Liverpool Daily Post

WIRRAL council leaders have been branded undemocratic after “excluding” Conservative members from public meetings over plans to axe libraries.

West Wirral Conservative Parliamentary candidate Esther McVey also claimed the plan to hold four meetings serving 11 different areas on the borough will make it difficult for people to attend a meeting.

The local authority has said it faces mounting bills for a backlog of repairs on libraries, leisure centres and museums and has vowed to make “tough decisions”.

The proposals are for at least a dozen libraries to be closed, including Birkenhead Central Library’s historic building, and its functions moved to a new centre at the Europa Pools site.

Also under threat are Pacific Road Theatre, along with the Transport Museum there and Wirral library at Birkenhead Town Hall, and among the leisure centres facing closure are Woodchurch, Guinea Gap and Grange Road West.

But Ms McVey believes meetings to discuss the plans with the public should be chaired by local councillors and not by the council leader, and the current arrangement is undemocratic, she argues.

Last night, she told the Daily Post: “The council is now trying to exclude Conservative councillors in Conservative areas from hosting or being a part of the forums other than being there as members of the audience – this is an absolute outrage and possibly against the constitution.”

She highlights article 10.2 in the council’s own constitution, passed just last month, that states these meetings should be made up of “Ward councillors of the respective wards.”

However, deputy council leader Lib Dem Simon Holbrook has dismissed the idea that the council is being undemocratic.

He said: “First of all, Esther McVey is not a councillor and will have the same right as any other member of the public to express her views.

“Secondly, these are consultative meetings and not formal meetings of the area forums, so there is not a constitution issue here.

“I think what Steve Foulkes is trying to do here is to show leadership and he will be there, as I will, to listen and hear what people have to say. There’s nothing untoward in that.

“We’re not far from making a final decision but we do need to make sure that everyone has had time to express their views.

“Also, if anyone is not able to get to their area meeting, they are free to go along to any of the four meetings and raise their point.”

But Jeff Green, leader of the Conservative group, however called the entire exercise “outrageous”.

He said: “This decision was taken late in December and the consultation period arranged over Christmas.”

It has been announced that local councillors will not be allowed to ‘chair’ meetings of their local Area Forum in January.  The decision will see the Leader of the Council, Cllr Steve Foulkes, chair each meeting to ‘consult’ over the planned cuts to leisure services in Wirral. 

My Question ; How can this be allowed to happen, does this run counter to the constitution?

The constitution (approved on 3rd November 2008), article 10.2, pages 26 & 27, it says the Fora are composed of:

“The Ward Councillors of the respective Wards within the area of Forum.
Representatives of partner organisations.
Members of the local community living or working within the area of the Forum”.

It appears that Cllr Foulkes wants to dominate the proceedings of all of the forums, but by doing this is he going against the constitution and against local democracy? Will the local residents have their concerns listened to? And will the voice of the majority of local residents be run rough shod over by the views of a minority. People of Wirral we must not let that happen.

Clearly Foulkes the labour leader of the Council is running scared and does not want to risk his plans to close libraries and leisure centres being derailed by local residents at an Area Forum

 This latest decision means that local Area Forum members will not be able to give their backing to the campaign to save their services.  It also means the meeting, in terms of the agenda, the speakers, the questions and, of course, the answers, will all be tightly controlled.

Special Area Forum Conference for Birkenhead, Tranmere, Rock Ferry, Bidston, Claughton, Oxton and Prenton – this will be held at the Lauries Centre on 5 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

Special Area Forum Conference for Heswall, Pensby, Thingwall, Bebington, Clatterbridge, Bromborough and Eastham – this will be held at Hulme Hall on 6 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

Special Area Forum Conference for West Wirral (Hoylake and Meols, West Kirby and Thurstaston), Greasby, Frankby, Irby, Upton and Woodchurch – this will be held at West Kirby Concourse on 7 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

Special Area Forum Conference for Leasowe, Moreton and Saughall Massie, New Brighton, Wallasey, Liscard and Seacombe – this will be held at the Floral Pavilion on 8 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

  Merry Christmas Everyone

Whilst in Meols I bumped into a friend who was getting some last minute bits and bobs for Christmas - gravy powder, sprouts and cranberry sauce! I asked had she got everything else, presents for her in-laws, presents for her kids. She has 2 beautiful children, a little girl and a little  boy.

She told me she had bought a joint present for her kids this Christmas, a nativity scene for them both to open. Yes, Santa would come with a selection of toys and yes the children would enjoy the excitement of putting out a mince pie  and a glass of milk  for Santa and no doubt the kids wouldn’t be able to sleep spending half the night listening out for the reindeer, but she felt it was important the children understood why they were celebrating Christmas. The Nativity scene might not be the most exciting present, but it was the most important and would take centre stage in the living room.  She asked me did I think she was right.  I told her absolutely right. We all need to spend a bit of time away from the hub bub and commercialisation of Christmas to reflect on just why we are celebrating it.

Last night as I was driving  from Upton to Meols, through Hoylake and on to West Kirby, popping in to see friends and handing out my final few Christmas cards, I spotted what had to be some of the most adventurous Christmas light displays ever ….. so I captured them on camera…. here are some of the best……But there can only be one winner…. 

And the winner is….

Wishing everyone a Very Merry Christmas……….

Last night I joined nearly 200 people singing Christmas carols on the Green at St John the Baptist Church in Meols.

There was a bonfire burning, people carrying lanterns, a choir and an outside nativity scene where all the children gathered round to sing Away in a Manger. It really was a wonderful community gathering, and afterwards we all went inside for mince pies, a warm drink and to wish everyone Merry Christmas.

On Monday night the full Council met to debate the Strategic Asset Review, the only opportunity we have to question the Labour Group, led by Steve Foulkes, about their plans to close our swimming pools, libraries and community centres. 

I arrived at  about 5.30, there were over 200 people protesting outside the Town Hall, and a queue had already begun to form inside. Resident from right across Wirral eagerly waited to hear what the Lab / Lib led council had to say and which way they would vote.

A series of petitions protesting about the closures were handed in before procedures got under way, about 24,000 signatures in all – such is the strong feeling from the community against such closures.

Members of the public asked questions and were genuinely shocked at the poor standard of the answers and low level of detail contained within. So much so there were jeers from the public gallery. And after the umpteenth time Labour Cllr Bob Moon said ‘ fewer but better ‘ about the  leisure facilities a member of the public  facetiously said I agree, then pointed to the Labour and Lib Dem councillors en masse and said ‘ yes,  fewer but better councillors’

Tom Anderson – our newly appointed Councillor for Upton – won a standing ovation from the public gallery for his maiden speech  when he accused the ruling group of ‘taking an axe to the heart of Wirral which it would take years to recover from’.

Despite the cries of protest and the petitions from the public, Labour and the Lib Dems refused to listen and in the end used their combined strength to out-vote our attempts to save our services.

Steve Foulkes repeating his mantra ’doing nothing is not an option’ - 

You’re right Steve it’s not – that’s why we will be doing all we can to fight these disgraceful cuts.

This weekend we were out again meeting with people right across Wirral West, collecting names for our petition as well as listening to what the local residents had to say about the leisure cuts. Some of the comments, as you can imagine, can’t be printed but others ranged from; ludicrous to idiotic, unimaginable to uncaring.

So far I have met with thousands of members of the public and not one think the closures are a good idea – so why on earth do Labour and the Lib Dems think they are? Did they consult with anyone? Or did they, like the other night in council, not allow anyone to speak while they told us their views and why they felt it was a good idea. This isn’t good enough – the good people of the Wirral need to be consulted with and need to have their voices heard.

At such a time when we  face financial hardship and an economic down turn on a scale most of us have never encountered, why on earth are Labour and the Lib Dems looking to cut libraries and leisure facilities?  If ever there was a time hard pressed families needed our public leisure services then surely it’s now – but in the words of Steve Faulks and Labour we should all be using Fitness First and buying books from Waterstones. Such comments show how far removed they are from reality.

Friday night and the lights got switched on by the Mayor. Cold, crisp but no rain and the crowds turned out for a fun night of music dancing and food.

Finally the Council have announced that they will call ‘Special Area Forums’ as part of the consultation process into the proposed cuts. The Dates and venues are: 

1. Special Area Forum Conference for Birkenhead, Tranmere, Rock Ferry, Bidston, Claughton, Oxton and Prenton – this will be held at the Lauries Centre on 5 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

1. Special Area Forum Conference for Heswall, Pensby, Thingwall, Bebington, Clatterbridge, Bromborough and Eastham – this will be held at Hulme Hall on 6 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

1. Special Area Forum Conference for West Wirral (Hoylake and Meols, West Kirby and Thurstaston), Greasby, Frankby, Irby, Upton and Woodchurch – this will be held at West Kirby Concourse on 7 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

1. Special Area Forum Conference for Leasowe, Moreton and Saughall Massie, New Brighton, Wallasey, Liscard and Seacombe – this will be held at the Floral Pavilion on 8 January 2009 at 7:00 pm.

With 3 closures in Upton & Woodchurch (Library, Leisure Centre and Community Centre) why on earth will the Upton Woodchurch consultation take place at West Kirby Concourse?  Could it be that the council wishes to hold it as far away as possible from the area that is affected most? Local Upton Conservative Cllr Tom Anderson did request that there be a separate Area Forum for Upton to be held in the Leisure Centre, but was ignored by council officers as they blindly pressed ahead with their own arrangements.

Leisure Cuts: Conservatives call public meeting

Cllr. John Hale is the Conservative Councillor for Hoylake & Meols and Chairman of the Council’s committee that scrutinizes the work of the Cabinet Member for Culture.  He has called a special meeting which will be open to the public to look at the Council’s cuts to libraries, leisure centres and the other amenities set for closure

It takes place on Wednesday 10 December, 6pm, at Wallasey Town Hall.  You can email your questions to alisonmountney@wirral.gov.uk and, if you belong to any of the groups affected, also ask to be considered as a ‘witness’ to give evidence to the Committee. 

Saturday morning, along with Cllr Tom Anderson and local Library users, Geoff Gubb, Vida, Jasmin, David and James, I visited Upton Library. We were there collecting signatures in a bid to prevent its closure, and people were clambering to sign our petition. For such a closure would rip the heart out of the local area. Upton library is a vital part of the local community, from the young to the old, all use this much loved facility.

From there Tom and I went to meet regular users of the Woodchurch Leisure Centre all of them outraged at the possibility of such a closure.  What is going on? How can this be happening? Why didn’t the council know the budget was in such a bad way? What are Labour and the Liberals doing?  Those were just some of the questions the local residents wanted answered.

From there I met with Wendy Clements speaking with local library users and  collecting signatures outside our Irby Library and from there to Pensby and Hoylake.

The scale of these closures and the suddeness of these closures are unacceptable and we will be fighting along with local residents against them