Expense claim forms for Councillor Pat Williams 2013 to 2014

Expense claim forms for Councillor Pat Williams 2013 to 2014

Expense claim forms for Councillor Pat Williams 2013 to 2014

                                              

Councillor Pat Williams is a Liberal Democrat councillor for Oxton ward and is Deputy Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group. Her expenses claims are for attendance at meetings of Council, the Corporate Parenting Group, the Licensing Act 2003 Subcommittee, the Attainment Subcommittee, the Wirral Awards Working Party, the Oxton Conservation Society, the Licensing Panel, the Youth Parliament, the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee, the Birkenhead Constituency Committee, the Community First Funding Panel (part of the Birkenhead Constituency Committee), meetings with officers, an Employment and Appointments Committee appointments panel, training, the Improvement Board and various briefings.

She is the last in the series of councillors expenses forms for 2013-14. I did also ask for the underlying information supporting these expenses claims such as petrol receipts, parking receipts, tunnel toll receipts, taxi receipts, train tickets, hotel expenses et cetera. Although I made this request as part of the audit back in August I’m still waiting! However for the twenty or so councillors one petrol receipt was provided!

In some cases I have not been given information for the correct financial year. It is certainly something I need to follow-up with officers, who blame it on Wirral Council’s HR department supplying incorrect information or not supplying it when requested!

Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 1
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 1
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 2
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 2
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 3
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 3
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 4
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 4
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 5
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 5
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 6
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 6
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 7
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 7
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 8
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 8
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 9
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 9
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 10
Cllr Pat Williams expenses claim 2013 2014 page 10

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Wirral Council councillors agree to consult on extra police powers for Birkenhead booze crackdown

Wirral Council councillors agree to consult on extra police powers for Birkenhead booze crackdown

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Wirral Council councillors agree to consult on extra police powers for Birkenhead booze crackdown

                        

Continues from Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee Wednesday 2nd October 2013.

A Wirral Council officer introduced the report referring to the existing alcohol free zones in Birkenhead, Prenton and Upton as well as the proposed boundaries for the new one. She said that before making an order there would have to be a period of consultation. Wirral Council would need to consult with Merseyside Police, each Premises Licence Holder or Club Premises Certificate holder in Birkenhead and owners or occupiers of land in Birkenhead. A notice would also have to be published in a local newspaper and twenty-eight days allowed for representations. She said that Merseyside Police were present to give details about their evidence on specific problems associated with alcohol.

The Chair invited Merseyside Police to comment. Merseyside Police explained why they were requesting the order, gave statistics about various alcohol related incidents reported to them and explained how only part of Birkenhead was covered by the existing order. They felt that an order covering all of Birkenhead would deal with any displacement problems. Merseyside Police referred to comments from Birkenhead businesses stating that they had lost customers as they don’t feel safe and referred to a particular problem outside St. Werburgh’s Primary School where adults were buying alcohol and cigarettes for teenagers. A street drinker had told a police officer that he drank in Birkenhead Park because it was not covered by the existing Designated Public Places Order. A petition of four hundred and sixty-two people was also in favour of the new Designated Public Places Order covering all of Birkenhead.

One of the police officers showed the Committee maps from a report they had commissioned that showed maps where the worst alcohol related antisocial behaviour and violence was. In their view the existing alcohol free zone in central Birkenhead wasn’t fit for purpose. The Chair thanked the police officers and opened it up to the councillors to ask questions.

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Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee Wednesday 2nd October 2013

Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee Wednesday 2nd October 2013

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Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee Wednesday 2nd October 2013

                            

The Chair, Cllr Bill Davies welcomed people to the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee meeting. He asked for any declarations of interests (no declarations of interest were made). Cllr Davies asked if anybody objected to filming, there weren’t any objections.

He paid tribute to Sylvia Hodrien, who had been a deputy on the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee and had recently died. Cllr John Salter, Cllr Pat Williams and Cllr Geoffrey Watt also made comments about Sylvia Hodrien.

The Chair said that Cllr Pat Glasman might be late, Cllr Adam Sykes was deputising for Cllr Ian Lewis and Cllr Paul Hayes for Cllr Ian Lewis. He asked the police officers to introduce themselves, they introduced themselves as Sergeant Simon Barrigan (Licensing Sergeant for Wirral) and Sergeant Mark Robinson.

The minutes of the meeting held on the 22nd May were agreed. Cllr Niblock asked when the signs for the Designated Public Places Order in New Ferry would be up? Margaret O’Donnell answered that the signs would be up in about a month’s time.

There was a brief discussion about the membership of the Licensing Panel and then the meeting moved to a decision to be made on a consultation on making Birkenhead an alcohol free zone, which starts at this point in the video.

Continues at Wirral Council councillors agree to consult on extra police powers for Birkenhead booze crackdown.

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Wirral Council & Filming: Another Chapter in The Long Running Saga

A brief blog post outlining the long running saga regarding filming public meetings of Wirral Council, covering the recent ban by the Chair of the Planning Committee, Eric Pickle’s advice and a brief run down of the history.

Following reporting on the filming ban at Wirral Council’s Planning Committee on this blog last Thursday, the local newspapers have picked up the story (with quotes from Cllr Mooney), Liverpool Echo: Wirral Council defy Government to ban filming and Daily Post: Wirral Council defies government over filming ban. In addition to the local newspaper articles it’s been picked up by Prolific North: Wirral Council defends filming ban on blogger.

So, although the articles are broadly correct I’d like to correct a slight error and make a few clarifications.

Liverpool Echo
“At a meeting of the planning committee on Thursday, a local blogger was again told to stop filming.”

This should read “Shortly before a meeting of the planning committee on Thursday, a local blogger was again told to stop filming.” If it had been at the meeting itself I would’ve posted the footage online, however yes, it has happened before (18th December 2012) on a close 6:5 vote. Back then Cllr Mooney said it would be “just for this meeting” (see video below).

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After a ban on filming happened at a Health and Wellbeing Overview and Scrutiny Committee meeting (on which Cllr Mooney sat) on the 28th March 2013 to discuss the controversial closure of Moreton Day Centre, I sent a letter before claim to Wirral Council (which is the first stage of a judicial review of a decision). I received this response by email back from Wirral Council’s Monitoring Officer Surjit Tour (the same Surjit Tour that Cllr Mooney said told her she could stop filming at meetings).

Tour, Surjit
to
stephengerrard, me
Tue, 2 Apr 2013 16:08:47 +0100

Dear Mr Brace

I am on annual leave until 15 April. I am somewhat surprised by your email and letter given that I have asked you a number of times to meet me to discuss this issue.

Furthermore, there no ban on filming as you and another have been filming a number of committee meetings.

I would suggest that no proceedings are issued until I have had the opportunity to respond. I therefore request an extension of time to 30 April.

I await your response.

Please can you also include Stephen Gerrard in any further response.

Yours sincerely

Surjit Tour

Sent from my HTC Touch Pro 2 on Vodafone
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I was allowed to film meetings until the Planning Committee meeting of 27th June 2013, a further letter before claim (with a proposed reply date of 12th July) was sent to Wirral Council’s legal department and interested parties on the 28th June 2013. At the time of writing I have not received a reply from either Wirral Council or the interested parties.

After I received Surjit Tour’s reply, Eric Pickles issued this press release entitled “Lights, camera, democracy in action” castigating Wirral Council for stopping filming previously on health and safety grounds (a claim that was refuted by the Health and Safety Executive). This led to a wide variety of press coverage (national newspapers (Guardian, Times), various bloggers and others) and this article in the Wirral Globe entitled “Legal review ordered into rules allowing citizens to video Wirral Council committees” (with an unusually high twenty-seven comments).

Last December councillors called for a review. Eight months later I’m still waiting for this review to finish!

I will also make one small response to Cllr Mooney’s comments, I did say that if she as Chair asked a petitioner if they didn’t want to be filmed and they said no I wouldn’t. However she said, “I can’t do that” rejecting what I felt was a reasonable compromise. Despite her assertion that Planning Committee is the only committee where members of the public regularly address it, there are in fact others ranging from the Highway and Traffic Representation Panel, Licensing Act 2003 committee, Licensing, Health and Safety & General Purposes Committee and full Council meetings (public question time). I hope the above sets the record straight somewhat.

Licensing, General Purposes and Health & Safety Committee 23/5/2012

The Chair started by thanking the last committee, who had a meeting not finish until 10.45pm one night. He asked councillors to identify themselves and pointed out that Cllr George Davies was a deputy.

No interests were declared and the minutes of the meeting on the 19th March 2012 were agreed.

Cllr Steve Niblock was proposed as Vice-Chair. This was the only nomination and agreed.

Ken Abraham introduced the report and said that the monthly licensing panel dealt mainly with hackney taxi licences involving conduct, criminal records and that this year the ratio would be 4:2:1.

The Chair pointed out that it was important to realise it was a day meeting, therefore unsuitable for those with a full-time job or family commitments. He asked people to submit their names to the committee clerk before the end of the week. He asked about training for the panel?

Margaret said she had some booklets.

Cllr George Davies asked if they were still going to Tranmere Rovers to check on safety? He said the reason he raised it was because of last year’s disruption involving the roof. However there had been no visit for the last three years.

Ken Abraham said that in the past a decision had been reached that technical services would attend and the report went to a virtual committee, but he didn’t think this had happened for a number of years.

Cllr George Davies pointed out that in Liverpool, their committee made visits to their football grounds. Ken Abraham said he would speak to Paul Grey.

Cllr Davies said that when [Tranmere Rovers] was built the capacity was 16,000, but now it was restricted it can’t be more than 10,000 as people can’t go in the main stand. He asked if there was a disaster where do they stand?

Cllr Fraser asked what would happen after an inspection?

Ken Abraham said checks were made by the fire service, police, building control and others.

The Chair requested a report for the next meeting, but that they report back before the football season starts. He suggested a special meeting and visit and said he wanted a briefing.

Margaret said her expertise was limited to licensing training, however the remit of the committee was much wider.

Cllr George Davies asked for an annual report [on Tranmere Rovers].

The Chair said if there was an urgent issue they could arrange a special meeting, but if they needed training they could use Jo March.

Margaret O’Donnell introduced the next report on taxi driver training and its appendix.

Cllr Fraser asked if the required qualifications were a legal requirement or just Wirral policy?

Margaret O’Donnell answered yes after the decision in March, all drivers had obtained the qualifications apart from two, who were not driving. However there were issues about funding of courses.

Cllr Fraser asked how much the courses were and whether those on them had to pay.

The answer given was between £1000 and £1800, the driver was asked to contribute £150, however some categories such as the unemployed were guaranteed funding.

Cllr Fraser asked how taxi drivers were consulted? The Chair said that the union reps usually turned up to meetings, but information was sent to all taxi drivers.

Margaret O’Donnell said that as it was a national consultation, they had emailed a link to the consultation website.

The Chair said they had wanted to outlaw bogus drivers and that the trade had realised there were too many drivers and not enough work. The Vice-Chair said there had been a conscious decision to ensure public safety and that thanks to officers they had come a long way.

The Chair asked for deputies to take part in training too and that the panel would meet the second Friday of every month.