Liberal Democrat Conference: 19th September 2011 Post Offices

I was listening to Ed Davey MP on Post Offices, some of the changes make sense. No one wants to see any more Post Offices close, but going from a “nationalised industry” to a “mutualised cooperative” is something I’m sure the unions won’t be happy with. Taking nearby Hoylake Road Post Office as an example, … Continue reading “Liberal Democrat Conference: 19th September 2011 Post Offices”

I was listening to Ed Davey MP on Post Offices, some of the changes make sense. No one wants to see any more Post Offices close, but going from a “nationalised industry” to a “mutualised cooperative” is something I’m sure the unions won’t be happy with.

Taking nearby Hoylake Road Post Office as an example, there are three counters and usually two people working there. In addition there’s another person at a different counter that deals with anything you want to buy in the shop. Ed Davey said they’re trying out (through some pilot projects) everything being sold at the Post Office counter (which could cut costs making more Post Offices viable) whilst trialling self-service machines to cut down on queues.

Clearly queues is an issue that has been a greater problem since a several Post Offices in Birkenhead have been closed. Having used the Hoylake Road and Upton Road Post Offices in the last few months I think there’s only been one occasion when I didn’t have to queue.

I also remember the campaigns against Post Offices closures we ran a number of years ago. Paula Southwood campaigned in 2007 against the threatened post office closures in Spital and in Heswall. She put a lot of hard work into campaigning and getting petitions going.

In fact a year ago I tabled a question at the Liverpool conference in a session chaired by Lorely Burt MP about the future of the Post Office network. Hopefully any changes made will result in a better Post Office network and not the closures that happened under the previous Labour government.

I notice the next speaker after Ed Davey is also still taking up the Post Offices theme.

Planning Committee – decision tonight on application about land adjacent to 290 Upton Road, Noctorum

Planning Committee – decision tonight on application about land adjacent to 290 Upton Road, Noctorum

Planning Committee – decision tonight on application about land adjacent to 290 Upton Road, Noctorum

                                          

A decision will be made tonight at Wirral Council’s Planning Committee about the new house on Upton Road.

I notice although the recommendation to approve it hasn’t changed, an extra condition 8 has been added (compared to the previous report was on this planning application). This extra condition is:-

"Prior to the occupation of the dwelling hereby approved,the south-facing landing window and east facing bathroom window shall be obscurely glazed and non-opening above 1.7 metres in height and shall be retained as such thereafter."

Hopefully this should satisfy the two who objectors (although I got the feeling talking to them they were against the principle of a house being built there at all). Even if it was turned down tonight as the previous application was approved (and is valid) it would still probably be built. This plan just asks for a further bedroom and bathroom.

Separation distances and privacy are important things to be considered; the former has been on the mind of the Planning Committee ever since in a case nearby to Upton Road someone was awarded compensation because a plan was approved without due regard given to them. I look forward to tonight’s meeting.

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Planning Committee site visit to land adjacent to 290 Upton Road, Noctorum

A report on the Planning Committee’s site visit to land adjacent to 290 Upton Road on the 18th October 2010

Planning Committee site visit to land adjacent to 290 Upton Road, Noctorum

                                                                    

I went on the site visit today. What is a site visit you may ask? A site visit by the Planning Committee is when the Planning Committee and officers go to a visit a site that relates to a planning permission application that the Planning Committee will decide on in the future.
Continue reading “Planning Committee site visit to land adjacent to 290 Upton Road, Noctorum”