A blog about Wirral Council's public meetings, Wirral Council's councillors, Bidston & St. James ward and other public bodies on Merseyside
Author: John Brace
New media journalist from Birkenhead, England who writes about Wirral Council.
Published and promoted by John Brace, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, CH43 7PH. Printed by UK Webhosting Ltd t/a Tsohost, 113-114 Buckingham Avenue, Slough, Berkshire, England, SL1 4PF.
At the weekend I scanned in the rest of the pages that define terms used in the contract (which come to a further 38 pages). This is from page 7 onwards. The next page after that deals with third-party rights.
The Wirral Schools Forum meets tomorrow evening to discuss where to find the £2.3 million of savings to its budget to pay for it. This is not because the price of the contract is going up considerably year on year, but because Wirral Council have decided to stop making a £2.3 million contribution to it each year. In total the annual contract payments are ~£11 million a year. Wirral Council receive an annual grant of £5.472 million towards this and a further £2.972 million from schools for the services under the contract (such as cleaning, caretaking et cetera). This leaves £2.586 million that in earlier years Wirral Council has paid, but next year has decided to cut its contribution by £2.3 million on top of a further £600,000 reduction this year.
Below are the definitions (from page 7 onwards) and the next page after that deals with third-party rights. Wirral Council plan to publish the complete contract by 31st December 2014 under a new transparency regime (imposed by central government).
Wirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 7 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 8 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 9 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 10 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 11 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 12 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 13 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 14 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 15 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 16 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 17 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 18 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 19 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 20 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 21 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 22 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 23 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 24 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 25 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 26 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 27 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 28 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 29 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 30 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 31 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 32 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 33 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 34 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 35 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 36 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 37 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 38 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 39 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 40 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 41 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 42 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 43 definitionsWirral Council Wirral Schools Services Limited PFI Contract page 44 1.3 Third Party Rights
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The first is to a Dr Gareth Vincenti (consultant psychiatrist) for a 2 hour medico-legal interview and assessment on 24th July 2013, charge for MMCI-III (10th September 2013), scrutiny of medical notes and other documentation as supplied (4 hours) and preparation of report (3 hours). This comes to £2,550 + VAT (total £3,060).
I’ve supplied both the original and a partly unredacted copy of this as the original is heavily redacted. My additions are in green.
The next five are all from Eversheds and range from Employment Tribunal claims, counsel fees, advice on governance and employment issues, strategic advice, employment and governance advice (appeals). The amounts of these are £1,408.03, £14,336.40, £4,098.00, £1,549.80 and £23,280.00.
There are also a further dozen HR related Eversheds invoices that I haven’t scanned in and included here with amounts ranging from £1,140 to £14,049.60 (inclusive of VAT). These further invoices are for (amounts are inclusive of VAT) advice on governance and employment issues (1/3/13 to 26/3/13) £4,811.74, employment advice (6/3/13 to 8/4/13) £14049.60, employment advice (22/4/13 to 21/5/13) £10,893.60, employment advice (22/5/13 to 29/7/13) £8,508.00, employment advice (22/7/13 to 9/8/13) £1,315.97, employment advice (11/8/13 to 24/9/13) £1,140.00, advice on governance and employment issues (4/11/13 to 8/11/13) £3,345.60, employment advice (6/11/13 to 3/12/13) £2,280.00, secondment (4/12/13 to 13/1/14) £2,850, advice on governance and employment issues (2/12/13 to 6/12/13) £1,722.00, employment advice (18/11/13 to 24/1/14) £7,800 and employment advice (14/1/14 to 25/2/14) £2354.88.
Wirral Council Dr Gareth Vincenti consultant psychiatrist £3060 31st December 2013Wirral Council Dr Gareth Vincenti consultant psychiatrist £3060 31st December 2013 partially unredactedWirral Council Eversheds £1408.23 21st May 2013 Employment Tribunal claims travel expenses photocopying charges 3rd April 2013 to 11 April 2013Wirral Council Eversheds £14336.40 25th September 2013 advice on governance and employment issues travel expenses counsel’s fees August 2013 to September 2013Wirral Council Eversheds £1549.80 24th January 2014 employment and governance advice appealsWirral Council Eversheds £4098 24th January 2014 employment advice strategic adviceWirral Council Eversheds £23280 26th February 2014 advice on governance and employment issues Counsels fees
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Wirral Council paid barrister £6,090 for 2 day planning inquiry hearing & 5 hours of work
Wirral Council paid barrister £6,090 for 2 day planning inquiry hearing & 5 hours of work
Below is a redacted invoice and a partially unredacted invoice. These relate to a planning application for land at the former Ellerman Lines Sports & Social Club, Carr Lane, Hoylake CH47 4AX.
On the 23rd November 2011, Wirral Council received a planning application for “The erection of 62 affordable homes together with associated works” ( planning application APP/11/01348 )
On the 26th April 2012, Wirral Council planning officers decided to refuse the planning application.
This decision was appealed to the Planning Inspectorate by Kirby Park Ltd C/O Agents, JASP Planning and the appeal was accepted on the 31st October 2012.
The invoice below (for £6,090) is for the junior barrister (Mr Jonathan Easton of Kings Chambers) who acted for Wirral Council at the two-day hearing. This is for £5,075 + VAT (total £6,090). I enclose two versions below. The original received from Wirral Council incorrectly redacted Jonathan Easton’s name and the address/planning reference for the inquiry (which is held in public).
The planning fee Wirral Council charged the developer for this application was £17,765. So at least what they got charged for legal advice and representation at the planning inquiry didn’t exceed this!
Wirral Council Jonathan Easton £6090 APP/W4325/A/12/2184753 17th March 2013
Wirral Council Johnathan Easton £6090 APP/W4325/A/12/2184753 17th March 2013 partially unredacted If you click on any of these buttons below, you’ll be doing me a favour by sharing this article with other people. Thanks:
The first (two A4 pages) is from Sharpe Pritchard (numbered 14), transaction 202652 from 2nd May 2013 for £25,698.
It’s dated 31st March 2013 and is for legal services in the matter of:- (the rest is blacked out) in the period January to March of 2013 totalling £15,540.
It carries over to a second page where it states it’s also for Counsel’s fees of £5,875 in the (blacked out) hearing.
These two amounts total £21,415.00. VAT of £4,283.00 is then added making a grand total of £25,698.00.
Sharpe Pritchard Invoice 1 Page 1 of 2 2nd May 2013 £25698 legal services HR Wirral CouncilSharpe Pritchard Invoice 1 Page 2 of 2 2nd May 2013 £25698 legal services HR Wirral Council
The next is also a two A4 page invoice, this time from Tim D N Kenward of 7 Harrington Street Chambers. It was dated 19th April 2013 and Wirral Council is the defendant in the case of Gregory Eyitene v Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. It is for £900 and relates to 19 pages of written advice and an amended draft letter (3 pages) that took 6 hours.
It also relates to a previously paid invoice of £1875.00 for an 18 pages submission on grounds of appeal, plus advice by telephone, email, perusal of documentation with regards to disciplinary proceedings.
This totals to £750 (£125/hour * 6) + VAT of £150 = £900. Colin Hughes was the solicitor at Wirral Council that dealt with this matter and the file reference is CJH/LHRAM/25270.
Tim D N Kenward Invoice 2 Page 1 of 2 7 Harrington Street Chambers 19th April 2013 Gregory Eyitene v Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council £900 written advice draft letterTim D N Kenward Invoice 2 Page 2 of 2 7 Harrington Street Chambers 19th April 2013 Gregory Eyitene v Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council £900 written advice draft letter
This is also a two A4 page invoice of Tim D N Kenward of 7 Harrington Street Chambers. It was dated 19th June 2013 and Wirral Council is the defendant in the case of Gregory Eyitene v Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. It is for £3,660.00.
This is for:
Skeleton argument 5 hours preparation £750 + VAT (£150) = £900
List of authorities and paginated bundle of authorities and letter to Employment Appeal Tribunal 2 hours £300 + VAT (£60) = £360
Brief on hearing listed and prepared for preliminary hearing – Prep 10 hours, travel 4 hours, waiting 15 minutes hearing 2 hours 15 minutes £2,000 + VAT (£400) = £2,400
Total: £3,660.00.
Tim D N Kenward Invoice 3 Page 1 of 2 7 Harrington Street Chambers 19th June 2013 Gregory Eyitene v Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council £3660 skeleton argument authorities Employment Appeal TribunalTim D N Kenward Invoice 3 Page 2 of 2 7 Harrington Street Chambers 19th June 2013 Gregory Eyitene v Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council £3660 skeleton argument authorities Employment Appeal Tribunal
This is an invoice from Sharpe Pritchard dated 18th July 2013 for £10,080. This is for legal services from April to May 2013 in the matter of (blacked out).
Sharpe Pritchard Invoice 4 Page 1 of 1 18th July 2013 £10080 legal services April to May 2013
This is an invoice from Jonathan Manning of Arden Chambers for £1,800 dated 26th July 2013. This is for 6 hours of advice given on the 8th March 2013 @ £250/hour (+VAT) in a “Determination of Employment” matter involving Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council. The blacked out bit of the line after DX 33016 is “CARDIFF”.
It appears a duplicate of invoice 6 but with more redaction.
Jonathan Manning Invoice 5 Page 1 of 1 Arden Chambers 26th July 2013 £1800 advice determination of employment
This is an invoice from Jonathan Manning of Arden Chambers for £1,800 dated 26th July 2013. This is for 6 hours of advice given on the 8th March 2013 @ £250/hour (+VAT) in a “Determination of Employment” matter involving Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council.
It appears a duplicate of invoice 5 but with more redaction.
Jonathan Manning Invoice 6 Page 1 of 1 Arden Chambers 26th July 2013 £1800 advice determination of employment
This is an interim invoice for £1,598.40 (including VAT) from Wilkin Chapman LLP. It was dated 16th October 2013 and is for advice to Wirral Council’s Monitoring Officer in August 2013.
Charges
It includes £1,190 (+VAT £238.00) total £1,428.00
Expenses
It includes an amount of £11.60 (+VAT of £2.30) total £13.80 for subsistence.
It also includes expenses for £130.50 (+VAT of £26.10) total £156.60. However the reason for this £156.60 is blacked out.
Wilkin Chapman LLP Invoice 7 Page 1 of 1 16th October 2013 advice to Monitoring Officer in August 2013 subsistence expenses £1598 40p
This is an invoice for £607.50 from Ruth Stockley of Kings Chamber for email advice (2.25 hours). She charges £225/hour (+VAT). The invoice dated 19th November 2013 and it’s to do with a planning case.
Ruth Stockley Invoice 8 Page 1 of 1 Kings Chambers 19th November 2013 email advice planning £607 50p
This is an invoice for £2,220.00 from Tim D N Kenward of 7 Harrington Street Chambers. It was dated 7th January 2014. Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council is the defendant.
It is for the following:
9/12/13 Respondents Notice (8 pages) £350
20/12/13 Skeleton Argument (19 pages) 4 hours £750
3/1/14 Written advice (11 pages)
Notice of application (2 pages)
Draft order (2 pages)
Statement in support of application (10 pages)
Total 4 hours £750
Total £1850
VAT £370
Total Due £2,220
Tim D N Kenward Invoice 9 Page 1 of 1 Harrington Street Chambers 7th January 2014 respondent s notice skeleton argument written advice notice of application draft order statement in support of application £2220
This is an invoice for a 1 year subscription from 2/4/14 to 1/4/15 for “Law of Food & Drugs” from LexisNexis. Invoice was dated 3rd March 2014 and is for £1659.
LexisNexis Invoice 10 Page 1 of 1 Law of Food and Drugs 1 Year subscription £1659
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2nd consultation response to Lyndale School closure consultation from Cllr Phil Gilchrist
2nd consultation response to Lyndale School closure consultation from Cllr Phil Gilchrist
Councillor Tony Smith at the Special Cabinet Meeting of 4th September 2014 to discuss Lyndale School L to R Cllr Stuart Whittingham, Cllr Tony Smith, Cllr Bernie Mooney, Lyndzay Roberts
I’m still awaiting a response to my FOI request made a week ago, but as my FOI requests get routinely sent to Wirral Council’s press office for final approval before I get a full response I’m not surprised.
Here is the second response I am publishing to the closure consultation. If you have responded to this consultation and would like me to publish your response (please tell me if you wish your published response to be anonymised) please email me at john.brace@gmail.com. I’ve linked to the Cabinet reports and Cabinet agenda item referred to by Cllr Phil Gilchrist in his consultation response for ease of reference.
From: Cllr Phil Gilchrist, 2 Gordon Avenue, Bromborough, CH62 6AL 334 1923
I object to the closure of The Lyndale School.
The Cabinet adopted funding arrangements which could be re-visited if there was a willingness to address the financial constraints imposed on the school. The report to Cabinet (Agenda Item 13 of 16th January 2014) included a number of comments that foresaw and helped create the financial straitjacket for the Lyndale School.
Section 2.5 made it clear that there was a need for any banded approach to..
‘recognise the resource intensive nature of making provision for those with the most profound and multiple difficulties ‘
The Cabinet report promised that the changes.
‘will be kept under review with regular reports to the Schools Forum’
Section 2.5 also raised the prospect that there would be.
..’a contingency fund which would be used to support specialist provision experiencing financial difficulties whilst future options are considered’
Section 2.7 described the Wirral banding model as seen by respondents to the consultation as…‘a reasonable starting point for development’
The aforementioned paragraphs suggested that there was a recognition that the authority was creating a system which needed reviewing and developing.
It was clearly reported that..
‘One respondent argued for a school specific top up significantly higher than the banding proposed because without it the school will not be financially viable next year.’ (2.7)
Instead of heeding the concerns raised the Cabinet adopted a funding arrangement which did not fully reflect the costs of providing the specialist provision valued by the parents of children at The Lyndale School..
During the consultation process covering the options for the future of The Lyndale School the parents made it clear that the school was meeting the needs of their children..
They did not wish to see the teamwork, the expertise of teaching staff and of the support staff at The Lyndale School fragmented and broken up. They made this point throughout.
There was an opportunity to ‘replicate’ the provision at The Lyndale, to plan and develop a modern unit that would have achieved this, but it was broached in a half hearted manner. The local authority seems determined to break up The Lyndale’s centre of expertise by sending the children to other schools.
The children will need the same high quality support in any new setting. The parents have remained unconvinced that this will be the case. They have put the needs of their children first and the authority should do likewise.
Cllr Phil Gilchrist 18th Nov 2014
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