Category: Graham Hodkinson

21 Conservative councillors request public meeting to discuss halting Girtrell Court closure plans

21 Conservative councillors request public meeting to discuss halting Girtrell Court closure plans

21 Conservative councillors request public meeting to discuss halting Girtrell Court closure plans

                                           

Bernard Halley (left) talking about Girtrell Court at the Wirral West Constituency Committee 11th February 2016 L to R (foreground) Bernard Halley, David L to R (background) Graham Hodkinson, Cllr Matthew Patrick
Bernard Halley (left) talking about Girtrell Court at the Wirral West Constituency Committee 11th February 2016 L to R (foreground) Bernard Halley, David L to R (background) Graham Hodkinson, Cllr Matthew Patrick

21 Conservative councillors have requested a special meeting of Wirral Council councillors to discuss the future of Girtrell Court. Based on promises that the replacement service would be “equal to, or better than” Girtrell Court, the councillors point out that the twenty bed service at Girtrell Court is being replaced by a ten bed unit.

Therefore they do not believe that replacing a twenty bed service with a ten bed service is “equal to, or better than” Girtrell Court and call upon the Council to reverse its decision to close Girtrell Court.

The public meeting to discuss the future of Girtrell Court is expected to take place on the evening of the 14th November 2016 in the Council Chamber at Wallasey Town Hall, Brighton Street, Seacombe, CH44 8ED. It will start at either 6.15 pm or when the previous meeting to discuss the future of the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority finishes.


Updated 16/11/2016 You can watch what happened at that Extraordinary meeting of Wirral Council held on the 14th November 2016 to discuss Girtrell Court below.

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Extraordinary Meeting, Council (Wirral Council) Girtrell Court 14th November 2016 Part 1 of 2

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Extraordinary Meeting, Council (Wirral Council) Girtrell Court 14th November 2016 Part 2 of 2

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Wirral Council valued Girtrell Court land and buildings at £3,402,880.00 in March 2013

Wirral Council valued Girtrell Court land and buildings at £3,402,880.00 in March 2013

                                               

Cllr Phil Davies (Leader of the Labour Group) speaking about Girtrell Court at the Extraordinary Council meeting (4th April 2016)
Cllr Phil Davies (Leader of the Labour Group) speaking about Girtrell Court at the Extraordinary Council meeting (4th April 2016)

One of the questions raised during the consultation on the closure of Girtrell Court was what would happen to it if it was closed. Wirral Council’s Director of Adult Social Services Graham Hodkinson told the Liverpool Echo last year that the Girtrell Court site could be used for extra care housing, “There is an increasing demand for extra care housing and the site of Girtrell Court is ideally suited for this purpose which will help support the aging population whilst delivering financial benefits to the council.”

The 2012/13 asset register assigns a value to the buildings of £2,422,880.00 and land of £980,000.00 (total £3,402,880.00) valued on the 11th March 2013 (as part of its regular quinquennial or five yearly valuation).

Wirral Council’s valuation of Girtrell Court was provided in response to a Freedom of Information request made by well-known former Conservative councillor Ian Lewis for Wirral Council’s asset register.

Wirral Council’s first response was to refuse Ian Lewis’ request on grounds of commercial confidentiality.

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Labour councillors vote to hold Girtrell Court closure decision behind closed doors

Labour councillors vote to hold Girtrell Court closure decision behind closed doors

                                                      

Cllr Chris Blakeley explaining his notice of motion on Girtrell Court to Wirral Council councillors at a public meeting 14th March 2016
Cllr Chris Blakeley explaining his notice of motion on Girtrell Court to Wirral Council councillors at a public meeting 14th March 2016

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The first part of the debate on Girtrell Court can be watched in the video above (starting at the 22 minutes 21 seconds point)

Councillors at yesterday evening’s meeting of Wirral Council debated a notice of motion on Girtrell Court proposed by Conservative Cllr Chris Blakeley. He asked councillors to agree that the decision on the future of Girtrell Court should be taken during a public meeting rather than behind closed doors.

The Labour councillors (in an amendment proposed by Cllr Phil Davies) disagreed with this and instead restated their previous position. Their view was that a decision on the future of Girtrell Court should be made behind closed doors by the Cabinet Member Cllr Chris Jones and the Director of Adult Social Services Graham Hodkinson.

The Lib Dem councillors (in an amendment proposed by Cllr Phil Gilchrist) agreed with the original motion, but called for all the background and supporting material to be published when Cllr Chris Jones makes her decision.

The Lib Dem amendment didn’t receive enough votes to be agreed as it was only supported by the four Lib Dem councillors. Labour’s amendment received 36 votes for, 24 votes against with one abstention.

It was also announced during the debate that bookings for Girtrell Court will be extended to the end of August 2016.

The following was agreed yesterday evening by councillors:

Girtrell Court

Council believes that it is important to offer service users and their families a choice of respite care provision. People want the ability to choose the type of care and support which is right for them. At present they are unable to do this. This is not about a building or provider, it’s about the person.

Council notes that the Leader of the Council has previously stated that he wants his Administration to be open, transparent and fair with the people of Wirral. Council welcomes this approach.

Council notes that a detailed debate on Girtrell Court took place at Budget Council on the 3rd March and a clear way forward was agreed. This involves statutory consultation with service users and their families followed by a clear new service offer and events for carers and cared for people to meet potential new providers. Services will be commissioned to meet all of the identified needs at that stage. Authority will be delegated to the Director, in conjunction with the Cabinet Member, to make decisions in order to avoid undue delays which would prolong uncertainty. We are not imposing deadlines on when this process will be complete and, in the meantime, Girtrell Court will remain open.

Council further believes that the families of those using Girtrell Court, the staff, trade unions and residents and users must be given every opportunity to influence the future of Girtrell Court through a clear and transparent decision-making process.

 

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Will councillors vote to gag a debate on whether Girtrell Court decision is made in public?

Will councillors vote to gag a debate on whether Girtrell Court decision is made in public?

                                                   

Bernard Halley (left) talking about Girtrell Court at the Wirral West Constituency Committee 11th February 2016 L to R (foreground) Bernard Halley, David L to R (background) Graham Hodkinson, Cllr Matthew Patrick
Bernard Halley (left) talking about Girtrell Court at the Wirral West Constituency Committee 11th February 2016 L to R (foreground) Bernard Halley, David L to R (background) Graham Hodkinson, Cllr Matthew Patrick

In a surprise twist, the debate on a notice of motion on Girtrell Court has become like the thought experiment Schrödinger’s cat.

The reason the debate might not be heard is because of Standing Order 17(1) in Wirral Council’s constitution (see page 162:

17. Rescission of preceding resolution

(1) No decision of the Council (including a decision taken by a committee or panel under delegated powers) may be reconsidered by the Council on a notice of motion within six months of the date of the earlier decision unless the notice of motion (under Standing Order 7) is signed by 17 members of the Council. If that motion is rejected by the Council neither it nor one to the same effect can be considered by the Council for six months.
 

However standing order 17, doesn’t apply to debates on large petitions, which are dealt with according to Wirral Council’s petitions scheme.

In the case of a petition of at the time of writing 6,593 signatures the petition scheme states “Petitions that must be considered by the Council – these must be signed by at least 3,000 people who live in the Borough”.

So in order for there to be a debate on Girtrell Court tonight either:

(a) Councillors could decide to suspend standing order 17 to allow the debate on Girtrell Court to go ahead, or

(b) Bernard Halley submits his large petition which triggers a fifteen minute debate as debates on petitions aren’t subject to standing order 17 or

(c) Councillor Blakeley finds fifteen other councillors to sign his notice of motion and therefore the debate goes ahead.

Tonight’s public meeting of Wirral Council will start at 6.00pm in the Council Chamber at Wallasey Town Hall, Brighton Street, Seacombe, CH44 8ED.

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Petition against closure of Girtrell Court reaches over 5,000 signatures!

Petition against closure of Girtrell Court reaches over 5,000 signatures!

                                                 

A petition against the closure of Girtrell Court started by Bernard Halley (pictured below), who is a carer for his son who attends Girtrell Court has attracted over 5,000 signatures.

Bernard Halley (left) talking about Girtrell Court at the Wirral West Constituency Committee 11th February 2016 L to R (foreground) Bernard Halley, David L to R (background) Graham Hodkinson, Cllr Matthew Patrick
Bernard Halley (left) talking about Girtrell Court at the Wirral West Constituency Committee 11th February 2016 L to R (foreground) Bernard Halley, David L to R (background) Graham Hodkinson, Cllr Matthew Patrick

Next Monday evening, starting at 6.00pm in the Council Chamber at Wallasey Town Hall there is a public meeting of all Wirral Council councillors.

One of the items to be debated at that meeting is a notice of motion on Girtrell Court (the text of the notice of motion is below). The notice of motion calls for any decision on closure of Girtrell Court to be made in public, rather than behind closed doors by the Cabinet Member Cllr Chris Jones and the Director of Adult Social Services Graham Hodkinson.

3. GIRTRELL COURT (to be debated)

Proposed by Cllr Chris Blakeley
Seconded by Cllr Bruce Berry

Council notes that the Leader of the Council has previously stated that he wants his Administration to be open, transparent and fair with the people of Wirral. Council welcomes this approach.

Council therefore believes that the future of Girtrell Court must be decided in public and not under delegation to the portfolio holder, in conjunction with the Director of Adult Social Services.

Council further believes that the families of those using Girtrell Court, the staff, trade unions and residents and users must be given every opportunity to influence the future of Girtrell Court through a clear and transparent decision making process.

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