·  Streetscene -

·  NHS Wirral

·  Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust 

·  Merseyside Police/Community Safety -

·  Fire Service -

·  Older People's parliament -

Sandy Cameron drew attention to the fact that he had notified Phil Miner about the state of Thurstaston Road/Delavor Road.  Cllr. Peter Johnson said that Technical Services had notified him that work would start on this soon. 

Sandy Cameron also said that Poll Hill Road is very bad. 

Tony Garrett reported that Banks Road and Broad Lane are also in need of repair.  He also mentioned that on Page 8, of the co-ordinators report, John Pyke raised the fact that the rose beds in front of Castle Buildings are being walked over.  Can they be tarmaced over?

John Pyke, Heswall Society responded by stating that the possibility of tarmacing over the rose beds fills him with horror. 

Cllr. Rowlands agreed that they may be in need of attention, but people enjoy them, and he would rather see roses than tarmac in that position.

Claire Sanderson advised that Pensby Library Junior Users received some funding from the area forum and purchased some bean bags, for the junior users. The bean bags have been very successful and used regularly by the young people, in fact they were that comfortable they fell asleep on them.

Gentleman raised that in Whitfield Lane and Pensby Road – there is a tree there, which obscures the view, and could cause an accident.  Representative from Street Scene is meeting him tomorrow to look at this.

Pauline Sutton – raised an issue about Downham Road North junction with Whitfield Lane – the double yellow lines do not go far enough, and the Police say it is the Council’s job to look at it.  On one occasion I was coming round the corner, and I saw a car practically cause an accident.  Streetscene will look at this. 

 It was also reported that people are still coming across to the Aldi car park, and there was nearly an accident there last week. Could the entrance be moved slightly?  Geoff Bell has been to look at this, and it does not seem to be a practical solution.

Do the Council have any policy for re-furbishing the lamp posts in the road?  They have never been painted in the 40 years   Cllr. Rowlands said there is a rolling programme around the Borough to replace them. However  Pauline Sutton said that to paint them was less expensive.

Cllr. Bob Wilkins said that most of the old ones are quite dangerous, as they are rotten at the bottom.

Beryl Crocker – elderly ladies complain about the state of the tarmac at the bus stop at Pensby Road (near Rosemead Avenue) causing puddles and lots of loose stones.  Also the yellow double lines have not been put there, and people park there to go to the dentist. -  Street Scene made a note of this.

Tony Garrett said thank you for the two benches installed at the Banks Road car park, and a lady also thanked for one on the Puddydale through the You Decide Funding. . 

Tony Garrett also asked whether the light columns should have a number on.  Street Scene said that all the columns should have a number on.

Alan Bailey made an enquiry about Tesco.  Sometime ago the Manager was making changes, and it was agreed that Tesco would consult the local community.  Since then there have been two applications for planning process, and no consultation with the local community. Cllr. Johnson said the Manager did say that himself, but he has now left, and there is a new Manager, and we shall have to contact him about consulting with the local community

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Sandy Cameron asked whether he could be asked to replace the white lines and arrows, as people do not seem to be able to see them, and go straight through the entrance.

Cllr. Johnson said that as it is private land, the Council have no control there.

A member of the public said that the Pensby Clinic is not DDA compliant, if it is not compliant, when will there be new premises and where will they be?

Russell Favager replied that they are consulting with the doctors and with the Council about what we can do with the Heswall site and talks are ongoing.  A member of the public commented that the reason was the design of the building.

John Brace – the law regarding the DDA – it is up to individual dissatisfied users to bring it up with the GPs, and if they do not do anything about it, they can take them to court. 

Russell Favager replied – that it will vary from building to building, but the individual users must raise it with the people who control the building.

The Puddydale is a very clear asset for Heswall.  How far has the Asset Review got?  This is open green space.

Cllr Rowlands responded it belongs to the public.  It is public open space, and nothing is going to be built on there. He also stated that he wanted to see a building in Heswall that will be suitable for at least twenty to thirty years.  The Council and the appropriate departments need to look at it as soon as possible and provide a building suitable for everyone’s needs, and I am sure they will come back with a revised design to suit everybody.

A member of the public asked have the Council considered letting off the land at Irby Road corner?

Tony Garrett said that in Heswall Hall car park, - the area behind the Fire Station and the Jehovah’s Witness building, the newspaper collection bins, one of them was set on fire at Christmas, and it was full of rubbish dumped by people, and the whole area need emptying.  The area should be given a clean-up once a month, as bottles are always being broken and smashed here. - Streetscene manager made a note of this.

Sue Proudlove – the access to some of the shops was mentioned last time.  The area in Pensby still has no dropped kerbs.  One other thing, for the winter, the sand bins, there are areas in Pensby and probably Heswall where there was no sand in the bins for the bad weather.

Cllr. Wilkins – the dropped kerbs will be done, and the places have been agreed.

Streetscene manager – the grit bins have been filled three times.  If we get a request, we do put a refill.

Tracey Smith advised that each Area Forum as part of the You Decide process will get £5,000 for grit bins for the winter. If anyone has any locations where they think they should go within Heswall Pensby Thingwall area then please contact her.

Sue Proudlove advised wheel chair users and others find it very difficult to get out where there is no pathway cleared especially to the shops.  Cllr. Rowlands – replied that owners should make it safe.

Sue Proudlove –stated that the shop owners tell her that they say that the Council will not let them have dropped kerbs outside their premises. 

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John Pyke – Heswall Society.  The potential Medical Centre.  We do need it, and we want a good centre, hopefully the Council will look at it favourably next time. 

Russell Favager – consultations are taking place.

Claire Sanderson thanked the Hospital Trust as her friend called an ambulance, and it arrived in three and a half minutes.  .

Tony Garrett asked if there is any chance of The Warrens being scrapped?

Cllr. Rowlands – advised that planning permission has been given and Russell Favager – the review is finished, and talks are ongoing.

A question was then asked “what will happen to community centres that are under the strategic asset transfer if they are not transferred?”

Cllr. Johnson responded that it has been stated they will close in January 2011, and then presumably sold off.  At present the Alexander Hall and Heswall Hall Steering Group are in the process of preparing a Business Plan for the running of the Halls.

Cllr. Wilkins said he is Chairman of the Kylemore Centre, and there are talks going ahead with two groups who are interested in taking over the Centre, and it is hoped that one of them will take over, and the general usage of the Hall will be as it is at the moment for use of the community.  If this does not happen, there may be other people who might be interested.

Mr. Rosenberg said, on behalf of all the small proprietors, I do hope they will not allow small proprietors to come to Heswall Hall, because we pay good rates.  I have even known them to let it out to one man to buy gold and silver.  I do not want it to start again.

Cllr. Rowlands –I am sure the Steering Group will be aware of that problem.

Terry Roberts – Core Strategy Document.  This is a 211 page complex document.  How many residents do they expect to reply to this?

Tracey Smith – there is a summary document at the back if you would like to see it. 

Terry Roberts – that is almost useless to the main document.  I should be amazed if more than 100 residents reply to it.

Cllr. Rowlands – there must be a meaningful consultation held for the Core Strategy Document If it is too complicated for people to understand, we will pass the information back to the relevant officers for future reference.

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Tony Garrett – I did buy a copy from Wallasey Town Hall a few months ago.  As a member of Wirral Transport User Group there are six or eight pages which need further consultation.  There are copies in Heswall Library, and I know that people have been consulting it.

Tracey Smith – many people have said it is really a very complex document, which it has to be, as it will affect Wirral for a long time. 

Terry Roberts – I think the same has happened with PCT consultations in the past 

Sandy Cameron  I have been to some meetings in Lancashire and there are some towns in the North-west, Blackburn, Rochdale, where they have an arrangement between the hospital services and the transport services if they have an early morning appointment, if they show their bus pass, they can use the bus before 9.30 a.m.

Alastair Bradley will investigate and report back at the next Area Forum.

Tony Garrett stated – it has been brought up many times, by bus users that someone tried to board an Arriva bus at 9.31a.m, but was not allowed on because the bus was late.

Inspector Cunningham said that, at the back of the hall there were some newsletters if anyone would like to take a copy.

Cllr. Rowlands thanked all the Officers for their attendance, and closed the meeting at 9.15pm

Amendments:

• Ridgeway Centre – the actual correct name is:

The Hope Centre, Ridgewood Park