Tag: Cllr Jeff Green

West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, Melrose Hall, Introductions, Minutes, Bridge Court Part 1

Present: Cllr Gerry Ellis (Chair) Cllr David Elderton Cllr Geoffrey Watt Cllr Eddie Boult Cllr John Hale Officers: Dave Green (Director of Technical Services) David Ball instead of Kevin Adderley (Lead Officer) Tracey Smith (Area Forum co-ordinator) Partners: Merseyside Police (Sgt Andy Carter) Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (Paul Murphy) On a very windy night, … Continue reading “West Wirral Area Forum 6/10/2011, Melrose Hall, Introductions, Minutes, Bridge Court Part 1”

Present:
Cllr Gerry Ellis (Chair)
Cllr David Elderton
Cllr Geoffrey Watt
Cllr Eddie Boult
Cllr John Hale

Officers:
Dave Green (Director of Technical Services)
David Ball instead of Kevin Adderley (Lead Officer)
Tracey Smith (Area Forum co-ordinator)

Partners:
Merseyside Police (Sgt Andy Carter)
Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service (Paul Murphy)

On a very windy night, about fifty members of the public were present at the start of the meeting. Cllr Ellis said the attendance at the Leasowe, Moreton and Saughall Massie Area Forum the previous evening had only been two, so he thanked people for coming despite the bad weather. He said there were some interesting questions. He introduced himself as Gerry Ellis, councillor for Hoylake and Meols ward. He then asked those present to introduce themselves. They introduced themselves as listed above except for Paul Murphy who said he had taken over from Myles Platt.

Cllr Ellis gave an apology for Cllr Green who had told him he was on his way but not wearing a suit. He handed over to Tracey Smith for the minutes and then asked if there were any matters arising.

Bridget asked about Bridge Court on page 5 which had been demolished and asked if it was possible it would become a new health centre? Cllr Ellis said there was nobody from the Primary Care Trust, Wirral Partnership Homes had cleared the site as it was not to required standards. The GPs were looking for an alternative site.

Cllr Jeff Green arrived.

Cllr Ellis said he had talked to Patrick, who was deputy head of Wirral Partnership Homes who had told him they were at an advanced stage over negotiations about letting, however they still had a way to go. If it works it would be wonderful as the surgery at the Concourse was not up to modern standards.

PACSPE: The saga continues (Wirral Council)

PACSPE: The saga continues (Wirral Council)

                                            

At a well attended Area Forum for West Wirral tonight, Cllr Jeff Green revealed that himself and Cllr Tom Harney (Leader of the Lib Dem councillors) have called in the Labour Cabinet decision of the 22nd September not to award the PACPSE (Parks and Countryside Spaces) contract.

I’ll write up more about the West Wirral Area Forum tomorrow which covered many interesting topics.

Audit & Risk Management Committee 28/9/2011 Part 4

Mike Thomas continued by saying there were a range of issues on pages 38 to 42 which relate to earlier years, which needed to be attended to. There was a recommendation on page 42. There were weaknesses in internal control. He asked the committee to check the quality of the financial statements as there were a significant number of amendments. Project management could be better and the Quality Review dealt with the Value for Money conclusions.

The appendices detailed the changes to the draft, included the unadjusted misstatement of £6 million. There was also a glossary and an Action Plan.

Tom Sault said there was an updated letter of representation with one amendment which was Appendix 6.

Cllr Green asked which one and said he had questions.

Mike Thomas said the appendix replaced page 36, which was drafted on 6th September. The addendum was answering the outstanding questions, the major one outstanding was issue 6.

Cllr Green referred to the qualified Value for Money conclusion. He asked about the £6 million and why it had not been project managed to completion. Which pages were changed he asked?

Mike Thomas said the update was to page 36. The other was to do with appendix 1 of the draft auditor’s report. On the 6th September it changed.

Cllr Green said it had got to be signed off and agreed by Friday and he had only been told on Monday.

Mike Thomas said they were still receiving information. The £6 million was complex and required unwinding to correctly analyse. The amendments wer late, they had worked with council officers to do this by the deadline but timescales had slipped.

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?

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.