Incredible: how many more people will die early from air pollution as politicians delay?
Incredible: how many more people will die early from air pollution as politicians delay?
Mayor Joe Anderson Chair at a meeting of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority 21st April 2017
Air quality is an issue that affects everybody and is a cross-cutting theme that covers both the Combined Authority Mayoral election and the General Election.
The story so far is that the judiciary ruled that the government was not doing enough to combat air pollution. Air pollution was causing an estimated 40,000 early deaths a year.
The judgement published in November 2016 ([2016] EWHC 2740 (Admin)) pointed out that the 2015 Air Quality Plan had to be quashed and the government was required to come up with a new Air Quality Plan.
Despite having 5 months to come up with a new plan, now they want to delay matters by at least a further 2 months because of the General Election (followed by a consultation).
As a result of the court case, the government were required to publish a new Air Quality Plan by 4 pm yesterday (but didn’t), instead they have made an application to the court for an extension.
Who are the 6 candidates in the Claughton byelection (election of a councillor to Wirral Council)?
Who are the 6 candidates in the Claughton byelection (election of a councillor to Wirral Council)?
Councillor Denise Roberts’ death triggered the Claughton byelection
The nomination period is over and the six candidates in the Claughton byelection (for the election of one councillor to Wirral Council) are as follows (this list is alphabetic by surname).
EVANS David Robert Cynlais
22 Brancote Road, Claughton, CH43 6TJ Liberal Democrat
Nominated by Doyle, Francis M
HEYDON Liz
4 Quaile Park, Prenton, CH43 6WA Green Party
Nominated by Morgan, Michael P
JONES Beryl Rosina
108 Douglas Drive, Moreton, Wirral, CH46 6BY UK Independence Party
Nominated by Gray, Peter
SINCLAIR Barbara Vera
24 Frankby Road, West Kirby, Wirral, CH48 6EE Conservative Party Candidate
Nominated by Owens, Rowland
WHEDDON Leon Allen
26 Desmond Close, Wirral, CH43 9XN Trade Unionist and Socialist Coalition
Nominated by Lee, David
WOOD Gillian
74 Vaughan Road, Wallasey, CH45 1LP The Labour Party
Nominated by Davies, George
The election of a councillor to Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council will be combined with the poll for Metro Mayor. Polling day is 4th May 2017 (most people still vote at a polling station), although people registered for a postal vote may receive their ballot earlier than this.
Please if leaving a comment, a reminder that legal restrictions apply during the election period about statements about a candidates’ character or conduct. So please keep it civil (otherwise I will turn comments off on this post)!
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Why have Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service submitted a 2nd planning application for a Saughall Massie fire station?
Why have Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service submitted a 2nd planning application for a Saughall Massie fire station?
Cllr Dave Hanratty (on the right) and his posse 20th October 2015
A stranger rides in to Wirral Town in a thrilling Wild West tale about gold, greed, horses, the law and a land grab was the tale of how the pony club were turfed out of Moreton by Phil Davies and his gang. It was described as “this is not an appropriate action for a Local Authority landlord to take”, “accusation of dishonesty”, “gnawed at his professional conscience” and “unfortunate sequence of events” in an independent report (which has since mysteriously vanished) as to how the landlord had behaved.
However, Dave Hanratty and his posse were not taking no for an answer from Phil Davies’ gang this time!
The £300,000 for the land had been approved by Wirral Council councillors on the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority that were also on Wirral Council’s Planning Committee. The Planning Committee would decide which way the planning application was decided.
Of course, in the cosy world of politics, this was neither a conflict of interest that councillors had failed to make, nor a bribe, nor anything really that the public should know about as Dave Hanratty’s gang started going “Shhh!” whenever these matters were brought up.
In fact the public wouldn’t have known, except a brave and a squaw from the nearest reservation had made sure the public were told.
Had Dave Hanratty and his gang been foolish enough to not be diplomatic? Had lies been told to get the answers they wanted?
Dave Hanratty and his posse had had plenty of opportunity to turn back, but instead when the icebergs were spotted, he had given the order, “Full speed ahead!”.
Who will choose the lifeboats? Who will choose the violin? Keep watching over the next months to find out the thrilling end to this story!
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Why are the Conservatives opposing Wirral Council’s monthly Wirral View newspaper but not as vocal about Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority’s bi-monthly Hot News magazine?
Why are the Conservatives opposing Wirral Council’s monthly Wirral View newspaper but not as vocal about Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority’s bi-monthly Hot News magazine?
Councillor Lesley Rennie (background left) at a meeting of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority 26th January 2017 discussing Hot News
I watched the Sunday Politics show today in which Cllr Lesley Rennie states of Wirral Council’s Wirral View newspaper, “It’s a complete waste of public money.”
The presenter states, “Government rules state that any council papers can only be published quarterly but this one here has been printed every month.”
Later in that segment, Cllr Matthew Patrick states, “We’re actually spending less and being able to put money back into the Council for services.” In response to a further question he states, “We have a free press on the Wirral, it’s a great press and they hold us to account as they should do.”
Let’s just deal with these two issues, the legal one about the status of the Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity and then Councillor Matthew Patrick’s curious comment about costs.
The Code of Recommended Practice on Local Authority Publicity is clear on frequency as in paragraph 28 it states, “Where local authorities do commission or publish newsletters, newssheets or similar communications, they should not issue them more frequently than quarterly, apart from parish councils which should not issue them more frequently than monthly.” Just to be clear, Wirral Council is not a parish council.
With regards to the financial point, section 4 of the Cabinet report about the Wirral View newspaper outlining the costs states the net cost (after advertising is taken into account) is £79,980 this financial year, £152,160 next year, £143,580 in 2018-19 and £134,142 in 2019-20.
If the advertising targets aren’t reached the costs will be higher. However, just to be clear the amounts expected from advertising are lower than the costs meaning there is no money from it to “put back into the Council for services”.
However, a point that hasn’t been made so far, is that the Code also applies to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority. Cllr Lesley Rennie is one of the four Wirral Council representatives on the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority. Recently councillors discussed a bi-monthly colour magazine it produces called “Hot News” (the January-February 2017 issue can be read on their website).
So if Cllr Lesley Rennie is complaining about Wirral Council’s publication of Wirral View, why has she been so quiet about Hot News? Below is video of a public meeting of Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority when Hot News was discussed where Cllr Lesley Rennie is sitting next to a councillor talking about Hot News.
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Why did Wirral Council councillors vote for a just over 4.5% council tax rise?
Why did Wirral Council councillors vote for a just over 4.5% council tax rise?
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Cllr Phil Gilchrist (right) (Leader of the Liberal Democrat Group of councillors on Wirral Council) speaking at the Budget meeting of Wirral Council (6th March 2017)
It’s been misreported in the press that both Wirral Council and Liverpool City Council agreed a 4.99% council tax rise.
