Day: 27 May 2011

Wirral Council and Tranmere Rovers

I read the interesting article about Wirral Council’s sponsorship of Tranmere Rovers Football Club to be decided next Thursday evening. I did leave a comment pointing out that three of the current Cabinet, Cllr Steve Foulkes, Cllr George Davies and Cllr Harry Smith had all received free tickets to Tranmere Rovers matches as evidenced by … Continue reading “Wirral Council and Tranmere Rovers”

I read the interesting article about Wirral Council’s sponsorship of Tranmere Rovers Football Club to be decided next Thursday evening.

I did leave a comment pointing out that three of the current Cabinet, Cllr Steve Foulkes, Cllr George Davies and Cllr Harry Smith had all received free tickets to Tranmere Rovers matches as evidenced by the extracts from Wirral Council’s gifts register.

It is of course possible it is more than three as I think councillors are given a certain amount of time between accepting a gift and having to declare it.

Certainly it will be interesting to see next Thursday whether they declare this as a personal interest, a prejudicial interest (and leave the room during its discussion) or decide not to. Certainly whether or not to take part in a decision to sponsor a football team that gives you free tickets is the kind of ethical dilemma Labour councillors will have to grapple between now and next Thursday evening.

Gifts register:
Cllr Foulkes (Cabinet, Finance): 24/4/2011 Tranmere vs Exeter, tickets, lunch and drinks
7/8/2010 Tranmere Rovers football tickets

Cllr Harry Smith (Cabinet, Streetscene and Transport): 25/4/2011 Tranmere vs Exeter, tickets, lunch and drinks

Cllr George Davies (Cabinet, Housing):
25/4/2011 Tranmere Rovers v Exeter sponsored game, tickets lunch and drinks
19/4/2011 Ticket for Tranmere v Notts County
4/9/2010 Tranmere Rovers v Peterborough, programme and hot buffet
07/08/2010 Tranmere Rovers football match

Cabinet agenda – Thursday 2nd June 2011

The agenda for the first Labour Cabinet at Wirral Council next Thursday is now online.

The Labour spin machine seems to be running in overdrive (at least in the Wirral Globe).

First we have Steve Foulkes stating the Budget shortfall for 2011-2012 will be £24 million, the quote is We have taken a savage hit – £51m gone from the budget this year and £24m next. when his administration’s own Director of Finance Ian Coleman states in a report it’ll be £20.8 million (see the Shortfall heading in the appendix).

In the same piece he has the gall to take credit for Fernleigh staying open, when this decision was made by the Tory/Lib Dem budget of 2011-2012 before we even had a Labour Cabinet!

It seems barely three days into this Labour administration it’s going to be one run by spin, press releases and although there will be a “honeymoon” period of a fortnight it won’t take long before the Conservative and Lib Dem parties wake up and start holding them to account.