Q. Greg Vogiatzis Pensby Resident - How are the cuts going to affect the area.

A.  Cllr McCubbin advised it was a balanced budget that was agreed at Cabinet and will be going to full Council the following Tuesday. Early Voluntary Severance has been taken by staff however front line services will be maintained. Sure Start, Libraries not affected by cuts, school investment is still going ahead. Area Forums have been given extra funding.

Q. How are the cuts going to impact on our vulnerable and disabled people?

A.  Cllr Bob Wilkins - Respite care services will continue to be offered but may be provided differently. There is a statutory duty to provide services.

Mark Johnston - There has been a positive political idea called Localism - there is a budget decision for next years funding for area forums to be increased.

Q. Mike Sullivan - Pensall Residents Association - 5 respite homes are getting closed - 380 police officers losing jobs - 170 fire officers losing jobs how can Councillors sit there and say there are not cuts when homes are closing.  Cuts have been made with no discussion in the Town Hall with other Councillors

A. Cllr Bob Wilkins - Task force looked over provision in Wirral, its cost two and a half times more for Council t run homes than the private sector. Value for money should be followed; care and services will be provided.  The opposition have not been gagged; they have been given every opportunity to voice their point of view. Budget proposals have been scrutinised and all Officers answered questions on the proposals.

Cllr Les Rowlands added that the Borough Solicitor signs off the Council budget and he can only do that when all figures have been checked so it is legal

Q. Pauline Sutton - will the budget be in the public domain.

A. Cllr Rowlands advised that it would.

Steve Hall - Merseyside Police. The Police haven’t escaped the cuts. There has been natural wastage with Officers leaving and posts being deleted. There are cut backs financially however resources are available for other excellent policing projects. The Police Force has had a restructure and centralising non frontline services has resulted in a reduction of staff. Police who serve in this area have been put on permanent contracts so no direct cuts to this area. 

Myles Platt - Merseyside Fire & Rescue Service.  Over the next 2 years the Fire Service will need to save 9 million. For Wirral there will be no reduction in fire cover for any resident. There will be no changes to staff at Heswall an Upton Fire Stations. There are no compulsory redundancies and we are looking at back office functions to streamline them. There are extra resources for Wirral. We work in partnership with colleagues to tackle arson, antisocial behaviour and hate crime.  There has been some creative thinking on how we can address challenges, and we will be looking at scrutinising services in future years

Rita Waters Lower Heswall resident - Would like to thank Streetscene and Cllr Andrew Hodson for getting a steep hill in Lower Heswall gritted.

Q, Member of public, bottom of Station Road there are 4 signs on a lamp post, blue signs, for the Wirral Way and a green sign with a picture of a horse, why are there so many?

A. Phil Miner - Streetscene Manager - There needs to be right of way signs, but he will look into why there are so many on one lamp post.  There is also coastal town signage as part of the coastal trail around Wirral.

Q. Ken Roberts - Will the new electricity cable affect our area? Why isnt it running along the Wirral Way.

A. Cllr Bob Wilkins - It is the preferred route of the national grid, no planning permission is needed for Wirral only at Connahs Quay. At the presentation in Moreton one of the alternatives was the Wirral Way e. Thingwall corner will be affected but as it’s a public utility we have no choice. He also reported that Presentations had been held – one in Moreton and there was also one in Neston. 

Several people commented that, locally, we never find out about these meetings.  Apparently, this is only put in the paper the day they are delivered. 

Q. Why was the suggestion of the Wirral Way turned down?

A. There were a number of reasons but its not a Council decision.

Q. How much notice do Council give of these meetings?  The National Grid should be giving information to the papers.  It was reported that they have been held in Moreton and Neston.

A. They were not arranged by the Council, they were arranged by the National Grid. 

Gentleman reported that the signage recently erected in Lower Heswall had already been vandalised, and some pulled out of the ground.

Q. John Terry – Heswall resident expressed concern over St. Peter’s School.  The footpath from the Black Horse up to the school is very narrow.  Mothers pushing prams cannot always stay on the pavement, especially when they have a young infant walking with them.  The land where the school is tapers from where the Narrow footpath is to the privet hedge and then the barrier for the school. 

It was  pointed out that the hedge is part of the Conservation Area, and should not be moved.

A. Cllr. Johnson said that it would create a greater bottle-neck from the wall which goes down to the Black Horse.  The Council have carried out work at the top of Herberts Lane.  It has to be said if the parents were not so idle, and walked their children to school, life would be easier. 

Q. Whether there could be a one-way system put in.

A. Cllr. Johnson said that this had been looked at by the Council, but the Traders do not favour this, as if the residents can only turn one way, they will lose trade.

It was stated that childrens’ lives are at stake, and are more important than a hedge.

Cllr. Johnson said that the bend cannot be removed due to the lie of the land, and the possibility of endangering several properties, and this is only repeating what The Council Officers have said.

Q. there is now difficulty in getting into Heswall Hall car park and the shopping area.  It is a very narrow road to avoid the Telegraph Road traffic lights and because everyone now uses the Post Office in Milner Road.  It is especially dangerous when the children are on holiday and coming round the corner on bicycles.  Thought could be given to a one-way system, such as they have in Pensby near the shops.  There is also now a problem near the Post Office in Brimstage Road.

A. Cllr. Rowlands totally agreed, and said it is a blind corner for people coming out. If the Highways could have a look at this point, and see if there are any improvements which could be made.

Cllr. Johnson said that this problem has been there for years.  The Borough Engineer, to alleviate the problem, wondered if perhaps the grassed area be made into parking spaces, but they were talking about £20,000. cost, and the money was not available.

It was reported that a lady who lives on the far side of Brimstage Road from the

Post Office actually managed to get a crossing put in near the Railway Station.

Q. Sue Proudlove said that with regard to the discussion over car parks by schools, Oldwood Road and Kentmere Road – what is going to happen whey they are combined?  It is already congested without the school as it is now.  Children should be encouraged to walk to school and their parents.  A drop-kerb has been put on the corner of Oldwood Road and Kentmere, but people keep parking over the space where you get on to the pavement, especially in bad weather.

Greg Vogiatzis contributed that he has been talking with the Head Teacher at Pensby Primary.  Currently, Sue, the PTSO, is extremely good and tries to discourage this selfish parking.  The school do encourage children to walk to school.  I would encourage any resident who sees people parking selfishly selfishly on the pavement to challenge them.  The pavement is for pedestrians and the road for cars.

Someone commented. The idea is to enter into Greenwood Drive, and one of the other eases is that most of the children from Stanley School are bussed in, and that will reduce the parking.

A. Cllr. McCubbin said that yes, the Council are in the process of including this in the Programme of Works.

Q. who is responsible for the cost of these works, and what is the point of repairing the actual pavements if the cars are still going to park on them, and crush all the flags again?

A. Steve Hall Neighbourhood Inspector – it is enforceable by the Police, and I will take this back to look at. It is an unnecessary obstruction.  We should all work in partnership with the schools and educate the parents.

Member of public commented– it is right across the boards, and if the pavements are only narrow, you can still hit mirrors all the way along, and also the height of the little children means they can be easily injured.

Steve Hall Neighbourhood Inspector – please let me know wherever it is happening, and we can come and issue parking tickets.

Q. Is it possible to list all the regular offenders, as very often the tickets are simply thrown away?

Q. Who is responsible for putting up the signs about parking on the grass verges, because no-one seems to take any notice?

Would it be a problem if I were to stick on something that looked like a

Parking ticket ? At Shell Refinery they stick notices on the window which take half an hour each to remove as they are so well stuck on.

A. Phil Miner – roads have to be a certain size where people must not park on the pavements.  There have been some in Bebington, and it has worked quite well. Eventually, people will get the message NOT TO PARK there.

Joan Chadwick commented it is a national issue.  What happened to the Walking Bus?  The Wirral Pedestrian Forum discussed all these issues and Livingstone Street Farm also.

Q. Ray Squire – I represent about 300 people in Lower Heswall, and we are effective and quite active.  We had a meeting with Steve Hall over the single issue of the Milner Road pub.  I feel that the scrapping of these meetings is a g great shame, especially as people were able to speak quite freely.  Meetings being open are more informal.  The local Crime and Police Website does include news and statistics – the decrease of 6%, and then fast forward to December, the number per 1000 is 25.  In December, the reduction was 33%.  Burglaries in our area have increased by 90% and this is massive.  I have been told to-day by about six people (and they were in the house) with guests, and they had a break-in. On the same night I am informed there was another instance in The Lydiate. 

All the people in this area are worried, but I understand the items stolen were regained in Skelmersdale.

A. Steve Hall, Neighbourhood Inspector – there is a Police website, but do be cautious of statistics, because it will only give you those within certain radius.  I have been looking at that, when I can and I also like to put them into figures – 9 burglaries for each month.  With the recession this has added to the usual

Christmas increase.  So far, we have only had three burglaries this month.  Several males were arrested in Bebington where there have been nine burglaries.  Some of these are still awaiting their trial.  The Park West and The Lydiate have been covered.