So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?

So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?

So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?

                                     

By John Brace (Editor) and Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

First publication date: 7th February 2021, 15:37 (GMT)

Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Andy Cooke (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 4th February 2021
Chief Constable of Merseyside Police Andy Cooke (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) 4th February 2021

This last week has been an interesting one, as politicians decided (despite concerns about affordability) to put up local taxes such as council tax for the people of Merseyside.

Thursday saw a public meeting of the Merseyside Police and Crime Panel meet (who are ten councillors appointed by the district councils on Merseyside (Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton) plus two independent members.
Continue reading “So who’s putting up your council tax in Wirral, Liverpool, St Helens, Knowsley and Sefton and what happened when the Race Equality Task Force reported?”

Merseyside Police redact dog names from invoices claiming the names are “personal information”

Merseyside Police redact dog names from invoices claiming the names are “personal information”

Merseyside Police redact dog names from invoices claiming the names are “personal information”

                                           

By John Brace (Editor) and Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

First publication date: 12th January 2021, 15:57 (GMT)

In November 2012, when police and crime commissioners were introduced, a new requirement was placed on certain police forces in England to publish information on payments over £500 (including the recipients of such payments).
Continue reading “Merseyside Police redact dog names from invoices claiming the names are “personal information””

Merseyside Police and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside deem it “unreasonable” to comply with their legal requirements to provide information during the 30 day public inspection period

Merseyside Police and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside deem it “unreasonable” to comply with their legal requirements to provide information during the 30 day public inspection period

Merseyside Police and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside deem it “unreasonable” to comply with their legal requirements to provide information during the 30 day public inspection period

                             

Jane Kennedy (left), the current Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside and Labour Party candidate in the 2016 elections for a Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside at a public meeting of the Police and Fire Collaboration Committee (2015)
Jane Kennedy (left), the current Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside and Labour Party candidate in the 2016 elections for a Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside at a public meeting of the Police and Fire Collaboration Committee (2015)

By John Brace (Editor)

First publication date: 13th August 2020, 19:10 (BST).

Dear Mr Keith Dickinson and Mr John Riley, 

Unfortunately I have only just today read your letter dated 6th August 2020. 
Continue reading “Merseyside Police and Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside deem it “unreasonable” to comply with their legal requirements to provide information during the 30 day public inspection period”

Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post

Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post

Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post

                                     

By John Brace (Editor)
and
Leonora Brace (Co-Editor)

Phil Davies (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) confirmation hearing 9th April 2020 Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council
Phil Davies (Merseyside Police and Crime Panel) confirmation hearing 9th April 2020 Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner from a still of a video filmed by Knowsley Council

Just over a week ago, new regulations (as a result of the coronavirus pandemic) called the Local Authorities and Police and Crime Panels (Coronavirus) (Flexibility of Local Authority and Police and Crime Panel Meetings) (England and Wales) Regulations 2020 allowed local government public meetings in England and Wales to take place not in person in the same room but as remote or virtual meetings.
Continue reading “Phil Davies faced grilling by Merseyside Police and Crime Panel as preferred candidate for Deputy Police and Crime Commissioner post”

Will council tax rise by 5.98% for Wirral residents from 2018-19?

Will council tax rise by 5.98% for Wirral residents from 2018-19?

Will council tax rise by 5.98% for Wirral residents from 2018-19?

                                                         

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Budget Cabinet (Wirral Council) 19th February 2018 Part 1 of 2

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Budget Cabinet (Wirral Council) 19th February 2018 Part 2 of 2

Councillor Janette Williamson left Cabinet Member for Finance and Income Generation middle Cllr Stuart Whittingham right Cllr Matthew Patrick Cabinet Wirral Council 19th February 2018
Councillor Janette Williamson left Cabinet Member for Finance and Income Generation middle Cllr Stuart Whittingham right Cllr Matthew Patrick Cabinet Wirral Council 19th February 2018

The author of this piece declares a financial interest in that my wife is liable to pay council tax to Wirral Council for a residential property we both live in on the Wirral.

The piece was possible because of a collaboration with the Bureau of Investigative Journalism (TBIJ).

An earlier version of this article incorrectly stated the overall increase was 5.2%, when it is in fact 5.98%. This was corrected at 19:22 on the 21.2.18 by JB.


Wirral Council’s Cabinet on Monday morning (19th February 2018) agreed to recommend a 5.99% rise in the Wirral Council element of council tax for 2018-19. You can watch video clips of that public meeting above.
Continue reading “Will council tax rise by 5.98% for Wirral residents from 2018-19?”