The Chair, Councillor Tony Smith welcomed the Forum members and30members of the public to the Greasby, Frankby, Irby & Woodchurch Area Forum meeting held at Overton Community Centre.

Apologies:

Councillor Tom Anderson

Councillor Gill Gardiner

2.1(4.10)  The Girl Guides from Frankby have been re-housed in Greasby Infant School.

2.2 Andy Brannan reported that there is funding available for Community Voluntary Groups.  If there are any groups that require funding, application forms are available.

2.2Andy Brannan introduced the Energy Project Plus Information Stand.  This is “working towards a sustainable future” The Officer from Energy Project Plus will answer any questions at the end of the meeting.

David Smith explained to the Forum Members the Council’s Consultation Process which is taking place across the borough.  The idea of the process is to ask Wirral residents “How to spend future resources”.  The Council has estimated to find savings of £108 million over the next 4 years.

4 Task Groups have been set up:

Children’s Services

Adult Services

Economy

Living Environment

A questionnaire has been set up and they will be available at various locations around the borough for Wirral residents to complete.  All forms are to be completed by 31^st October 2010.  They will be analysed and sent back to the Task groups to prepare a final paper ready for the Council’s Cabinet Meeting at the end of November.  This meeting will also have the Budget proposals for the next financial year.

3.1 Q. Have answered the questionnaire on line, but couldn’t print off a copy.

  A. Will take this issue back to the Website Organisers and apologise for this  error.

3.2Q.  B Moore received a questionnaire but was unsure where it came from.  She felt that it was not publicised and was full of loaded questions which were not objective, just subjective.

A.  The questionnaire was sent to all who has registered for the Area Forums.  Everyone’s views are valid; the questions are not intended to be loaded.  Jean Robinson from Overchurch Residents Association has been involved with the process and informed the forum that the Task Force Committee is independently chaired.

3.3 Q.  A questionnaire had been received, but it was not the same as the Wirral’s Future questionnaire.

A.  Andy Brannan reported that the questionnaire received was for the Localism Consultation.

3.4 Q. How many people have received the questionnaire?

A.  Council Officers have been at various locations around the Wirral, e.g.: Major shops – ASDA, Sainsbury’s, Morrison’s – The questionnaires are available from the Libraries and other public buildings around Wirral.  They are available to take away this evening.  Encourage everyone, friends, neighbours and relatives to complete and return the questionnaires.

David Green explained to the Forum members about why Parks & Open Countryside will be taken over by a private company.

The section in the department is quite disjointed and is a massive service and it needs to improve the level of its service. Consultants have been engaged and looked at the various options and the decision was to opt for a Single Service Provider. 

The option to put it in one package and offer it to an external contractor can save the Council approx £1.5 million per year.

The tender will be a European advert, looking to get the contractor approx September 2011 and start mobilising around December 2011 – January 2012.

An external contractor can provide a better service.

There will be public consultations in November

3^rd November - Sports

8^th November - Golf

10^th November - Bereavement Services

11^th November - Parks & Heritage Groups

Q.  All staff are accountable and managers are accountable.  If the Golf Courses and Beach Patrol were costed properly, there would not be a need to sell off.  The services this section provides are specialist.

A.  Dave Green: Lots of contractors can provide this service.  We are confident that this can be done.  There has been extensive research with 5 other councils, who have done this.  The option of the external contractor is £1.5 cheaper than it would be with the existing staff.  An advantage of a private contractor is that they can invest in the service, whereby the council has not got the money to invest.

Q.  Where is the £1.5 million saving coming from?

A.  An external contractor is better a managing staff and can react to changes in services than it is sometimes possible for a Local Authority.

Q.  Will the staff be sacked and they bring in new people?  Working on a Golf Course is specialised.

A.  200 members of staff will be transferred over.  The new contractor does not have to keep the staff and they can change their conditions of service.  The bins were transferred over to BIFFA.  They have invested in plant machinery, staff have retained their jobs and had pay rises and they are happy.  Their work practices have changed. One contractor will provide the specialist service and will be better at managing staff.

Q.  Is it possible to block pave around the roundabout at Ackers Road as it gets flooded and muddy?  Also could the grass be cut at the football pitches at Arrowe Park as it is so long?

A.  Yes, this will be looked at.

Q.  Parks and Gardens stores equipment at Woodchurch Leisure Centre – Could this be moved as it will free up the stores for the Boxing Club

A.  This will be looked at.

Q.  Beach Patrol and the Rangers do an excellent job, will the staff be looked after.

A.  Staff will be transferred over to the new contractor.

Q.  Why were the Managers not allowed to submit a tender?

A.  They do not have  ...  view the full minutes text for item 4.

4.1  Q.  As a resident of Warwick Road, there is an increasing problem of parents parking on double yellow lines outside the school.  A police officer should have booked the cars parked on the yellow lines, but did not.  This problem is getting reported at least four times a week and it is not getting sorted.  The road is narrow and if the problem is not addressed it will cause an accident.

  A.  The police cannot give out tickets for parking on double yellow lines, but they can issue a penalty notice for causing an unnecessary obstruction.  This problem will be passed onto the Council Enforcement Officers.  Letters have also been sent out to parents at the school of the problem they are causing.

4.2  Q.  Mark Stevenson asked why there was no representation on the Forum for Woodchurch estate.  The board is not up to scratch on Diversity and Equality and who do we address with issues relating to Woodchurch?

  A.  The Community Representatives are designated on a ward basis – 2 Community Reps per ward.  As Woodchurch is in the Upton ward, the Upton Representatives cover the Woodchurch area.  Any issues relating to Woodchurch can be forwarded to Jean Robinson and Bert Grunnill who are more than happy to feed issues into the forum.

4.3  Q.  The United States have a good system when dropping children off at school.  They have a one-way system for cars, so not causing the problem of cars parking everywhere. Could this be done at Warwick Road School?

  A.  Andy Brannan to look at this system and report back.

4.4  Q.  It states in the local paper that the Council is getting rid of 50% of the workforce.  So this will have an impact on Council Services, so are the residents getting a 50% reduction in the Council Tax?

  A.  Letters have gone out to 6,000 white collar staff in the Council, offering them the opportunity to take Early Voluntary Retirement or a Severance payment or for staff to reduce their working week.  The 50% figure stated is incorrect.  Service Continuity will be maintained, the idea of the saving is through natural wastage and not all applications will be accepted.

4.5  Q.  Some of the roads in Woodchurch, particularly Hoole Road have worn out double yellow lines.  Could they be re-painted?

  A.  Yes, this will be arranged.

4.6  Q.  Parking on Saughall Massie Lane, by the school is causing a problem for people getting out of their drive way.

  A.  The police can only issue a penalty if the car is causing an obstruction. Parking outside your own house is not a given right – anyone can park.

4.7  Q.  The impression this Forum gives is that Woodchurch is difficult to deal with.  The Neighbourhood Management Team is finished and now there is no representative for Woodchurch.  We want our own representative for Woodchurch to deal with the issues ourselves and feel that the equality on the board is not  ...  view the full minutes text for item 5.

Merseyside Police

Newsletters are available with details of recent court results.  Updates are regularly updated. 

Community Safety Team

See pages 11 and 12 for a more comprehensive report.  There are forms to complete for a consultation with local residents, asking for their priorities.  Take a form and please complete.  There are 6 Dog Fouling Officers on patrol around Wirral. 

Q.  Is there any way that a barrier could be placed on the Alleyway in Coombe Road as there is a problem of nuisance youths.

A.  This area is the responsibility of Wirral Partnership Homes.  This information will be taken away and Andy Brannan will report back.  The information will also be passed onto the Police, so they can patrol this area.

Q.  There has been a problem of numerous break-ins in the area (Coombe Road)

A.  The police are aware of the situation.

Q.  The Community Patrol Officer was praised for his great work around this area.

Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust

There have been a few changes to Arrowe Park Hospital –

The following have recently opened:

Children’s Ward, Maternity Ward, Children’s Theatre, 2^nd MRI scanner

Q.  With the proposed cuts, will it be possible to run the 2^nd MRI scanner

A.  There are no cuts proposed with the MRI.

Q.  The Walk In Centre was complimented for their service.

Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service

See pages 18 – 22 for a more comprehensive report.  Leaflets are available on keeping safe on Bon Fire Night.  There is a new campaign to be more kitchen safe, called “Watch what you heat”  Adverts will be running for 12 weeks on Radio City and leaflets have been given out to landlords.

NHS Wirral

See pages 23 & 24 for a more comprehensive report.  A new Lifestyle Service is available on a Saturday morning at 30 Argyle Street, Birkenhead.  It is an opportunity to drop in and meet with a Health Trainer to offer support to develop a personalised action plan for better health and well-being.

Q.  Would it be possible to alter the parking at Arrowe Park Hospital by building a multi-storey car park?

A.  This will be looked at, but don’t think this is feasible.

·  Energy Projects Plus (EPP) – “working towards a sustainable future”, officers will be attending our forum to promote the Warmer Wirral project that is managed by EPP and funded by Wirral Council

Energy Projects Plus (EPP) – “working towards a sustainable future”

Were in attendance at the forum to promote the Warmer Wirral project that is managed by EPP and funded by Wirral Council, she was available at the end of the meeting for anyone who wanted any advice on this project.