FOI request reveals Wirral Council issued 168 Fixed Penalty Notices (mainly for alleyway dumping)

FOI request reveals Wirral Council issued 168 Fixed Penalty Notices (mainly for alleyway dumping)

FOI request reveals Wirral Council issued 168 Fixed Penalty Notices (mainly for alleyway dumping)

                                                           

Wirral Council Environmental Streetscene Services Contract page 122 Schedule 2 - Nominees to the Partnering Agreements

Yesterday, Wirral Council responded to a Freedom of Information Act request I made last month for minutes of the meetings of the Partnering Board (which comprises of Wirral Council and Biffa Waste Services Limited) for the last year.

The minutes of the Partnering Board meetings of the 10th March 2015, 18th December 2014, 21st October 2014 and 14th July 2014 contain some interesting information.

Below are extracts from the minutes that hopefully will be of wider public/political interest starting with the meeting held on the 14th July 2014. I have submitted an internal review request to Wirral Council for the minutes without the names of Wirral Council employees redacted. RE stands for Roger Edwards, FPN stands for fixed penalty notices, MS stands for Mark Smith, Cllr BM for Councillor Bernie Mooney and VO stands for variation order.

2. ANNUAL REVIEW
….
Noted garden waste has now exceeded last year’s figure and hope to get to 40,000 properties. RE queried about incentives for signing up however XX noted we have to be very careful as the £5 reduction online has raised objections by some residents and opposition members and that XX is exploring alternative cost effective payment mechanisms. However, XX advised we can market to people who signed up last year who have not signed up this year and there are around 3,000 who have not re-signed.

Street Cleansing
….
The Entry Investigation Team has been introduced and 28 FPNs have been issued as a result of this.

7. AOB

Possible Industrial Action Update
RE updated that Biffa offered pay settlement to the workforce of 1.8% in line with RPI – the request from the workforce was 6%. RE advised the workforce have decided to ballot for industrial action before any decision made. RE is working hard to resolve this situation. The industrial action is planned for Fri 18 July.

There are parts of the minutes of the meeting held on the 21st October 2014 that will be of wider interest too:

Managing Down Demand – Missed Collections

XX have been looking at all the missed bin calls we had in for 2010-14 and the breakdown of unjustified (which was about half) to give an idea of the proportion of calls coming in. The 3 main reasons for unjustified bins are: bin not out, entry work and access issues. Disputes occur where resident is told the PDA said bin not out and they disagree. XX wants to look at the dispute figures and drill down i.e. is it the resident at fault, is it the crew not using the PDA properly etc. When a resident does not agree with PDA data this causes a lot of work in the back office. There could be an education issue here reminding residents that 7am is the time rounds start and the crews can come to roads at different times each week.

If we do some re-training around contamination to show the importance of the PDA and show the impact of not using the PDA correctly that should be beneficial. RE noted if we do not have confidence in the PDA data then everything else becomes difficult.”


Alleyway Dumping

XX advised had over 600 referrals for the Waste Investigate Unit (WIU) and issued 168 FPNs to mainly the Seacombe/Birkenhead areas. XX noted we need to do some work around where issuing the FPNs. 5 court cases regarding litter have gone well with the offenders being fined and this information is on the Council website. XX hoping to do full leaflet drop to relevant properties to say what we are doing and what success we have had. Currently drafting up a second leaflet to get out before Christmas to all terraced properties to highlight the good work we have been doing.

XX noted some new anti-social behaviour laws which are coming out and she is looking if we can go down this route with landlords. XX going to be looking at the licensing scheme and if we can make that work for us by adding in further conditions (Selective Licensing scheme). MS noted when speak to Senior Members of the Council enforcement is now an issue they are behind it. Noted 260 good neighbourhood packs have gone out to a variety of areas.”

From the meeting held on the 18th December 2014:

Alleyway Dumping

XX advised the Waste Investigation Unit are doing a fantastic job. XX noted an incident where a disgruntled member of the public, because of his threatening behavior, was issued with an ASBO. Main issue is the Courts are only letting us take 5 cases a week. Legal services need to approach the courts to get more time to hear more cases. XX plans to do another leaflet drop after Christmas to highlight to the public the financial costs of failing to manage their waste responsibly, or through ignoring fixed penalty charges. XX next steps are to meet the selective licensing team. Birkenhead and Seacombe have been identified as a selective licensing areas which means we can prescribe to landlords what they must do re bins and as Birkenhead and Seacombe are where the most is, it is hoped this will have a significant impact over time.”

Transparency Code

The code is about being more transparent about what we publish for the public to see and waste collection is one of the things requiring more details including publishing a version of the contract. XX are going to look at refreshing the contract, redacting certain bits and then send to Biffa to consider. Agreed a good idea would be a half day session with both parties to look at updating and modernizing the contract.”

Finally from the meeting held on the 10th March 2015.

Action Log

50 Street Cleansing Transitional Money

MS advised there is £116,000 available. XX is currently working on a briefing note recommending how that money could be used. MS has the authority to spend this money however he would get endorsement from Cllr BM first.

64 Benchmarking Data

XX advised some of the information required is deemed as commercially sensitive and there is a strong reluctance to share this information at the moment. MS felt we do need to be getting to a stage where we have the mechanism in place to demonstrate value for money from this contract. XX also safeguard the financial position of Biffa. XX to send through further details to XX & SC showing exactly what it is we are looking for.

67. Contract under the Transparency Code

XX has started this piece of work. By the end of April we have to publish the contract on Council website. XX noted his intention to incorporate the VOs and XX send to Biffa to redact the finance. XX commented that there are inaccuracies in the contract in relation to execution on the ground but nothing of serious concern. MS noted as we are signing off a significant VO if there are any anomalies we need to resolve them before we publish.

CONTRACT PERFORMANCE OVERVIEW

SC queried whether there had been any thought about the garden waste service passing to Biffa? MS advised if Biffa want to put an offer to the Council formally they were welcome to.

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Why did a £1 million street cleaning budget saving at Wirral Council end up actually costing £875,919?

Why did a £1 million street cleaning budget saving at Wirral Council end up actually costing £875,919?

Why did a £1 million street cleaning budget saving at Wirral Council end up actually costing £875,919?

                                                                                        

A litter bin on Hoylake Road from 2012 (thumbnail)
A litter bin on Hoylake Road

Last year, after requesting the Biffa contract during the audit, I published the part that related to street cleansing.

What Wirral Council failed to give me then were the extra pages that had varied the street cleansing part of the contract from 1st July 2013 to try to save a million pounds.

Here was what was in the original contract under minimum cleansing frequencies:

7.6 Minimum Cleansing Frequencies

7.6.1 The minimum Cleansing frequencies required by the Council at each location shall be in accordance with that outlined below and the appropriate zoning allocation.

Zone Frequency
Manual Mechanical
1 Daily Weekly
2 Weekly Fortnightly
3 Monthly Monthly
4 Monthly Quarterly

The alleyways were (before July 2013) being cleaned every four weeks as detailed in this part of the contract:

Continue reading “Why did a £1 million street cleaning budget saving at Wirral Council end up actually costing £875,919?”

EXCLUSIVE: 155 invoices paid by Wirral Council in 2013/14 for legal services, external audit, physiotherapy and psychological assessments

EXCLUSIVE: 155 invoices paid by Wirral Council in 2013/14 for legal services, external audit, physiotherapy and psychological assessments

EXCLUSIVE: 155 invoices paid by Wirral Council in 2013/14 for legal services, external audit, physiotherapy and psychological assessments

                                                              

Below are 155 of the invoices I requested during the 2013/14 audit. They range from invoices to the Council’s external auditor Grant Thornton UK LLP, criminal work, a couple of judicial reviews, appealing an ICO decision notice to the First Tier Tribunal (Information Rights) as well as a lot of times Wirral Council have taken parents to court about their children. Some of these invoices I’ve previously written about on this blog, such as about the invoice about appealing the ICO decision notice. Turns out now I look at it more carefully there was a further invoice for £1,008 from February 2014 in that matter too.

Some of the others I’ve already on the blog as I received them in August 2014. However I didn’t publish them in August because I’ve had to go through a process of blacking out all the names (and partial names) of children and parents.

Added in green to many invoices are the representative (where known) from the list of payments in 2013/14 greater than £500. I’ve also added back in (on some) text which has been obscured by information blacked out on double-sided pages and bled through.

There is an index to all 155 invoices that can be downloaded here. I’ve tried to use the following file format when naming each file “Wirral Council invoice” followed by representative/organisation, amount, date, page number where there are multiple pages for the same invoice followed by invoice number.

Invoices 73 & 74 aren’t published here as they were cancelled and replaced by invoices 75 & 76. There is another batch of invoices I have yet to scan in, which is a mix of invoices for legal services and other general invoices. Below you should find all 155 invoices.

Wirral Council invoice Capita Health and Wellbeing Limited £520 Page 1 of 3 18th March 2013 1
Wirral Council invoice Capita Health and Wellbeing Limited £520 Page 1 of 3 18th March 2013 1
Wirral Council invoice Capita Health and Wellbeing Limited £520 Page 2 of 3 18th March 2013 1
Wirral Council invoice Capita Health and Wellbeing Limited £520 Page 2 of 3 18th March 2013 1
Wirral Council invoice Capita Health and Wellbeing Limited £520 Page 3 of 3 18th March 2013 1
Wirral Council invoice Capita Health and Wellbeing Limited £520 Page 3 of 3 18th March 2013 1
Wirral Council invoice The Lucy Faithfull Foundation £699.31 28th March 2013 2
Wirral Council invoice The Lucy Faithfull Foundation £699.31 28th March 2013 2
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings £10,344 page 1 of 2 15th March 2013 3
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings £10,344 page 1 of 2 15th March 2013 3

Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings £10,344 page 2 of 2 15th March 2013 3

Wirral Council invoice Peta M L Harrison St Johns Buildings £1,548 23rd March 2013 4

Wirral Council invoice Peta M L Harrison St Johns Buildings £552 15th March 2013 5

Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings £1,320 18th March 2013 6
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings £1,320 18th March 2013 6

Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings £3,792 20th March 2013 7

Wirral Council invoice David Garside St Johns Buildings £840 8th March 2013 8

Wirral Council invoice Remy Zentar St Johns Buildings £1,488 25th March 2013 9

Wirral Council invoice Kerry Daynes psychological report £680.04 29th January 2013 10

Wirral Council invoice Forepsych Limited psychological assessment report £688.35 3rd February 2013 11
Wirral Council invoice Forepsych Limited psychological assessment report £688.35 3rd February 2013 11
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings £576 2nd April 2013 12
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings £576 2nd April 2013 12
Wirral Council invoice Remy Zentar St Johns Buildings £1,800 27th March 2013 13
Wirral Council invoice Remy Zentar St Johns Buildings £1,800 27th March 2013 13
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard £25,698 31st March 2013 Page 1 of 2 14
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard £25,698 31st March 2013 Page 1 of 2 14
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard £25,698 31st March 2013 Page 2 of 2 14
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard £25,698 31st March 2013 Page 2 of 2 14
Wirral Council invoice Gail A Owen St Johns Buildings £2,928 9th April 2013 15
Wirral Council invoice Gail A Owen St Johns Buildings £2,928 9th April 2013 15
Wirral Council invoice Nicola Miles 7 Harrington St Chambers £2,130 9th April 2013 16
Wirral Council invoice Nicola Miles 7 Harrington St Chambers £2,130 9th April 2013 16
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 9th April 2013 £792 17
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 9th April 2013 £792 17
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 11th April 2013 £864 18
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 11th April 2013 £864 18
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 16th April 2013 £720 19
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 16th April 2013 £720 19
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 16th April 2013 £1,032 20
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 16th April 2013 £1,032 20
Wirral Council invoice Dr Jennifer Ashcroft JJ Ashcroft Clinical Psychology Services Ltd 7th April 2013 £900.75 21
Wirral Council invoice Dr Jennifer Ashcroft JJ Ashcroft Clinical Psychology Services Ltd 7th April 2013 £900.75 21
Wirral Council invoice Gail A Owen St Johns Buildings 26th April 2013 £591.36 22
Wirral Council invoice Gail A Owen St Johns Buildings 26th April 2013 £591.36 22
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 20th April 2013 £600 23
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 20th April 2013 £600 23
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Bellamy St Johns Buildings 25th April 2013 £511.68 24
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Bellamy St Johns Buildings 25th April 2013 £511.68 24
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 26th April 2013 £528 25
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 26th April 2013 £528 25
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th April 2013 Page 1 of 2 £900 26
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th April 2013 Page 1 of 2 £900 26
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th April 2013 Page 2 of 2 £900 26
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th April 2013 Page 2 of 2 £900 26
Wirral Council invoice Remy Zentar St Johns Buildings 23rd April 2013 £936 27
Wirral Council invoice Remy Zentar St Johns Buildings 23rd April 2013 £936 27
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 2nd May 2013 £672 28
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 2nd May 2013 £672 28
Wirral Council invoice DMM Psychology Ltd 8th March 2013 £1660.80 29
Wirral Council invoice DMM Psychology Ltd 8th March 2013 £1660.80 29
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 8th May 2013 £823.68 30
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 8th May 2013 £823.68 30
Wirral Council invoice Rebecca Smith St Johns Buildings 8th May 2013 £720 31
Wirral Council invoice Rebecca Smith St Johns Buildings 8th May 2013 £720 31
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 9th May 2013 £1200 32
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 9th May 2013 £1200 32
Wirral Council invoice Rebecca Smith St Johns Buildings 9th May 2013 £720 33
Wirral Council invoice Rebecca Smith St Johns Buildings 9th May 2013 £720 33
Wirral Council invoice Benjamin Lawrence St Johns Buildings 13th May 2013 £787.50 34
Wirral Council invoice Benjamin Lawrence St Johns Buildings 13th May 2013 £787.50 34
Wirral Council invoice Advanced Childcare Assessments Limited 30th April 2013 £2,641.20 35
Wirral Council invoice Advanced Childcare Assessments Limited 30th April 2013 £2,641.20 35
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 15th May 2013 Page 1 of 2 £528 36
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 15th May 2013 Page 1 of 2 £528 36
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 15th May 2013 Page 2 of 2 £528 36
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 15th May 2013 Page 2 of 2 £528 36
Wirral Council invoice Louis Browne Exchange Chambers 15th May 2013 £3445.74 37
Wirral Council invoice Louis Browne Exchange Chambers 15th May 2013 £3445.74 37
Wirral Council invoice Claire Grundy St Johns Buildings 14th May 2013 £1800 38
Wirral Council invoice Claire Grundy St Johns Buildings 14th May 2013 £1800 38
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard 17th May 2013 £640 39
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard 17th May 2013 £640 39
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Building 17th May 2013 £1200 40
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Building 17th May 2013 £1200 40
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Building 17th May 2013 £528 41
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Building 17th May 2013 £528 41
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Building 21st May 2013 £576 42
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Building 21st May 2013 £576 42
Wirral Council invoice Cerys Williams St Johns Building 22nd May 2013 £2454.72 43
Wirral Council invoice Cerys Williams St Johns Building 22nd May 2013 £2454.72 43
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Building 24th May 2013 £768 44
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Building 24th May 2013 £768 44
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Building 28th May 2013 £811.29 Page 1 of 2 45
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Building 28th May 2013 £811.29 Page 1 of 2 45
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Building 28th May 2013 £811.29 Page 2 of 2 45
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Building 28th May 2013 £811.29 Page 2 of 2 45
Wirral Council invoice Simon Maddison St Johns Building 23rd May 2013 £1260 46
Wirral Council invoice Simon Maddison St Johns Building 23rd May 2013 £1260 46
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 31st May 2013 £607.48 47
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 31st May 2013 £607.48 47
Wirral Council invoice Document Technology Limited 10th May 2013 £569.58 48
Wirral Council invoice Document Technology Limited 10th May 2013 £569.58 48
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 4th June 2013 £849.60 49
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 4th June 2013 £849.60 49
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 10th June 2013 £993.60 50
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 10th June 2013 £993.60 50
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 11th June 2013 £799.68 51
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 11th June 2013 £799.68 51
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 13th June 2013 £2,208.96 52
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 13th June 2013 £2,208.96 52
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 14th June 2013 £63,504 53
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 14th June 2013 £63,504 53
Wirral Council invoice Catherine Rimmer St Johns Buildings 17th June 2013 £504 54
Wirral Council invoice Catherine Rimmer St Johns Buildings 17th June 2013 £504 54
Wirral Council invoice Stephen J Bedford St Johns Buildings 17th June 2013 £1,584 55
Wirral Council invoice Stephen J Bedford St Johns Buildings 17th June 2013 £1,584 55
Wirral Council invoice Stephen J Bedford St Johns Buildings 19th June 2013 £1,584 56
Wirral Council invoice Stephen J Bedford St Johns Buildings 19th June 2013 £1,584 56
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 25th June 2013 £552 57
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 25th June 2013 £552 57
Wirral Council invoice The Association of Electoral Administration 14th May 2013 £3,556.25 58
Wirral Council invoice The Association of Electoral Administration 14th May 2013 £3,556.25 58
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £960 59
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £960 59
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £4,910.40 Page 1 of 2 60
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £4,910.40 Page 1 of 2 60
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £4,910.40 Page 2 of 2 60
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £4,910.40 Page 2 of 2 60
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £523.20 61
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 1st July 2013 £523.20 61
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th June 2013 Page 1 of 2 £3,660 62
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th June 2013 Page 1 of 2 £3,660 62
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th June 2013 Page 2 of 2 £3,660 62
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington St Chambers 19th June 2013 Page 2 of 2 £3,660 62
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 3rd July 2013 £849.60 63
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 3rd July 2013 £849.60 63
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 28th May 2013 £3,264 Page 1 of 2 64
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 28th May 2013 £3,264 Page 1 of 2 64
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 28th May 2013 £3,264 Page 2 of 2 64
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 28th May 2013 £3,264 Page 2 of 2 64
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 12th July 2013 65 £1,440 65
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 12th July 2013 65 £1,440 65
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 12th July 2013 £552 66
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 12th July 2013 £552 66
Wirral Council invoice Gaynor Lloyd St Johns Buildings 12th July 2013 £1822.08 67
Wirral Council invoice Gaynor Lloyd St Johns Buildings 12th July 2013 £1822.08 67
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard 18th July 2013 £10,080 68
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard 18th July 2013 £10,080 68
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 25th July 2013 £696 69
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 25th July 2013 £696 69
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 25th July 2013 page 1 of 2 £7344 70
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 25th July 2013 page 1 of 2 £7344 70
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 25th July 2013 page 2 of 2 £7344 70
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 25th July 2013 page 2 of 2 £7344 70
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Manning Arden Chambers 26th July 2013 £1,800 71
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Manning Arden Chambers 26th July 2013 £1,800 71
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Manning Arden Chambers 26th July 2013 £1,800 72
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Manning Arden Chambers 26th July 2013 £1,800 72
Wirral Council invoice Helen Roberts Forensic Clinical Psychologist 1st August 2013 £821.10 75
Wirral Council invoice Helen Roberts Forensic Clinical Psychologist 1st August 2013 £821.10 75
Wirral Council invoice Helen Roberts Forensic Clinical Psychologist 1st August 2013 £590.50 76
Wirral Council invoice Helen Roberts Forensic Clinical Psychologist 1st August 2013 £590.50 76
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 7th August 2013 £1392 77
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 7th August 2013 £1392 77
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 5th August 2013 £639.36 78
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 5th August 2013 £639.36 78
Wirral Council invoice Gaynor Lloyd St Johns Buildings 12th August 2013 £1822.08 79
Wirral Council invoice Gaynor Lloyd St Johns Buildings 12th August 2013 £1822.08 79
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 12th August 2013 £2016 80
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 12th August 2013 £2016 80
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 19th August 2013 £528 81
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 19th August 2013 £528 81
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 15th August 2013 £511.68 82
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 15th August 2013 £511.68 82
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 22nd August 2013 £864 83
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 22nd August 2013 £864 83
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 21st August 2013 £703.68 84
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 21st August 2013 £703.68 84
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 4th September 2013 £576 85
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 4th September 2013 £576 85
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 12th September 2013 £63504 86
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 12th September 2013 £63504 86
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 11th September 2013 £687.36 87
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 11th September 2013 £687.36 87
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 11th September 2013 £1992 88
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 11th September 2013 £1992 88
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 16th September 2013 Page 1 of 2 £1296 89
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 16th September 2013 Page 1 of 2 £1296 89
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 16th September 2013 Page 2 of 2 £1296 89
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 16th September 2013 Page 2 of 2 £1296 89
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 16th September 2013 £1230.72 90
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 16th September 2013 £1230.72 90
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 17th September 2013 £655.68 91
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 17th September 2013 £655.68 91
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 25th September 2013 £561.60 92
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 25th September 2013 £561.60 92
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 23rd September 2013 £930 93
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 23rd September 2013 £930 93
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 30th September 2013 £720 94
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 30th September 2013 £720 94
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 2nd October 2013 £912 95
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 2nd October 2013 £912 95
Wirral Council invoice Benjamin William Jones St Johns Buildings 1st October 2013 £900 96
Wirral Council invoice Benjamin William Jones St Johns Buildings 1st October 2013 £900 96
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 7th October 2013 £511.68 97
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 7th October 2013 £511.68 97
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 10th October 2013 £1248 98
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 10th October 2013 £1248 98
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 14th October 2013 £720 99
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 14th October 2013 £720 99
Wirral Council invoice Cater Walsh Media Services Ltd 25th October 2013 £528 100
Wirral Council invoice Cater Walsh Media Services Ltd 25th October 2013 £528 100
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 21st October 2013 £831.36 101
Wirral Council invoice Sara A Mann St Johns Buildings 21st October 2013 £831.36 101
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 21st October 2013 £576 102
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 21st October 2013 £576 102
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 21st October 2013 £753.60 103
Wirral Council invoice Ginette Fitzharris St Johns Buildings 21st October 2013 £753.60 103
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 30th October 2013 £3235.20 104
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 30th October 2013 £3235.20 104
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 30th October 2013 £1113.60 105
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 30th October 2013 £1113.60 105
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 31st October 2013 £1128 106
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 31st October 2013 £1128 106
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 30th October 2013 £528 107
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 30th October 2013 £528 107
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 1st November 2013 £864 108
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 1st November 2013 £864 108
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 11th November 2013 £993.60 109
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 11th November 2013 £993.60 109
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 8th November 2013 £591.36 110
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 8th November 2013 £591.36 110
Wirral Council invoice David V Glasgow 30th October 2013 £740.37 111
Wirral Council invoice David V Glasgow 30th October 2013 £740.37 111
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 13th November 2013 £576 112
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 13th November 2013 £576 112
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 18th November 2013 £753.60 113
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 18th November 2013 £753.60 113
Wirral Council invoice Christine Johnson Atlantic Chambers 22nd November 2013 £2940 114
Wirral Council invoice Christine Johnson Atlantic Chambers 22nd November 2013 £2940 114
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 22nd November 2013 Page 1 of 2 £4210 115
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 22nd November 2013 Page 1 of 2 £4210 115
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 22nd November 2013 Page 2 of 2 £4210 115
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 22nd November 2013 Page 2 of 2 £4210 115
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 25th November 2013 £696 116
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 25th November 2013 £696 116
Wirral Council invoice Robin Hopkins kbw 12th November 2013 £1872 117
Wirral Council invoice Robin Hopkins kbw 12th November 2013 £1872 117
Wirral Council invoice Wilkin Chapman LLP 16th October 2013 £1598.40 118
Wirral Council invoice Wilkin Chapman LLP 16th October 2013 £1598.40 118
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 21st November 2013 £576 119
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 21st November 2013 £576 119
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 26th November 2013 £1272 120
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 26th November 2013 £1272 120
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 11th December 2013 Page 1 of 2 £3473.28 121
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 11th December 2013 Page 1 of 2 £3473.28 121
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 11th December 2013 Page 2 of 2 £3473.28 121
Wirral Council invoice Jonathan Taylor St Johns Buildings 11th December 2013 Page 2 of 2 £3473.28 121
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 3rd December 2013 £2399.04 122
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 3rd December 2013 £2399.04 122
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 4th December 2013 £672 123
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 4th December 2013 £672 123
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 27th November 2013 £504 124
Wirral Council invoice Susan Edwards St Johns Buildings 27th November 2013 £504 124
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 12th December 2013 £51120 125
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 12th December 2013 £51120 125
Wirral Council invoice Ruth Stockley Kings Chambers 19th November 2013 £607.50 126
Wirral Council invoice Ruth Stockley Kings Chambers 19th November 2013 £607.50 126
Wirral Council invoice Cerys Williams St Johns Buildings 7th January 2014 £528 127
Wirral Council invoice Cerys Williams St Johns Buildings 7th January 2014 £528 127
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 8th January 2014 Page 1 of 3 £5096.64 128
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 8th January 2014 Page 1 of 3 £5096.64 128
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 8th January 2014 Page 2 of 3 £5096.64 128
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 8th January 2014 Page 2 of 3 £5096.64 128
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 8th January 2014 Page 3 of 3 £5096.64 128
Wirral Council invoice Jennifer Lesley Scully St Johns Buildings 8th January 2014 Page 3 of 3 £5096.64 128
Wirral Council invoice Nigel Lawrence 7 Harrington Street Chambers 11th December 2013 £27185.90 129
Wirral Council invoice Nigel Lawrence 7 Harrington Street Chambers 11th December 2013 £27185.90 129
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington Street Chambers 7th January 2014 £2220 130
Wirral Council invoice Tim D N Kenward 7 Harrington Street Chambers 7th January 2014 £2220 130
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 11th December 2013 £63504 131
Wirral Council invoice Grant Thornton UK LLP 11th December 2013 £63504 131
Wirral Council invoice Damien Sanders St Johns Buildings 15th January 2014 £600 132
Wirral Council invoice Damien Sanders St Johns Buildings 15th January 2014 £600 132
Wirral Council invoice Leona Harrison St Johns Buildings 15th January 2014 £1536 133
Wirral Council invoice Leona Harrison St Johns Buildings 15th January 2014 £1536 133
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 15th January 2014 £672 134
Wirral Council invoice Michael J Kennedy St Johns Buildings 15th January 2014 £672 134
Wirral Council invoice Catherine Rimmer St Johns Buildings 20th January 2014 £720 135
Wirral Council invoice Catherine Rimmer St Johns Buildings 20th January 2014 £720 135
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 21st January 2014 £912 136
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 21st January 2014 £912 136
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 17th January 2014 £951.36 137
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 17th January 2014 £951.36 137
Wirral Council invoice James Gatenby St Johns Buildings 20th January 2014 £607.68 138
Wirral Council invoice James Gatenby St Johns Buildings 20th January 2014 £607.68 138
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 23rd January 2014 £816 139
Wirral Council invoice Helen Wilson St Johns Buildings 23rd January 2014 £816 139
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 23rd January 2014 £696 140
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 23rd January 2014 £696 140
Wirral Council invoice Anthony Gill Kings Chambers 28th January 2014 £1860 141
Wirral Council invoice Anthony Gill Kings Chambers 28th January 2014 £1860 141
Wirral Council invoice Sweet & Maxwell Ltd 2nd January 2014 £1041.60 142
Wirral Council invoice Sweet & Maxwell Ltd 2nd January 2014 £1041.60 142
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 14th February 2014 £720 143
Wirral Council invoice Andrew Haggis St Johns Buildings 14th February 2014 £720 143
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 18th February 2014 £511.68 144
Wirral Council invoice Kate Burnell St Johns Buildings 18th February 2014 £511.68 144
Wirral Council invoice Peta M L Harrison St Johns Buildings 18th February 2014 £888 145
Wirral Council invoice Peta M L Harrison St Johns Buildings 18th February 2014 £888 145
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans LLP 25th February 2014 £1360.80 146
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans LLP 25th February 2014 £1360.80 146
Wirral Council invoice Damien Sanders St Johns Buildings 26th February 2014 £528 147
Wirral Council invoice Damien Sanders St Johns Buildings 26th February 2014 £528 147
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 19th February 2014 Page 1 of 3 £1120 148
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 19th February 2014 Page 1 of 3 £1120 148
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 19th February 2014 Page 2 of 3 £1120 148
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 19th February 2014 Page 2 of 3 £1120 148
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 19th February 2014 Page 3 of 3 £1120 148
Wirral Council invoice Paul Burns Exchange Chambers 19th February 2014 Page 3 of 3 £1120 148
Wirral Council invoice Robin Hopkins KBW 10th February 2014 £1008 149
Wirral Council invoice Robin Hopkins KBW 10th February 2014 £1008 149
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 5th March 2014 £543.36 150
Wirral Council invoice Joanne Jade Abraham St Johns Buildings 5th March 2014 £543.36 150
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans LLP 30th January 2014 £4982.40 151
Wirral Council invoice Weightmans LLP 30th January 2014 £4982.40 151
Wirral Council invoice Lexis Nexis Butterworths 3rd March 2014 £1659 152
Wirral Council invoice Lexis Nexis Butterworths 3rd March 2014 £1659 152
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 10th March 2014 £528 153
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 10th March 2014 £528 153
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 10th March 2014 £600 154
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 10th March 2014 £600 154
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard 31st January 2014 £6468 155
Wirral Council invoice Sharpe Pritchard 31st January 2014 £6468 155
Wirral Council invoice Cerys Williams St Johns Buildings 13th March 2014 £816 156
Wirral Council invoice Cerys Williams St Johns Buildings 13th March 2014 £816 156
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 18th March 2014 Page 1 of 2 £1296 157
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 18th March 2014 Page 1 of 2 £1296 157
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 18th March 2014 Page 2 of 2 £1296 157
Wirral Council invoice Mark Senior St Johns Buildings 18th March 2014 Page 2 of 2 £1296 157

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Who were the 108 organisations & people (not councillors) that Wirral Council invited to the Open Golf?

Who were the 108 organisations & people (not councillors) that Wirral Council invited to the Open Golf?

Who were the 108 organisations & people (not councillors) that Wirral Council invited to the Open Golf?

                                                                  

Wirral Host of the Open Championship 2014

Wirral Host of the Open Championship 2014

Previously I reported on this blog about the Chief Executive’s email to councillors inviting them to the recent Open Golf tournament. It was a slow news day then and I really didn’t think there would be the interest in it there was.

Since then, a number of people have made various Freedom of Information requests as there was scepticism from some people that the stated reasons given by Wirral Council’s press office applied to everyone that Wirral Council invited. In case you missed it here’s a transcript of what was said back then and Cllr Walter “I must say I enjoyed lavish hospitality” Smith’s take on it.

A partial list of those invited by Wirral Council has been released, however they’re holding some names back because of commercial negotiations.

The original response from Wirral Council stated was the purpose of inviting these organisations was “to attend key business days, which are aiming to attract significant inward investment into the area.”

Firstly, I am puzzled as to why Wirral Council have invited the local press (no Leonora and I weren’t invited so we happily report on this without any conflict of interest) as the local press could’ve applied for press passes for the tournament from the Open Golf’s organisers. The press in the list are the Daily Mirror (for three days), Sky, Liverpool Echo, Wirral Globe, Radio Merseyside and an entry just mysteriously put down as “press”. Why pay for tickets for these organisations when the conference organisers could’ve quite easily given them tickets instead as they were press?

Wirral Council also invited the Bishop of Birkenhead, High Sheriff of Merseyside, Esther McVey MP and guest and Jacqueline Foster MEP and guest.

Yes, a Labour Council using public money to invite Esther McVey to the golf (who let’s face it can afford to pay for her own ticket) isn’t likely to go down well with the unions, who were outside the very same tournament conducting a high profile protest calling for Esther McVey to be sacked (accompanied with a seven foot inflatable rat).

Other names on the list are Weightmans Lawyers and Grant Thornton. Weightmans Lawyers are a form of solicitors that Wirral Council spent £198,043.55 with in the last financial year, Grant Thornton are Wirral Council’s auditors and are paid large sums of money by Wirral Council too.

Neither of those two seem likely to suddenly decide to create hundreds of jobs on the Wirral and they already do nicely enough out of the taxpayer to afford their own tickets to the golf!

Sainsburys was also invited along to the golf too. Yes Sainsburys do employ people on the Wirral, but I’ve heard nothing about a flurry of new stores being opened providing new jobs, have you?

Nearby councils such as Knowsley, Chester West and Chester as well as the Department for Communities and Local Government were also invited. So were Lord and Lady Hunt of Wirral and the Isle of Man Government.

Now, don’t get me wrong, some names on the list DONG Energy (involved in offshore wind farms), General Motors (UK & Ireland) and organisations such as these, Wirral Council are obviously trying to persuade to make inward investment on the Wirral to create jobs. Employment is needed on the Wirral and I’m sure not many would criticise Wirral Council for making genuine attempts to increase local employment.

However there are also a bunch of organisations on the list that it is difficult to ascertain why they were there such as “Future of the North Conference” (that puzzles me perhaps as much as it puzzles you) and “Mere Brook House” (a B&B on the Wirral).

At this time, when Wirral Council is planning on shedding about five hundred staff, there’s a meeting coming up to discuss the possible closure of Lyndale School and Wirral Council spent at least £754,783.18 on its own councillors this is money spent on hospitality for many individuals and organisations that could have easily afforded to pay for themselves. This is at the same time that Wirral Council is dragging the poor through the Magistrates Court for unpaid council tax, when people are evicted because they can’t afford the bedroom tax*/spare room subsidy* (*delete as applicable depending on political preference) and is this really what the public expect of a Labour administration who proudly state on their election leaflets they are socialists?

Or would “champagne socialist” be the way that those more critical of Wirral Council’s political class would describe it? In case you missed it here’s the link to the list of councillors and organisations/people that went to the golf. And doesn’t it just sum it all up when the “open and transparent” Council state “Some organisations have not been included on these lists due to ongoing commercial negotiations between Wirral Council and the organisations in question”. Oh really! So that implies Wirral Council are giving out gifts and expecting something in return!?

As usual your comments on this are much appreciated. Below is the list of 108 people/organisations that Wirral Council invited (if you want to see the list of councillors just follow the link above). Some I’ve never heard of so if you have any further information on who or what they are, please leave a comment.

Bibby Marine Ltd
British Chamber of Commerce
British Slovenian Chamber
Caldy Golf Club
Contact Group
Contemdum
CPL Training
Daily Mirror
DTZ
Helms Briscoe
Hermes
International Festival of Business
Sun Valley
IPW
KMGC Golf Consultancy  
KPMG
Liverpool Chamber
Mere Brook House
Mersey Rural Leader
Merseyside Convention Bureau
Neptune Developments
Osiris Projects
Oxygen 8
PNH Consultancy
Regen Europe.
River Rich Media LLP
Sainsburys
Saudi British Joint Business Council
Sky
Solar Consulting Australia
Sovex
Stonegate Pub Company
Thwaites
UK Regeneration
Weightmans Laywers
Wirral Food Drink Partnership
World Corporate Games
All Our Bars
Beeline Ltd
Cammell Laird
Clear Edge Filtration Ltd.
Coca Cola UK
CPL Training
Daily Mirror
DONG Energy
Future of The North Conference
Grant Thornton
Havas Lynx
IoM Government
Keel Toys
Land & Marine
Insider
Osiris Projects
Rakuten
River Island
TecnoForm Associates‎ Ltd
Thorley Taverns
Wainwright and Gibson
Weightmans Lawyers
Aberdeen Asset Management
Bentley Motors
Briggs Automotive Company
Contact Company
Daily Mirror
DC Consulting
General Motors UK & Ireland
Havas Lynx
Hotel Bookings.com
IDH
JLR
Liverpool Echo
Marketing Liverpool
McLaren
Music Magpie
Oxygen 8
Pageant of Power
Palmer and Harvey
Press
Programme Direct UTV
Rakuten
Sainsburys
Shannon Airport
Toyota
Trimtech
Unipart
Wirral Chamber
Bentley Motors
Bishop of Birkenhead
Consul General of China
Dept for Communities
General Motors UK & Ireland
High Sheriff of Merseyside
Lord and Lady Hunt of Wirral
Knowsley Council
Cheshire West & Chester Council
LEP
Liverpool Echo
Lord Lieutenant of Merseyside
Mayoress of Wirral
McLaren
Jacqueline Foster MEP and guest
Merseytravel
Esther McVey MP and guest
Radio Merseyside
St Helens Council
Wirral Globe
Wirral Met College

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What Really Matters budget options, Improvement Board review, Foxfield School move, Byrne Avenue Recreation Centre, Rock Ferry High and Acre Lane sale, Fernbank Farm update, contracts and Wirral Council’s response to critical reports

What Really Matters budget options, Improvement Board review, Foxfield School move, Byrne Avenue Recreation Centre, Rock Ferry High and Acre Lane sale, Fernbank Farm update, contracts and Wirral Council’s response to critical reports

What Really Matters budget options, Improvement Board review, Foxfield School move, Byrne Avenue Recreation Centre, Rock Ferry High and Acre Lane sale, Fernbank Farm update, contracts and Wirral Council’s response to critical reports

                                 

The first half of last week saw each of the new policy and performance committees met to discuss the current What Really Matters? consultation on Wirral Council’s budget options for 2013-14.

The first policy and performance committee (Families and Wellbeing), which has a remit covering both education and social services met on Monday. As education and social care are about three-quarters of Wirral Council’s budget there was much discussion about what the impact of the budget options would be. At about two and a half hours long councillors asked questions of officers of the fifteen budget options that fell within the remit of the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee. The budget options ranged from cutting £100,000 of funding to reduce teenage pregnancies and £60,000 to try to reduce substance misuse to getting schools to pay for school crossing patrols, the school improvement service and the early retirement costs of their staff (a saving of £1.215 million over two years). Another budget option (saving £2 million over two years) discussed was reducing the opening hours of twelve Children’s Centres. If this option is agreed then there will be a future public consultation on outsourcing the running of Wirral’s Children Centres to the private, faith or voluntary sector. As the What Really Matters consultation runs to the 6th December you can respond to the consultation by completing the questionnaire on Wirral Council’s website.

The second policy and performance committee (Regeneration and Environment) met on Tuesday evening to discuss ten budget options. Being Guy Fawkes night what politicians said was at times drowned out by fireworks, however the meeting started with the unusual scene of a committee Vice-Chair (Cllr Steve Foulkes) arguing with its Chair (Cllr Alan Brighouse). Normally a committee’s Chair is of the same political party as the Vice-Chair, but as the Lib Dems only have one representative on the Regeneration and Environment Committee the Chair and Vice-Chair are from different parties. The source of Cllr Steve Foulkes’ ire towards Cllr Alan Brighouse was about a Oxton Lib Dem Focus in which Cllr Foulkes claimed that Cllr Alan Brighouse was critical (or at least was associated with critical comments about) the What Really Matters? consultation. The rest of the meeting was about the budget options ranging from the not particularly controversial (the Floral Pavilion or Floral Hall as one councillor called it charging a £1 booking fee on tickets), to the Friends of Birkenhead Kennels running Birkenhead Kennels resulting in its opening hours reducing to 8am to 8pm (from a twenty-four hour service), cancelling maintenance of the non-golf and non-football pitch parts of Arrowe Park as well as cancelling maintenance of “fourteen local parks, thirty-two natural and semi-natural green spaces, and forty-four amenity green spaces”, switching off more street lights (alternate lights in residential areas) to charging at car parks at Fort Perch Rock, Royden Park, Wirral Country Park, Eastham Country Park and Arrowe Country Park. The charging at these five car parks is particularly unpopular with the public and a petition against introducing car parking charges at Eastham Country Park has attracted over a thousand signatures.

Wednesday saw the Transformation and Resources Policy and Performance Committee meet to consider five budget options and there were more fireworks. Cllr Chris Blakeley who welcomed the new councillor Matthew Patrick followed by saying that “might be the only kind word you’ll hear from me” wanted the meeting adjourned and resumed after the consultation had finished. The four Conservative councillors voted for an adjournment but were outvoted by the Labour councillors, a Lib Dem councillor and an independent councillor. The budget options they discussed (although the Conservative councillors decided not to ask any questions after being outvoted over having an adjournment) was to axe the Council Tax discount of 7.76% to the over 70s (or in an option that saved less money limit the discount to Band A, B and C properties), increasing what Wirral Council charges for its costs for Magistrate’s Courts summons for Council Tax non-payment or business rates non-payment from £85 to £95, charging people extra when they use their credit card to pay Wirral Council for something, an option involving merging their telecommunications contracts, reviewing mobile phone usage and buying cheaper printing equipment and finally transforming Wirral Council (basically making five hundred staff redundant and reducing redundancy payments to the legal minimum).

Thursday saw a meeting of Wirral Council’s Cabinet. A revised recommendation for item 17 (progressing neighbourhood working including strategic reviews of street scene and community safety) was agreed that requested a further report and delegated future decisions about this area to individual Cabinet portfolio holders. The financial monitoring halfway through the Council’s financial year projected nearly a £600,000 underspend. However most of the underspend was agreed to be set aside to meet future restructuring costs with £100,000 released from reserves for spending to do with the Open Golf tournament next year. Cllr Phil Davies also made a comment about car parking charges and stated that the income from car parks had gone up this year to £1.4 million compared to £1.2 million the previous year (although not as much as expected). He singled out Cllr Stuart Kelly for particular criticism for commenting on the car parking charges shortfall in the press and used this opportunity (as many Wirral Labour councillors do) to blame their problems on the Coalition government finishing by calling on opposition councillors to “be more responsible”. He also reported that Wirral Council had received almost all of its Icelandic investment back and were confident of receiving the whole amount.

Cllr Ann McLachlan gave an update on the Improvement Board. There is a consultation on a review of the Improvement Board’s work followed by a public question and answer session of the Improvement Board on Friday. As part of its review a report has been published which makes for interesting reading including the view of the Improvement Board that when it first started its work that Wirral Council was denying it had the corporate governance problems that were identified by the Improvement Board.

The outcome of the consultation on moving Foxfield School from Moreton to Woodchurch was also reported (the Planning Committee recently granted Wirral Council planning permission for the move) and Cabinet agreed to move the school. The Chair of the Health and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee talked about a report produced as a review by councillors looking into the outcomes for looked after children. The report’s recommendations were agreed.

Ben Harrison of the Byrne Avenue Community Trust told the Cabinet that they had got agreement on £350,000 of funding (to match Wirral Council’s £350,000) and wanted to start work on repairing the sports hall. The Byrne Avenue Community Trust wanted to restore the building, creating employment and asked that the asset be transferred to the Byrne Avenue Community Trust. David Armstrong (the Assistant Chief Executive) talked about the history of the site, which was classed as a surplus Council asset. He pointed out that the big funders (Sports England and the National Lottery) had turned down grant applications from the Byrne Avenue Community Trust and that the Community Trust hadn’t submitted a business case to the Council. The Council’s view that was due to the presence of asbestos that the repairs would cost three or four times more than the £700,000 allocated to give it a lifespan beyond the short term and that it had very significant running costs. There were serious structural problems with the building and their concern would be that however well intentioned that it would only be partially restored. He referred to other sports facilities nearby that had been built over the last ten years. Cllr Phil Davies commented on it and his memories of the building.

Cllr Adrian Jones, the Cabinet Member for Central and Support Services expressed his regret at the unhappy position the Cabinet found themselves in. He showed photographs of rusting steel reinforced beams supported by steel acro bars that were rotting away and estimated the cost of repairs at two to three million pounds. He said that the £350,000 was desperately needed and wouldn’t be wasted or lost and that he was sure they’d go away painting him as the bad guy. Cllr Phil Davies said that the condition of the building was more serious than they’d originally been told and that £700,000 wouldn’t go near what was needed to bring it to a minimum safety standard. He referred to the nearby Oval and facilities at Prenton High School for Girls. The Cabinet agreed the recommendations in the report which were to retake possession of Byrne Avenue Recreation Centre from Byrne Avenue Community Trust, withdraw the offer of a £350,000 grant and reallocate it to other Community Asset Transfer activities, declare the asset surplus and give authority to its disposal and if sold on the open market to do so at auction. David Armstrong reassured the Byrne Avenue Community Trust that Wirral Council would allow them to make a photographic record and recover any of their property so that the community would have a record of Byrne Avenue Recreation Centre.

There was a slight change to the recommendation agreed in the report on asset management and disposals. Although Acre Lane (the former professional excellence centre) and the former Rock Ferry High school were both declared surplus to requirements, the land at Manor Drive (called Fernbank Farm) was not declared surplus to requirements due to the Birkenhead County Court case hearing on the 21st November. Cllr Phil Davies said that they had a challenge to try and find an alternative site for the pony club which he knew was much loved and cherished. He said that they wouldn’t lose anything by awaiting the outcome of the legal case and it was agreed that a decision on declaring Fernbank Farm would be deferred to the next Cabinet meeting (which would be after the court case on the 2nd December). This change to the original recommendation was agreed by Cabinet.

The Cabinet then agreed to note a report on proposed public health contracting arrangements for 2014/15 and to a further report in February 2014 which would include a recommendation to agree to all 2014/15 contracts. Cabinet also agreed the award of the reablement and domiciliary support contract to providers named in the exempt appendix.

Agreement to proceed with a joint procurement for garden waste (including the option of providing composting services in-house through the Parks and Countryside service) was agreed by Cabinet.

The Highways and Engineering Services Contract for 2014-2018 (currently run by Colas) was awarded to either BAM Nuttall, Galliford Try or North Midland Construction. The “preferred bidder” that Cabinet decided on was again in an exempt appendix. Approval to start a tender for a four year traffic signals maintenance contract (with an option for a two year extension and cost of £350,000 a year) was also given by the Cabinet.

A two year pilot of emergency accommodation for homeless sixteen and seventeen year olds was agreed by Cabinet. Finally Cllr Phil Davies welcomed the Council’s new Director of Resources (and s.151 officer) Vivienne Quayle and expressed his thanks to Jim Molloy and his work as Acting Director of Resources. The Cabinet then excluded the press and public from the remainder of the meeting which included two business grants to Wirral companies or businesses, the exempt appendix for the Reablement and Domiciliary Support Procurement contract, the exempt appendix for the Options Appraisal for the Future Treatment of Wirral’s Kerbside Collected Garden Waste, the exempt appendix for the Highway Services Contract 2014 – 2018 and exempt appendix for the Emergency Accommodation Provision for 16 and 17 Year Olds.

Later this week a special meeting of the Audit and Risk Management Committee will consider a report on Wirral Council’s response to critical reports (2010 – 2013) and a review of the Improvement Board which includes a suggestion that Wirral Council’s Audit and Risk Management Committee should co opt some independent members to itself.

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