Tag: Cllr David Elderton

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) Site Visits | OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ

A report on Wirral Council’s Planning Committee meeting held on the 27th June 2013 | Site Visits | OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ

This transcript continues from an earlier blog post covering the first three agenda items.

Cllr Steve Foulkes: Sorry Chair, yes Chair, err…the party on the.. simply note those site visits.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): OK thank you very much, are there any other site visits?

Cllr David Elderton (Conservative spokesperson): So that’s three site visits.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): That’s three site visits.

Cllr David Elderton (Conservative spokesperson): We’re going to have, thank you very much.

Cllr Bernie Mooney: So anybody’s here, anybody who’s here in the building to listen to errm the Woodend Cottage Cottage, err Marsh Lane that will not be discussed tonight. Hoylake Lawn Tennis Club will not be discussed tonight and Thornton Manor will not be discussed tonight. They are subject to site visits and they will be on the agenda for the next Planning Committee. So, anybody here for them items, then they aren’t being discussed, so errm if you’d like to leave or you’re more than welcome to stay for the rest of the meeting if you want.

Before we do this, could I ask for …., because we move it around errm in proportion for the people who are here to to to listen to the applications, we think that would be…councillor number four now and then people are going to I was going to say number twelve, number thirteen and number eleven, err number ten, so that’s where we’re going. Err, can we have a presentation please for item agenda number four please?

Matthew Davies: Thank you Chair, through you Chair, errm there is a qualifying petition errm through this application. Errm following the outline planning application with all matters reserved, the two dwellings err on the site there through the .. to our end ..running between Hawthorne and Noctorum Avenue. Errm other outline application, a further application will be needed to secure the detail of the development’s layout, appearance, scale and landscaping. The dwelling is indeed and has been utilising the proposed two dormer bungalows parallel parallel to the property fronting on Noctorum Avenue.

In principle this type of development is thwarted by the Unitary Development Plan, in terms of highways and residential amenity, primarily in a residential area such as this. UDP policy HS10, subject to criteria would normally let the backland development on the site, while HS4 sets out the minimum criteria for the new housing development. The key issues that are considered to be that the essential impact on character, impact on dwellings and residential properties in terms of amenity and impact on highway safety.

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) 27th June 2013 OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ.

Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) Minutes | Declarations of Interests | Site Visits

A blog post about the Planning Committee meeting of the 27th June 2013 | Declarations of Interest | Minutes | Requests for site visits

In an attempt to report on what happened at the Planning Committee, despite being prevented filming here is a transcript of what was said.

Chair (Cllr Bernie Mooney): Welcome to the err Planning Committee errm, just thank you.

Errm, just for all your information, errm on my first right where we have the usual, errm our usual adviser in the Authority who gives very good legal advice indeed errm, errm, especially at the minute and on the left we have  all these planning officers who will offer us help and guidance this evening. The rest of the people you see around the table are the councillors who will actually be taking the decisions, the Members.

Errm, this evening for each agenda item, errm we will have a presentation of the application by an officer so we all know what’s going on. Errm if there’s a qualifying petition, that means a petition of twenty-five separate names and separate households on it, one representative can address the Committee for five minutes and five minutes only errm on behalf of the petitioners. No sorts of representations will be heard by the Committee, I’m sorry about that errm it’s out of my hands.

So only one of the petitioners can talk errm for five minutes. Errm if the applicant is present, errm they will then be given the right to reply, but please note, if there are no representations, then no one present can talk.

Actually errm the, the, the, the, the errm, the errm, any ward councillor can be introduced at any time that they like and provided that the councillor is errm the errm, errm, sorry ladies and gentleman, just a minute errm. Errm my role here, is just to maintain discipline and to make sure that the people in this small room know the rules and regulations and that if we have a split vote, usually errm I as the Chairman vote. Normally all being well, it won’t.

Errm so the first thing on the agenda is the minutes. So, errm first can we approve the minutes of the previous meeting,

Cllr David Elderton (Conservative spokesperson): So is everyone happy with them? Thank you very much.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Is that ok? Thank you very much. Thank you very much. Errm is there any declarations of interest? Anita?

Cllr Anita Leech: Yes, Chair, I have errm, a personal interest to declare in item number 14. It says home address, errm a board member of Leasowe Homes, errm with the Your Housing Group on the, on the written report, but it’s normally as an ordinary member of the Board.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): OK, thank you. Are there any other declarations? OK. Thank you very much. So, the requests for site visits, which is item, item number three, site visits?

Cllr Eddie Boult: Thank you Chair, errm, item number twelve, Hoylake Lawn Tennis Club.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Thank you. Any other site visits?

Cllr Steve Foulkes: Chair, errm, given its implications err and being within the green belt, err I would like a site visit for items four and nine, items fifteen, err and it is an SDA err application but I can request a site visit.

Cllr Bernie Mooney (Chair): Is there any other site visits? I’ll move then to the first agenda item number nine, for a site visit? We’ve requested agenda item number nine for a site visit. Yeah?

Continues at Planning Committee (Wirral Council) (27th June 2013) Site Visits | OUT/13/0040 41 Noctorum Avenue, Noctorum, CH43 9RZ.

Council (Extraordinary) 30th April 2013 Declarations of Interest, Mayor’s Communications, Petitions, Minutes, Leader’s Announcements

A report on the first five items of the Council’s Extraordinary meeting of the 30th April 2013 | Declarations of Interest, Mayor’s Communications, Petitions, Minutes and Leader’s Announcements along with HD video

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Council (Extraordinary) Meeting, Council Chamber, 30th April 2013, Part 1 (Agenda items 1 to 5), Declarations of Interest, Mayor’s Communications, Petitions, Minutes, Leader’s Announcements

Council Chamber during meeting showing councillors, officers and Mayor's Chaplain

The meeting started with the Mayor asking the Mayor’s Chaplain to say a prayer. After the prayer the Mayor thanked his Chaplain for his work throughout the year. He directed people’s gaze towards the returning councillor David Elderton, saying that he [David Elderton] was always one for making dramatic entrances (Cllr Elderton was using a Zimmer frame to get to his seat).

Declarations of Interest

He asked for declarations of interest, nobody declared any.

Mayor’s Communications

The Mayor asked for apologies, one was given for Cllr Sylvia Hodrien, he then said that as this would be the last Council meeting he would be chairing, he invited everyone back for drinks in the Round Room, pointing out that the Mayor and Mayoress were paying for the drinks so “don’t drink too much”.

Also mentioned was a service at St. Bridget’s Church at 10:00 a.m. on Sunday, all councillors had been invited but not many had replied, after the service would be a light buffet, which again the Mayor and Mayoress were paying for. He then went on to present the Andy Day Memorial Cup for a backbench councillor who had “done good things”, he said that the councillor it was going to this year had supported him in his mayoralty, whether by turning up to events or making donations. The cup was awarded to Cllr Steve Williams.

Petitions

Petitions were the next item on the agenda. Cllr Walter Smith had a 95 signature petition against antisocial behaviour in Mayer Park, Bebington. Cllr Irene Williams presented a petition of forty-four more signatures against the closure of the Eastham Centre. Cllr Tony Smith presented a petition of 250 against the “bedroom tax”, Cllr Leech also presented a petition of 273 signatures against the “bedroom tax”. Cllr Sullivan presented a petition of 130 signatures asking for improvements to road surfaces and markings. Cllr Williamson presented a petition of 577 signatures against the “bedroom tax”.

Minutes

The minutes of the last meeting were moved and agreed.

Leader’s Announcements

Cllr Phil Davies said that he was pleased to see the return of Cllr Elderton, who had been seriously ill, and that it was “great to see him here this evening”. He paid tribute to the Mayor and Mayoress, saying what a fantastic job they had both done, how it was a pleasure to accompany them at several engagements and how the Mayor and Mayoress had had a fantastic reception from the people of Wirral. He was impressed with the Mayor’s “warmth, spirit, generosity and kindness that you’ve shown to residents from all parts of this Borough”, said that the Mayor had a passion for Wirral and paid tribute for the work he’d done for the Mayor’s charities. Cllr Davie described the Mayor’s sense of humour and jokes as “unique” and that “most were quite funny”. He said that the Mayor and Mayoress do a wonderful job on behalf of the Borough and wanted to thank both of them.

There was applause, when the applause ended Cllr Green said he wanted to associate himself with the kind remarks of the Leader of the Council, he thought that the Mayor and Maggie had done “an absolutely fantastic job” and he’d been fortunate to attend many events. He said, “It is uncanny how you can break through and speak to everybody”. Cllr Green said that the Mayor was impressed by all the charity work and voluntary work that goes on on the Wirral and how much they welcome the support of the Mayor. He wanted to pay tribute to his “selfless service” and what he’d given up to maintain the position of Mayor and that the service the Mayor had shown was an example to them all. This was followed by more applause.

Cllr Tom Harney wanted to echo the comments of his colleagues and that the one bit of their constitution the public understand is the Mayoralty and that the impact he makes on communities is enormous and valued by the people. He’d been to a number of events and that the Mayor had approached people with good humour, with a combination of dignity and formality. Cllr Harney said that it showed the Council’s visible support to communities in the Borough. He thanked him for the good-humoured way that he had conducted Council meetings. This was followed by more applause.

The Mayor said it was “very, very kind”. Cllr Elderton thanked Cllr Phil Davies for his very kind remarks and said that Barbara and himself had been overwhelmed by the support from officers and people they don’t know in detail very well. It had been appreciated and had gone a long way to helping him to get better. He thanked people for their support and said it was really appreciated. This was also followed by applause.

The Mayor said they were delighted to see him back, he thanked people for their kind words and described the Mayoress as “absolutely fantastic and supportive”.

Continues at Council (Extraordinary) (Wirral Council) 30th April 2013 Revisions to the Constitution Cllr Phil Davies (Labour) speaks for the revisions | Cllr Jeff Green (Conservative) against.

Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 21st November 2012 Labour councillors ban filming (again)

Labour councillors on the Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee vote to ban filming of the Wirral Council public meeting

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Well, in what is becoming a rather predictable saga and in a repeat of what happened at the start of Pensions Committee on Tuesday evening, Labour councillors once again voted that filming be stopped of this public meeting of Wirral Council’s Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee on Wednesday evening.

The Conservative councillors (except for the Chair who abstained) and sole Liberal Democrat councillor voted against banning filming but were outnumbered by the Labour councillors.

When asked by Cllr Fraser what the reasons were for banning filming the proposer of the motion Labour councillor Jerry Williams responded as follows:-

“Well, we’ve had clear guidance on this issue, here we are, on the other hand ostentatiously filming and recording events from the gallery could be regarded as disorderly and disruptive or otherwise. It is secondly unsettling to point a camera at someone at issue, significantly Members would know as they were being filmed, we have no control over way the film is taken, edited or even produced. I think that’s quite clear.”

Cllr Dave Mitchell, Liberal Democrat spokesperson said, “I’m in no rush, but I want my say in the end. In relation to that particular note, the passages that you’ve read out, what was the final recommendation to Cabinet or to the Council when that was actually dealt with? I’m just reminded while you’re looking it up, if you look behind it your good selves you will see there are Cabinet here, and for eighteen months every Planning Committee was filmed by the local authority. Did I interrupt you guys? Again it goes back to the comments [Cllr] Leah [Fraser] made before, it was stopped for financial reasons. I don’t see anything wrong with it being filmed because I know I’ve got nothing to hide.”

There were many items on the agenda that I’m sure the Wirral public would’ve liked to see (and hear) their local councillors’ views on which included domestic homicides, pavement and grass verge parking, parks modernisation and the Arrowe Park hospital travel plan.

Ironically (and causing much laughter) in the first main item after filming was banned (an item on domestic homicides) the Labour councillor Mike Sullivan, who had earlier seconded the motion banning filming, spoke of his regret that it was “not on the record” followed up with the barbed insult of “people this side [Labour] know the rules, Members opposite don’t”.

Related articles

Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 26th September 2012

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Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 26th September 2012 Part 1 of 3
Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 26th September 2012 Part 2 of 3
Sustainable Communities Overview and Scrutiny Committee (Wirral Council) 26th September 2012 Part 3 of 3