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.

Planning Applications decisions Part 1 of 2

A quick round-up of recent planning application decisions affecting Bidston & St. James ward. The decisions below have been made by planning officers at Wirral Council. Further detail can be found by entering application numbers on Wirral Council’s website (enter these numbers in the Application Quick Search field) . The first batch are from 28th … Continue reading “Planning Applications decisions Part 1 of 2”

A quick round-up of recent planning application decisions affecting Bidston & St. James ward. The decisions below have been made by planning officers at Wirral Council. Further detail can be found by entering application numbers on Wirral Council’s website (enter these numbers in the Application Quick Search field) .

The first batch are from 28th July 2011 to 17th August 2011.

Application Number: APP/11/00674

Ward: Bidston & St. James ward

Decision Date: 4th August 2011

Case Officer: Mrs S Lacey

Applicant: Mr Haskayne

Agent: CS Planning Enforcement Solutions

Location: Unused Land, ST ANNES PLACE, BIRKENHEAD, CH41 4FQ

Proposal: Change of use of first floor to self-contained two bedroom flat

Application Type: Full Planning Permission

Decision Level: Delegated

Decision: Approve

Application Number: APP/11/00680

Ward: Bidston & St. James ward

Decision Date: 29th July 2011

Case Officer: Miss K Elliot

Applicant:

Agent: WCEC Architects

Location: Netto Food Store, STANLEY ROAD, BIRKENHEAD

Proposal: New ATM pod, new plant enclosure and new refrigeration plant

Application Type: Full Planning Permission

Decision Level: Delegated

Decision: Approve

Application Number: ADV/11/00681

Ward: Bidston & St. James ward

Decision Date: 29th July 2011

Case Officer: Miss K Elliot

Applicant:

Agent: W C E C Architects

Location: Netto Foodstores, STANLEY ROAD, BIRKENHEAD

Proposal: New freestanding, fascia, banner and window signage with Asda branding to be implemented

Application Type: Advertisement Consent

Decision Level: Delegated

Decision: Approve

Application Number: APP/11/00692

Ward: Bidston & St. James ward

Decision Date: 2nd August 2011

Case Officer: Miss S McIlroy

Applicant:

Agent:

Location: 60 HOYLAKE ROAD, BIDSTON, CH41 7BY

Proposal: Change from A1 to A2 (solicitors practice)

Application Type: Full Planning Permission

Decision Level: Delegated

Decision: Approve

Source used: <A HREF=”http://democracy.wirral.gov.uk/mgConvert2PDF.aspx?ID=20250″>Planning Committee (Wirral Council) 6/9/2011 item 11 PLANNING APPLICATIONS DECIDED UNDER DELEGATED
POWERS BETWEEN 28/07/2011 AND 17/08/2011</a>

Liberal Democrat Conference: 19th September 2011 Post Offices

I was listening to Ed Davey MP on Post Offices, some of the changes make sense. No one wants to see any more Post Offices close, but going from a “nationalised industry” to a “mutualised cooperative” is something I’m sure the unions won’t be happy with.

Taking nearby Hoylake Road Post Office as an example, there are three counters and usually two people working there. In addition there’s another person at a different counter that deals with anything you want to buy in the shop. Ed Davey said they’re trying out (through some pilot projects) everything being sold at the Post Office counter (which could cut costs making more Post Offices viable) whilst trialling self-service machines to cut down on queues.

Clearly queues is an issue that has been a greater problem since a several Post Offices in Birkenhead have been closed. Having used the Hoylake Road and Upton Road Post Offices in the last few months I think there’s only been one occasion when I didn’t have to queue.

I also remember the campaigns against Post Offices closures we ran a number of years ago. Paula Southwood campaigned in 2007 against the threatened post office closures in Spital and in Heswall. She put a lot of hard work into campaigning and getting petitions going.

In fact a year ago I tabled a question at the Liverpool conference in a session chaired by Lorely Burt MP about the future of the Post Office network. Hopefully any changes made will result in a better Post Office network and not the closures that happened under the previous Labour government.

I notice the next speaker after Ed Davey is also still taking up the Post Offices theme.

Local news: Teenager stabbed to death in Wirral Partnership Homes flat (Corporation Road)

I noticed the Birkenhead News and Wirral Globe story about the death of Darren Brewster (aged 17) from a knife attack last Thursday in Corporation Road.

The photo next to the article shows the block of WPH flats between Jamesbrook Close and the junction with Beaufort Road/Patten Street/Price Street.

Police have arrested and charged a 17-year old with murder, who appeared at Wirral Magistrate’s Court on Saturday.

10,000th visitor and Liberal Democrat Conference

The observant watchers of this blog will notice that the day before yesterday it had its 10,000th visitor. As it was my third wedding anniversary, I was spending time with my wife. Considering this blog was started only eleven months ago, in less than a year that’s pretty fantastic!

By the time this is published I should be (with Leonora) at the Liberal Democrat conference in Birmingham for the next few days. I’m not taking the laptop to Birmingham (relying on my notepad and camera instead).

As I don’t have a mobile phone with a decent keyboard, instead just relying on it in the traditional way for receiving and making phone calls, I’ll be writing up my experiences when I return. The conference will be shown on the BBC Parliament channel which you can watch live on BBC Iplayer or the TV if you want to see what’s happening at it.

Economy & Regeneration Overview and Scrutiny Committee 5th September 2011 Part 4 Budget Issues for Economy and Housing in 2012/2013

Kevin Adderley replied that the target for the last seven years was higher than the actual income. They could set the price that equated to the gap between the income target but it would require changing the whole system. Next year they would publish how much it costs and calculate and publish an estimate of planning fees. They would divide the total costs by the number of expected planning applications to derive at the fee. With no savings there would be a £500,000 shortfall. Cllr Hackett referred to 2.1 on page 35 about the capital program. He asked if he was correct that in respect of capital borrowing it equated to an increase in yearly revenue costs of 10% of the total amount borrowed?

Kevin Adderley answered yes, to borrow £9.63 million would cost £963,000 in interest a year. Cllr Hackett asked if it was possible to delay two schemes for two years? Cllr Mark Johnston said he was nervous about the minutiae and thought such matters fell within the role of the Council Excellence Overview and Scrutiny Committee to be discussed on another day. He wanted to hear all councillors. Cllr Hackett said he was only asking questions and that he wanted to help and advise in a unpartisan way which was surely the idea of scrutiny?

Cllr Hodson said they scrutinised decisions. He asked where the formula for planning fees was? Were they going to take the figures, divide by planning applications with no savings? Kevin Adderley said that was the government’s suggestion which was similar to the way Building Control had been operating since the start of the year. Cllr Hodson said he thought planning applications had dropped in number and asked for his views on the new planning rules. Kevin Adderley said there was a report to the next Cabinet meeting asking for views and a response. It would be a detailed report with suggestions.

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