong Assistant Chief Executive
Wirral West Constituency Committee 30th June 2016 Left Cllr Jeff Green Chair Right David Armstrong Assistant Chief Executive

Just for a bit of fun and as it’s Friday, I’m going to offer you three different versions of the Wirral West Constituency Committee yesterday evening (the reports for the meeting can be read on Wirral Council’s website). This is meant partly as satire as there is a Conservative version, a Labour version and the peoples’ version. You can watch video of what happened at the meeting below.

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Playlist of the Wirral West Constituency Committee meeting held on the 30th June 2016

The Conservative version

Surprisingly even the Labour councillors voted for our Leader Cllr Jeff Green to be Chair for another year. Cllr Jeff Green was of course too humble to vote for himself.

Cllr Jeff Green proposed as Vice-Chair Cllr John Hale.

However after supporting our Leader, the three Labour councillors decided they wanted Labour Cllr Phillip Brightmore as Vice-Chair.

(This must be some sort of joke by Labour as they never gave us opposition parties chairs of the scrutiny committees as recommended by the peer review).

After the Conservatives rejected a Labour Vice-Chair, the meeting heard that all Labour councillors on the politburo, sorry Cabinet couldn’t make it to the meeting tonight.

The meeting heard the troubles over appointing community representatives, apart from our own former Conservative councillor Jackie Hall for Hoylake and Meols. Cllr Jeff Green told the meeting about how wonderful Jackie Hall was and how they hoped to encourage more people to come forward as community representatives.

There were various reports presented to the Committee. The people in Wirral West had been celebrating Queen Elizabeth II‘s 90th birthday, plus due to the benevolence of the Constituency Committee money had been spent on small grants to community groups. In addition nearly 3,000 people had voted online or by paper as to where this money should be spent.

Ten minutes into the meeting, one of the three Labour councillors Cllr Michael Sullivan left.

The Constituency Manager continued with a report on new benches, the small grants for parties to celebrate the Queen’s 90th birthday, money to tackle antisocial behaviour (mainly in the Labour wards of course!), a mentoring project for boys, litter issues and road safety funding.

Cllr Brightmore (Labour) asked about antisocial behaviour involving bikes and vandalism. The Conservative Chair pointed out that his comment was unfair bearing in mind they had spent the antisocial behaviour budget in a neighbouring Labour ward. The Labour councillor persistently called for money to be spent on his area. The Conservative Chair tried to placate him.

The meeting moved onto agenda item 6 and another report about how the grants scheme was going. There were some questions from the Conservative councillors.

An update was given on the Hoylake Golf Resort scheme by David Armstrong (reading a note he had been given by David Ball). He explained what was happening and how maybe (in the future) if all went well the Hoylake Golf Resort project would go ahead but that there would be a period of a year for technical reports whilst it would seem that nothing was going on.

The Chair thanked him and various Conservative councillors commented on the plans. Local councillor Gerry Ellis gave his views. The councillors on the Planning Committee explained why they weren’t giving their views. Jackie Hall (community representative) referred to a “silent majority” of residents who hadn’t made their mind up yet.

Community question time started with a question about Heron Road (in fact many further questions were about Heron Road). Residents were calling for action and had been to see their local Labour MP Margaret Greenwood.

John Hutchinson asked a question about comments made earlier about the Hoylake Golf Resort. A resident asked about the new monthly newsletter approved by Wirral Council’s Cabinet.

The Conservative Chair Cllr Jeff Green explained that it had been decided by the nine Labour councillors on the politburo, sorry Cabinet and that he’d referred to it as “Pravda”. However there was an opportunity for the decision to be called in.

Susan Brown asked about the difficulty of advertising events on a Wirral website and asked for councillors to help.

Various comments were made in response to her question. Susan Brown referred to various events that attracted visitors from all over the country which needed better promotion.

The Constituency Manager Jane Morgan said she would take the point back to Wirral’s tourism team, but that the Wirral West Constituency Committee had its own Twitter account. The Chair made some comments in response.

Questions were asked about abandoned cars and cars being advertised for sale on the highway. It was pointed out by a Conservative councillor that private individuals could sell their cars this way, but it was unlawful for traders to do so.

Another series of questions were asked about the Hoylake Golf Resort, why weren’t councillors going to meetings about it? Would the new Metro Mayor (elected in May 2017) get the final say?

The Conservative Chair replied explaining that some councillors were on the Planning Committee, that Jackie Hall was a volunteer, that Conservative Councillor Gerry Ellis could give his views on it.

A question was asked about road repairs and the WICT? Group. The Constituency Manager replied with details of upcoming road repairs.

Heron Road and indeed its history going back to 1968 was the subject of another question including what the Chair referred to as a “wicked slur” that money earmarked for Heron Road had been diverted to a roundabout instead. A short answer was given.

It was pointed out that the timetable for grants would be difficult for voluntary groups as it fell mainly over the holiday period. The length of the application forms at eight pages was also commented on. Various comments were made by councillors in response.

Another question was asked on Heron Road. Another answer was given.

A member of the public commented on weed growth and high grass. The Chair explained that every councillor was doing everything they could and called on people not to make assumptions and generalisations about councillors and Council employees. He pointed out that Cllr Phil Brightmore (Labour) was Chair of the scrutiny committee that covered this.

Cllr Phillip Brightmore said he would talk at the end and take details about it. Other issues were raised about flooding and litter enforcement. Various comments were made by councillors in response. David Armstrong commented on the problems with seasonal workers, the huge volume of litter Wirral Council removed and weather issues.

Conservative Chair Cllr Jeff Green thanked people for their answers and thought-provoking questions and gave notice of a vigil at the war memorial at Grange Hill in West Kirby to mark 100 years since the Battle of the Somme.

The Labour version

Once again the Tory Cllr Jeff Green was reelected as Chair. Comrades tried to suggest a bi-partisan approach by nominating Cllr Phillip Brightmore as Vice-Chair, but this was rejected by the Tories.

Even our councillors on the Cabinet can’t make it tonight! Here we go again with Cllr Jeff Green saying how wonderful a former Conservative councillor (now community representative) is!

See one of the three Labour councillors here has left now! Cllr Phillip Brightmore (Labour) made an important point about antisocial behaviour only for the Tory Chair to describe it as “unfair”!

Now they’re talking about the Hoylake Golf Resort. Ahh brilliant, our great Labour MP Margaret Greenwood gets mentioned in a question about Heron Road! The Tory Chair’s now trying to blame the monthly newspaper idea on us! No wonder Cllr Phil Davies is cross with him for referring to it as “Pravda”.

A set of interesting questions from residents (many about Heron Road and the Hoylake Golf Resort). Isn’t it about time the Tories stopped sitting on the fence on these issues?

The Peoples’ version

After sitting patiently for around an hour waiting for the Committee to finally get through the earlier items on the agenda we had our chance to have our say!

Why don’t they understand the strength of feeling about Hoylake Golf Resort? Why hasn’t Heron Road been sorted out? Why, why, why?

Oh well there’s always the next meeting in October!

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Author: John Brace

New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council. Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.

13 thoughts on “3 different political versions of the same Wirral West Constituency Committee meeting”

  1. This is what happens when you have too many councillors, each one is trying to get money, do things for their wards etc, and every one else is trying to stop them so most of Wirral remains a shit hole, get rid of the councilliors vote in a mayor and allow them to spend the money where its needed, on the downside of this, the councils hands are tied when it come to red tape,
    I asked them to repair a road in seacombe, as part of it is sinking, cracking and is bloody dangerous, the council filled in a few pot holes,
    I asked why they haven’t done the rest, the reply
    “All actionable work has been carried out at this location. Work is only issued if /or when required, and if it comes in line with the council ruling. I am only allowed to work within the council guide lines. Photos taken of work that has been carried out.” so I’m letting thinking what the hell does this mean, they go on about road safety, yet when you ask them to fix unsafe roads they fall back on red tape, to save money, then if someone dies, they will jump up and say were sorry but this road is down to be fixed later,
    I think another letter to my MP is going off tonight, I’m getting screwed for council tax, so you will fix the bloody road

    Anyway been down Beauford road of later, they have £1.7 million from the EU to make this area pretty to try and bring in investors, so they spent months making the pavements wider [ so they can add cycle lanes] and a little soil boarder to the front edge, this is to add grass etc at a later date,[ its full of weeds now] they have only down part of the raod as they don’t know who owns the rest of the dock land further down, the idear is to link up this cycle lane to the train station Birkenhead North and the every growing park and ride at the bottom of the road,
    Well my moan was the state of the whole road surface, the money should have gone there first, then do the pavements after, riding passed it yesterday after the rain we now have big puddles on the road where we never did before, so in my books thats no an improvement if its worse now!

    1. The park and ride at Birkenhead North is being extended. However if I remember correctly the car park (phase 1) was only possible through an EU grant.

      The Council contract road repairs to BAM Nuttall. You can see the first 83 pages here.

      Wirral Council used to spend more on roads, now they’ve reduced it to just the money they receive for this from the government.

      However when they state actionable defect, they mean a problem with the road that passes their (Wirral Council set) threshold for repairing it.

      For example paving slabs on the pavement usually have to be more than an inch out of line with each other before it being repaired.

      I hope that helps explain it a bit better.

  2. G’day John

    Is this the revolution that “Highbrow” keeps talking about?

    The Conservatives are in leaderless turmoil.

    Labor are in leaderless turmoil.

    wirral can’t abuse euro money anymore.

    wirral are not only in leaderless turmoil they couldn’t account for a bag of shit let alone the “not our money” that they are not going to get anymore not even though it WAS our money in the first place.

    Ooroo

    James

    It might be left to AdderleyDadderleyDooLally and his “dogsbody” down at The Chamber Pot to call in Stella and her wealthy mates to save us from the “revolution”.

    1. I’m just here to report on matters.

      I am getting too old and tired and set in my ways to overthrow governments and cause revolutions. Been there, done that and got the t-shirt. It just leads to trouble*!

      *lots of trouble

      What you refer to are party political matters (which I try to stay out of).

      As to turmoil, I would merely state the phrase noblesse oblige, a French phrase that I’m sure “Highbrow” will appreciate the meaning of.

      1. G’day John

        As to turmoil, I would merely state the phrase

        Ces chiens de porcs anglais méritent merde

        a French phrase that I’m sure “Highbrow” will appreciate the meaning of.

        Ooroo

        James

          1. G’day John

            Trust me to find out that AdderleyDadderleyDooLally lied to me about Big Fund recipients, kept paying criminals for a further 18 months after it was reported to him, did not report asset stripping and has the most juvenile football shirt on his wall with his name on the back

            “L I A R”

            Ooroo

            James

            Then his staff were told to keep their gobs shut. Her words.

            1. Think about what staff are instructed to do around me James?

              Just think about it for a moment…. think about the topics Wirral Council would not want me writing about? How much do you think I know?

              I challenged Kevin Adderley on the cover ups over the FOIs once (the ones over the BIG/ISUS reports). I’ll leave you to guess what his response was…

              1. G’day John

                His reward a massive pay off and a new job.

                My reward unemployed since I saw him on 5 July 2011.

                Ooroo

                James

                Would I rather be him or me.

                I can sleep easily at night with a clear conscience.

                I wouldn’t act like him to an enemy.

                1. Well today, I have a look back over the top ten most read stories last month and a new story about Cllr Stuart Kelly.

                  Hopefully that’ll take your mind off it all!

                  1. G’day John

                    God bless Stuart Kelly.

                    Where’s the story John?

                    The only decent councillor of the 66.

                    I will never forget 66.

                    The last time england with a small e was any good.

                    Rotten almost to the core.

                    Ooroo

                    James

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