Election Result (Wirral Council, 2017): Claughton: Labour hold (Gillian Wood)

Election Result (Wirral Council, 2017): Claughton: Labour hold (Gillian Wood)

Election Result (Wirral Council, 2017): Claughton: Labour hold (Gillian Wood)

                                 

Polling station 4th May 2017 resized
Polling station 4th May 2017 resized

Please note we would have been happier reporting from the count centre about half a mile away but Wirral Council were not happy with the press being there.

Election Result (Wirral Council, 2017): Claughton: Gillian Wood (Labour Party)

Claughton Ward (2017)
 
Name of candidate     Description (if any)  Votes   %
Wood
Gillian
 Labour Party  1,761   52%   Elected
Evans
David Robert Cynlais
 Liberal Democrats  740   22%   Not elected
Sinclair
Barbara Vera  
 Conservative  567   17%   Not elected
Heydon
Liz
 Green Party  136   4%   Not elected
Jones
Beryl Rosina
 UK Independence Party   130   4%   Not elected
Wheddon
Leon Allen
 Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition   27   1%   Not elected

There were 11 rejected ballot papers, the electorate was 11,336 and the turnout was 30%.

If you click on any of the buttons below, you’ll be doing me a favour by sharing this result with other people.

What’s in the nomination papers of the 6 candidates wanting to be a councillor for Claughton? (Wirral Council)

What’s in the nomination papers of the 6 candidates wanting to be a councillor for Claughton? (Wirral Council)

What’s in the nomination papers of the 6 candidates wanting to be a councillor for Claughton? (Wirral Council)

                              

Ballot Box
Ballot Box by NAS of the Noun Project provided under Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 United States (CC BY 3.0 US) licence Original has been resized and converted to a .jpg file

In the interests of openness and transparency in the Claughton byelection, I am publishing the nomination papers of each candidate during the election rather than after.

These are open to public inspection until 3rd May 2017 (the day before the poll).

Each form contains the candidates’ address, date of birth and the names of ten electors in Claughton who support their candidacy (referred to as proposer, seconder and eight assentors).

Each candidate has to sign to state they accept the nomination.

In addition to the nomination paper and candidates’ consent to nomination, candidates standing on behalf of a political party have to submit extra paperwork around the use of descriptions and party logos on ballot papers. This paperwork is not included here.

In order to be fair, the list is alphabetical by candidate surname (which is the order they will be on the ballot paper).

There is no deposit required to stand as a candidate for local councillor.

Please note each file below is a multi-page TIFF bitmap file.

EVANS, David Robert Cynlais (Liberal Democrat)
HEYDON, Liz (Green Party)
JONES, Beryl Rosina (UK Independence Party)
SINCLAIR, Barbara Vera (Conservative Party Candidate)
WHEDDON, Leon Allen (Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition)
WOOD, Gillian (The Labour Party)

If for whatever reason a candidate’s nomination paper is invalid* a Returning Officer (in this case Eric Robinson) can disqualify that candidate before the result is declared.

*There are 101 reasons it could be, but some have been corrected to correct errors.

I’d like to thank Wirral Council for the time involved in supplying the above information.

Polling day for the Claughton byelection is Thursday 4th May 2017.

If you click on any of the buttons below, you’ll be doing me a favour by sharing this article with other people.

Flaybrick Cemetery – What will happen next? (Claughton byelection)

Flaybrick Cemetery – What will happen next? (Claughton byelection)

Flaybrick Cemetery – What will happen next? (Claughton byelection)

                                   

Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.

YouTube privacy policy

If you accept this notice, your choice will be saved and the page will refresh.

Flaybrick Cemetery – What happens next?

John Brace at Flaybrick Cemetery 28th April 2017
John Brace at Flaybrick Cemetery 28th April 2017

Leonora recorded this brief video of myself speaking about the problems at Flaybrick Cemetery. I need to learn better to continue to face the camera as I’m speaking as when I turn to refer to what’s behind me, sound quality can be an issue.

Flaybrick Cemetery over the years has had problems with flytipping and damage to its walls. The area I filmed in called Crossways is mainly Magenta Living properties, but many are vacant. Cllr Steve Foulkes (one of the existing Claughton councillors is one of Wirral Council appointed directors of Magenta Living (formerly called Wirral Partnership Homes)). Since the vacancies have increased the problems with flytipping have increased.

After the video was filmed and I was heading back home a resident talked to us and wanted it to be improved.

Although there are longer quotes in the video, I include below quotes from a Labour councillor for this area Brian Kenny and the Lib Dem candidate for Claughton ward David Evans.

People go to vote in Claughton on Thursday 4th May 2017 for both their local councillor and Metro Mayor and the election result is expected on Friday 5th May 2017.


Response from Liberal Democrats (David Evans – candidate for Claughton ward) sent on 27th April

From: David Evans drcynlaisevans@btinternet.com

Hi John

I have family members interred in Flaybrick and I am saddened not only by the flytipping but also the vandalism of the grave stones and the fabric of a site that is part of the history of Birkenhead.

Birkenhead Park, Bidston Hill and Flaybrick are fantastic assets and a vital part of the heritage of Birkenhead – Flaybrick is similar in many ways to Highgate Cemetery and is much loved by the community as evidenced by the current work to preserve the chapels (although I understand that this is due to the efforts of a local heritage group rather than the council)

Flytipping is also a problem around Bidston Hill and Noctorum (Thermopylae Pass) as is the regular setting alight of the gorse on Bidston Hill.

The council seems to be unconcerned about the importance of local heritage (see demise of Woodside Hotel and ESWA problems)

I would like to see a role for the return of “Park Police” to patrol these areas to act as a visible deterrent and contact point for locals to report incidences of anti social behaviour.

I would also like to see local kids encouraged to value these assets by way of community education about the history of the area, this could involve local volunteers and agencies visiting schools etc.

Maybe the money spent on Wirral View could be diverted to projects such as this…

As you can see, I am an idealist but Birkenhead Park was on its uppers until Friends of Birkenhead Park was set up so involvement of local action groups is vital.

There is much to be appreciated in and around Birkenhead.

Best Regards


Labour’s position (sent on the 18th April) from Cllr Brian Kenny briankenny@wirral.gov.uk:

Dear Mr & Mrs Brace

I thought you would be interested in this email exchange.
There has been a great deal of activity around Flaybrick Cemetery, over the last week or so.

I will shortly be attending a meeting, to discuss further improvements.

Many Thanks.

On 18 Apr 2017, at 12:30, Burrell, Joanna joannaburrell@wirral.gov.uk wrote:

We have asked probation to clean up these areas.
….
Dear Jo

Please see this email and attachments, sent to me a few minutes ago, by Jayne Phennah.
The original was sent to Brian Sinton.
As you can see, Jayne is very upset by this appalling situation.
I would be obliged if you could please have a look at this situation, Jo, and see if there is anything you can do to eliminate the problems.
Please let me know if you require any more details, or clarification.
I am also copying this to the Claughton Ward Councillors, for their information.

Many Thanks, Jo.

Brian Kenny
Labour Councillor for Bidston & St. James Wirral Labour Group Chief Whip
….
Hi Brian,

Spoke to my mum today and she took me up to the cemetery, at the roman catholic end, where the houses are. I was shocked at what I saw. A tree has come down and took the fence off the wall. So anyone can now access the cemetery though here. The tree that has fallen, has been chopped into sections and left sitting on the railings on the floor, on the outside of the cemetery. So the gates on the entrance from lower flaybrick road are a waste of time, due to a big section of the railings being underneath the fallen tree. I took some photos for you. Fell free to forward this email to the appropriate people. I will also send this to Julie and Brian who are local councillors in the area. Let me know what you think, it breaks my heart to see this!

If you click on any of the buttons below, you’ll be doing me a favour by sharing this article with other people.

Why are Merseyrail staff striking on the 8th April?

Why are Merseyrail staff striking on the 8th April?

Why are Merseyrail staff striking on the 8th April?

                                            

Cllr Steve Foulkes (middle) answers a question about the Merseyrail strike (L to R Cllr Chris Meaden, Cllr Steve Foulkes, Cllr Moira McLaughlin and Cllr Ann McLachlan) Birkenhead Constituency Committee 30th March 2017
Cllr Steve Foulkes (middle) answers a question about the Merseyrail strike (L to R Cllr Chris Meaden, Cllr Steve Foulkes, Cllr Moira McLaughlin and Cllr Ann McLachlan) Birkenhead Constituency Committee 30th March 2017

The end of the Birkenhead Constituency Committee had the air of an Agatha Christie’s Poirot, as I asked a question about Merseytravel, Merseyrail and the upcoming strike.

Indeed in Cllr Foulkes’ answer he mentioned the death of Georgia Varley as one of the reasons behind the new trains which will only need a driver.

However perhaps with those with long memories will know that a long time ago I asked a question to Cllr Foulkes about Wirral Council’s treatment of disabled people (which led to Bill Norman advising councillors not to publish the draft Anna Klonowski Associates report).

Although there is a strike timetable for Saturday and some timetable alterations for the two days before, as Merseyrail staff wouldn’t cross the picket lines last time, Merseyrail had to stop all trains during the last strike on the network from running at all.

My question (in two parts) is below:

Q. Wirral Council pays millions to Merseytravel each year for concessionary travel passes for free travel on the buses, trains and ferries.

One of the train stations nearest to where I live Bidston is only accessible by going up a flight of stairs, over a footbridge and down another flight of stairs.

Other train stations in Birkenhead such as Birkenhead Park and Upton have stepped ramps which can also cause problems.

A link is included in this question to a legal case from 2004 in the Court of Appeal which decided that providing taxis is not a reasonable adjustment and that train stations that were not accessible for wheelchair users were therefore discriminating against disabled people.

Who therefore for the stations listed above (Birkenhead Park, Upton and Bidston) is the body that should make these stations more accessible (for example Merseytravel, Merseyrail, Network Rail, Arriva Trains Wales)?

Would you also like to comment on the reasons that have led Merseyrail to go on strike recently, with a further planned strike on 8th April (timed to coincide with the Grand National)?

Thank you.


Please accept YouTube cookies to play this video. By accepting you will be accessing content from YouTube, a service provided by an external third party.

YouTube privacy policy

If you accept this notice, your choice will be saved and the page will refresh.

Birkenhead Constituency Committee 30th March 2017 Public Questions

Both Cllr George Davies and Cllr Steve Foulkes are Labour councillors in Claughton ward where there is a contested byelection due to the death of Cllr Denise Roberts. There is also an election for Metro Mayor across Merseyside who will be directly accountable to the people for these sorts of decisions as ultimately the decision to purchase new trains was made by the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority.

If people would like to comment on the candidates’ policy positions on this (or other matters) in either election, please feel free to leave a comment.

If you click on any of the buttons below, you’ll be doing me a favour by sharing this article with other people.

Labour trigger byelection in Claughton following death of Cllr Denise Roberts

Labour trigger byelection in Claughton following death of Cllr Denise Roberts

Labour trigger byelection in Claughton following death of Cllr Denise Roberts

                             

Councillor Denise Roberts (Chair, Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee at Wirral Council) 6th July 2016
Councillor Denise Roberts (Chair, Standards and Constitutional Oversight Committee at Wirral Council) 6th July 2016 and former councillor for Claughton

Whilst the rest of the media reports on Cannes, an election of a councillor to Wirral Council in Claughton ward has been started by George Davies and Ann McLaughlan.

Copies of the text of the public notices are below. The poll will take place on Thursday 4th May 2017 (combined with the Metro Mayor election).

When the list of candidates becomes available I will be publishing this too.


METROPOLITAN BOROUGH OF WIRRAL
CASUAL VACANCY
IN THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR

NOTICE IS HEREBY GIVEN under Section 87(2) of the Local
Government Act 1972 that a casual vacancy exists in the office of Borough Councillor for the CLAUGHTON WARD of the Borough of Wirral.

Eric Robinson
Chief Executive and Returning Officer
13th March 2017


CASUAL VACANCY IN THE OFFICE OF COUNCILLOR
FOR THE
Claughton Ward

I confirm that, under Section 87(2) of the Local Government Act 1972, I have received notice in writing requesting an election to be held in the above ward.

The notice contains the names of two local government electors for the area and they are:

George Davies and Ann McLaughlan

The election shall be held within 35 days of this notice and the poll shall take place on Thursday, 4th May 2017.

Eric Robinson
Chief Executive and Returning Officer
13th March 2017

If you click on any of the buttons below, you’ll be doing me a favour by sharing this article with other people.