Fantastic News – Success at last for parents of the F Bus May 28, 2008
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For those of you who have been a part of our year long campaign to have the F bus charges reduced – Congratulations – We´ve done it. We have achieved a bus reduction and equality across Wirral on school bus prices. Parents only wanted equality and fairness across Wirral and together we have achieved that.
Late yesterday it was agreed that the children taking the F bus would only have to pay 50p each per journey. Roughly working out at 190 pounds for the school year per pupil.
This result is down to ‘parent persistance’, community spirit and everyone, parents and schools working together.
Parents took part in local demonstrations – see below for last October’s press coverage – Parents also went en masse to the Town Hall to raise their concerns and where quite literally booed down by Steve Faulks the Labour Council Leader. For those of us there it really was unbelievable behaviour making us even more determined to succeed in our campaign for ‘fair F Bus pricing’ . Parents went on to write 100´s of letters to the Director of Children´s services for Wirral asking for a reduction in the F bus travel and genuine fairness across Wirral for all school children.
Well I’m delighted to say, after a year long campaign, sense has prevailed, and at a time when we´re all being taxed to the hilt, it really is wonderful news.
Daily Post News coverage Oct 27th 2007
PARENTS took part in a “go slow” on Wirral’s roads yesterday to protest against cuts to school bus service funding.
More than 50 vehicles drove slowly from the Glegg Arms in Heswall, along the A540 through the town and towards West Kirby to pressure the council to improve bus services.
They remain furious over a council decision to cut funding for buses taking children to West Wirral’s grammar schools, putting up fares by 60%.
The protest went ahead despite a possible deal struck by Merseytravel and council leaders to provide a bus service – and possibly even refund the parents who have already paid (Still awaiting confirmation these will happen)
The prospective Conservative candidate for West Wirral, Esther McVey, a governor of Calday Grange Grammar, said the go-slow achieved exactly what campaigners intended.
“It does look like parent power might be winning the battle as the council seems to be listening,” she said.
“But we wanted to keep the campaign in the public eye, and make a visual representation of how this reduction in funding will effect not just parents but the people of Wirral.
“If a family has two children, this will add over £1000 to their annual expenditure, so inevitably many will choose to drive their children, congesting the roads.”
Ms McVey added the timing of the go slow, 9.15am, was chosen so as to limit the inconvenience to other drivers.
The issue arose because there was no commercial route bus route for use by children from west Wirral attending the two grammar schools.
What´s happening at the Town Hall? May 24, 2008
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After a successful local election campaign, the Conservatives became the biggest party in Wirral with 24 seats, increasing the number of seats they held by 3.
Although the Conservatives became the largest party in Wirral, they didn´t secure enough seats to automatically run the council.
The Conservatives had asked for a minority administration, as Jeff Green put it, the Labour Lib-Dem pact had overwhelmingly been voted against by the residents of Wirral.
Initially the Lib- Dems, through Simon Holbrook their group leader, had said that the Lib-Dems would no longer continue in power with Labour. Yet amazingly only a week later and after a last-minute meeting with Labour, they decided to ditch those views, sign a new power sharing deal with Labour and cling on to power.
As Councillor Green puts it ´Fancy saying it was untenable to have a Labour-led administration then a week later be back in one´
Mind you this reminds me of the Lib-Dems and their local election campaign 2 years ago here in Wirral West, when they wrote in their local literature that the only alternative to Labour was to vote Lib-Dem, then immeditatley after the local elections, they signed a Lib-Dem/Labour pact to run the council together. Some assumed, due to the speed of the Lib-Lab pact and due to the campaign activity on the ground during the elections, that the deal had been cut before the elections.
We´ll never know for certain what went on before, but what we do know is how the residents of Wirral voted as the local elections this May, and that was not for a Lib-Lab pact. Surely, therefore, questions must be asked about this pact and about whether it is the best way to serve the interests of the people of Wirral? Have these 2 political parties abandoned their principles just so they can cling to power?
Wirral Coastal Walk – Walking to raise money for Chairty May 22, 2008
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Sunday saw literally 1000’s of people across Wirral walking for charity. Looking at the Tshirts money was being raised for every type of charity from Mencap to Meningitis, WHCC to Claire House. Myself and a group were walking for Friends of Meols Park.
A huge well done to Alma, Roy, Mike, Carole and the whole gang -
NSPCC – helping raise money and raise awareness May 22, 2008
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I was honoured to be asked to speak at a recent NSPCC function to help raise funds and money for such a well loved and well respected charity. Best wishes to the whole team – it was a wonderful day, with a great many ladies helping local children that find themselves in need of the NSPCC services
Wendy and the Team May 22, 2008
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Wendy Clements (centre) – our terrific candidate in Greasby, Frankby and Irby has been re-selected to stand as our representative in the area.
Wendy, who lives in Greasby, is a tremendous asset to us and her local area and has helped many in her local community .
Wendy is a real People’s Champion who gets things done. Working with the local residents, myself and the Conservative Action Team, Wendy; saved the Post Offices in the local area, stopped yet another phone mast being built, spoke up for the local residents and Clive Morgan, the much respected and liked local dentist, helped local residents on planning issues, road safety campaigns and is fighting hard to make Wirral a cleaner, safer place.
St John’s bring the Vikings back to Meols May 22, 2008
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Out and about with some of the new councillors May 15, 2008
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Congratulations Councillors and Thank you for voting May 3, 2008
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What a set of local elections!
A huge congratulations has to go to Councillor Geoffrey Watt who stood in the West Kirby and Thurstaston Ward and was returned as Conservative local councillor with an even bigger majority. So too was John Hale in the Hoylake and Meols Ward.
A big congratulations has to go to Wendy Clements, a new addition to the Wirral West Conservative Action team, who worked tirelessly in Greasby, Frankby and Irby and came within a gnats whisker of becoming our new local councillor, overturning a nearly 700 Lib Dem majority. Wendy will continue to work as the Conservative council candidate in Greasby, Frankby and Irby as well as working closely with me and the rest of the Action team.
John Meyer, another new candidate to join the team, he too didn’t manage to become our local councillor in Pensby,Thingwall and Barnston, but he ran a wonderful campign and cooks a mean curry! He has made lots of new friends in the area and has been overwhelemed by the number of phone calls and hand delivered letters from local residents expressing their regret that he didn’t become their local councillor. However, John like Wendy will be contesting the ward again and will continue to work with me and the rest of the Conservative Action Team.
Tom Anderson…. what can I say? Absolutely wonderful news. He worked his socks off and he’s become our new councillor for Upton. Tom has always wanted to be a councillor – he’s worked with me for the last 5 years, always upbeat, always wanting to help and most of all genuinely wanting to make a difference and help the people of Wirral. It was a particularly tough campaign for Tom who during the final few weeks lost his father. He declared then and there if he won the election he’d win it in his dad’s memory. Well it was a nail biting finish, requiring 2 recounts and there was only 4 votes in it. Those 4 votes got Tom elected. For sure his dad was overseeing that count.
And what a night Wirral had across the board. There were some spectacular gains in Wallasey and with the wins in Wirral South and Wirral West, the Conservative Party has now become the biggest party on the Wirral with a total of 24 seats. Not enough to take overall control, but a giant step in the right direction to taking control.
Well done to all our councillors and more importantly thank you to the people of Wirral for putting your faith in them and voting for them.
Wirral Conservative Councillors working for you all year round -
You can contact the Wirral West office by dialing 0151 632 1052
Vote this May 1st and have your voice heard May 1, 2008
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Vote for local democracy – vote Conservative this local election
For a cleaner, greener, safer Wirral.
Tom Anderson - Upton
Wendy Clements - Greasby, Frankby, Irby
John Meyer - Pensby, Barnston and Thingwall
Geoffrey Watt - West Kirby, Thurstaston, Caldy
John Hale - Hoylake, Meols
Tom Anderson has been working tirelessly in Upton with local residents; to clean up the streets, stop anti social behaviour, improve the village, clean the green spaces and areas and helped save the local post offices in Upton. If elected he would be a terrific Councillor doing his utmost to serve his local community.
Wendy Clements is our local candiate and if elected would make a superb local Councillor. She lives in the area, cares about the areas and knows it well. Her recent campaigns include her working with her own local dentist Clive Morgan and local residents to ensure Greasby has a local dentist. Wendy also led the local campaign to stop the erection of yet another phone mast and she too worked on the successful 5 month campaign to keep post offices in Greasby, Frankby and Irby
John Meyer - has worked with local residents, local Councillors and Shadow Secretary of State Jacqui Lait to have a thorough examination and investigation into the Pensby phone mast debacle. He is also working with the lead petitioner over the application for a new supermarket in Pensby – there was a 726 name petition against it. He too fought on our victorious 5 month long campign to keep the post offices open and is also working with local residents to stop antisocial behaviour to make the streets, safer and cleaner.
Geoffrey Watt As the local Conservative Councillor for the area, Geoffrey has helped, and won, countless campaigns over the years: helped to preserve green spaces, prevented the unsightly erection of poorly located phone masts, worked with residents on numberous planning applications and worked on our ‘Save the Local Post Offices Campaign’ making sure Newton post office remained open.
John Hale – Councillor for Hoylake and Meols – is working with the local traders and residents to prevent antisocial behaviour and nuisance drinkers. He’s working to protect our local parks and green spaces as well as to fight closures of local residential homes. He too fought to keep the local post offices open and works tirelessly on behalf of his local residents.
