Expense claim forms for Councillor Brian Kenny (Wirral Council) 2013 to 2014

Expense claim forms for Councillor Brian Kenny (Wirral Council) 2013 to 2014

Expense claim forms for Councillor Brian Kenny (Wirral Council) 2013 to 2014

                               

Writing this, I had better declare that many years ago in Liverpool Councillor Brian Kenny gave us both a gift of a red plastic post box in I think in 2010 (it’s only a few inches high) as part of the lobbying that the Communication Workers Union were doing at the time of people like myself and Leonora. Although this falls into the trivial category, journalism ethics means I’d better state that at the start as I don’t want people thinking I’m being too kind or not objective enough to former Councillor Brian Kenny because of something he gave us four years ago. I will point out that gift was completely unconnected to my work as a journalist. However this is probably more openness and accountability than you will get from most politicians (who were recently told at a Planning Committee meeting about Tranmere Rovers that they only had to declare gifts received in the last twelve months)!

When I picked up the expenses claim forms to scan in for former Councillor Brian Kenny, at first I thought I must have picked up a batch which was for more than one councillor as compared to other councillors there seemed a lot of it. I know he was the Cabinet Member for the Environment, but his expenses claim forms go on and on and on and on and on like the waves crashing against the shore on the Wirral coastline.

As probably readers of this blog are already aware, former Councillor Brian Kenny lost his seat in Birkenhead and Tranmere in the May 2014 elections to the Green Party’s Councillor Pat Cleary.

I have only seen Brian Kenny twice since the elections. Once was at the meeting where Councillor Steve Foulkes became Mayor of Wirral in June, the other time was when I was at the Birkenhead County Court offices when I was requesting copies of court records on Wirral Council’s possession order (granted in February 2014 effective from February 2015) for Fernbank Farm. Before I start getting diverted into interesting anecdotes about a former councillor I had better show you first the expenses forms.

Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 1
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 1
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 2
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 2
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 3
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 3
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 4
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 4
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 5
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 5
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 6
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 6
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 7
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 7
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 8
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 8
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 9
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 9
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 10
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 10
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 11
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 11
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 12
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 12
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 13
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 13
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 14
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 14
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 15
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 15
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 16
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 16
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 17
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 17
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 18
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 18
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 19
Cllr Brian Kenny expenses claim 2013 2014 page 19

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The list of councillors at Wirral Council that didn’t claim expenses during 2013-14

The list of councillors at Wirral Council that didn’t claim expenses during 2013-14

The list of councillors at Wirral Council that didn’t claim expenses during 2013-14

                                                  

Councillor Chris Blakeley of the Conservatives points out on Twitter that there are many councillors that haven’t claimed expenses (I’m not referring to allowances) in 2013-14 including himself.

He suggests I write a list of those that didn’t claim expenses in the 2013-14 period.

Here it is compiled from this list here (although some are now as this last financial year ended in April former councillors): Councillors Abbey, Blakeley, Eddie Boult, Brighouse, Brightmore, Clements, Cox, Crabtree, Bill Davies, Dodd, Doughty, Ellis, Foulkes, Fraser, Gilchrist, Glasman, Green, Gregson, Hackett, Harney, Hayes, Andrew Hodson, Kathy Hodson, Johnston, Adrian Jones, Chris Jones, Kearney, Leech, Lewis, Meaden, Mitchell, Mountney, Muspratt, Niblock, Norbury, Patrick, Realey, Rennie Roberts, Rowlands, Walter Smith, Stapleton, Sullivan, Sykes, Walsh, Watt, Steve Williams, KJ Williams and Williamson.

Obviously the money that these people could have claimed (but didn’t) could be used for providing the services the Wirral people expect of a local Council. Using the councillors that did claim as a guide to amounts as to what this hypothetical amount could be, it represents a saving of about £13,700.

The list linked to above shows the allowances councillors get and let’s face it there are not many people that get paid a mileage allowance to travel from home to their place of work. Yes, being a politician isn’t a “job”, it’s an office, but after the MP expenses scandal broke a few years ago I was surprised so many at Wirral Council were still claiming expenses at all.

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EXCLUSIVE: NHS Consultation on impact on 2,269 Wirral cancer patients of Clatterbridge inpatient and outpatient cuts

EXCLUSIVE: NHS Consultation on impact on 2,269 Wirral cancer patients of Clatterbridge inpatient and outpatient cuts

EXCLUSIVE: NHS Consultation on impact on 2,269 Wirral cancer patients of Clatterbridge inpatient and outpatient cuts

                         

Despite Clatterbridge Cancer Centre being one of three charities chosen by the Mayor of Wirral for fundraising this year, Wirral Council’s Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee will be discussing at a public meeting on the evening of the 8th July (in Committee Room 1 (ground floor) at Wallasey Town Hall, Brighton Street, CH44 8ED) a consultation on major changes to Clatterbridge Cancer Centre. Employees from the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre will be there at the meeting to answer questions from councillors and co-opted members of the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee.

The formal consultation, expected to start next month (July 2014) will run for twelve weeks. UPDATED: 28th July 2014 The consultation has started and runs to October 19th 2014.The “preferred option” being consulted on includes:

  • Creating a new Cancer Centre at the Royal Liverpool University Hospital campus. Closing all cancer inpatient beds at the Clatterbridge Cancer Centre and moving the inpatient beds to the Royal Liverpool University Hospital’s new Cancer Centre,
  • Relocating the Teenage and Young Adult Unit (including the inpatient beds) from the Wirral to Liverpool and
  • Relocating complex outpatient radiotherapy from the Wirral to Liverpool (which represents about 6% of outpatient treatments).

If the NHS decides to go for the preferred option after the consultation period, predictions show the new Cancer Centre in Liverpool having 278 in-patients from the Wirral area by the time it opens in 2018/19. It is also predicted that 2,269 cancer patients living on the Wirral will be travelling to the new Cancer Centre in Liverpool by 2018/19. If the preferred option was agreed, all patients however would still be given a choice of where they receive treatment (provided this choice provides the specific treatment they need based on their type of cancer).

The proposals plan that the new Cancer Centre will be built in Liverpool between July 2016 and July 2018. Due to the wide area affected by the proposals, if Wirral Council’s Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee deem the proposals to be substantial they will nominate two Wirral Council councillors to a Merseyside and Cheshire Joint Scrutiny Committee. The Merseyside and Cheshire Joint Scrutiny Committee will scrutinise the proposals in detail and could comprise of representatives from Cheshire East Council, Cheshire West and Chester Council, Halton Borough Council, Knowsley Council, Liverpool City Council, St. Helens Metropolitan Borough Council, Sefton Council, Warrington Borough Council and Wirral Borough Council.

A briefing session on the joint scrutiny protocol was given to the following councillors on the 11th March 2014 (Councillor Wendy Clements (in her capacity as the then Chair of the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee), Councillor Moira McLaughlin (in her capacity then as Vice-Chair of the Families and Wellbeing Policy and Performance Committee (she is now its Chair) and Councillor Pat Williams (Liberal Democrat spokesperson).

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Mayor of Wirral Cllr Steve Foulkes welcomes 9 new councillors & Cllr Phil Davies announces Cabinet reshuffle

Mayor of Wirral Cllr Steve Foulkes welcomes 9 new councillors & Cllr Phil Davies announces Cabinet reshuffle

Mayor of Wirral Cllr Steve Foulkes welcomes 9 new councillors & Cllr Phil Davies announces Cabinet reshuffle

                                 

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Mayor of Wirral Councillor Steve Foulkes and councillors listen to Councillor Phil Davies announce his Cabinet reshuffle 9th June 2014
Mayor of Wirral Councillor Steve Foulkes and councillors listen to Councillor Phil Davies announce his Cabinet reshuffle 9th June 2014

Craig Manning has already written in the Wirral Globe about the chairs issue decided later in the meeting, so I thought I’d write about some other things announced earlier on in the meeting.

The Mayor’s announcements were brief, so I will directly quote what the Mayor of Wirral Councillor Steve Foulkes said below:

MAYOR OF WIRRAL COUNCILLOR STEVE FOULKES
The next item on the agenda are Mayor’s announcements. I’ll be extremely brief. I have been informed of two other apologies. I have Tracey Smith, John Hale, I also have Councillor Leah Fraser and Paul Hayes. Are there any other apologies for absence tonight? OK, thank you for that.

OK, Mayor’s announcements, I would personally really like to welcome our nine newly elected Members, I hope they enjoy their time as an elected Member. As I said during my Mayoral acceptance speech, I will be championing the role of the councillors and I think it’s important to whilst we’re welcoming the new councillors, it’s actually fair to put on record our gratitude to those who didn’t return for whatever reason either through the electoral results or people, many people stood down. So with that, with the permission of the Council I’d like to then as Mayor thank them for the service they’ve given to this Authority.

COUNCILLORS
Hear! Hear!

MAYOR OF WIRRAL COUNCILLOR STEVE FOULKES
OK, the other thing I would like to say is well done to everybody and the attendance at Councillor Kate Wood’s funeral. It was a very, very apt send off for a great politician and a great friend to many of us in this room and congratulations to everyone who made the effort and the other issue is, a couple of dates for your diary. I’m going through this as quick as I can.

You’ll notice there is no chaplain, there’ll be no chaplain at Council meetings throughout the year. However we will be holding a civic Sunday and that will be at Saint James’ church on the 10th August, 10.30am, at St. James in the heart of the North End of Birkenhead where I was brought up. Please if Members could come along and attend that and another one for your diary is the Charity Ball. Mayor’s Charity Ball at Thornton Hall on the 17th October, so if any of you would like to go there for Members and that is the end of Mayor’s announcements.

Councillor Phil Davies announced a Cabinet reshuffle. He said that he’d have ten councillors in his Cabinet. He was welcoming two new councillors to his Cabinet. Councillor Bernie Mooney was now the Cabinet Member for Environment and Sustainability and Councillor Stuart Whittingham the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport.

Councillor Phil Davies said, “I would like to take this opportunity to record my sincere thanks to Councillor Harry Smith who is standing down from the Cabinet. Harry has made a unique contribution to Cabinet and Council over many years and I greatly appreciate the excellent work that he has done as Lead Member for this portfolio.”

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Mayor of Wirral “The Mayor’s Special Charity Fund has been supporting good causes for over forty years”

Mayor of Wirral “The Mayor’s Special Charity Fund has been supporting good causes for over forty years”

Mayor of Wirral “The Mayor’s Special Charity Fund has been supporting good causes for over forty years”

 

Left to right newly elected Mayor of Wirral Councillor Steve Foulkes, former Mayor of Wirral Councillor Dave Mitchell
Left to right newly elected Mayor of Wirral Councillor Steve Foulkes, former Mayor of Wirral Councillor Dave Mitchell

Councillor Foulkes continued his acceptance speech (continues from Mayor of Wirral “Councillors suggested that I end up in something long and flowing, some meant the River Mersey”).

MAYOR OF WIRRAL COUNCILLOR STEVE FOULKES
There are so many great organisations as Dave the former Mayor talked about. So many people around, so many organisations, our own staff facing daily change of what they do who basically get on with it and sometimes people say to me, “all I need is someone to come round and say ‘thanks, you’re doing a great job’, ‘thanks for what you’re doing’, ‘it’s appreciated, someone else has recognised it'” so if you know out there organisations that have not yet been thanked or met the Mayor, or had someone to come round and just say “well done, thank you very much” we will go round there and we will do that job, simply to say “thank you” because it’s often all they need.

You’ll be glad to know because I can see some eyes rolling, I’m coming towards the end. The best part though of becoming Mayor is the charities that you can sponsor and look after. We’ll be supporting three charities, although we’ve had lots of charities who have applied to be the Mayor’s charity. We have decided on three and what this facility’s allowed us to do today is to actually play a video so they can tell you about their charities rather than me droning on. So I think we’re about ready to play the charities video, if you could do that for us thank you.

MAYOR OF WIRRAL COUNCILLOR STEVE FOULKES (ON PRE-RECORDED VIDEO)
The Mayor’s Special Charity Fund has been supporting good causes for over forty years. In that time, it’s had a huge variety of projects and touched the lives of many thousands of local people. Here is a few words from the our causes that the charity will be funding this year.

STICK ‘N’ STEP
Morning, through which children with cerebral palsy gain confidence, push the boundaries of their disability and strive to be as independent as possible. Working with our dedicated staff our children learn to do every day tasks that most people take for granted, such as holding a cup or standing up from a chair.

A group of parents of children with cerebral palsy formed our charity in 2002. They chose the name Stick ‘n’ Step because that is how children are taught to walk with sticks. They’re taught to stick and step. Over the years we have helped hundreds of children achieve goals their parents never thought possible through sitting up to dressing themselves to walking unassisted. Some of our original children have now gone on to college and university. This is a huge accomplishment for these children who had such a tough start to their lives.

Their parents were told so many things that they would never be able to do. Never be able to walk, never read, never go to a mainstream school and Stick ‘n’ Step would never say never, we always say let us try. We are delighted that you have chosen this as one of your charities this year. You’re helping children with cerebral palsy achieve the greatest independence possible step by step. Thank you so much for supporting us.

CLATTERBRIDGE CANCER CENTRE
The Clatterbridge Cancer Centre is one of the largest networked cancer centres in the UK. From nine operating sites across Merseyside and Cheshire we treat over thirty thousand patients a year offering pioneering chemotherapy, radiotherapy and proton therapy treatments.

The incidence of cancer is increasing and our region has the highest cancer death rate in the UK meaning there are so many of us that have been touched by cancer and whose families have benefited from the care given by the dedicated team.

It’s thanks to your support that we can help to make the hospital such a special place, helping our patients young and old get the best possible care. By choosing to raise money for the Clatterbridge Cancer Charity you’ll be helping to fund pioneering research, new treatments and vital support services that may be otherwise unavailable ranging from the latest innovations to how we treat cancer to the special touches that mean so much to our patients.

For thousands of patients in the coming year who will hear the words “you’ve got cancer” and come to us for treatment and on behalf of our team here at Clatterbridge Cancer Centre I’d like to say thank you for your support, you are really helping to make a difference and change lives.

WIRRAL FOODBANK
The Wirral Foodbank, which has been running for three years, is one of three hundred and eighty foodbanks across the country run by the Trussell Trust.

Thirteen million people live below the poverty line in the UK and today and every day people on the Wirral will be struggling to feed themselves and their families because of redundancy, illness, benefit delay, unexpected bills, domestic violence, debt, family breakdown and high fuel bills.

Last year Wirral Foodbank fed and supported over twelve thousand local people, four and a half thousand of these were children. The Foodbank provides a minimum of three days emergency food and help for people experiencing financial crisis. All food is donated by the public and sorted by volunteers.

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