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  He asked that it be withdrawn and informed that the Butterfly Park had received a Green Flag Award last year.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 the 18 hours it was proposed that it would be open.  It was five weeks since the Cabinet had made this recommendation and Friends Groups were only now being told.  There was no information about it on the Council’s website and it was queried when people who went to libraries that did not have Friends Groups would find out about the reduced hours proposal.

A Member informed that the Council had been faced with unprecedented budgetary cuts of £27m.  A Working Group had been set up to look at each and every library, obtain pen pictures and then send recommendations to the Cabinet.  The Cabinet had made recommendations to the Council which it would consider at the Budget Council meeting on 10 February 2015.  Members would then be able to propose amendments.

It was reported that the Director of Transformation and Resources had been in contact with Friends Groups and had provided a slide presentation that set out the proposed arrangements in respect of library openings but it was noted that other arrangements would need to be made in respect of those libraries that did not have Friends Groups.

It was reported that not all Members were in favour of the broad brush approach to reducing library hours and some considered the proposal neither appropriate nor acceptable.

When libraries were closed people who relied on using computers accessed via libraries to make payments etc. were unable to do so.  A lot of people used libraries for this purpose and a Member considered that more thought should be given to this.

A Member informed that following consultation, opening hours of libraries should reflect their usage but instead opening hours depended on whether there was a one stop shop located in the library.

Another Member informed that the Council was trying to keep libraries open on reduced hours so that when austerity was over the libraries would still be there and their opening hours could be increased.

The Acting Chief Executive was in attendance at the meeting and informed that officers implemented the decisions that members made.  There was a budget of a set amount and an instruction from Members to keep all libraries open.  The best way to get this to work was to do what had been proposed.  Personally, he hoped that this was a starting point and that the new arrangement would encourage people to step forward and support their libraries.  The proposal was to run the libraries on set hours for a period of time and then review the arrangements.  There needed to be tight timescales in relation to this so that library staff could deploy themselves between the libraries and help keep all 24 open.

The Acting Chief Executive informed that he had made a note about updating the Council’s website and to publicise how people could feed in views in by emailing chiefexecutive@wirral.gov.uk

Number 4

A member of the public drew attention to the fact that there was very little privacy being afforded customers in the one stop shop in Bebington and described the situation as appalling and inappropriate, particularly as there were other rooms that could be used by the one stop shop.

The Acting Chief Executive informed the meeting that he had made a note of this unsatisfactory arrangement and would see what could be done to rectify it by identifying space in which to hold private conversations.  He agreed to let the Constituency Manager know the outcome so that he could inform Members of the Committee.

Number 5

Concerns were raised over the future of Bebington Town Hall by a member of the public who lived in close proximity to it.  She asked whether any proposals put forward would be subject to public consultation.

It was noted that the Town Hall was not in the conservation area.

The Acting Chief Executive informed that the lease for the Cheshire Lines building still had ten years left to run and it was possible to get a lot of staff in there.  The Council needed to get the best it could out of it and relocating staff there freed up other building that it could make savings on.

It was noted that the Constituency Manager would be relocating to Pennant House and the Annexe would be emptied.  

The Acting Chief Executive also informed that the Town Hall complex was not currently up for sale/disposal and a decision would need to be taken on whether to demolish it or sell it.  He requested the member of the public’s email address so that he could keep her informed.  He considered that a view should be taken on the whole area, the Town Hall and its environs.