The Chair indicated that 25 question had been received prior to the meeting all of which had received a response from appropriate officers, copies of which were made available at the meeting.

The Chair invited the following members of the public to ask their questions.

Question 1 John Martin (Friends of Walker Park)

Mr Walker asked for an update on the recent consultation undertaken on Walker Park?

In response it was reported that the Neighbourhood Engagement Officer had been in discussion with Mr Martin regarding the consultation on Walker Park and would be liaising with him in a meeting outside of the Constituency Committee.

The Chair further indicated that he had been contacted by residents regarding Japanese Knotweed. In response, a Member informed the Committee that the area was currently being cleared.

Question 2 - Valerie Price

Ms Price indicated that she had been informed that 10,000 homes in Birkenhead and Tranmere were earmarked for demolition and asked why none of the residents were informed and more importantly I am a home owner who wants to sell in a couple of years how this would affect me and yet I was not informed.

Ms Price had received the following response from the Housing and Regeneration Department.

“Wirral Council did not have any plans to demolish any further houses other than those which were in existing clearance schemes.  There were still around 30 properties to be demolished in the Tranmere and North Birkenhead areas in the next few years.  When houses are to be demolished, it would always follow full consultation with the community and local residents concerned”

The Neighbourhood Engagement Officer for the Birkenhead Constituency Committee had attempted to contact Mrs Price on numerous occasions via email and telephone to obtain further information regarding the exact location the houses she believed were due to be demolished and where she first heard the information being raised. Unfortunately none of the attempts to contact Mrs Price were successful.

Question 3 - Richard Neale

Mr Neale indicated that parking was yet again a difficult issue in this part of Prenton. The business hours parking in Waterpark Road and surrounding roads not in the residential parking area was becoming increasingly difficult as cars were being parked wholly or partly on pavements thereby reducing the effective flow of traffic. This was largely due to the huge increase in estate agents offices in Woodchurch Road with employee totals seemingly increasing four fold in the past year or so.

Some part time employees in other Woodchurch Road businesses were taking to parking well in excess of the 1 hour limit in residential parking areas and along Woodchurch Road.  Might it be possible to reintroduce the old Birkenhead parking disc scheme whereby discs would indicate timings for parking etc?

Another factor was that one or two businesses were now opening longer daytime hours through until 7 p.m.  There were relatively few problems with those using the eating houses etc. in the evening periods.

Traffic wardens could presently only monitor the situation if they were able to be about for periods of time which was really impractical for them.

Mr Neale had received the following response from the Traffic Management Department.

“The Woodchurch Road area did receive enforcement from the Councils Civil Enforcement Officers. For example Curzon Road has been visited 44 times in October this year on fifteen of the 20 days. 27 vehicles have been observed, and 7 penalty charge notices have been issued.

Civil Enforcement Officer’s regularly enforce during the evenings and this can be arranged for the above areas. However where there are no restrictions on traffic by law no enforcement can be undertaken”.

Question 4 - Alfred Lennon (Oxton Village People)

Wirral had a problem with alcohol as detailed in its Joint Strategic Needs Assessment and required the recent police crackdown.  Yet the Authority persisted in licensing ever more premises with ever longer drinking hours. Why can’t the Authority be brave, reduce the number of licensed premises and reduce their opening hours?

Mr Lennon received a response from the Licensing Section outlining the Licensing Application Process, the four licensing objectives and explaining cumulative impact and explained that the information provided sought to advise of the parameters within which the Licensing Authority operated. If applications for the grant of a new licence or the variation of an existing licence are received, the Licensing Authority will take all relevant representations into consideration. If an application meets the requirements of the Act and no relevant representations are received the Licensing Authority will grant the licence or variation as applied for.

A Member indicated that as a Member of the Licensing Committee she was aware and had raised concerns regarding the number of licensed premises in Oxton Village, she explained that as Members it was very difficult not to approve applications that met the Licensing objectives; however the Committee did impose conditions on the licences and these were regularly monitored for compliance.

A Member indicated that the Borough had seen an increase in the number of alcohol outlets; Oxton being a particular hotspot. He further commented that anti social behaviour due to alcohol was accelerating but due the legislation Councils were unable to anything about it, this was a matter for the Government and MPs to take action and make a change to the legislation.

A Member commented that members were currently undertaking a review on cumulative impact at the Policy and Performance Co-ordinating Committee.

The Chair of the Licensing Committee indicated that there was a current trend of traditional public houses being replaced by ‘trendy’ bars; people were also going out less so the Licensing Department were seeing an increase in off licence applications. He reiterated that the Committee’s hands were tied as they have to give due regard to the Legislation.

A Member indicated that a meeting had been held on Oxton Village regarding this issue and indicated that the issues regarding the Licensing Act and cumulative impact needed to be looked at as an urgent matter.

Question 5 – Mr John Brace

Mr Brace referred to Agenda item 2 of the draft minutes of the Birkenhead Constituency Committee meeting of the meeting held on the 24th July 2014 which currently stated that in respect a question asked by his wife at agenda item 11 (public questions and answers) "Referring to the Childs Play Area in Gorsey Road, she had asked if arrangements could be made to open the gates to allow residents to access the play area with their children."

However she did not say "Gorsey Road" but said "Gautby Road" at the meeting itself. He asked that the minutes currently in draft form be corrected to reflect the correct location of the children's play area that she was referring to.

Mr Brace received a response from the Committee Services Team explaining that the minutes of the previous meeting were for Members to approve as an accurate record. Members would be invited to identify any inaccuracies in the previous minutes and the text would be altered accordingly.

Question 7 – Paul Haywood

Mr Haywood asked if the Committee could request the Merseyside Police Commissioner to attend to give an update on policing within Birkenhead & Wirral.

Mr Haywood received a response from the Merseyside Police Commissioner Office indicating that unfortunately the Merseyside Police Crime Commissioner had a pre-arranged function to attend on the night of the Constituency Committee. However, if requested by the Committee Jane Kennedy would be happy to attend a future Committee meeting.

The Chair asked the Constituency Manager to write and formally invite the Police Commissioner to attend a future meeting.

Question 20 - Patrick Dowling

Mr Dowling asked if Councillors were content that a comprehensive Health and Safety survey of the Priory site had been carried out, he asked for information as to when it was it carried out and if the subsequent report was available to the public. Mr Dowling indicated that their particular concerns included; the absence of a designated route around the site, negotiable by users of walking aids and wheelchairs; the four feet deep unguarded drainage ditiches around the Chapter House and the metal stairway up to the Conway Chapel.

Mr Dowling received a response from the Asset Management Department indicating that following Mr Dowling’s enquiry with regards to accessibility in and around Birkenhead Priory:

Both the Birkenhead Priory Access Audit completed 2010 by the Equality and Diversity Team and the Birkenhead Priory fire risk assessment - 18/08/2010 completed by The Health & Safety Team reports were made available. And a further inspection was undertaken following the enquiry from Mr Dowling. The

Birkenhead Priory Inspection Summary Report (29/10/14) - Including photographs - completed by The Health & Safety Team, Copies of the above reports could be made available to Mr Dowling.

It should be noted that since the Access Audit was undertaken in 2012 2 significant projects had been undertaken (i) Restoration of St Mary’s Tower, completed in March 2013 and (ii) stone work to the North and South ranges, this was a 26 week contract and was due to be completed in November. Both projects were designed and managed by Ainsley Gommon Architects in partnership with Wirral Council. A number of issues had been identified by the Health and Safety Officer and these would be followed up. 

The Assistant Chief Executive commented that he would take on board the comments raised by Mr Dowling and indicated that the Department was doing all it could and suggested that improved ramping, stair climbing machines could be introduced to the site to improve access but officers would have to apply for the appropriate permissions as the site was a Grade 1 listed building.

Question 13 – James Kay

 Mr Kay who was not present at the meeting had asked when work was expected to start on the Church Road phase of the regeneration.  He also asked if the Council could take the opportunity to quash the rumours circulating in Tranmere that the scheme had been shelved in order to use the empty land for a traveller site.

Mr Dowling received a response from the Regeneration and Environment Department which was read out by the Cabinet Member for Neighbourhoods, Housing and Engagement.

In relation to the Church Road phase of the regeneration scheme in Tranmere, Lovell (the developer) were currently working up a mixed tenure proposal in conjunction with Regenda (the housing association) which in total would comprise of 8 bungalows at Hillside Court and 76 new homes for a mix of rent and sale on the main Church Road site.

Subject to the proposal being finalised and agreed between these two parties, a planning application for the Church Road site would be submitted in December to enable a programmed Start on site in March 2015.There were no proposals to use any part of these sites for travellers.

Question 11 - Sheila Howe

Ms Howe who was not present at the meeting had asked when was Townfield Lane going to be tidied up. The old Petrol station had been vandalised, also the car park was full of pot holes new white lines were painted on but no repairs to the tarmac it was a sight.

Ms Howe received a response from Environment Health and Traffic Management which was read out by the Constituency Manager indicating that

the site of the petrol station, shops and car park was in private ownership. An Environmental Health Officer visited the petrol station site in relation to the litter in August 2014 as a matter of public health concern. At the time of the officers visit the site was in the process of being cleared of all vegetation and litter and therefore no further action was deemed necessary as the owners employed a local garden maintenance contractor, for long term maintenance. In relation to the vandalism the onus would be on the owner of the premises to make the necessary repairs.

With regards to the condition of the car park, the owners of the site had civil duties under the Occupiers Liability Act 1957 in relation to site safety and disrepair and subsequent accidents associate with the car park could result in civil claims being made against them.

Furthermore the owners may also have duties under the Health and Safety at Work etc Act 1974. Health and safety enforcement of car parks falls to the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) and thus Wirral Council have no jurisdiction to require remedial works on this site. The details of the concerns could be forwarded on to the HSE.

The Birkenhead Constituency Team, Environmental Health and Traffic Management would continue to work together to explore ways of resolving these issues.

Question 23 - Bob Giles

Mr Giles indicated that there was a highly successful public health initiative called the I Van which was set up a number of years ago by Merseyside and Cheshire Cancer Network (MCCN) the unit goes to various sites throughout Merseyside (One of the best sites it used on the Wirral was outside ASDA in Grange Road) and provided health information and guidance with a strong emphasis on cancer.

It connected with many vulnerable and hard to reach members of society offering advice and signposting .It saved lives. It is staffed by two health heroes Debbie Doherty and Justine Kennedy assisted by health education staff from Community NHS and Public Health. This was health education and advice that worked.

The service was funded by eight Merseyside and Cheshire Local Authorities on a collective basis, and was administered by Cheshire and Merseyside Strategic Clinical Network. The Directors of Public Health (including Wirral) had unilaterally decided to cease funding from March 31 2015 this cannot be allowed to happen.

The Constituency Manager indicated this question had been forwarded to Public Health for a written answer to be provided to Mr Giles.

The Chair indicated that he would also write to Public Health to enquire about the success of this service.

Question 18 - Tracie Blood

Ms Blood asked about the lollipop people outside Woodlands Primary School and future traffic management, currently the area was near to dangerous with parents parking on zigzags, yellow lines etc. without any due care and attention to children.

Ms Blood had a response from the Road Safety Team indicating that there was currently a budget option out to consultation which put forward the option to ‘review the School Crossing Patrols which were currently at 47 sites across the borough where there was already a pedestrian, pelican or puffin crossing in place’. Elected Members would make a decision as to whether this option is selected and if it is- then risk assessments and survey data would be used to assess each location on a case by case basis. The consultation closed on 31 October 2014 and feedback could be given through the Council’s website: on http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/council-and-democracy/have-your-say/future-council. All feedback received would be put into a report, which would be considered by Councillors in November, before they set the budget for the financial year in December.

Civil Enforcement Officers had been requested to pay a visit when the schools return after the half term to enforce the parking restrictions and monitor the location. These requests could be made through Streetscene 606 2004 or streetscene@wirral.gov.uk