Meeting documents

Area Forum (Liscard and Seacombe)
Thursday, 3rd February 2005

Present

Chair

AER Jones

Ward Councillor

D Hawkins, C M Jones, DT Knowles, G Leech

Community Representatives

Margaret Allen (Seacombe Community Representative), Ann Mather (Seacombe Community Representative), Jo McCourt (Wallasey YMCA), Fr. Leon Ostaszewski, Carole Thomas (Liscard Community Representative)

Lead Officer

Colin Walker (Assistant Director, Development Control)

Area Service Co-ordinator

Tracey Smith

Birkenhead & Wallasey PCT

Jane Harvey (Director of Public Health, Bir. & Wall. PCT), Dr Shymal Mukherjee, Medical Director, Birkenhead and Wallasey PCT

Merseyside Police

Inspector John Hogan

Council Officers

David Ball (Head of Housing and Regeneration), Chris Jones (Area Streetscene Manager)

Apologies

JJ Salter

Index to Minutes

Minute 1 - Welcome and introductions

Minute Text :

The Chair, Councillor Adrian Jones, welcomed 60 members of the public to the meeting of the East Wallasey Area Forum. He introduced Inspector John Hogan, who had replaced Inspector Kate Aspinall as Merseyside Police representative on the Area Forum.

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Minute 2 - Minutes of last meeting and matters arising

Minute Text :

Resolved - That the minutes of the meeting of the Area Forum of 14 October 2004 were confirmed, subject to the following amendments/additions -

Liscard Hall [minute 5]: Father Leon explained that he had asked the Council Officers, [not necessarily the Police] to help with security at Liscard Hall.

Colin Walker replied that a request for increased visits by community patrols had been passed to the Council's Building Control Officers, but the arrangement was unlikely to include a permanently manned presence. Specific issues brought to the Council's attention would be addressed without delay.

Liscard Residents' Association [minute 5]: A correction in writing had been received from the Association. The minutes would be amended accordingly.

Amended minute:
David Hale, Secretary of Central Liscard Residents Association, informed the meeting that following the opening of Weatherspoons in Wallasey Road most of the shopping centre was now open on Sundays. This had changed Liscard from a shopping centre that virtually closed down between 5 and 5.30pm and closed Sundays to a seven days 'open all hours' conurbation with thirty-five outlets for eating (on or off the premises). The majority with alcohol consumption licenses and a lot of these opened in the last couple of years. There were problems from this for residents of central Liscard especially in parking, litter and sheer volume of people. The speaker called for a sub committee to be set up to consider how best to remedy the pressure on the residents.

Attendance List: The omission of names of PCT representatives at the meeting had been noted by the Area Co-ordinator.

Minute Decision :

Resolved that Bob Williams (Chief Officer for East Wallasey Area Forum) called for Chris Jones (Streetscene Manger) to meet with Mr. Hale to discuss the issues raised.

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Minute 3 - Area Co-ordinator's Report

Minute Text :

Copies of the Area Co-ordinator's report had been sent to Forum members in advance of the meeting. Tracey Smith, Area Co-ordinator, discussed the report, section by section, under the headings - Community, Initiative Fund, Local Area Plan, Youth, Streetscene and Local updates.

The Area Co-ordinator drew attention to the meeting of the CIF panel to consider bids from the Community Initiatives Fund. The Cabinet would consider the Panel's recommendations in February.

The Area Co-ordinator explained that it had not been possible to bring the Area Plan for Liscard and Seacombe areas to the current meeting. She would ensure that copies were distributed by the end of February for discussion at the June meeting of the Area Forum.

Minute Decision :

Resolved:

i that the Forum endorses the process for the allocation of funds from the Community Initiatives Fund;
ii that the Area Plan be considered and progressed at the meeting of the Area Forum in June;
iii that the Area Co-ordinator be thanked for her report.

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Minute 4 - Public question time

Minute Text :

There were no questions raised by members of the public.

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Minute 5 - Presentation on Community Support Officers - Inspector John Hogan - Merseyside Police

Minute Text :

The Chair welcomed Sergeant Mike O'Callaghan, and two Community Support Officers, Merseyside Police, to the meeting.

Inspector John Hogan presented a video recording produced by Merseyside Police on the Community Support Officers initiative. The Chief Constable explained in his introduction that Merseyside Police had introduced Community Support Officers in February 2003, as part of the focus on neighbourhood policing. The video described the role of the Community Support Officers, the recruitment process and training programme for recruits.

Inspector Hogan commented that the CSOs were proving to be a valuable asset in the neighbourhood policing team, acting as the eyes and ears for the police service in the Wallasey and other areas.

Questions:
Why don't we have front line community support Policemen, as we had in the days of the Wallasey Constabulary?

Community Support Officers [CSOs] have limited powers. They wear a distinctive uniform that enables them to provide highly visible foot patrols in dedicated areas for the majority of their time. Police Officers are deployed to deal with an incident, engaged in an arrest and then return with the suspect to the Police Station. They then spend three or four hours dealing with the relevant reports. The CSOs remain in their designated area and, once the incident has been handed over, continue their patrols on the streets. The Government had issued a consultation paper on proposals to give CSOs additional powers. The drawback of this approach would be that CSOs would engage more in incidents, and instead of remaining on patrol, would be drawn into the Station to deal with formalities.

Will the Specials become more involved, or will they be phased out?

As far as I am aware there is no intention to phase out the Specials. Efforts are continuing to bring more volunteers into the Police Force so there would be Community Support Officers, Specials and Volunteers all working together in teams. A Volunteers' scheme is currently operating for a trial period in Heswall.

The video showed CSOs calling for back-up because they have no powers of arrest. The experience of most members of the public is that they have to wait up to two hours before the Police appear. Also, I have been told there is a shortage of squad cars to cover the area. How can the CSO receive help quickly in dealing with incidents, unless there is an increase in Police cars in the Wallasey area?

Each call to the Police Control Room is prioritised and depending on the information received at the time of call is given a grade between 1 and 4. Grade 1 is a very serious incident and would be responded to within ten minutes. A grade 1 response would be given to incidents where a member of the public or a CSO was being assaulted, for example.

What sort of work do the Volunteers engage in? - The tasks undertaken by Police Officers are being looked at to determine which duties Volunteers can carry out. For example, they might engage in administrative duties, leaflet distribution in crime hot spots etc. The Volunteers in the trial in Heswall engage in patrols in that area.

Inspector Hogan drew attention to the leaflets on the CSOs initiative. He would provide further information, on request, at the end of the meeting.

Minute Decision :

Resolved - That Inspector Hogan be thanked for his presentation.

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Minute 6 - Presentation on Egremont Shopping Strategy - David Ball, Head of Regeneration & Housing

Minute Text :

David Ball, Head of Housing and Regeneration, gave a presentation on proposals for the redevelopment of the Egremont shopping area.

The development of the Liscard Shopping Centre had led to a serious decline of Trafalgar Road as a shopping area. People wishing to use the shops were prevented from doing so because of the lack of parking provision and parking in residential streets caused problems for local people and for businesses and shops. There was a 50% vacancy level in ground floor premises and a higher percentage on upper floors. In addition to retail shops there were a number of businesses that wished to expand and employ more people but were restricted by the high density of the area.

There were concerns about the environmental quality of the area in which there were back alleyways and generally poor street scene provision. The Council, working with the local community, business people and Councillors, was seeking to address the many challenges that the area presented. Specialist consultants in the retail field had been commissioned to focus on the core retail areas in Trafalgar Road/Brighton Street and to devise a strategy for the redevelopment of the area. The study had concluded that the Brighton Street/King Street/Rice Lane was the heart of the area and this is where the focus of the redevelopment should be.

The strategy proposed the building of a supermarket, retail units to the west of King Street, a car park and environmental improvements to complement the new developments. Local consultation had identified the need for community provision in the area.

The area to the north of the proposed developments included a block of terraced properties, 2/72 King Street. The strategy proposed re-location of owners and tenants to alternative premises, as well as businesses that wished to continue trading in the area, and ultimately the acquisition and demolition of 2/72 King Street. The cleared sites would be redeveloped with housing or an environmental type of treatment or improvement. The whole area would be subject to a range of street scene improvements to complement the redevelopment. The occupiers of 2/72 King Street had been part of the consultation process and been advised of the help that would be available for relocation.

The Council's Select Committee and Cabinet had approved the strategy in January 2005, and approaches had been made to external funding providers seeking the finance to progress the strategy. It was highly unlikely that the Council would secure the ₤20 million required to implement the strategy straight away; therefore a phased approach would be taken. A steering group, consisting of members of the local community, the local traders' association and elected members, would be formed to take the strategy forward.

David Ball responded to questions from members of the public -

If you are taking down properties which we back on to in King Street, what position does that put Brighton Street in?

We have no plans to acquire or demolish any residential properties in Brighton Street. We propose to acquire and demolish 2/72 King Street, and then do careful planning and design in the area.

If you are bringing those properties down, they are very old, what is the chance of asbestos in the dust and demolition etc? - I'm not sure there are asbestos issues in these properties. If there are, the demolition will be carried out with due regard to all the regulations and every safeguard will be taken through the Health and Safety Executive.

When you knock the buildings down will you make entries secure at the same time, and how much of the demolition material will be recycled or salvaged to generate money, and will the Co-op be relocated into the area and be the only supermarket in that area?

Yes, securing the alleyways after demolition will be a priority; the materials within the block 2/72 King Street will be recycled as much as possible; we have had discussion with the Co-op currently in Trafalgar Road and at this stage they are indicating a willingness to move to the area around Rice Lane.

When properties are knocked down, the entries will be completely exposed. We were told we have to wait for a fence and we were very annoyed about that. If you are knocking buildings down you have to put security in straight away.

I think I need to know the specifics. If you will let the Area Co-ordinator have the details, I will look at the problem for you.

I live in Rice Lane and know a lot of residents are worried about whether their houses will be pulled down or not. When will we find out?

The strategy we are talking about this evening just focuses on the retail areas, but there are certain housing areas in Wirral that are part of the separate housing market renewal programme. I understand the concerns around Rice Lane but there are no immediate plans to look at the housing in the Egremont area.

I own a newsagents on King Street, I have never been approached directly by anyone regarding our property, No. 64. We actually own the property and our son lives in the flat above. Are you going to give me a new retail unit and a flat for my son when you demolish our property? I will not pay rent when I already own a property.

We tried to contact all property owners, retailers and businesses along the King Street corridor by letter, letting people know what is happening and a public consultation. In reply to the specific questions, where we acquire property we will seek to relocate existing businesses in new retail units and to ensure that alternative residential accommodation is provided for existing occupiers. The Council will look to buy properties at market value. Once the funding has been secured to implement the strategy there would be full discussions with property owners and occupiers on an individual basis in an endeavour to reach agreement in these matters as the programme moves forward.

Rice Lane, the residential properties on the left hand side are in the housing renewal programme. Will people who live in properties along there be informed, as it is fairly relevant to them?

There is work going on called Neighbourhood Renewal Assessment. These are assessments the Council makes in areas that have significant issues with housing, and colleagues working on that. Everyone has been informed of the work on inspecting and assessing the condition of the properties. Once that assessment has been completed, a view will be taken on the future of the housing in that area.

David Hale, Secretary of Central Liscard Residents' Association. We have some apprehension and realise that some of the answers can change. We will be watching that there is no softening up process over the next few years where residents' properties lose so much value that they are taken over at a fraction of their current value and thus provide a tidy profit to some speculator in the years to come.

We will be watching very closely to ensure fair play for those residents and that a blight is not put on the area.
I say you must look carefully before you knock everything down. - I want to give some reassurance, to clarify.

I'm sorry if you feel the answer I gave previously was not clear. As part of the process of acquiring and demolishing properties, we look at the area that will be left and make sure we don't embark on that work until we know how we will finish off the job and how the area will look afterwards. The matter of speculation is always a difficult one. We can't control property speculators, but whenever the Government announces an initiative there are always certain people who think they have an opportunity to go into the area and acquire, speculate and accumulate from that. We will be seeking to ensure as far as we can that does not happen.

Can you come up with some assurances that you will not allow blight to reduce the value of these properties to a ridiculous level as has happened elsewhere in the past?

Yes, we will try and ensure that blight does not affect those areas. The difficulty is that blight has been caused already in a number of areas because of the high levels of vacancy, dereliction and associated problems.
Who determines the market value of the properties?

We will try and acquire most of the properties by negotiation, and that will involve the Council through its valuers coming along and talking about the property. You will have an opportunity to appoint your own valuer and come to agreement on the market value of the property by negotiation. One of the ways to reduce speculation when acquiring properties is to place a compulsory purchase order in place at the beginning of the negotiation stage. That will prevent people coming in and purchasing property. We would talk to individual residents and business owners before we embark on that approach.
The Wallasey YMCA have been involved in discussions with various organisations and partnerships about its future survival as an organisation and has been working with the Council and members of the Local Authority. Fifteen months later we hear about a community facility being part of a development in Egremont. The YMCA has not been part of that negotiation. It is trying to survive and has spent time thinking of ways forward and then comes an announcement about a similar facility working alongside, or maybe in competition with, a quarter of a mile away. It is difficult for one organisation to survive.
The suggestion of a new community facility located centrally within the area came from the consultation. You wrote to me on this point some time ago and I replied by saying that the future operation of the Wallasey YMCA was of paramount importance. There's a lot of investment in that area through neighbourhood renewal and I don't want to jeopardise that facility. I said in my presentation there is nothing definite at this stage, the strategy identifies some kind of facility but that is subject to further discussion and review. We are not trying to undermine the good work the YMCA does in the area; we are simply saying there might be something that will complement that and also provide the facilities that are not there at the moment.

The Chair thanked everyone for their questions and interest. He quoted Minute 425 of the minutes of the meeting of the Select Committee viz,
'That the Egremont Shopping Area be approved, together with the establishment of the Implementation Steering Group comprising three Liscard Ward Councillors, three representatives from the East Wallasey Area Forum, and one representative to be nominated by the Egremont Business and Traders' Association.'

A member of the public objected to the fact that there was only provision for one representative for the Egremont Business and Traders' Association and emphasised the need for a representative for both traders and businesses to reflect their different views and needs.

The Chair explained that the Council had made the decision and it was necessary to proceed on the basis of the resolution.
Councillor Dave Hawkins proposed that Jo McCourt and the Chair of this forum at the time represent this Area Forum on the steering group.

Councillor Christine Jones proposed the Reverend Father Leon Ostaszewski as the third representative from the East Wallasey Area Forum.

A member of the public commented the people in the area had met on a regular basis, spent a lot of time, and had worked with David Ball and others to develop the strategy for the Egremont corridor. It was unjust and unfair to find there was only provision for one representative from Egremont on the steering group.

Margaret Allen registered concern on behalf of the Egremont Traders' Association. She expressed the view that it was totally wrong to allocate only one representative.

The Chair advised that the Area Forum did not have the authority to vary a decision made by the Council. He suggested that to make progress it was necessary to work with the decision and nominate people to represent the Area Forum on the steering group. If, subsequently there was a desire to do so, it might be possible to make representations to the Council to change the composition of the steering group.

Minute Decision :

Resolved -
i that Jo McCourt, Father Leon Ostaszewski, and the Chair of the Area Forum at the time be nominated to represent this Area Forum on the steering group;
ii that it be noted that the Egremont Community Association have been invited to nominate one representative;
iii that consideration of a recommendation to the Council to vary the composition of the steering group be deferred to the next meeting of the Area Forum.
iv that David Ball be thanked for his presentation.

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Minute 7 - Primary Care Trust update

Minute Text :

The Chair welcomed Jane Harvey, Director of Public Health and Dr Shyamal Mukerjee, Medical Director, Birkenhead and Wallasey Primary Care Trust.

Jane Harvey explained her statutory duty as Director of Public Health to produce a report each year. A different approach had been taken to producing the report on 2004/2005, in which members of the local communities had identified the main themes. During a series of interviews with residents of Birkenhead and Wallasey, people had talked about things that were important to their health and well-being, about the barriers they faced to achieving good health, and about what the Trust might do to help. The interviews with the local community had been incorporated into a 'Our Health' DVD, copies of which had been included with the report.

The Annual Report 2004/2005 was available at the meeting or on the PCT website: www.bkwpct.nhs.uk
Jane Harvey drew attention to the Government's White Paper on Improvement to People's Health, issued in November 2004. The focus of the Paper was concerned with what people can do as individuals to promote their own health within the context of good information and accessible services focused on the needs of the local population.

There were many initiatives around communities and the role they can play in improving health. Jane Harvey would be interested in giving a presentation at a future meeting on the involvement of the Area Forum in taking these developments forward.

Dr Shyamal Mukherjee gave an update on the Local Delivery Plan. The three main aims of the Plan were to improve health, prevent illness, and revolutionise the management of chronic diseases at a local level, nearer to people's homes. One important aspect was the decision by the Health Organisations and the Council's Social Services Department to work together to seek to improve the health of the local population.

Deprivation levels and health related problems in Birkenhead and Wallasey had reduced as a result of the work undertaken in the past twelve months. This reflected not only the work of the doctors and nurses, but everyone involved with health care at all levels.

The strategies introduced in Wallasey had brought the life expectancy for people in Wallasey more in line with people in the rest of the country.

Dr Mukherjee mentioned an Area Forum he had attended in Bidston when he had received feedback from people on the health and related problems they were experiencing. He had taken the opportunity to pass on the information and ensure that appropriate action was taken. He would welcome feedback from this Area Forum on any concerns about health.
The Chair suggested it would be interesting to receive information on positive research carried on mortality rates, especially how it affected this area.

Jane Harvey replied that studies on the death rate were complex and in general a number of factors contributed to the average ages at which people die. She would be happy to expand further on the subject at a future meeting, if requested.
Jane Harvey added that work was in progress on the production of a user-friendly version of the Local Delivery Plan, and this would be shared with the public.

Minute Decision :

Resolved - That Jane Harvey and Dr Shymal Mukerjee be thanked for their presentations.

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Minute 8 - Date of next meeting

Minute Text :

That the next meeting of the East Wallasey Area Forum be held 15 June 2005. The Chair thanked members and everyone present for their attendance and closed the meeting at 9.00 pm.

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Minute 9 - Any other business

Minute Text :

9.1 Bus Service: Attention had been drawn to the lack of a bus service from Wallasey to Liverpool in the evenings and to Lime Street Railway Station. - The attention of Merseytravel would be brought to the matter.

9.2 Wirral's Drug and Alcohol Team [DAAT] would appreciate feedback on drug and alcohol related issues, and had provided questionnaires for completion at the Area Forum meeting.

9.3 Merseyfest Project: A Merseyside Christian festival would be held during the week 14 - 21 August 2005. The organisers and Church Leaders had sought support from Area Forums in Wirral in promoting events at a local level and had provided leaflets describing the aims and purpose of the project. The Chair would be pleased to discuss any ideas or projects that might take place in this area as part of Merseyfest at the end of the meeting.

9.4 An absent member had asked that speeding on Poulton Road be brought to the attention of Police colleagues.

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(Minutes Published: 6 April 2005)