Tag: Lib Dems

Tower Bridge repairs, the future of Williamson Art Gallery and school crossing patrols u-turn

Tower Bridge repairs, the future of Williamson Art Gallery and school crossing patrols u-turn

Tower Bridge repairs, the future of Williamson Art Gallery and school crossing patrols u-turn

                            

It’s time to answer some questions from readers. First there’s a topical question.

1. How long is the Tower Bridge road closed for in Birkenhead?

Ah yes, a recurring question that pops up from the Wirral motorist wanting to get from Wallasey to Birkenhead (or vice versa). The bridge closed on Saturday 15th February 2014 and work is predicted to take a week for urgent repairs to the A bridge. Wirral Council say the work is necessary due to a loose steel plate.

Last week I received a phone call from a woman who wanted to know what is happening to the Williamson Art Gallery following last week’s Cabinet meeting on the 12th February to discuss the budget and that she trusted this blog to let her know what was going on.

2. What’s happening to the Williamson Art Gallery?

Well this was also mentioned at the recent Birkenhead Constituency Committee meeting too. I’ve looked through the nine page handout given out during the meeting that details Labour’s proposals to the Council meeting on Tuesday 25th February to decide the budget for 2014/15.

On page six, the Williamson Art Gallery is mentioned and I quote:

“Re-phasing the savings from Williamson Art Gallery (£100,000 of saving rephased to 2015/16)
The engagement of local people and ‘Friends’ groups has been welcomed in exploring new models for funding the Williamson Art Gallery in the future. It is acknowledged that more time is required to develop the proposals. Therefore the saving of £400,000 is to be delivered over the next two years, i.e. £150,000 in 2014/15 and £250,000 in 2015/16. Cabinet strongly favours keeping the Williamson open. This will be funded from reserves in 2014/15.”

The Williamson Art Gallery is in Oxton ward. Last time there was an election there it was won by the Liberal Democrats in 2012 by a majority of 263 votes (with Labour in second place). The two major issues raised by Lib Dems in Oxton in the recent past have been the future of the Williamson Art Gallery and whether schools (or Wirral Council) should fund school crossing patrols. Strangely enough school crossing patrols forms the next bit of Labour’s budget resolution which I quote here.

“School Crossing Patrols
Cabinet believes the safety of children is paramount. In December Cabinet agreed to ask schools to take over the funding of school crossing patrols. Given the concerns expressed by a minority of schools, officers are instructed to continue discussions with schools with a guarantee that no funding is removed where agreement cannot be reached.”

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Reasons to vote Liberal Democrat in Bidston & St. James on May 5th – Day Two

There are four choices you face in Bidston & St. James on May 5th. Your choices are Lib Dem, Labour, Conservative or UKIP. I will be voting for the Liberal Democrats.

UKIP came 5th last year with just over 3% of the vote. They are on course for coming last this time. The Tories didn’t even manage 11%.

Last year 78% of people either voted Lib Dem or Labour. Under our first past the post system if you vote Conservative or UKIP your vote won’t count but just help Labour to get elected.

In 2007 Labour’s candidate Harry Smith got elected with 1,384 votes. Last year the Lib Dems got 699. Only ~7% of voters will decide the result.

If you vote Liberal Democrat on May 5th:-

a) if you voted Green or BNP last time, voting Lib Dem will force Labour to work harder.
b) if you voted Labour last time but Lib Dem this time it will reduce Labour’s majority by 2.
c) if you voted Lib Dem last time, thank you but we need you to vote Lib Dem again.
d) if you voted Conservative last time, Lib Dems work with the Conservative Party and a vote for the Conservative candidate will just result in Labour being elected.
e) if you voted UKIP last time, a vote for the UKIP candidate will just help Labour. Please consider voting Lib Dem.

Under our first past the post system, the winning candidate only needs about 39% to win.

Postal voters should be getting their vote in the next fortnight, please let me know if you don’t receive yours and I will do my best to help. Last year, like many residents I didn’t receive my postal vote and had to be given two postal votes (local and General) on polling day. I hope this year things will run smoother.

Reason to vote Liberal Democrat on May 5th – Day One

The local Labour Party website has often provided me with amusement in the way things are put. However today was even more interesting.

All of its pages now look like this (the login page for WordPress).

So reason #1 to vote Lib Dem is that we can manage to run a website.

Unlike Labour, local Lib Dems work hard all year round on communicating with the public through many means to suit them whether email, website, leaflets, phone or personal visits. Why don’t you vote Liberal Democrat on May 5th?