Category: Cabinet

Cabinet – 17th March 2011 Part 1

Cllr Green welcomed people to the meeting and asked for any declarations of interest. Cllr Holbrook declared an interest in item 18 by nature of his employment with the Environment Agency. Cllr Green an interest in item 22. Cllr Green then gave an update on the judicial review (which was regarding the closure of Fernleigh … Continue reading “Cabinet – 17th March 2011 Part 1”

Cllr Green welcomed people to the meeting and asked for any declarations of interest. Cllr Holbrook declared an interest in item 18 by nature of his employment with the Environment Agency. Cllr Green an interest in item 22.

Cllr Green then gave an update on the judicial review (which was regarding the closure of Fernleigh Resource Centre). He said the claim had been withdrawn and there was no injunction. He thanked Bill Norman.

The Cabinet then considered the transfer of various community centres. It was agreed that Vale House in New Brighton be transferred to Vale House
Community Centre Limited. The decision regarding Delamere Community Centre was delayed to give time for the three ward councillors, Cllr Holbrook and Bill Norman to go over possible misunderstandings in the report.

The transfer of Noctorum Community Centre to Ridgeway High was agreed, extra finance was needed for the transfer of Heswall Hall/Alexander Hall which was agreed. The transfer of Overton Community Centre to Overton Community Centre Ltd was also agreed.

The budget projections for 2012-2015 were agreed. Item 4 ( the creation of a Revenues Section from merging the Council Tax and Miscellaneous Income Sections in Finance with the Personal Finance Section in Adult Social Services led to a question from Cllr Green about quality assurance. He was assured the quality of service would be the same after the merger. This item was then agreed.

Cabinet meeting (Wirral Council) 22/02/2011 Part 1 – the Conservative/Lib Dem budget cometh and Labour is not happy

Well yesterday the Conservative & Lib Dem Cabinet “unveiled” their Wirral Council budget for 2011/2012. Labour’s (opposition) budget will arrive by noon on Friday the 25th February.

Next Monday (1st March) the full Council will vote on the budget, although with 41 (yes I know it’s 42 including the Lib Dem Mayor but generally he doesn’t vote as he’s supposed to be politically neutral as part of his office) “progressive partnership” councillors to Labour’s 25 24 (edit – I sometimes forget Cllr. Knowles had switched from Labour to Tory and the independent Cllr Kirwan isn’t still with Wirral Council) councillors, I’m sure even Labour can do the maths and realise Labour’s budget will be defeated next Monday (with no need for Budget Part 2 on the evening of the 9th March) by around seventeen votes.

Can you see which bits of the Budget are from the Lib Dem side and which from the Conservative side? Yes you can see “the seams” between the two halves as we continue to be two independent political parties with minds and policy making processes of our own. If you look really hard you can see the bits influenced by yours truly and others (for example the 4-year rolling programme for 20 mph residential zones discussed last year by the party when Cllr Quinn was Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Transport) now carried forward by Cllr Rennie.

One Lib Dem policy coming into play is the pupil premium which means about £5 million extra for Wirral Schools to spend on children on free school meals, looked after children and service children. You should’ve heard the “wails of anguish” at the Wirral Schools Forum from headmasters/headmistresses from the more prosperous parts of the Borough when they realised £5 million would be spent on improving the educational chances of the most needy! Clearly Wirral is a place of large social divides and the extra money will be a welcome boost to the schools in Bidston & St. James.

So what may you ask is “in the budget”? Well, first to deal with the elements of the council tax that are made up by Merseyside Police’s budget and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s budget. Both Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service froze their contributions from Council Tax compared to last year (2010/2011).

Due to increased costs and inflation (as well as a high proportion of its costs being on staff), Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service will be cutting some jobs. Their Chief Exec/treasurer explains the situation in a self-styled “podcast” (I don’t think he quite knows what a podcast is but I have to give them a few marks for trying), which unfortunately with my browser Firefox either opens a blank black window or six video windows of him at once creating an echo effect so I’ve uploaded it to Youtube (which has slightly better audio quality than five echoes).

For the purposes of any copyright lawyers out there, as the work has been made previously available to the public (and still is on Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s website at this location), this is classed as “fair dealing” under s.30 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is being done for the purpose of news reporting (and making sure you can hear what the speaker says).

Quite why councillors on Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service left it to an officer to record a video to explain the cuts is a mystery I’m sure my humble readers can enlighten me on in the comments section (or maybe I’ll just ask Cllr Ellis, Cllr Niblock, Cllr Rennie or Cllr Roberts next time I see them).

Cathcart Street Primary School – Cabinet will decide on £1.8 million investment next Thursday

It’s always good to have a good news story about matters in Bidston & St. James. Next Thursday at Wallasey Town Hall Wirral’s Cabinet, made up of Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors will decide whether to spend £1.8 million on Cathcart Street Primary School.

As reported on this blog last year the decision to close nearby Cole Street Primary School will mean some of its pupils will be joining Cathcart Street Primary School.

A detailed Scheme and Estimate Report, picture of what the proposed changes will look like, compared to the current building, existing floor plan and proposed altered floor plan are all available to view by following these links.

If approved next Thursday and agreed by the Planning Committee (or planning officers), work will start in May and (hopefully) be complete by the time of the next school year in September. Due to the closure of nearby St. Laurence’s Primary School, if this scheme is agreed the existing Children’s Centre at St. Laurence’s will be relocated to the Cathcart Primary School site. This scheme includes:-

  • Alterations and small extensions to improve the pupil toilet and cloakroom provision
  • Dry lining the existing internal walls to conceal the exposed brickwork and block-work and to improve acoustic properties
  • Alterations to the internal room layout to provide practical resource areas adjacent to classrooms and to improve internal circulation
  • Provision of a hygiene room for pupils with disabilities
  • Improved office and reception facilities and a new entrance area
  • Refurbishment of all toilet provision for both pupils and staff
  • Redecoration and new floor finishes throughout
  • Replacement of the existing high level clerestory windows
  • Complete replacement of the roof covering with improved insulation levels to reduce heat loss
  • A secure external covered play area adjacent to the Foundation classrooms
  • Replacement boilers and heat emitters
  • Additional classroom ventilation
  • New energy efficient lighting
  • New fire and intruder alarms
  • CCTV security system
  • New fencing throughout to improve the security and appearance of the site

In yet another good news story for Cathcart Street, Lib Dem MPs in government have agreed to give schools an extra £430/year for every child on free school meals and those in foster care or who have been adopted. This extra money, which will go directly to schools will mean over £5 million extra money being spent across Wirral helping schools such as Cathcart Street and other schools in Bidston & St. James.

Looking back – Top ten most popular stories

Looking back – Top ten most popular stories

Looking back – Top ten most popular stories

                                         

In a matter of weeks this blog has been viewed over a thousand times (which compared to the traffic other new (and established) blogs get is quite astounding).

The most popular pages have been the homepage (naturally) and a page about myself. The top ten most popular stories have been:-

1. A story about housing policy, Wirral Partnership Homes and a Labour Party donation
2. A story about another Lib Dem policy announcing that ID cards have finally been scrapped
3. A report of a full Council meeting featuring one of my local Labour councillors
4. A report on the Cabinet meeting of the 14th October last year as well as the twists and turns of the Sail Project
5. A report on the Planning Committee Site Visit to Upton Road, Bidston
6. Yesterday’s story about councillors visiting Tam O’Shanter Farm (just up the road)
7. A story about the satellite tracking of gritters
8. Freedom of Speech & Censorship – Time Labour said sorry for the cuts
9. Wirral’s Future: Be a Part of It – the massive public consultation last year
10. Standards and why we need them at Wirral Council

Casino in Birkenhead? Cabinet decides next week.

Casino in Birkenhead? Cabinet decides next week.

                                                                 

Having reread the agenda for next week’s Cabinet meeting specifically item 4 I notice there’s a plan to sell off two pieces of land that provide revenue through on-street car parking to a William Tar Holdings Limited for eventual use as a casino.

Even more worryingly the developer already has Planning Permission from 2008 (which was amended this year). I know Birkenhead already has one casino; but does it need another?

Birkenhead Town Centre has already lost two large council car parks to the Asda development and whereas I would always encourage people to use public transport (this area is well serve with Conway Park train station and the bus station); is a casino right for Birkenhead? What do the users of Europa Pools leisure centre think of car parking spaces going; will any Blue Badge spaces be replaced elsewhere?

Are councillors trying to make Birkenhead like Blackpool or Las Vegas? There are many people in Birkenhead who have gambling problems; won’t the presence of a new casino just make things worse?

As the planning permission expires in March 2011 is this being rushed through before Christmas?

Update: The Cabinet eventually decided against the idea of another casino in Birkenhead. However there is one planned for New Brighton if you are interested.