Month: October 2011

West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, United Utilities roadworks (Hoylake), Merseyrail, PACSPE Part 4

A member of the public asked when the road works were starting. Peter Cummings of United Utilities responded by saying on the 17th October. Deputy Mayor Cllr Gerry Ellis said the United Utilities road works had been delayed due to the disruption to rail services between West Kirby and Birkenhead North this week. He moved … Continue reading “West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, United Utilities roadworks (Hoylake), Merseyrail, PACSPE Part 4”

A member of the public asked when the road works were starting. Peter Cummings of United Utilities responded by saying on the 17th October.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Gerry Ellis said the United Utilities road works had been delayed due to the disruption to rail services between West Kirby and Birkenhead North this week. He moved on to Dave Green, who he described as a “very busy man”. Deputy Mayor Cllr Ellis said he knew there were some questions [for Dave Green].

David Green said that the [West Wirral] Area Forum was “my favourite Area Forum” as it is the “best attended and lively”. Starting with PACSPE, he said it was long and complicated as politics had been injected into the parks. The important thing which he was happy to talk about at the end, was on the 22nd September a public report had gone to Cabinet. This report was on the council’s website and had started with a 2008 review of the £11 million of services provided in this area. There had been engagement, but [Wirral Council] didn’t know what was being delivered for the money. In 2008 the work for the review covered cemeteries, golf courses, infrastructure and buildings. There had been enthusiasm injected over the past year. In total the £11 million of services had been reduced by £4 million. In July 2010 the contract had been exposed to the markets with no in-house bid. The cost effectiveness had been reviewed and in July 2011 the scope had been agreed which covered £8.1 million out of the original £11 million. The crematorium and golf courses had been excluded.

West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, Neighbourhood Plans, United Utilities roadworks (Hoylake) Part 3

Cllr Jeff Green started talking, but someone from the audience said they couldn’t hear him, so the wireless microphone was passed to him. He continued by thanking Tracey Smith and her team for the opportunities that local residents had been given to feed into Neighbourhood Plans. He wanted to make a point about the number of responses and the quality of responses. He said if you went to West Kirby Primary School, it would not be surprising if road safety especially speeding around schools was brought up. If they chatted to youngsters it was not suprising, however he was interested in the broader picture and not taking things for granted.

Resources were following the Neighbourhood Plans, which Cllr Green said were “only as good as the people who contributed” to them. He didn’t want a small number of people to set the agenda, as most people [present at the Area Forum] came to every one of the meetings. He asked Tracey if she agreed?

Tracey Smith, Senior Community Engagement Co-ordinator replied in the affirmative.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Gerry Ellis said that they should “take the opportunity” and that “the council would take some notice”. He said the “main attraction of the evening is Dave Green”. He also mentioned the display and that from Monday United Utilities would be digging up the road in Market Street and Birkenhead Road. There would be disruption to traffic.

Peter Cummings from United Utilities said the display illustrated the areas affected, but they would be working with Wirral Council’s Head of Traffic.

Deputy Mayor Cllr Gerry Ellis mentioned the work on the railway. Peter Cummings said the United Utilities work had been delayed. Deputy Mayor Gerry Ellis opened it up to the floor for questions.

West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, Neighbourhood Plans Part 2

Cllr Ellis asked Tracey Smith for an update on Neighbourhood Plans. Tracey Smith gave a brief Powerpoint presentation detailing the timetable, responses so far and community engagement that had been done. Based on the responses so far, she detailed the aspects people liked about the area and the things people though needed improving. The latter covered a range of issues which included parking, tolerance of young people, street lights, transport, the provision of dropped kerbs, refuse collections, activities for teenagers, the signage of the one-way system in Hoylake and road safety at a local primary school.

She said the online questionnaire ended on the 7th October and the findings would be produced in October or November. A report would go to the Area Forums who would each produce an action plan by November, which would be agreed at an Area Forum meeting. There was a special Area Forum planned for the 26th October at 6pm at Westbourne Hall, which would discuss the action plan and allocate Area Forum funding to organisations who had bid for it.

Cllr Ellis asked if there were any questions. A member of the public called John asked how are the focus groups selected. Tracey Smith said they had asked people to get in touch, for those groups that had got in touch they had gone out to speak to them.

A member of the public asked with only fifty-one questionnaires returned for the whole of West Kirby and Hoylake, wouldn’t it just be a snapshot?

Tracey Smith said she didn’t know about how many had been completed online, but the online version was closing on Friday.

West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, Melrose Hall, Introductions, Minutes, Bridge Court Part 1

Present:
Cllr Gerry Ellis (Chair)
Cllr David Elderton
Cllr Geoffrey Watt
Cllr Eddie Boult
Cllr John Hale

Officers:
Dave Green (Director of Technical Services)
David Ball instead of Kevin Adderley (Lead Officer)
Tracey Smith (Area Forum co-ordinator)

Partners:
Merseyside Police (Sgt Andy Carter)
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (Paul Murphy)

On a very windy night, about fifty members of the public were present at the start of the meeting. Cllr Ellis said the attendance at the Leasowe, Moreton and Saughall Massie Area Forum the previous evening had only been two, so he thanked people for coming despite the bad weather. He said there were some interesting questions. He introduced himself as Gerry Ellis, councillor for Hoylake and Meols ward. He then asked those present to introduce themselves. They introduced themselves as listed above except for Paul Murphy who said he had taken over from Myles Platt.

Cllr Ellis gave an apology for Cllr Green who had told him he was on his way but not wearing a suit. He handed over to Tracey Smith for the minutes and then asked if there were any matters arising.

Bridget asked about Bridge Court on page 5 which had been demolished and asked if it was possible it would become a new health centre? Cllr Ellis said there was nobody from the Primary Care Trust, Wirral Partnership Homes had cleared the site as it was not to required standards. The GPs were looking for an alternative site.

Cllr Jeff Green arrived.

Cllr Ellis said he had talked to Patrick, who was deputy head of Wirral Partnership Homes who had told him they were at an advanced stage over negotiations about letting, however they still had a way to go. If it works it would be wonderful as the surgery at the Concourse was not up to modern standards.

PACSPE: The saga continues (Wirral Council)

PACSPE: The saga continues (Wirral Council)

                                            

At a well attended Area Forum for West Wirral tonight, Cllr Jeff Green revealed that himself and Cllr Tom Harney (Leader of the Lib Dem councillors) have called in the Labour Cabinet decision of the 22nd September not to award the PACPSE (Parks and Countryside Spaces) contract.

I’ll write up more about the West Wirral Area Forum tomorrow which covered many interesting topics.