Category: Wirral Council

Wirral Council – Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee – Part 1 – 25/5/2011

Present: Cllr Bill Davies (Labour) – Chair Cllr Bob Wilkins (Lib Dem) Cllr Sue Taylor (Conservative) Cllr Ian Lewis (Conservative) Cllr Chris Blakeley (Conservative) Cllr Pat Glasman (Labour) Cllr Steve Niblock (Labour) Cllr Irene Williams (Labour) Cllr Chris Jones (Labour) The Chair asked for any declarations of interest. There were none. The Chair thanked Cllr … Continue reading “Wirral Council – Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee – Part 1 – 25/5/2011”

Present:
Cllr Bill Davies (Labour) – Chair
Cllr Bob Wilkins (Lib Dem)
Cllr Sue Taylor (Conservative)
Cllr Ian Lewis (Conservative)
Cllr Chris Blakeley (Conservative)
Cllr Pat Glasman (Labour)
Cllr Steve Niblock (Labour)
Cllr Irene Williams (Labour)
Cllr Chris Jones (Labour)

The Chair asked for any declarations of interest. There were none. The Chair thanked Cllr Sue Taylor for her hard work and that of the members of the licensing committees. The minutes of the previous meeting were agreed.

There were two different proposals for Vice-Chair. Cllr Ian Lewis and Cllr Chris Blakeley proposed Cllr Sue Taylor. Cllr Irene Williams and Cllr Pat Glasman proposed Cllr Steve Niblock.

A vote was held on Cllr Steve Niblock’s nomination. Five (Labour) councillors voted for, four Lib Dem and Conservative voted against. Safest place to order Cialis online – http://www.noc2healthcare.com/cialis/.

No vote was taken on the proposal of Cllr Sue Taylor as Vice-Chair. Cllr Steve Niblock was elected as Vice-Chair.

The Chair asked for names for the licensing panel. The Conservative Group put forward Cllr Sue Taylor, Cllr Ian Lewis and Cllr Kate Wood. The Chair put forward Cllr Niblock and Cllr Glasman. The Lib Dem councillor Bob Wilkins didn’t state any names but said that he had a list but it was subject to confirmation.

Wirral Council – Wirral Council 23rd May 2011 – Part 18 – Bill Norman’s response

Bill Norman said the agendas had been published and papers would be provided tomorrow. The Mayor said there was no other business and thanked people for their attendance.

The draft minutes and agenda for this meeting can be found by following the link

Wirral Council – Wirral Council 23rd May 2011 – Part 17 – speech (Cllr Steve Foulkes) on Conservative amendments to committee places

Cllr Foulkes said that as the new leader that the Conservatives could put proposals which they would “be here all night over”. The Chair was not likely to use their casting vote. If Jeff Green entrusted the leadership and executive this was churlish. Anything referred from the Employment and Appointments Committee would go back to the Executive and it would make initial difficulties.

In relation to the Audit and Risk Management committee there were high levels of training and it acted independently. However things were “not set in tablets of stone”. Cllr Harney said he would like to say a few words. He wanted to discuss these serious issues and what the real intentions were. Was it to be constructive and work together or be a kamikaze? He was not seeking to unbalance things by a positive abstention. They still had the power to change the committee structure and the leadership. His Group [of Lib Dem councillors] would abstain but be open if there were problems. If there were the leader would be asked to take it or leave it, however it was a new ballgame.

Cllr Green proposed the motion, seconded by Cllr Rennie. 26 Conservative councillors voted for, 30 Labour councillors against and 9 Lib Dem councillor abstained so the motion was lost.

The original Labour motion (proposed by Cllr Foulkes, seconded by Cllr Davies) was put to the vote. Thirty Labour councillors voted for, 26 Conservative councillors against and 9 Lib Dem councillors abstained.

Cllr Foulkes said he would provide the other names of Cabinet members later.

Cllr Green asked how can they plan committees when the papers have not yet gone out? How could new members give proper consideration and not risk maladministration?

Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Party Constituency Executive Suspends John Brace

Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Party Constituency Executive Suspends John Brace

                                         

Well, I’ve been suspended from the Birkenhead Liberal Democrat Party following a complaint by Simon Holbrook and Cllr Bridson which centers on two reasons I should be suspended from the party:-

a) disability
b) opening my mouth on the Wirral Globe website in May which led to Cllr Bridson and Simon Holbrook having to "rewrite history" and Simon Holbrook and Cllr Bridson lying to the party in June.

The party didn’t consider it bad enough to chuck me out and reinstated my membership on 6th September 2011. Although they can’t go against Simon Holbrook and a Lib Dem councillor I was removed from all elected party positions within the Lib Dems, barred from holding any position in the Lib Dems for 5 years and barred from being a candidate for the party for five years.

The decision was appealed but nearly three months later nothing has happened since the appeal was received… which isn’t surprising to me, as the resignation of Chris Fox, the Liberal Democrat Chief Executive on September 6th was a way of scapegoating him.

Half of the complaint had to be thrown out due to “lack of evidence”.

The evidence was fabricated for the rest of the complaint, so the complaint was upheld based on fabricated evidence. Mind you the disciplinary panel had had a lot of alcohol to drink by the time they made the decision.

I can’t say much more than that (obviously) as contrary to the complaints procedure I haven’t been provided with a copy of the complaint.

Having written that, if he is concentrating on his career in the Environment Agency he’s showing a funny way of doing it!

We will see what happens when the dust settles. There’ll be a day in court (and a disciplinary meeting sometime in the next 14 weeks) and I’ll write about it here.

It is however quite sad when political parties can’t work together. It seems to be in relation to a comment I left on the Wirral Globe website here.

P.S. Due to the way the party is set up I still remain a member of the Liberal Democrat Party.

UPDATE: 30th October. On 6th September 2011, the disciplinary panel didn’t fully uphold either of the complaints made about me by Cllr Bridson & Simon Holbrook. The second thing I was accused of was impossible, the first was done by someone else.

However, I was accused of being three different people (yes three different people and last time I checked I didn’t have three heads). One was Martin Morton, the second was myself, the third was a person called Hugo.

As the councillor on the disciplinary panel put it in an email to me afterwards, Cllr Steve Foulkes was a Lib Dem party member [which he is incorrect about], and that this was why I should be punished by the Lib Dems.

The disciplinary panel decision has been however appealed and I await the outcome of that Appeals Panel.

It has however shown me the sheer levels of prejudice that exist in people’s hearts towards me on grounds of age, ethnic minority, gender and other “protected characteristics”. I will write more as things unfold and maybe I’ve outgrown the Lib Dems.

Wirral Council – Wirral Council 23rd May 2011 – Part 16 – speech (Cllr Steve Foulkes) on being made Leader of Wirral Council, Conservative amendments (Cllr Jeff Green)

He said they can do better. Cllr Foulkes was “truly honoured and privileged”, however he suggested they get together to deal with the nuts and bolts. His first act as leader was to make Cllr Phil Davies the Deputy Leader and Cabinet member for Regeneration. This way they could be good cop/bad cop. He thanked everyone in the room and the members of the public. He asked people who were more knowledgeable even those of other parties to help.

The Mayor then called for an adjournment until 8:30pm and at 8:11pm the meeting was adjourned.

The meeting resumed at 8.38pm. Cllr Green spoke first and said he had had the opportunity to read what was circulated. He disagreed however with the way the Audit & Risk Management committee and Employment and Appointments Committee were being made. He said the Audit and Risk Management Committee had a vital role in holding the administration to account and sharing best practice. Similarly the Employment and Appointments Committee had a key role in policies relating to Human Resources. He said he was not sure it was [Labour’s] intent to take control and it was not in the spirit of proportionality. Therefore he proposed an adjustment as follows.

Ratio is expressed as Labour: Conservative: Lib Dem

Audit and Risk Management (9 places) 4:4:1
Employment and Appointments Committee (7 places) 3:3:1

As a result the Conservative Group would cede a place on the Licensing Act 2003 committee to meet the total numbers. This way said Cllr Green they would continue to work in the spirit of the rules. Firstly in holding the executive to account and secondly ensuring that the Employment and Appointments Committee would need the support of two parties to agree to its actions. He said the new Leader of the Liberal Democrat councillors [Cllr Tom Harney] had wanted out of the council arrangements scrutiny of actions.