Surprise in Candidates for Bidston & St. James – no Green or BNP candidate

I was surprised to read the the list of candidates for Bidston & St. James ward (Wirral Council). I’ve stood as the Bidston & St. James Liberal Democrat candidate in 2007, 2008, 2010 and this year. Each year a Green candidate called Bowler has stood, as the ballot paper is listed alphabetically by surname I … Continue reading “Surprise in Candidates for Bidston & St. James – no Green or BNP candidate”

I was surprised to read the the list of candidates for Bidston & St. James ward (Wirral Council).

I’ve stood as the Bidston & St. James Liberal Democrat candidate in 2007, 2008, 2010 and this year. Each year a Green candidate called Bowler has stood, as the ballot paper is listed alphabetically by surname I have always been number 2! Has the Green party given up here?

In addition to there being no Green candidate there is no BNP candidate either (which I am pleased about)! I was half expecting an independent George Thomas to stand against Harry Smith again as he did in 2007.

So you will have a choice of only four candidates on May 5th.

Those are:-






Name Party Home Address
John Michael BraceLiberal DemocratsJenmaleo, 134 Boundary Road, Bidston, Wirral, CH43 7PH (in Bidston & St. James ward)
Helen Frances RomnesUKIP6 Pleasant Street, Wallasey, CH45 5EU (in New Brighton ward)
Harry SmithLabour25 Holmlands Drive, Oxton, Birkenhead, CH43 0QY (in Oxton ward)
Jerrold Samuel VickersConservative13 Bramwell Avenue, Prenton, CH43 0RG (in Prenton)

However, if you wish to vote for a local candidate, the Liberal Democrats are your only choice. As the Liberal Democrats came 2nd last year, voting Conservative or UKIP will result in Labour being elected.

I do wish all candidates the best of luck with their election campaigns and look forward to hearing from them. However I have already made my mind up to vote Liberal Democrat, so you may have to try persuading someone else to vote for you. 😉

Price of Alcohol – Lib Dem and Tory councillors vote not to raise it – Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee 21st March

Unusually the Chair and Vice-Chair of the Licensing, Health and Safety and General Purposes Committee weren’t available. This led to a few jokes from the Cabinet Member for Housing & Community Safety as to what he’d Twitter about it following his recent coverage in the Wirral Globe of the Chair.

The Committee decided to (for this meeting only) have Cllr Ian Lewis (Cabinet Member for Community Engagement) as the Chair. The most interesting item on the agenda was a decision (following consultation) as to whether Wirral would recommend a minimum price (per unit ~50p) for alcohol as a local bylaw.

Many councillors told members of the public present and committee members about their favourite drinks, how alcohol was an issue that needed to be addressed but that putting up the price for Wirral residents wasn’t the answer. They also suggested that raising the price would lead to an increase in shoplifting. A quarter of the consultation responses were from the Birkenhead & Tranmere/Rock Ferry area.

Here were the results

Licensed premises
39% agreed with a minimum unit price for alcohol (384 people)
16% had no strong opinion (159 people)
45% disagreed with a minimum unit price for alcohol (438 people)

Off Licences
44% agreed with a minimum unit price
14% had no strong opinion
42% disagreed with a minimum unit price

People cited issues such as anti social behaviour, young people drinking, violence, noise and criminal damage as some of the problems caused by alcohol. There was also a call for better policing and education.

In the end after a spirited debate the committee voted not to implement one of the “Access to Alcohol by Young People” report’s recommendations and press for a bylaw on Wirral. However with an election less than a month away would you have expected any politician to vote to increase the price of alcohol?

When I dig out my notes, I’ll provide a more detailed report of the meeting.

Employment and Appointments Committee – 23rd March 2011 – Part 3

Cllr Green said that child safety was paramount and that the safeguarding procedures were not weakening. He said it made sense to share expertise. At the opening of Raby Hall he had asked the Chief Executive if Wirral Autistic Society was charging above the personal budget. She had said “absolutely not” and that there was no top up charge. There had however been confusion.

Howard Cooper said there were big changes in a short timescale. Wirral Autistic Society was a good provider, but not cheap. Cllr Foulkes asked if they had “nailed down the costs”. The Director replied that there were ongoing discussions regarding autism.

The Chair asked a question about holidays for people with learning disabilities. Howard Cooper responded that it was the sort of area that they wanted to develop, but was currently underdeveloped. Cllr Foulkes asked if one of the positions had previously been a permanent post. He was told that it was not the case and that it had been a different job managing in-house provision of services.

The public were then excluded from the rest of the meeting.

Employment and Appointments Committee – 23rd March 2011 – Part 2

Cllr Foulkes said he wasn’t going to sit here and say he was happy and that they took a different view of transformational change. He referred to the CQC report and asked if adults with learning disabilities having a choice was enough? Howard Cooper answered no. Cllr Foulkes pointed out that some choices cost more than the services replaced. He referred to Raby Hall costing £290/night whereas Maplehome was £380/week. He said carers had concerns.

Howard Cooper said he expected the system to improve so that people could exercise a diverse range of choices that just Wirral Council provision. He pointed out that Wirral Autistic Society provided very high quality and specialised care for people with autism as those people had a high level of need. Cllr Foulkes asked if carers had been made aware of choice.

The Director had examples of respite in people’s own home, that could be provided when carers go on holiday. Cllr Foulkes said he believed the whole process was going too fast. He referred to a visit to Maplehome. He said the manager had told them not to tell people there about the changes and that he was not 100% happy regarding the implementation.

Howard Cooper assured him that every single one had been contacted and that the day centre wasn’t being stopped, but would be provided in a different building. Cllr Johnston asked whether the safeguarding post was an interim or a permanent position.

The answer given was that it might need to continue beyond September. He said the need for two separate boards was a legal one, however different areas had different approaches as to whether adult and children safeguarding should be dealt with jointly or separately.

Employment and Appointments Committee – 23rd March 2011 – Part 1

After the other reports and minutes were agreed most of the meeting was about the changes to Adult Social Services after the critical Care Quality Commission Report last year.

Howard Cooper (Interim Director of Adult Social Services) explained to those present that Social Services needed extra capacity in relation to safeguarding for vulnerable adults. He talked at length about how safeguarding was done in the Children and Young Peoples Department and how lessons could be learnt from them in how to do safeguarding well for vulnerable adults.

Although someone had been working with both the C&YP Dept and DASS, the current management team for children was stretched. As a result he recommended that the Employment and Appointments Committee make two temporary appointments (until a new Director was permanently appointed). The first would be an Interim Head of Service and the second an Interim Head of Joint Adults & Childrens’ Safeguarding.

Cllr Green asked about child safety. Howard Cooper referred to the recent OFSTED inspection. He pointed out the advantages and risks of taking a joint approach to safeguarding and that it would have positive benefits with the transition from children to adults. The changes to DASS would take place in phases. From January to March changes would be made, but from April to July longer term structures would be put in place before the transition to the new permanent director of Adult Social Services. Mr Cooper referred to changes happening in the NHS, Wirral Council becoming a health provider, the public health function coming to Wirral Council and GP Commissioning.