Meeting documents
Area Forum (Liscard and Seacombe)
Monday, 18th June 2007
Present
Chair
Cllr Dave Hawkins
Ward Councillors
Karen Hayes, Adrian Jones, John Salter
Community Representatives
Margaret Allen (Seacombe Community Representative), John Drew (Seacombe LCP), Jo McCourt (Wallasey YMCA), Fr. Leon Ostaszewski, Carole Thomas (Liscard Community Representative)
Lead Officer
Mark Camborne (Health & Safety & Resilience Operations Manager)
Area Service Co-ordinator
Michelle Gray
Street Scene Manager
Mark Traynor
Wirral Primary Care Trust
Ian Stewart
Merseyside Police
Inspector Paul Farrar
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service
Tony Mooney
Wirral Hospital Trust
Graham Hewitt
Council Officers
Tara Dumas (Recycling Officer), Christina Jones (Education & Cultural Services), Howard Mortimer (Special Initiatives Team)
Apologies
Cllr Leah Fraser, Chris Jones (Area Streetscene Manager), Cllr Denis Knowles, Diane Ledder
Index to Minutes
- Minute 1 - Welcome, introductions & apologies
- Minute 2 - Liscard Hall
- Minute 3 - Minutes & matters arising from previous February forum
- Minute 4 - Area Co-ordinators report • Area plan update
- Minute 5 - Public question time
- Minute 6 - Older Peoples Parliament
- Minute 7 - Wirral Hospital Trust – engagement strategy
- Minute 8 - Partner updates - Merseyside Police - Merseyside Fire & Rescue service - Wirral Primary Care Trust
- Minute 9 - Date of next meeting Thursday 11th October 2007, Wallasey Town Hall, Brighton Street, Wallasey, Wirral
- Minute 10 - Any other business
Minute 1 - Welcome, introductions & apologies
Minute Text :
The Chair, Councillor D Hawkins, welcomed forum members and 40 members of the public and 2 young people to the meeting of the East Wallasey [Liscard/Seacombe] Area Forum in Wallasey Town Hall. Dave Hawkins introduced Councillor Karen Hayes, and welcomed her to her first meeting of the Forum as a newly Elected Member.
Minute 2 - Liscard Hall
Minute Text :
The Chair introduced Howard Mortimer, Special Initiatives Officer, Corporate Services Department, who had been invited to give a presentation on proposals for Liscard Hall.
Howard Mortimer stated that members of the local community had been concerned that for more than five years Liscard Hall has become increasingly dilapidated and subject to vandalism. Wirral Council recognises the importance of securing a sustainable future for this listed buildings and is willing to consider a range of compatible uses that will achieve that objective. The Council is seeking a development partner that has the vision, matched with the ability and the resources, who can identify the best solution to bringing the Hall complex back into active use. To achieve this the Council is seeking expressions of interest from private parties or consortia. A design brief will be sent to potential investors throughout Europe within the next three days. Bidders will be invited to submit bids in two stages.
Stage 1 will form an Expression of Interest, when the proposals received will be evaluated against a pre-determined set of criteria. The closing date for expressions of interest will be 10 August 2007. At this stage the submissions received will be carefully evaluated and by the end of the summer the relevant details will be taken to the co-ordinating group, the membership of which includes Diane Ledder and several members of the public. A shortlist of about four bidders will be drawn up and they will be invited to develop proposals for stage 2.
As part of any agreement, the Council wishes to retain ownership of the Rose Garden in front of the Hall but seeks improvements to the area. The Walled Garden must remain accessible to the general public and the Park Rangers office will remain as an operational building within the Park. The Council’s Local Parks Maintenance Unit will be relocated to a new site at Leasowe and bidders will be required to state how they would propose to work with the Council to accomplish this re-location.
Howard Mortimer undertook to attend the next meeting of the Area Forum to report on the level of interest received. This would precede a period of consultation with local people in January/February 2008.
In responding to questions from members of the public, Howard Mortimer stated –
- the successful bidder will be responsible for restoring the damage to the building structure caused by vandalism and fire. There has been some serious damage caused, but it is not beyond repair. The restoration work will be expected to be of the highest standards.
- the Council is not aware of any large holes or gaps in the building. Colleagues in Estate Management, working with the Police and other bodies, will ensure that the building is safeguarded as much as it reasonably can be to prevent further damage from vandalism.
- the agreement will contain a detailed specification of the features to be retained and restored in order to preserve the character of the building, and to comply with the buildings Grade 11 listed building status.
- it is highly unlikely at the present time that funding would be available from Heritage Lottery Funding to restore the building and the park for community use, or for other alternative uses - there was a need to involve the private sector in order to achieve this. There may be some community benefits – the provision of new public toilets for example – and the Council will seek every opportunity to achieve that. [Dave Hanlon suggested that the building is converted for use as Youth Centre to complement the Allandale Youth Club and the YMCA.]
- the restoration and refurbishment costs have been estimated between £2/3 million. [Two members of the audience suggested that a figure between £7/8 million would be more realistic].
- the Council will look at traffic and pedestrian movement in terms of egress and ingress into Central Park and will re-assess traffic in the surrounding roads as part of the redevelopment.
Minute Decision :
Resolved: That Howard Mortimer be thanked for the presentation.
Minute 3 - Minutes & matters arising from previous February forum
Minute Text :
Matters arising:
Bandstand Minute 3: Father Leon asked if any progress had been made on his suggestion that the bandstand removed from Europa Square could be relocated in Wallasey Central Park.
Mark Camborne apologised to Father Leon for the fact that he had not been contacted. He would take up the matter again with David Ball.
Dave Hallon pointed out that his name had been quoted incorrectly in minute 3. He suggested that David Hale had made the comment about the new bin collection service.
Minute Decision :
Resolved: That the minutes of the meeting of the Area Forum of 14 February 2007 be accepted, with the amendment proposed by Dave Hallon.
Minute 4 - Area Co-ordinators report • Area plan update
Minute Text :
The Area Co-ordinator presented her report to the Area Forum. Section 1 contained the minutes of the previous meeting; Section 2 contained updates on Safer and Stronger Communities, Healthier Communities and Older People, Children and Young People, Economic Development and Enterprise, and cross cutting themes on changes to Wirral’s waste and recycling collection, and the new services available at local one stop shops; Section 3 contained an update on the Community Initiatives Fund; Section 4, Local Area plan; Section 5 Streetscene and Waste; and Section 6 as a new section for all 11 area forums covering the equalities and diversity agenda.
The Area Co-ordinator expanded on the key features of her report -
- The availability of grants from the Community Initiatives Fund in the current financial year had been widely advertised and the closing date for applications for the current round of funding has now closed.
- Wirral Council would particularly welcome comments, ideas or items that any member of the public would like to see included in the Equality and Diversity report.
- The new look area plans are in three main sections – an introduction; statistical information; local priority action plan. The document will be produced electronically in future and will ‘go live’ on the Internet on 4 July 2007.
All, or part, of the Area Co-ordinator’s report can be downloaded from the Internet at www.wirral.gov.uk; alternatively, a paper version will be sent on request to any member of the public who wishes to attend a future meeting.
The Area Co-ordinator drew attention to the flyer – Pride in Our Proms – Proposals for Seacombe-Egremont, copies of which had been distributed at the meeting. Parts of the proposals had been displayed on the notice board at the meeting and focused on three main areas – The Seacombe gateway, the Seacombe embankments and Vale Park.
Members of the public who wished to comment on the proposals should contact John Hayes, on 237 3524.
In response to a query from Father Leon, the Area Co-ordinator explained that the three-year term of office for Community Representatives on all Area Forums in Wirral would end in October 2007. An advertising campaign will be launched in late summer inviting nominations for community representatives to serve on Area Forums.
Minute Decision :
Resolved: To thank the Area Co-ordinator for the report.
Minute 5 - Public question time
Minute Text :
Carole Thomas raised the issues
Litter is not being removed from the back of the shops at Liscard, and rats have been seen in the area; rats have been seen coming from a house in Mill Lane; rubbish is left for months in Liscard before collection, and a fridge-freezer has been left in Seaview Road since before Christmas.
Tara Dumas offered to discuss the issues with Carole at the end of the meeting.
Members of the public raised the issues –
Businesses have not been issued with grey bins. Will local businesses be fined for placing paper in the green bin? There are one or two local businesses on Liscard Road, including Wallasey CVS, that generate a lot of paper. Some businesses do not pay rates because they are registered charities but their green bins have always been emptied.
Tara Dumas – The Council has responsibility for the free disposal of waste, but is not responsible for collecting waste free of charge. There is new legislation which suggests that Councils should make a charge for collection and a policy is being developed on this.
Margie Allen asked how many prosecutions there have been against private landlords for failing to apply for a licence for their properties.
Mark Camborne stated that he would provide an answer through the minutes.
(answer received after the meeting see below)
"In regard to the uptake of Unlicensed landlords contacting the Council there have been 34 licenses granted up until the end of March 2007. The cut off date for contacting the council has now passed and the HMO Team are attempting to process some 30 or so other landlords that they know about.
The HMO Team urge any individuals who have information regarding landlords who are suspected as not being licensed to contact HMO Licensing on 0151 691 8665.
As a local businessman, I had a green wheelie bin which I left outside and paid an industrial waste company to empty it weekly. The Charities that undertake collections say they do not collect from businesses and left the bin. My Council tax booklet states that the removal of domestic waste is a legal responsibility. I also pay domestic rates for domestic waste to be removed.
Tara offered to speak to the person and clarify the issue at the end of the meeting.
The printed literature that is provided with grey bins is confusing – it does not specify the type of plastic that can be recycled.
Tara – We follow national guidelines in the main on the information we issue. The grey bin should be used for ‘dry’ recyclables such as plastic bottles, glass bottles and jars, clean, dry paper and cardboard, tins and cans. Incorrect use causes contamination of recycling materials and can lead to lots of problems. Shredded paper and waste food should not be placed in the grey bin.
Karen Hayes had suggested to Tara that some people may prefer a visual demonstration of the types of materials that should be placed in which bin, rather than just reading a leaflet.
Tara - Recycling Champions have been appointed to advise residents on the materials they can and cannot recycle. Any Wirral resident can request a visit from a recycling champion by calling Streetscene on 0151 606 2004.
The Chair pointed out that the colours green and grey are indistinguishable to anyone with a colour vision problems, therefore all the collection dates appear the same to anyone who is colour blind.
Tara confirmed that in the next round of calendar distribution anyone with a visual problem will receive a special version on which the dates are clearly differentiated.
Tara stated that reports that the separating machines are not working are not true. The machines have been operating very well since phase 1 of the scheme started in October. The results being achieved are proving that this is the case.
Father Leon raised the issues –
- The need to re-time the traffic lights before 6 am, on the route from Duke Street through Wallasey.
- The pedestrian light at Seaview Road by Edinburgh Road is not functioning properly.
- The sign ‘Poulton’ when approaching Liscard from Clare Mount Road via St Hilary Brow, has been removed and needs to be replaced, preferably on a lamppost nearby where it is not so accessible to vandalism.
- All dock signs leading from the A54 should state Wirral docks, to avoid confusion for drivers who wish to access the docks on the Liverpool side.
- The lights along the footpaths in Wallasey Central Park have been damaged and not repaired. If they were positioned on higher stems it would be more difficult to damage them.
Answer received after the meeting (to be included within these minutes) The lighting scheme which was installed last year as part of a Big Lottery Scheme has unfortunately suffered from several incidents of determined vandalism.Although the lighting was intended to be as vandal resistant as possible the columns will be slightly modified and more robust lamps fitted within the next 3 to 4 weeks.Hopefully this will reduce further the likelihood of damage by vandalism and continue to improve the level of safety in the park.
Whether the CCTV camera has been put back into use.
(answer received after the meeting to be included in these minutes - The CCTV is working after it was repaired sometime ago).
A resident stated that Kenilworth Road has been resurfaced and new road safety humps have been installed. The level of the road surface has been raised to the same level of the pavement – increasing the tendency for motorists to park on the pavement. A lorry persistently parked on the pavement has broken about 8/9 of the new flags that have been laid.
Streetscene Manager – The height of the carriageway was increased to enable the road humps to be installed. It had not been possible to reinstate the footway in Kenilworth Road at the same time due to financial constraints, but the area will be looked at favourably in next year’s improvement programme.
It is understood that a recharge has been made in the case where the flagstones have been persistently broken.
Parking on pavements is a problem across Wirral and sometimes happens because the road infrastructure is too narrow to allow vehicles to pass through when cars are parked on both sides of the road.
The Proprietor of Wirral Press reported recurrent problems with youths who damage his property, use bad language and threaten female members of staff. His property had been damaged on the same evening damage was caused to Wallasey Town Hall. He has noticed CSOs walking in twos and threes along Brighton Street in school hours. He suggested that it would be more effective for the CSOs to patrol at times when children aged 8 to 15 are not in school.
Inspector Farrar – Three arrests have been made in connection with the damage to the Town Hall and the case is progressing through the court. Additional patrols were deployed to the area in the aftermath of the incident at the Town Hall, and the number of incidents of anti social behaviour had fallen as a result. The additional patrols will be reinstated in Brighton Street and the surrounding area to deal with the current issues.
Cars are parking increasingly on green space areas and churning up all the grass. Streetscene told a member of the public to take people’s car registration numbers, but it is not down to members of the public to do that.
Street scene Manager – This is a problem across all areas of Wirral. We have three inspectors for each area and they actively encourage people to park on the carriageways. We also send out letters asking people to refrain from parking on grassed areas.
The bus stop in Liscard serving the 433 route between Birkenhead and Liverpool has been removed, without consultation. Petitions have been sent to Arriva and to Merseytravel.
Streetscene Manager – Following a risk assessment with the drivers, the bus stop will be reinstated in the same area – 50 yards from its previous location.
Minute 6 - Older Peoples Parliament
Minute Text :
The Area Co-ordinator reported that Older People’s Parliament had held its inaugural meeting in Wallasey Town Hall in January. Representatives elected to represent this Area Forum will be attending Forum meetings in future to give updates on the Parliament. The Parliament would be pleased to receive the views, ideas, suggestions from people in the age group 50+. Lesley Howells [666 2220] will be pleased to provide more information about the Older People’s Parliament. Alternatively, more information can be obtained by logging on to www.wirral.gov.uk or www.ageconcernwirral.org. Copies of the three Newsletters produced by the Parliament were available at the meeting.
Minute 7 - Wirral Hospital Trust – engagement strategy
Minute Text :
Graham Hewitt gave a presentation on Wirral Hospital Trust Engagement Strategy. The development of the Engagement Strategy marks the second phase of the Trust’s commitment to engage more closely with the communities it serves.
The first phase in February 2006 involved a major consultation programme, A Change for the Better, in relation to the Trust’s application for Foundation Trust Status. The consultation laid out service plans for the following five years. The trust is halfway through its application for Trust status and it was felt that now is the right time to engage again with communities.
In the coming months the Trust will be talking – and listening – to Area Forums and community groups throughout Wirral on ways in which hospital services are changing.
The focus of the presentation this evening would be on Who we are, Why we are changing, and How we are changing. The responses from the consultation will be feed into the strategy.
Unlike current NHS trusts, Foundation Trusts have Members and Governors. Members elect Governors to represent them and to set direction for the organisation. The membership and Assembly of Governors is a key part of the engagement strategy. The Trust is aiming to have 13,000 public members – currently it has 6,000.
The Trust values the contribution made by members and encourages members of the public to become public members or attend Assembly meetings – application forms were available at the meeting. Further information can be obtained from www.whnt.nhs.uk. Read your hospital.
Graham Hewitt responded as follows to questions asked by members of the Forum and members on the public on the topics –
The Trust’s policy on single sex wards – Most areas of Arrowe Park Hospital have single sex bays between the wards. It is difficult to deal with emergency admissions as it is not always possible to plan how many beds and wards are needed at any given time – in emergency care the priority is to ensure that people receive the treatment need, when they need it. The Trust has invested in improving facilities generally and, for example, has made sure that all the appropriate toilet facilities are available for both sexes.
Actually achieving a reduction in waiting times to 18 weeks from GP referral to treatment will be very difficult. - At the moment, the average wait is up to 26 weeks. The Trust has invested in orthopaedic services in particular, but there are very few experts in foot surgery, for example who are available to work in the NHS. The Trust is confident it can achieve its aims.
Minute 8 - Partner updates - Merseyside Police - Merseyside Fire & Rescue service - Wirral Primary Care Trust
Minute Text :
Merseyside Police [Inspector Paul Farrar, Neighbourhood Inspector for East Wallasey] -
The neighbourhood team met all its targets last year and continues to remain on target for this year. Levels of crime have fallen in car thefts, thefts from cars, house burglary, robbery, and violence. In this area, which serves a population of 68,000 people, during the period 1 to 18 June there were four car thefts, seven house burglaries, and 12 thefts from cars. The only increase was in criminal damage.
Criminal damage and anti-social behaviour is a large problem in many communities. Seacombe suffers from high levels of anti-social behaviour, which is both youth and adult related. The number of incidents decreased when there was a Section 30 order in place in Seacombe, but increased when the Order expired. There will be a second Section 30 Exclusion Order in Seacombe for six months from the end of June. In addition, ASBOs and CRASBOs and low-level intervention will be used to discourage anti-social behaviour. Acceptable behaviour contracts have been put in place resulting in several young people facing custodial sentences.
At the last Forum meeting, it was reported that a case was proceeding through the court involving £1 million damage to gravestones in Rake Lane Cemetery. The case has now run its course and the three youths involved have each received twelve month prison sentences. A community group, Friends of Rake Lane, has been set up, CSOs patrol the cemetery at frequent intervals, and the Youth Service is engaging young people in some distraction activities. No further problems have been reported following the introduction of these strategies.
Regular news items appear in the local Press, and updates are posted on the Merseyside Police website.
In response to questions from members of the public, Inspector Farrar stated that –
The mobile police station is currently located in St Paul’s Road and will remain there for six weeks. Community police officers and community support officers man the station and members of the public can report there as they would to any police station.
The mobile police station is a resource for the whole of Wirral and certain criteria have to be met in determining its location. Priority is given to areas of high crime.
A Police Forum was held for a specific purpose at Liscard Primary School recently but the Police tend to use Area Forum meetings to communicate with the public, because members of the public can speak to the Police and other agencies at the same venue.
On behalf of the residents of Liscard, Carol Ann Thomas congratulated the Police on their success in dealing with issues in Liscard – the area has quietened down considerably and residents are full of praise for the Police.
Councillor Jones commented that the basic command unit in Wirral is constantly exceeding its targets, month-by-month, area-by-area - it is a brand leader across the whole of Merseyside.
There is a high rate of crime detection in Wirral, partly because of first class Police Officers, but also because they use the powers they have and the new techniques, [eg forensic evidence and DNA] to great effect. Even though the statistics give another impression, crime, particularly violent crime and physical assaults, have reduced in Wirral. That is good news and very commendable.
The Chair congratulated the Police on their success in tackling drug-related issues in Wallasey and thanked them for their meetings with local residents.
Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service – Tony Mooney – Fire crews have carried out over 700 home risk assessments since the last Area Forum meeting. In Seacombe, there had been eleven domestic fires. In some instances, the cause of the fire had been linked to the life style of the occupants [ie, alcohol or drugs or smoking in bed etc]. One of the key objectives for all Wirral stations is to access the ‘hard to reach’ members of the community to undertake home fire safety checks. Fires tend to occur in properties and buildings that have multiple occupation. Crews visit frequently and offer advice on fire prevention to residents in blocks of flats and residential homes, especially where there is a high turnover of tenants.
Another key objective for the Fire and Rescue Service is to work with partner agencies to reduce the number of road traffic collisions.
The number of anti-social behaviour fires has reduced from 85 to 54 in the current quarter. This success is seen as a reflection of the work undertaken with colleagues from the Council and the Police.
Merseyside Police has been working in partnership with Wirral Partnership Homes, Wirral Social Services and the Primary Care Trust to set up a new technology-based service that will help disabled and older people to live at home more safely. A ‘Smart House’, based on the Woodchurch Estate, will showcase equipment to support people who have difficulty in carrying out everyday tasks due to age or disability.
The long periods of dry weather last year resulted in some serious grass fires in open land and woodland. Special efforts are being made this year to locate equipment in areas where fires are more likely to occur and to visit schools and educate children on the dangers of fire and the damage they cause to the environment, wildlife and their habitats.
On behalf of the Seacombe community, Margie Allen thanked the crews from Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service who have been carrying out home fire safety checks in the local neighbourhood. Margie had received glowing reports and had heard nothing but praise from local residents.
Tara reported that Streetscene has been working in Liscard with the Fire & Rescue Service on a campaign to promote Smoke free England. Information and portable ashtrays have been distributed to raise awareness of the new legislation. Smart bins have been located in Liscard town centre to reduce the amount of cigarette litter deposited on the ground.
Wirral PCT – Ian Stewart [who has responsibility for health services provided for GPs, Community Nurses and Health Visitors in Wallasey ] reported –
Plans to create a new three-surgery PCT centre on site at Victoria Central Hospital are on target for completion by the scheduled date in 2009. The old physio-therapy block has been demolished and all asbestos has been removed from the site. The physio-therapy service will be relocated to another part of the hospital that is vacant. The large admin block will be demolished by the end of next week.
In response to concerns raised about the old fever hospital, Ian Stewart stated that it is almost two years since the development began and in that time the contractor has undertaken a comprehensive on-site risk analysis. Everything is in place to ensure that when the admin block is knocked down no infectious diseases will be released into Liscard. He gave an assurance that contrary to rumours there were no bodies or body parts buried under the admin. block.
Dr Mukherjee had given an assurance some time ago that the memorials sited around the hospital will be given provenance. Discussions are ongoing on the arrangements to remove the memorials and to relocate them once work on site has been completed.
Minute Decision :
Resolved: That Graham Hewitt, Tony Mooney and Ian Stewart be thanked for their presentations.
Minute 9 - Date of next meeting Thursday 11th October 2007, Wallasey Town Hall, Brighton Street, Wallasey, Wirral
Minute Text :
Minute Decision :
Resolved: That the next meeting be held on 11 OCTOBER 2007 at Wallasey Town Hall.
Minute 10 - Any other business
Minute Text :
There being no further business, the Chair thanked members of the public for a good turnout and for their contribution to the discussion. He closed the meeting at 8.50 pm.
(Minutes Published: 10 July 2007)