Norman’s bill just keeps on rising, £7,883.88 for external legal advice on setting a budget when he wasn’t there
Norman’s bill just keeps on rising, £7,883.88 for external legal advice on setting a budget when he wasn’t there
Every year Wirral Council has to set a budget for the next year. In fact Wirral Council have been doing this since 1974 (and probably in shadow form for the year before that).
For some reason in 2013, at Wirral Council someone decided to ask Frances Woodhead of Eversheds (a legal firm) for advice. Ironically (considering what happened to Bill Norman) she lists on Evershed’s website her experience on “Advising on sensitive senior officer dismissals” and her experience as “Director of Legal Services at Sheffield City Council”.
Yet these invoices relate to advice given in February 2013 for the 2013/14 budget, five months after Bill Norman was no longer employed by Wirral Council! Were Eversheds not told he had left? Who was Frances Woodhead advising if it wasn’t actually Bill Norman as stated on the invoice (who was no longer employed by Wirral Council)? The invoices quite clearly show travel expenses of £61.40 which means somebody must have travelled somewhere to meet someone (who obviously wasn’t Bill Norman)!
What was it about the 2013/14 Budget that required nearly £8k of legal advice anyway?
Budget setting legal costs £4680 00p Counsels fees May 2013Budget setting legal costs £3203 88p Bill Norman Frances Woodhead March 2013
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Now I’m not saying people shouldn’t pay Council Tax, however thanks to decisions made by Wirral Council’s Cabinet, households that hadn’t paid Council Tax before because they had got 100% Council Tax Benefit, suddenly had to pay a whopping 22% (this figure is from memory and applies (I’m massively simplifying here as there are people who don’t have to pay Council Tax too) to households of people of working age with nobody of state pension age and above). This led to an increase in people not paying, which led naturally to an increase in Magistrates’ Court cases filed by Wirral Council.
The Magistrates’ Court is of course where my father used to work before he retired and located just off Hamilton Square in Birkenhead and Tranmere ward, which by sheer coincidence is the ward where Wirral Council’s Leader of the Council/Cabinet Member for Finance Cllr Phil Davies represents.
At the time this change was planned and going out to consultation I warned Wirral Council in public meetings that this would need to lead to an increase in bad debt provision and their own costs!
Council Tax is one of the few taxes you can get locked up for in this country for not paying. Thus returning us to the concept of the “debtors prison” in Victorian England.
However the question is, how many people who literally couldn’t pay Council Tax, even if Wirral Council got a court order is Wirral Council going to the trouble of launching criminal cases over that costs the taxpayer money?
Bear in mind that this is a monthly invoice. Although the statement is in the name of LM Burns, it does somewhat remind me of the character of Charles Montgomery Burns in the Simpsons or as he would say “Release The Hounds!”
This is the court fee element, Wirral Council add this, plus their own internal legal costs to the outstanding Council Tax bill, which means by the end the Council Tax bill that they couldn’t pay before is even larger! Oh and thanks to Wirral Council, those who couldn’t pay end up at the end of the process with a criminal record, making it harder for them to get certain jobs to pay off their Council Tax debt!
Council Tax court cases Barclaycard invoice Wirral Council November 2013
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Marvin the Martian returns to talk about closure consultations involving Lyndale, fire stations (2) and libraries
Marvin the Martian returns to talk about closure consultations involving Lyndale, fire stations (2) and libraries
Marvin the Martian from Disney’s Looney Tunes
The below is a fictional interview with Marvin the Martian about Lyndale School. Marvin the Martian is trademarked to Warner Brothers Entertainment. Our legal team point out their trademark doesn’t actually cover its use on blogs but in case they try to argue this blog is an “entertainment service”, it isn’t, so no laughing! Yes I mean it, not even a smile! We also point out it’s not an infringing use of class 9 of this trademark as that refers to its use on goods rather than virtually.
If you are reading this from the UKIP party and are planning to leave a comment questioning the immigration status of Marvin the Martian or disagreeing that he should have any say whatsoever about British politics, we humbly point out that although is not British, he is a fictional character and figments to people’s imagination do not have to have permission to come here.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: The Martian High Command have asked me to survey the Wirral to try to understand its people and politics and write a report back but I find it all very confusing.
JOHN BRACE: Good luck with that! Even I don’t fully understand the Wirral people and its politics.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Well we have a few areas we are unsure of. Let’s start with Greasby.
JOHN BRACE: Yes, Greasby, I know where that is.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Well, we are very confused. We hear reports on your media of a consultation meeting in Greasby about fire stations, but people turned up but weren’t allowed to go to it? What sort of consultation on closure is that?
JOHN BRACE: I wasn’t there, I was covering a public meeting of Wirral Council at the time. Had I turned up I wouldn’t have been allowed in either as the place has to be able to be safely evacuated in case of a fire so has a set capacity. There is however a little irony there as it’s the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service who are doing the consultation. However the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service have informed the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority before that not many people at all turn up to their other fire station closure consultation meetings. So maybe they’re not used to large numbers of people turning up to public meetings?
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Well don’t Wirral Council own the land in Greasby that has the library, the Children’s Centre and other well-loved buildings on? Haven’t they offered (subject to the outcome of the consultation, a further decision and planning permission) a lease?
JOHN BRACE: Yes it does and that’s the Chief Fire Officer’s currently preferred site for the new fire station if Upton & West Kirby close. Yes, they have offered them a lease (subject to the outcome of the consultation, a further decision and planning permission).
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: So why do the people of Greasby have a problem with their library closing?
JOHN BRACE: It’s historical, see your historical files on Earth. The Labour government minister at the time requested a public inquiry into library closures in 2009 so Labour councillors and the Lib Dems councillors were forced into a U-turn. Wirral people seem to still remember that and libraries for a number of years after libraries became a sacred cow of Wirral politics. However Cllr Foulkes said in the recent past that libraries shouldn’t be spared from the cuts and scrutiny.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: And what else is happening on libraries and children centres?
JOHN BRACE: Well on libraries there’s a proposal to reduce opening hours at certain libraries. The decision to consult on the closure of children’s centres has been “called in”, the committee met to consider the “call in” then got adjourned. The committee is planning to meet again on the 12th November 2014 at 6.00pm. However its Labour Chair Cllr Moira McLaughlin was cheered up by some news.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: What news would that be, a U-turn on closing the children’s centres?
JOHN BRACE: No, the news that Cllr Chris Blakeley (Conservative spokesperson) has left the call in committee and been replaced by a different Conservative councillor.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Why would she be pleased?
JOHN BRACE: They have a history of, well how do I put it as diplomatically as possible without taking sides, arguing passionately with each other in public?
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: So let me get this straight, they had a public inquiry into Wirral’s library closures which had been driven through by the then Leader of the Council Cllr Steve Foulkes at the Floral Pavilion chaired by Sue Charteris?
JOHN BRACE: Yes.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Then a few years later Wirral Council made Cllr Foulkes Mayor in exactly the same room Mayor, also at the Floral Pavilion?
JOHN BRACE: Yes.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Wow. This Cllr Foulkes guy sounds interesting. However back to Greasby. Which political party has the three local councillors in Greasby, Frankby and Irby?
JOHN BRACE: The Conservatives.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: And the MP in Wirral West?
JOHN BRACE: The Conservatives.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: And political control of the Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority is in which party’s hands?
JOHN BRACE: Labour.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Ha, ha, ha. So Labour want to close a few fire stations in Wirral West to cause trouble?
JOHN BRACE: Labour will say they blame the Conservative/Lib Dem government or alternatively they’ll let the unions say roughly the same thing. However the unions have already gone on strike.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: I thought politicians weren’t allowed to be “party political”, however isn’t Esther McVey some type of government minister too?
JOHN BRACE: Yes. She’s currently the Minister for Employment so you can imagine how the public sector unions such as the Fire Brigades Union and other unions feel about that.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Isn’t she facing a General Election in about six months time in what is a marginal seat?
JOHN BRACE: Yes, the unions/Labour Party are already trying their best to replace her with the Labour candidate. See fracking and other issues.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: That’s enough about Greasby, libraries, children’s centres and Esther McVey though, what’s happening in Birkenhead?
JOHN BRACE: The Rt Hon Frank Field MP is telling people that antisocial behaviour is a bad idea.
JOHN BRACE: Don’t be silly! He’s doesn’t mean it like that! He doesn’t mean his own Labour Party! By the language used in press articles he’s referring to young people.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Ahh so the Rt Hon Frank Field MP isn’t picking on the disabled but he’s picking on young people, why do politicians always scapegoat young people? Isn’t Alison McGovern MP, MP for Wirral South in fact younger than you are?
JOHN BRACE: Now you’re making me feel old! Yes she is. Politicians scapegoat young people to play to their base. Politicians of all parties do it. Political parties have a history of having major political disagreements with their own party’s youth wing. See Lib Dems and tuition fees as a recent example of that. However the youth wing of political parties also represents the future of that party, so annoying them can be very short-term thinking.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: And Alison McGovern is the MP where Lyndale School is?
JOHN BRACE: Yes. She’s MP for Wirral South, another marginal seat.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: And as a Labour MP, if the Labour Cabinet decide to close Lyndale School before the election in May 2015 does that harm her chances of reelection next May?
JOHN BRACE: It would make it look (to some voters) if that happened like she had little influence over her own political party’s decision-making process (which isn’t entirely true but that would probably be how it would be spun in the press by her opponents).
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Ahh, but I thought officially the Labour Cabinet on Wirral Council had an “open mind” on the subject of closing Lyndale School?
JOHN BRACE: Please don’t get me started on that topic. There is a second consultation on it now, but I doubt Wirral Council would accept consultation responses from fictional characters.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: So to sum up, there’s an election coming where everyone that can vote will get two votes, one for councillor, one for MP?
JOHN BRACE: Yes, “vote early and vote often (but no more than twice)” I could write if I was being slightly flippant!
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: And in the lead up to elections you get election promises, vote for me and I’ll do this (or my party will do this)?
JOHN BRACE: Yes, even promises they know they can’t possibly keep after the election.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Are you implying party political candidates would deliberately lie about themselves and their own political party?
JOHN BRACE: I’d probably get sued or face an injunction if I answered that honestly! However you can’t libel a political party or a local council. Elections at their heart are a popularity contest and a battle for hearts and minds, so political parties will tell people what they think they want to hear.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: Oh dear. So after the election a lot of people will be disappointed?
JOHN BRACE: They always are, before, during and after. Some of them have even given up on voting or being engaged in the political process.
MARVIN THE MARTIAN: That’s sad really. Well I’ll put all this in my report to the Martian High Command. Thanks for the interview!
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Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel meets for 1st public meeting
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel meets for 1st public meeting
Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel 29th October 2014 Mann Island, Liverpool
The Liverpool City Region Combined Authority (created earlier this year) now has a scrutiny panel called the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel.
From a media perspective, the same public body having three different calendars for its meetings is somewhat unusual but there you go.
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Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel 29th October 2014 Part 1
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Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel 29th October 2014 Part 2
The meeting itself only lasted 24 and a half minutes (the meeting took longer than it should have due to a fire alarm test). The agenda was short so I’ll reprint it here with links to the eight reports:
One interesting matter to note of local interest is that before the Liverpool City Region Combined Authority Scrutiny Panel had its first public meeting, one of its three (now reduced to two) representatives from Wirral Council (Cllr John Hale from the Conservative Group) had resigned.
That left Cllr Anita Leech as the only councillor from Wirral Council at its first meeting.
1. Appointment of Chair and Vice-Chair
Appointment of Chair
Cllr Kevan Wainwright (Hough Green, Halton Borough Council, Labour) was the only nomination for Chair.
Cllr Kevan Wainwright was elected as Chair.
The Chair thanked the other councillors for electing him and asked for apologies for absence. Apologies were given for Cllr Mike Sullivan (Labour, Wirral Council), Cllr Andy Burns (Labour) and Cllr Mark Dowd (Labour).
Cllr Anita Leech (Labour, Wirral Council) pointed out that Cllr John Hale (Conservative, Wirral Council) had resigned. The Chair replied that they were waiting for the [Wirral] Conservative [Group] to nominate a new councillor from Wirral [Council].
Appointment of Vice-Chair
Nobody made any nominations for Vice-Chair. So the Chair asked for nominations for Vice-Chair for a second time in saying “Come on ladies and gentlemen”. Cllr Andy Moorhead was proposed as Vice-Chair by Cllr Anita Leech and this nomination was seconded. There were no other nominations for Vice-Chair so Cllr Andy Moorhead became Vice-Chair.
The Chair congratulated Cllr Andy Moorhead on his election to Vice-Chair.
2. Appointment of Members to the Combined Authority’s Audit Committee
The Chair asked for nominations.
A councillor said, “Can I move *** councillor, *** ****?” The asterisks represent what I couldn’t hear as the councillor wasn’t close enough to their microphone. This nomination was seconded. This unknown person was appointed to the Audit Committee. They were all in favour.
The Chair pointed out that they needed a second nomination.
One of the male councillors present (that was not the Chair) nominated himself, he said, “I’ll self-nominate.” The Chair thanked him for his self-nomination. They were all in favour.
The rest of the meeting was discussion of the reports linked to above and can be watched in the two video clips above.
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3 invoices about the Wirral Waters Section 106 agreement with Peel which raises a VAT question?
3 invoices about the Wirral Waters Section 106 agreement with Peel which raises a VAT question?
I’d better start this piece by declaring an interest in that I can see the Wirral Waters site from where I live as it’s not that far away.
Below are three invoices that however many times I look at them don’t make much sense to me. However maybe through writing about them I can make more sense of them. I may have this wrong, so if I have please leave a comment as elements from one invoice appear on the other ones so maybe I’m not counting things correctly.
All three are from Eversheds LLP (a firm of solicitors) with an office in Manchester. I’ll put them in chronological order:
20/2/13 Interim Invoice | Wirral Waters Section 106 agreement (to November 2012) | £10,000 + VAT £2,000 = £12,000 | £10,000 paid by Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited | £2,000 paid by Wirral Council (VAT element)
15/4/13 Interim Invoice | Wirral Waters Section 106 agreement (to November 2012) | £8,133.90 + VAT £1,617.58 = £9,751.48 | £8,133.90 paid by Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited | £1,617.58 to be paid by Wirral Council (VAT element)
29/4/13 Invoice | Wirral Waters Section 106 agreement (28 June 2011 to 31 July 2012) | £8,000 + VAT £1,577.20 = £9.577.20 | £8,000 paid by Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited | £1,577.20 to be paid by Wirral Council (VAT element)
Total (across three invoices) paid by Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited: £10,000 + £8,133.90 + £8,000 = £26,133.90
Total (across three invoices) paid by Wirral Council : £2,000 + £1,617.58 + £1,577.20 = £5,194,78
Which leads me to the obvious question about VAT. When a developer such as Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited have a legal firm (in this case Eversheds) to draw up a section 106 agreement between themselves (Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited) and Wirral Council, why does Wirral Council pay the VAT?
I’m not an accountant, so maybe somebody out there with a better understanding of the tax code and VAT issues can help me! Please leave a comment if you understand this better than me!
Wirral Waters section 106 agreement interim invoice Wirral Council 20th February 2013 £12000Wirral Waters section 106 agreement interim invoice Peel Land and Property (Ports) Limited 15th April 2013 £9751 48pWirral Waters section 106 agreement invoice Wirral Council 29th April 2013 £9577 20p
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