Q. John Hardaker: Will the councillors be taking a pay cut to help save the council money.

A. Cllr Denise Realy: The councillors have already taken a 5% cut in expenses.

A. Cllr Paul Doughty: Wirral Councillors received among the lowest expenses in the Northwest and the political parties have recently reduced the support staff they get which has reduced the budget.

Q. Ruth Shaw: Are GP’s Consortium still invited to the forums to ensure residents are kept up to date with what is happening?

A. Louise Harland-Davies: Partners such as the NHS now attend the forums when there is a relevant topic being discussed. A representative can be invited to the next forum to give an update on the GP consortium.

Q. Maria Homsley: 2 weeks ago a council wagon was in Elm Road North replacing road markings. We have never had road markings before so why have they been done now, isn’t this a waste of money?

A. Louise Harland-Davies: This issue can be taken away and reported to the next forum.

A. John Hardaker: I have been informed that the road markings have been introduced so the NSL can now start fining drivers who park on the road.

Q. Joanne Nugent: What’s the situation with the funding?

A. Chris McCarthy: At present time the funding has been suspended.

A. Cllr Denise Realy: If possible it would be important to inform groups of other pots of funding available such as Sainsburys who are having discussions about supporting the BMW track in the Arno.

A. Cllr Stuart Kelly: It would be interesting to have information on the amount of match funding from external organisations, as the forum funding contributes more to the third sector through match funding than the money it gives out directly.

A. Cllr Pat Williams: The Friends of the Arno worked hard on their bid and we are concerned with the impact of the funds being frozen on the community.

A. Cllr George Davies: Your Wirral funding is currently available for bids of a maximum of £2500.00

The Community Engagement Co-ordinator then suggested having funding on the agenda at a future neighbourhood forum meeting

Q. Mr Dowling: Williamson Art Gallery, the Priory and Birkenhead Town Hall are currently having maintenance work carried out on them. Will this work be completed and what will happen to Birkenhead Town Hall?

A. Cllr Paul Doughty: The projects will be completed. The council wants to bring Birkenhead Town Hall into use as council officer accommodation.

Q. John Hardaker:  is it wise to spend £220,000 on 20mph zones as the previous minutes state that they are not enforceable?

A. Chris McCarthy: The Road Safety Funding is for road safety measures and not just 20mph zones.

A, Cllr Stuart Kelly: Roy McGregor announced at the last forum that he thought that the 20mph zones were not enforceable. However this has been checked and the zones would be enforceable.

Q. Kay Crook: I agree with the decision to have Birkenhead Town Hall as officer accommodation as rent is being paid on Cheshire Lines. In Warrington they turn the street lights down in the early hours of the morning. Why doesn’t Wirral do this?

A. Chris McCarthy: The council is running a pilot at the moment around turning off street lighting and if successful it would be recommended that this is done more.

Q. Cllr Denise Realey: The Warm Front Scheme currently has incentives to allow them to grants towards installing boilers.

A discussion was held about the time and venue of the forum to be held in February as a number of attendees raised the new time and lack of information being publicised regarding the venue.

After a vote with a show of hands it was agreed that the forum would continue with the new time of 6.30pm-8.30pm. The venue will be publicised well in advance of the date. 

Minute Decision:

Community Engagement Co-ordinator to contact Technical Services regarding road markings on Elm Road North

To invite a representative from the NHS to attend the next meeting