To receive any apologies for absence.

Apologies for absence were received from Councillors K Hodson, C Povall and J Walsh and from Mr M Wright and Ms L Longshaw Parr.

Members are asked to consider whether they have any disclosable pecuniary or non pecuniary interests in connection with any item(s) on this agenda and, if so, to declare them and state the nature of the interest.

Councillors C Muspratt and W Smith declared non pecuniary interests because they were both friends of Mayer Park.

To confirm the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 16 October 2014 as a correct record. (Copy attached.)

Further to Minute No. 22 it was reported that Councillor D Mitchell had requested the Neighbourhood Inspector to provide the costs of closing Bromborough Police Station and for refurbishing Bebington Police Station.

RESOLVED: That

(1)  the Neighbourhood Inspector be requested to ascertain the costs of closing Bromborough Police Station and for refurbishing Bebington Police Station and inform the Constituency Manager accordingly who will in turn ensure that all Members of the Committee are informed of these costs; and

(2)  the Minutes of the meeting of the Committee held on 16 October 2014 be confirmed as a correct record.  

To receive a presentation form Chris Shaw (Nurture Development) to update the Committee on the project’s progress. A five minute slot has been allowed for ABCD specific questions to allow Mr Shaw to leave this meeting and attend the Wallasey Constituency Committee meeting.

If there are still questions to be asked beyond the allocated time, details will be taken and answers obtained outside the Committee meeting.

The Committee had been informed that arrangements had been put in hand for it to receive a presentation by Chris Shaw, an Associate with Nurture Development on the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Public Health funded project’s development. 

The Constituency Manager reported that the Contractor had also been scheduled to make the same presentation to the Wallasey Constituency Committee which was also meeting this evening and due to unforeseen circumstances it had, unfortunately, not been possible to make both the presentations on the same evening.  However, Chris Shaw had promised to attend the next meeting of the Committee scheduled for 16 April 2015 to make the presentation.

A report by the Constituency Manager (Wirral South) is attached.

A report by the Constituency Manager provided the Committee with an update on the current allocation of all budgets devolved to the Committee. This included:

·  £50,000 Wirral South Health & Wellbeing Fund

·  £38,720.50 core budget rolled over from 2013/14 (allocated £10,000 per ward)

·  £50,000 Core budget allocated to three main priorities

·  £77,750 Road Safety Money

·  £35,000 “Your Wirral” funding

·  £10,000 “Love Wirral” funding

Members were reminded that 18 projects had been funded from the Wirral South Health and Wellbeing Fund during 2014/15. This had cost £48,118.97 and had left £1,881.03. Many of these projects were at varying stages of completion and updates would be reported at the next meeting of the Committee on 16 April, 2015.

The report also informed that over £38,000 of the Committee’s 2013/14 devolved core budget had remained and had been carried over into 2014/15.  Each ward had been allocated £10,000 each and spend continued. Further works had been programmed since the last meeting of the Committee held on 16 October 2014.  Consequently the remaining amount had reduced. Although there were a number of projects in development Members were reminded to ensure this allocation was used expediently.  Appendix 1 to the report showed the current rate of spend per ward.

The Committee was reminded that currently, its priorities were as follows:

·  Improved Open Spaces; to increase the number of green flag parks in Wirral South year on year and ensure accessibility is improved in each chosen location.

·  Gaps in Youth Provision; to work with the internal and external partners to identify and rectify any existing gaps in provision of youth services in Wirral South.

·  Tackle Social Isolation; Identify the various groups affected by social isolation in Wirral South, establish the evident gaps in provision throughout the Constituency and aim to either support existing providers or commission a new piece of work.

The Committee was also reminded that it had received £77,750 to address Road Safety issues within the constituency area.  Consequently, it was reported that the “Local Transport Capital Funding/Integrated Transport Block (ITB) programme budget Task and Finish Group” for Wirral South had met for the first time on 13 August 2014 and the notes of the meeting were attached to the report as Appendix 2 for Members’ information.  The Group had discussed possible options for distributing the relevant budget and had come to the following conclusion to utilise some of the £77,750 (£10,000 had been proposed) to carry out a constituency wide project to future proof a number of Vehicle Activated Signs (VAS). The remaining amount of funding would be split evenly between each ward.

Based upon this proposal Members had then been requested to submit a concise ‘wish list’ of schemes they would like to fund from their ward based budget (approximately £13,500) in order of preference. It was noted that these schemes could be programmed in for completion throughout the remainder of 2014/15.

The Constituency Manager reported that following receipt of ward based requests from Members he had been in consultation with  ...  view the full minutes text for item 31.

Report by the Constituency Manager (Wirral South) is attached.

A report by the Constituency Manager set out the progress on the Committee’s priorities for 2014/15 and beyond.  The Committee’s three priorities were as set out in Minute No. 31 above.  Each priority had been allocated £15,000 which left a core budget of £5,000 to support various engagement initiatives. Appended to the report were:

·  Appendix 1 - ‘Parks Priority Task and Finish Group’ 11 Dec, 2014

·  Appendix 2 - Projected Spend Against Parks Priority (as of Jan 2015)

·  Appendix 3 - Update Spend Re. Gaps In Youth Provision

·  Appendix 4 - Dementia Friendly Communities

In respect of the Improved Open Space priority the Committee was informed that the Parks Priority Task and Finish Group had met on two occasions to consider where to focus its efforts during 2015/16.  The Committee noted that progress in Mayer Park included the following:

·  A brand new entrance sign erected.

·  Lines of sight improved by reducing height of existing hedges.

·  New flower beds dug and planted up.

·  Dead trees removed.

·  New litter bins throughout.

·  Work carried out on offending vegetation in roof of Mayer Hall/Pennant House.

·  Stonework repaired on Mayer Hall/Pennant House Stumps removed.

·  A fence at Ellen’s lane.

·  Replacement of rose bed in Ormerod Gardens.

·  Edging of all paths throughout.

·  Disabled access swing installed.

The Committee was reminded that the Parks Priority Task and Finish Group had been given delegated authority to “…ensure budgetary spend can be agreed and improvements made as expediently as possible, thus maximising the potential for applying for the Green Flag Award within 2014/15” (Minute No. 21 refers).  Consequently, the Task and Finish Group had been presented with the following two main improvement options for Mayer Park:

·  the refurbishment of decorative gates and railings (at a cost of £5,400); and

·  the installation of a  round top, metal fence along the (currently open) grassed area on Ellen’s Lane (at a cost of £3,700).

Following responses from a clarification question (relating to guarantee of work on gates and railings) the Task and Finish Group had approved both options.

It was reported that the Group had also considered the possible geographical location of focus for the Committee in 2015/16. This discussion not only considered the existing distribution of Green Flag Awards throughout Wirral South per ward but also the level of involvement of community/friends groups in relation to their local park. Based on this discussion it had been proposed that Dawstone Park in Heswall be recommended as the area of focus for 2015/16

Appendix 1 to the report detailed the current projected spend against the Parks Priority for 2014/15. The Committee noted that if it agreed the recommendations set out in the report there would be £2496.10 remaining to spend in 2014/15. It was recommended that the Parks Priority Task and Finish Group should consider the views of both Parks’ staff and the existing “Friends” Group for Mayer Park and expedite the spend of the remaining budget where necessary.

In respect of Gaps in Youth Provision the Committee was reminded of the proposals  ...  view the full minutes text for item 32.

To receive an oral report from the Neighbourhood Inspector.

Ross Meredith, Neighbourhood Inspector, Wirral South introduced Sergeant Jim Steel and Kim Dawson, Community Engagement Officer – Police and Crime Commissioner for Merseyside’s Office.

The Neighbourhood Inspector was in attendance to provide an oral report on crimes and anti-social behaviour that had taken place in Wirral South during December 2014 and January 2015.  This included providing data particularly on auto crime, theft from vehicles, burglaries from, shops, sheds, houses, industrial premises etc. and comparing it with previous months and the same period a year earlier.

The Neighbourhood Inspector also reported on a planned major operation being run by Cheshire Police on Wirral’s border with Ellesmere Port and Neston involving automatic number plate recognition.  He invited Members to come along on the day and agreed to provide them with all of the details nearer the time.

Of particular concern was the number of thefts reported from unlocked vehicles.  Surprisingly, some people tended to not lock the doors leaving their vehicles insecure. It was also noted that the current neighbourhood policing priorities were all associated with anti-social behaviour.

The Neighbourhood Inspector informed the Committee that in future it was the Police’s intention to use Mayer Hall as the venue for ‘Have Your Say’ meetings.

Following the presentation the Inspector answered questions put by the Committee and it was noted that:

·  Most auto crime occurred at night outside residents addresses.

·  Members were interested to receive anonymised reports and statistics in respect of numbers of arrests made, crimes solved, what was being done to tackle crime and how successful the Police were with this.

·  The Police had not received reports about anti-social behaviour in Mayer Park but they had in respect of New Ferry Park and the Oval.

·  Members were interested in speeding statistics and actions taken against those who were caught speeding.

·  PCSOs were able to carry out speed checks and advise motorists but were unable to be involved with enforcement. There was very little local enforcement with sanctions in Wirral compared with the rest of Merseyside.

·  Traffic Police chose locations to target based on the statistics supplied by the five Merseyside local authorities.

·  The Police monitored crime patterns having regard to prison releases.

·  It was expected that the Police would move from Bromborough to Bebington Police Station once all the building work required had been completed.  The timescale for this was one year.

RESOLVED:

That the Neighbourhood Inspector be thanked for his report.

To receive an oral report from the Station Manager.

 The Heswall and Bromborough Fire Station Manager, Andy Forshaw provided the Committee with statistical information on nuisance type fires, deliberate vehicle fires, malicious false alarms, calls not to do with fire etc. and informed that after drilling down the data the figures were refreshingly reassuring.

The Station Manager also informed that the Fire and Rescue Service had been carrying out a significant amount of preventative work.  His Service was also working with Wirral Metropolitan College on rural traffic awareness for youth and was involved in the Fire Fit Programme with Youth, the Mountain Bike Programme, Mental Health Awareness and was encouraging wellbeing.

The Station Manager then answered questions put by the Committee and it was noted that:

·  There had been a serious incident in Eastham that had resulted in a fatality recently and the Fire and Rescue Service had carried out excellent work throughout.  The post incident work had been well received in the local community and the family had been proactive in getting the message out to ensure this didn’t happen to anyone else’s family.

·  The Fire and Rescue Service was currently working through a close familiarisation exercise with COMAH sites, it was in their interests to be good partners with the Service and their emergency planning arrangements were excellent.

RESOLVED:

That the Station Manager be thanked for his report.

Although it is possible to forward pre-notified questions to the Constituency Manager, questions will also be answered on the night, via the Chair.

Committee Members and members of the public in attendance at the meeting raised the following questions, issues and requests.

Number 1

A member of the public referred to anti-social behaviour and dog dirt in Mayer Park and to the sign on the beautiful gates and asked if Members knew what the sign said.  He also referred to the Butterfly Park in New Ferry and to allotments in a very negative way.

A Member informed that dog fouling enforcement was a total priority for the Council and the Park was patrolled.  Unfortunately, the Council had to make £27m worth of cuts this year and this had meant reduced funding for its Parks.  The answer was to form partnerships and Friends Groups to help fill the gap in provision.  A lot of good work had been carried out by the Friends of Mayer Park.

The allotments had closed in 1992 because of vandalism and it would seem that there was always going to be problems there.  The Friends Group had carried out some good work and the Council wanted to work with it to bring about more improvements.

The Member did not know what the wording was on the sign on Mayer Park’s gates but did inform that the refurbishment of the Park was important and a high priority for the Council and that the results would not be seen over night.  People needed to feel safe in the Park.

Another Member informed that he had taken exception to the comment made about the Butterfly Park.  He asked that it be withdrawn and informed that the Butterfly Park had received a Green Flag Award last year.

A Member made reference to inconsiderate dog owners and to the problem of dog fouling which was Borough wide.  He considered that the introduction of a policy to keep dogs on leads in Parks with designated areas to let them off was the way forward.

Number 2

A written question had been received about the Asset Based Community Development (ABCD) Programme.  A training and development session on this for Elected Members had been held on 10 November 2014 and the questioner wanted to know how many had attended.

The answer to the question was that two Elected Members had received the training.  However, Members had asked if the session could be repeated for those who had been unable to attend on 10 November 2014 as they were aware that it was important that they received this training.  Unfortunately, they had not yet received a reply. 

It was agreed that the Constituency Manager would convey the Committee’s request that the ABCD Programme training be repeated for those Members who could not attend the previous event.

Number 3

There were concerns about Library opening hours being reduced to 18 hours per week and Members’ support was canvassed.  Reference was made to Bromborough Library that was well used by children, older people etc. and it was considered that help was required to get as much as possible out of  ...  view the full minutes text for item 35.

(a)  Question about the location of problem tenants in New Ferry

  The Constituency Manager informed that he had dealt with this issue in a meeting focusing on the New Ferry Area.

(b)  Question about Parking Enforcement Close to Schools

The Constituency Manager informed that he had spoken to colleagues in the Parking Enforcement Section particularly about Cross lane in Bebington and reported that it was already on its list of “hotspots”.  Since September 2014 there had been 68 visits and ten parking control notices had been given out.

Delavor Road in Heswall, near St Peter’s C of E Primary School was not on the list.  Two parking control notices had been issued for pulling up on double yellow lines in order to take children to school

Well Lane was not on the list.  There had been three visits and four parking control notices had been issued for dropping off passengers at the bus stop.

In respect of Ascot Drive/Close, Bebington there had been three visits and four parking control notices had been issued.

(c)  Question about Isolation and Loneliness of Elderly Men and Grit Bins

  The Constituency Manager reported that a bin and grit had been purchased in the Clatterbridge ward.  It had been delivered to the Church.  Local people had been spreading the grit and were committed to refilling the bin.

The Committee is reminded that its next meeting will be held at 6pm on Thursday, 16 April 2015 at Mayer Hall, Bebington.

It was noted that the next meeting had been advertised as taking place at 6pm on Thursday, 16 April 2015 at Mayer Hall, The Village, Bebington.