Will councillors on Wirral Council end Kingdom’s controversial dog fouling, litter, smoking, flytipping and business waste enforcement contract?

Will councillors on Wirral Council end Kingdom’s controversial dog fouling, litter, smoking, flytipping and business waste enforcement contract?

Will councillors on Wirral Council end Kingdom’s controversial dog fouling, litter, smoking, flytipping and business waste enforcement contract?

                                           

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Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 30th January 2019

Michael Fisher (left) Kingdom Mike Cockburn (right) Wirral Council 30th January 2019 Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (source: Wirral Council video)
Michael Fisher (left) Kingdom Mike Cockburn (right) Wirral Council 30th January 2019 Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee (source: Wirral Council video)

The most popular video in my YouTube channel (over the week of 14th February 2019 to 20th February 2019) has been Wirral Council’s video footage of the public meeting of their Environment Overview and Scrutiny Committee held on the 30th January 2019.
Continue reading “Will councillors on Wirral Council end Kingdom’s controversial dog fouling, litter, smoking, flytipping and business waste enforcement contract?”

Why are Wirral Council censoring video of a public meeting about Kingdom?

Why are Wirral Council censoring video of a public meeting about Kingdom?

Why are Wirral Council censoring video of a public meeting about Kingdom?

                             

Warning Sign Ban Filming Ban Public Public Meetings
Warning Sign Ban Filming Ban Public Public Meetings

I have requested from Wirral Council to re-use video footage of their recent public meeting of councillors where the subject of Kingdom came up. Despite their policy on filming suggesting that we should allow re-use when filming them, they are concerned about the possibility of “edited extracts” (even though I asked not for edited extracts but to republish footage of the whole meeting) and it appears that the answer to the question about re-use at the moment is no.
Continue reading “Why are Wirral Council censoring video of a public meeting about Kingdom?”

Did Kingdom keep £44.90 for each £80 litter fixed penalty notice issued in February 2018 and charge a further £5,472 for clamping down on alleyway dumping?

Did Kingdom keep £44.90 for each £80 litter fixed penalty notice issued in February 2018 and charge a further £5,472 for clamping down on alleyway dumping?

Did Kingdom keep £44.90 for each £80 litter fixed penalty notice issued in February 2018 and charge a further £5,472 for clamping down on alleyway dumping?

                                                  

Kingdom invoice Wirral Council February 2018 litter fixed penalty notices
Kingdom invoice Wirral Council February 2018 litter fixed penalty notices

The invoice above shows that Kingdom Services Group Limited charged Wirral Council £21,552 for litter fixed penalty notices issued in February 2018.

A response to a FOI request by Wirral Council stated that in February 2018 480 litter fixed penalty notices were issued by Kingdom. Each fixed penalty notice is for £80. £80 multiplied by the 480 litter tickets issued is £38,400.

£21,552 divided by £38,400 is 56.125%, so it would appear Kingdom keep £44.90 from each £80 fixed penalty notice.
Continue reading “Did Kingdom keep £44.90 for each £80 litter fixed penalty notice issued in February 2018 and charge a further £5,472 for clamping down on alleyway dumping?”

Was the recent decision to award litter enforcement contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council lawful?

Was the recent decision to award litter enforcement contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council lawful?

Was the recent decision to award litter enforcement contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council lawful?

                                                    

Nearly six years ago the Local Authorities (Executive Arrangements) (Meetings and Access to Information) (England) Regulations 2012 came into effect on the 10th September 2012 which changed the way both decisions made by the whole Cabinet and by individual Cabinet Members should be made.

Regulation 9 of the regulations (as the award of the litter enforcement contract was a key decision) required a document to be published on Wirral Council’s website 28 days in advance of a decision.

For the litter enforcement contract decision, Wirral Council published on its website this page (a screenshot is below).

Wirral Council Forward Plan Environmental Enforcement contract
Wirral Council Forward Plan Environmental Enforcement contract

Continue reading “Was the recent decision to award litter enforcement contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council lawful?”

Award of Litter Enforcement Contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council to be reviewed following request by Lib Dem and Green councillors

Award of Litter Enforcement Contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council to be reviewed following request by Lib Dem and Green councillors

Award of Litter Enforcement Contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council to be reviewed following request by Lib Dem and Green councillors

                                                

Cllr Matthew Patrick (Cabinet Member for the Environment) 14th June 2018
Cllr Matthew Patrick (Cabinet Member for the Environment) 14th June 2018

In an update to an earlier story published on this blog headlined Kingdom awarded further 3 year contract by Wirral Council for litter and dog fouling fines, six councillors (the sole Green Party councillor Cllr Pat Cleary and five Liberal Democrat councillors) have “called-in” the decision.
Continue reading “Award of Litter Enforcement Contract to Kingdom by Wirral Council to be reviewed following request by Lib Dem and Green councillors”