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.

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24/11/2011 Part 2, Minutes (3/11/2011) Strike arrangements for 30th November

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on the 3rd November 2011 were agreed. Cllr Steve Foulkes asked for an officer to give an update on the first item of Any Other Business. Chris Hyams said they had received notification of a twenty-four hour strike on the 30th November due to change to pension arrangements. … Continue reading “Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24/11/2011 Part 2, Minutes (3/11/2011) Strike arrangements for 30th November”

The minutes of the Cabinet meeting held on the 3rd November 2011 were agreed.

Cllr Steve Foulkes asked for an officer to give an update on the first item of Any Other Business.

Chris Hyams said they had received notification of a twenty-four hour strike on the 30th November due to change to pension arrangements. She reeled off a list of unions including UNISON, GMB, UNITE, NAT, NASUWT and others. She also said a number of trade unions not recognised by Wirral Council were involved too.

They had put in place appropriate arrangements as detailed in the Emergency Plan. All contacts had been asked in or to make themselves available on the day of the strike. She explained one of these employees had strike exemption. There would be Gold level planning at the regional level. A number of criteria meant some employees were given a strike exemption such as services that affect “life and limb”. By Monday 28th November 2011 they would finalise the posts covered. Services such as the Emergency Duty Team & Central Action and Duty Team (Out of Hours) were exempt from the strike, as were staff providing minimum cover at children’s and residential homes.

There were also a number of personal exemptions by the trade unions for example pregnant women or those who’d received notice they would retire in the next twelve months. There would be an impact on schools, some would close, especially as the headteacher’s union had voted for a strike. There was a Department for Education deadline of Friday 24th November. There was an issue about reporting arrangements for those who were not part of a trade union or don’t choose to strike.

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24th November 2011 Declarations of Interest Part 1

Present:
Cllr Steve Foulkes (Chair) (Finance and Best Value)
Cllr Chris Meaden (Culture, Tourism and Leisure)
Cllr Harry Smith (Streetscene & Transport Services)
Cllr Ann McLachlan (Children’s Services & Lifelong Learning)
Cllr Anne McArdle (Social Care & Inclusion)
Cllr Jean Stapleton (Community & Customer Engagement)
Cllr Adrian Jones (Corporate Resources)
Cllr Phil Davies (Regeneration & Planning Strategy)
Cllr George Davies (Housing & Community Safety)
Cllr Brian Kenny (Environment)

Cllr Steve Foulkes started the meeting at 6.15pm saying he was going to take three items of Any Other Business first as they were urgent. He was pre-warning people. He wanted a verbal update on the one day strike. Cllr George Davies had an announcement to make on housing funding and he wanted a quick verbal on issues about gas supplies in Leasowe and Moreton East, as well as a further future report on the lessons learnt.

Cllr Jeff Green said there was speculation surrounding the Serious Fraud Office investigation.
Cllr Steve Foulkes said he had not been informed that the situation had changed, although he was aware of some things.

He asked for declarations of interest.

Cllr Phil Davies declared an interest in item 12 as he was a trustee of the Wirral Food bank, however as he was not a Council appointed trustee, he asked Bill Norman for advice as to whether the interest was personal or prejudicial.
Bill Norman replied that in his opinion it was personal, not prejudicial.
Cllr Chris Meaden declared an interest in item 5 (Annual Children’s Services Assessment 2011) because of her daughter’s employment.

Standards Committee (Wirral Council) (30th November 2011) cancelled

The Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee has agreed that the scheduled 30th November meeting of the Standards Committee is to be cancelled because (according to a letter sent out today from Bill Norman to councillors and independent members of the Standards Committee) “there is insufficient business to be transacted, at the current time“.

Also on 30th November 2011 will be the strikes by various public sector unions. Quite how Wirral Council will cope (or whether many services will just cease functioning on 30th November) remains to be seen.

Cllr Harry Smith Goes Back To School – S P E E D I N G

Harry Smith goes back to school

I’m always interested what my local councillor, Cllr Harry Smith is up to. According to a Wirral Council press release he’s been photographed at Greasby Junior School in an event run by Merseyside Police and Wirral Council.

Cllr Harry Smith was there to learn about speeding outside Greasby Junior School. A group of adults speeding past the school were invited in to be grilled by schoolchildren. Each adult was talked to by the children for an average of twenty minutes each (nine in total). This was part of Road Safety Week. Three other adults received three penalty points and a £60 fine. Cllr Harry Smith was there in his capacity as a councillor, he was not one of the adults who’d been speeding.

John Brace said, “I have campaigned on many road safety campaigns over the years and am always pleased when the issue of speeding is highlighted. Children are more vulnerable to speeding traffic than adults and it is irresponsible of drivers to speed past schools. The road outside a local primary school, Gautby Road outside Gautby Road Primary School is in a 20 miles per an hour zone. So are many other local schools.

However, it requires greater enforcement by Merseyside Police of the existing laws if a few careless motorists will be deterred from their risky behaviour. As the Labour-led Merseyside Police Authority has cut the police budget this year by many millions of pounds, it will become increasingly hard for local police to respond to resident’s concerns in this matter.”

Employment & Appointments Committee (Wirral Council) 23/11/2011 Part 2 Minutes, Delivering the Investment Strategy

Chris Hyams was going to respond but Cllr Jeff Green carried on talking. He asking if he would be hearing soon and referred to comments made at a previous meeting by Jim Wilkie, Chief Executive that they would be moving ahead with the timetable.

Cllr Adrian Jones asked if they were ok and happy for him to sign the minutes? The committee were, and Cllr Adrian Jones signed the minutes of the meeting of the 29th September 2011 and the minutes of the meeting held on the 13th October 2011.

Cllr Adrian Jones moved the meeting to agenda item 3 – Delivering the Investment Strategy but referred to the red pen he had used to sign the minutes.

Kevin Adderley went into the detail of the report and how the title of the post had changed. It had been funded on a temporary basis since April 2010, but was “vital for the Enterprise Zone, offshore wind farm and Peel Holdings”.

Cllr Adrian Jones asked if there were any questions.
Cllr Jeff Green said he had missed the briefing, was it in the Budget?
Cllr Steve Foulkes mentioned a report on structure that had gone to Cabinet.

Kevin Adderley said yes, resources were available in the current allocation.

Cllr Jeff Green asked about the role of the person, specifically what would be the role in terms of a series of successful environmental businesses? He said these were now cottage industries, but if they were linked as an area it would encourage more investment.