Category: Wirral Council

Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24/11/2011 Part 3 Strike arrangements for 30th November

Chris Hyams continued that they had liaised with their partner agencies and there would be disruption to travel. The Mersey Ferries would close, so would the Mersey Tunnels. However Wirral Council did have a letter that allowed them to bring critical employees only through the Mersey Tunnel, but they would have to keep such travel … Continue reading “Cabinet (Wirral Council) 24/11/2011 Part 3 Strike arrangements for 30th November”

Chris Hyams continued that they had liaised with their partner agencies and there would be disruption to travel. The Mersey Ferries would close, so would the Mersey Tunnels. However Wirral Council did have a letter that allowed them to bring critical employees only through the Mersey Tunnel, but they would have to keep such travel to a minimum.

She said the buildings plan would be published next week, some employees would have to report to alternative buildings as their usual building would be closed. Only those who signed in would get paid and any absences would be addressed. Guidance had been issued. Sickness on the strike day or during the strike week would have to be confirmed with a GP’s note.

She continued by saying that pay for strikes would be deducted at 1/5th of a week’s pay, with pension contributions altered. This would affect pay paid in the January cycle. There would also be pickets of council buildings, rallies and marches. There would be a rally at Birkenhead Park and Liverpool City Centre.

Chris Hyams said that the Chief Executive had issued a communication to all authority employees with frequently asked questions for employees. There would be communication with the public and press releases on the day before the strike.

Cllr Steve Foulkes said it would be remiss not to have an update. Despite the disruption, he had “massive sympathy” for the people going on strike. At his own workplace they had balloted for strike action as a last resort to get their point heard. He understood it was the law that people had the right not to take part in strike action. It was right to get an update and he said that we “are taking it seriously”.

Standards Committee (Wirral Council) (30th November 2011) cancelled

The Vice-Chair of the Standards Committee has agreed that the scheduled 30th November meeting of the Standards Committee is to be cancelled because (according to a letter sent out today from Bill Norman to councillors and independent members of the Standards Committee) “there is insufficient business to be transacted, at the current time“.

Also on 30th November 2011 will be the strikes by various public sector unions. Quite how Wirral Council will cope (or whether many services will just cease functioning on 30th November) remains to be seen.

Cllr Harry Smith Goes Back To School – S P E E D I N G

Harry Smith goes back to school

I’m always interested what my local councillor, Cllr Harry Smith is up to. According to a Wirral Council press release he’s been photographed at Greasby Junior School in an event run by Merseyside Police and Wirral Council.

Cllr Harry Smith was there to learn about speeding outside Greasby Junior School. A group of adults speeding past the school were invited in to be grilled by schoolchildren. Each adult was talked to by the children for an average of twenty minutes each (nine in total). This was part of Road Safety Week. Three other adults received three penalty points and a £60 fine. Cllr Harry Smith was there in his capacity as a councillor, he was not one of the adults who’d been speeding.

John Brace said, “I have campaigned on many road safety campaigns over the years and am always pleased when the issue of speeding is highlighted. Children are more vulnerable to speeding traffic than adults and it is irresponsible of drivers to speed past schools. The road outside a local primary school, Gautby Road outside Gautby Road Primary School is in a 20 miles per an hour zone. So are many other local schools.

However, it requires greater enforcement by Merseyside Police of the existing laws if a few careless motorists will be deterred from their risky behaviour. As the Labour-led Merseyside Police Authority has cut the police budget this year by many millions of pounds, it will become increasingly hard for local police to respond to resident’s concerns in this matter.”

Employment & Appointments Committee (Wirral Council) 23/11/2011 Part 2 Minutes, Delivering the Investment Strategy

Chris Hyams was going to respond but Cllr Jeff Green carried on talking. He asking if he would be hearing soon and referred to comments made at a previous meeting by Jim Wilkie, Chief Executive that they would be moving ahead with the timetable.

Cllr Adrian Jones asked if they were ok and happy for him to sign the minutes? The committee were, and Cllr Adrian Jones signed the minutes of the meeting of the 29th September 2011 and the minutes of the meeting held on the 13th October 2011.

Cllr Adrian Jones moved the meeting to agenda item 3 – Delivering the Investment Strategy but referred to the red pen he had used to sign the minutes.

Kevin Adderley went into the detail of the report and how the title of the post had changed. It had been funded on a temporary basis since April 2010, but was “vital for the Enterprise Zone, offshore wind farm and Peel Holdings”.

Cllr Adrian Jones asked if there were any questions.
Cllr Jeff Green said he had missed the briefing, was it in the Budget?
Cllr Steve Foulkes mentioned a report on structure that had gone to Cabinet.

Kevin Adderley said yes, resources were available in the current allocation.

Cllr Jeff Green asked about the role of the person, specifically what would be the role in terms of a series of successful environmental businesses? He said these were now cottage industries, but if they were linked as an area it would encourage more investment.

Employment & Appointments Committee (Wirral Council) 23/11/2011 Part 1, Declarations of Interest, Minutes

Present:
Cllr Jeff Green
Cllr Lesley Rennie
Cllr Peter Kearney
Cllr Mark Johnston
Cllr Paul Hayes
Cllr Adrian Jones (Chair)
Cllr George Davies
Cllr Steve Foulkes
Cllr Phil Davies

Officers present:
Chris Hyams
Andrew Mossop (Committee Clerk)
Tony Williams
Kevin Adderley
Others

Cllr Adrian Jones (Chair) said “Good evening” and asked for declarations of interest. Cllr Steve Foulkes declared a personal interest in item 8 (Appeals Sub-Committee Minutes) as the solicitor named was known to him.

Cllr Adrian Jones (Chair) moved the meeting on to the minutes of the meetings held on the 29th September 2011 and the 13th October 2011.

Cllr Jeff Green asked a question about page eight of the minutes in respect of the interim management arrangements. He asked for an update about “where we are”? He asked about the arrangements for the Policy Unit, which he had not been contacted about.

Chris Hyams updated Cllr Green on where the process was up to. However she said any discussion would affect staff in the room but they were completing the procurement process. She said the Policy Unit was the remit of the Corporate Governance Cabinet Committee.

Cllr Foulkes said it was one of the Key Lines of Enquiry (KLOE).

Cllr Jeff Green said he was conscious that everything was sequential, but could it be done in tandem? Did the procurement exercise have to be finished?

Chris Hyams said it absolutely had to finish and that was the intention, to meet the timescale.

Cllr Jeff Green said from the 29th September they were getting to the end of November, and asked if it would take a further six months?