The Chair, Councillor Pat Williams, welcomed forum members and 14

members of the public to meeting. 

The Chair asks if a letter could be sent to Cllr Paula Southwood and Cllr

Frank Doyle for the years of service they have put into this forum.

Ø  Have your say where money should be spent in your neighbourhood

Rob Beresford gave a presentation on You Decide and explained each area forum has an extra £20,000 to spend on additional services in the local community. Cards would be available for the public to vote for their local priorities.

Q (Public Member) – You Decide is a good idea but I would like to query the prices.  Where do they come from? Are the prices subject to competitive tender?

Chris Jones (Streetscene Manager) – We go to competitive tender for likes of trees yes.

Public Member – Well does that apply to all prices?

Chris Jones – Certainly from Technical Services.

Q (Public Member) – Why don’t you use young people to get work experience to fulfil the activity list?  It would utilise waste services and save money.

Chris Jones – I agree that would be a good idea.

Q (Public Member) - £20k is a reasonable amount of money but there are only 14 people to vote.  How widely was this forum advertised as 14 people is not enough to vote?

Rob Beresford – We can provide voting cards for people to take away.

Q (Public member) – How would people living in Oxton have got word of this meeting?

Rob Beresford – Area forums are advertised through thelocal press, internet, local information points including One Stop Shops and libraries and through local contacts and organisations.  If you have a suggestion how we can expand then please let us know.

Alan Dollery – People will turn up if they have an interest in it.  We cannot drag people in off the streets. 

Public member – Why don’t you put adverts in other places like post offices, hospitals etc – people would be interested in spending money. Get notice boards for each area.

Rob Beresford – We will carry on with the voting how it is at the moment and take all your comments on board.

Q (Public member) – Is You Decide going to beat the cuts?

Pat Williams – Thisfunding has already been allocated for this year. 

The Chair then proceeded to give a 10 minute break to give people time to vote.

Rob Beresford informed the forum that the results for You Decide will be available at the next forum in October.

Ø  Election of Chair

ELECTION OF CHAIR

Cllr Simon Holbrook and Denise Realey proposed that Cllr Pat Williams remain as chair of the forum– this was agreed. 

Louise Harland-Davies, Area Co-ordinator presented her report and highlighted partner updates within the report and explained there was an opportunity to vote for road safety schemes up to the value of £18,200 through the Integrated Transport Block funding and also a chance to request additional grit bins up to the value of £5,000 through the Winter Resilience funding.

These requests would be collated and shared with Technical Services and final locations and schemes would be confirmed at the next area forum in October.

The Area Co-ordinator added that the results of ‘Have your say’ questionnaires around living in Oxton and Prenton from the last area forum were available at the meeting.

Minutes from the last meeting were then agreed as a true record.

Q (Public member) – The vehicle activated sign by the bus stop in Woodchurch Road is not effective.  Cars go past fast and it does not come on!

Chris Jones – They are activated by speed of the traffic.

Public member – These vehicles were speeding.

Chris Jones – I will take your details at the end and look into it.

Q (Public Member) – everytime I ring Streetscene I am not given an incident number.  I mentioned this at the last area forum and I have today brought along evidence of the same.  I only got an incident number when I asked for one.

Chris Jones – I will take that back with me and look into for you.

Public Member – That is what Mark Smith (Head of Service, Streetscene) said!!

Cllr Pat Williams – Mark Smith actually asked if there was any evidence and then he would look into it.

Cllr Stuart Kelly – It is impossible to investigate without evidence of log and reference number as the searches are done by numbers.

Public member – The matter I am raising is that some people were not actually offered this number.

Chris Jones – I appreciate that and the only way we can investigate is to have an evidence trail so we can establish who is was and offer further training.

Public Member – I started actually asking for a reference number as everytime I was ringing they could trace my previous calls.  I just find is strange that public had to gather evidence.  The call centre needs to be told to give a reference number.

Cllr Pat Williams – I expect a report back for the next meeting. 

Public member – Retail organisations have a mystery shopper and I think it would be a good idea for the local authority to have something like this. 

Alan Dollery – In relation to the last meeting and parking on pavements, I contacted Inspector Griffiths and they went around Prenton.  I have been back in touch with Shaun Brady who sent me a letter which states that they are going to make Prenton a test to investigate these vehicles parked on the grass verges. I would like to see further action.

Inspector Brian Griffiths – Shaun Brady, myself and Community Support Officers went around the area.  If there is that sort of parking it would have a traffic calming affect.

Sarah Goulding – When police see obstructions are they obliged to stop and deal with it? There is a van in Woodchurch Road always parking on the pavement causing an obstruction.

Inspector Brian Griffiths – Local officers should it depends what they are deployed to do.  Give me your details at the end

Sarah Goulding – I don’t want to do that.  If I can see the van then surely you can.

Cllr Denise Realey – it is the same on Borough Road, people treat the pavement as if it is a car park. 

Cllr Ann  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Mike Collins, Community Safety – Urged people to be careful and lock windows and sheds as these are being broken into.  Has been involved in a number of incidents and dealt with £2,500.  Will try and get a report for each individual forum for next time.  Announced a new dog fouling enforcement team start this week under the future jobs fund.

Alan Dollery – With regards to anti social behaviour, are you working jointly with Wirral Partnership Homes as you can now contact their own number instead of ringing the Police.

Mike Collins – It is Community Patrol and we will respond.

Alan Dollery – The number needs to be advertised more.

Mike Collins – you can contact WPH who will contact us 24 hours a day.

Inspector Brian Griffiths, Merseyside Police – I have newsletters from various areas which I will hand out.

Cllr Ann Bridson – Page 21 of the papers – 2 new older people’s wards in Clatterbridge.  I would just like to say I have been to see them and they are a vast improvement.  They are lovely and ideal for people with dementia.

Cllr Pat Williams – I would just like to point out that there is a typing error on page 29 of the area co-ordinators report with regards to the Mayor of Wirral it says ‘June 2001’ – should be ‘June 2010.

Ø  Tuesday 19^th October 2010 – venue to be confirmed

Next meeting will be Tuesday 19^th October, venue to be confirmed. 

The Chair thanked everyone for their attendance and closed the meeting at 9pm