Category: Youths

May Elections

I’ve just read the latest press release from Cllr Holbrook about the May elections. As he points out, Liberal Democrats work hard for residents all year round. Unlike Labour who announced budget cuts to libraries, then defended the plan to the public, then spent thousands on a barrister at a public enquiry, the Lib Dem/Tory … Continue reading “May Elections”

I’ve just read the latest press release from Cllr Holbrook about the May elections.

As he points out, Liberal Democrats work hard for residents all year round. Unlike Labour who announced budget cuts to libraries, then defended the plan to the public, then spent thousands on a barrister at a public enquiry, the Lib Dem/Tory coalition on Wirral Council consulted first with the public.

I have previously pointed out myself that thanks to Lib Dems in government, 4,400 Wirral residents are now not paying income tax and 102,000 people are paying £200 less. £5 million extra is going to Wirral’s schools, targeted where it is most needed in areas like Bidston & St. James.

The designation of Wirral Waters as an Enterprise Zone will further help local residents searching for employment.

There are those that criticise the Liberal Democrats for forming a coalition government with the Conservative Party in the national interest (and similar criticism of the local progressive partnership with the Conservative Party on Wirral Council). Do you think more money would be going to schools in areas like Bidston & St. James and that people on a low income would pay less tax under a Conservative council or Conservative government?

Cllr Holbrook says “Unlike other parties, we do not rely on negative criticism, empty insults and blank sheets of paper to try and win votes.” I think he is referring to Labour who won’t come clean about the £14 billion of cuts they planned. The difference between the Coalition government cuts and Labour’s cuts are things like the following:-

ID cards: £86 million saving to the taxpayer
£800 million saving to the public in fees

Instead of cutting waste, Labour let government spending get out of control. Thanks to the tough decisions made by Lib Dems on Wirral Council no Sure Start centres had to close yet in Labour run councils massive cuts have been made to vital services people rely on like Sure Start and libraries.

Cabinet meeting (Wirral Council) 22/02/2011 Part 1 – the Conservative/Lib Dem budget cometh and Labour is not happy

Well yesterday the Conservative & Lib Dem Cabinet “unveiled” their Wirral Council budget for 2011/2012. Labour’s (opposition) budget will arrive by noon on Friday the 25th February.

Next Monday (1st March) the full Council will vote on the budget, although with 41 (yes I know it’s 42 including the Lib Dem Mayor but generally he doesn’t vote as he’s supposed to be politically neutral as part of his office) “progressive partnership” councillors to Labour’s 25 24 (edit – I sometimes forget Cllr. Knowles had switched from Labour to Tory and the independent Cllr Kirwan isn’t still with Wirral Council) councillors, I’m sure even Labour can do the maths and realise Labour’s budget will be defeated next Monday (with no need for Budget Part 2 on the evening of the 9th March) by around seventeen votes.

Can you see which bits of the Budget are from the Lib Dem side and which from the Conservative side? Yes you can see “the seams” between the two halves as we continue to be two independent political parties with minds and policy making processes of our own. If you look really hard you can see the bits influenced by yours truly and others (for example the 4-year rolling programme for 20 mph residential zones discussed last year by the party when Cllr Quinn was Cabinet Member for Streetscene and Transport) now carried forward by Cllr Rennie.

One Lib Dem policy coming into play is the pupil premium which means about £5 million extra for Wirral Schools to spend on children on free school meals, looked after children and service children. You should’ve heard the “wails of anguish” at the Wirral Schools Forum from headmasters/headmistresses from the more prosperous parts of the Borough when they realised £5 million would be spent on improving the educational chances of the most needy! Clearly Wirral is a place of large social divides and the extra money will be a welcome boost to the schools in Bidston & St. James.

So what may you ask is “in the budget”? Well, first to deal with the elements of the council tax that are made up by Merseyside Police’s budget and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s budget. Both Merseyside Police and Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service froze their contributions from Council Tax compared to last year (2010/2011).

Due to increased costs and inflation (as well as a high proportion of its costs being on staff), Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service will be cutting some jobs. Their Chief Exec/treasurer explains the situation in a self-styled “podcast” (I don’t think he quite knows what a podcast is but I have to give them a few marks for trying), which unfortunately with my browser Firefox either opens a blank black window or six video windows of him at once creating an echo effect so I’ve uploaded it to Youtube (which has slightly better audio quality than five echoes).

For the purposes of any copyright lawyers out there, as the work has been made previously available to the public (and still is on Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service’s website at this location), this is classed as “fair dealing” under s.30 of the Copyright, Designs and Patents Act 1988 and is being done for the purpose of news reporting (and making sure you can hear what the speaker says).

Quite why councillors on Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service left it to an officer to record a video to explain the cuts is a mystery I’m sure my humble readers can enlighten me on in the comments section (or maybe I’ll just ask Cllr Ellis, Cllr Niblock, Cllr Rennie or Cllr Roberts next time I see them).

Cathcart Street Primary School – Cabinet will decide on £1.8 million investment next Thursday

It’s always good to have a good news story about matters in Bidston & St. James. Next Thursday at Wallasey Town Hall Wirral’s Cabinet, made up of Liberal Democrat and Conservative councillors will decide whether to spend £1.8 million on Cathcart Street Primary School.

As reported on this blog last year the decision to close nearby Cole Street Primary School will mean some of its pupils will be joining Cathcart Street Primary School.

A detailed Scheme and Estimate Report, picture of what the proposed changes will look like, compared to the current building, existing floor plan and proposed altered floor plan are all available to view by following these links.

If approved next Thursday and agreed by the Planning Committee (or planning officers), work will start in May and (hopefully) be complete by the time of the next school year in September. Due to the closure of nearby St. Laurence’s Primary School, if this scheme is agreed the existing Children’s Centre at St. Laurence’s will be relocated to the Cathcart Primary School site. This scheme includes:-

  • Alterations and small extensions to improve the pupil toilet and cloakroom provision
  • Dry lining the existing internal walls to conceal the exposed brickwork and block-work and to improve acoustic properties
  • Alterations to the internal room layout to provide practical resource areas adjacent to classrooms and to improve internal circulation
  • Provision of a hygiene room for pupils with disabilities
  • Improved office and reception facilities and a new entrance area
  • Refurbishment of all toilet provision for both pupils and staff
  • Redecoration and new floor finishes throughout
  • Replacement of the existing high level clerestory windows
  • Complete replacement of the roof covering with improved insulation levels to reduce heat loss
  • A secure external covered play area adjacent to the Foundation classrooms
  • Replacement boilers and heat emitters
  • Additional classroom ventilation
  • New energy efficient lighting
  • New fire and intruder alarms
  • CCTV security system
  • New fencing throughout to improve the security and appearance of the site

In yet another good news story for Cathcart Street, Lib Dem MPs in government have agreed to give schools an extra £430/year for every child on free school meals and those in foster care or who have been adopted. This extra money, which will go directly to schools will mean over £5 million extra money being spent across Wirral helping schools such as Cathcart Street and other schools in Bidston & St. James.