Police

Sergeant Mark Smith informed the forum that he was based at Moreton Police Station and provided the following information:

• Crime figures had been reduced by 13% in the past 12 months (compared to the same period in the previous year) with 250 less crimes in the Wallasey area.

• There will be an open day at Moreton Police Station on the 7^th March 2009, anyone wishing to attend should contact the station.

• Monthly newsletters are now being produced by each neighbourhood inspector, anyone wishing to receive regular updates can receive this via e-mail or post if they let us have their details.

• All police officers have been issued with a blackberry to enable them to get information and carry out spot checks without having to go back to the station, allowing them to spend more time on the beat.

Sergeant Justin Higgins informed the forum that he was based at Manor Road Police Station and provided the following information:

• There was an open day at Manor Road Police Station yesterday, which was very successful with nearly 100 visitors. The tours last around two hours and includes looking at fingerprinting facilities and work with police dogs. A further open weekend has been arranged for 9^th -10^th May 2009; anyone wishing to attend should contact me as the tours are very popular and get booked up quickly.

• Seabank Road – we are familiar with the problems in this area and conduct regular enforcement campaigns. Rowson Street and Grove Road are also monitored.

• An initiative targeting diversionary activity, for young people responsible for anti-social behaviour (ASB), in an appropriate way is being piloted in this area. It involves sending the young people on training courses with the Army, and linking in with vocational colleges at the end of the course to ensure it is an evolving process. The project is to be rolled out to the Merseyside area.

• An initiative targeting drug dealers / unlawful activities, to try and recover unlawful drugs / stolen property has resulted in 23 search warrants and 24 arrests.

• A five year anti-social behaviour order (most are normally only issued for two years) was secured for 19 year old Daniel Berry, following a long history of anti-social and criminal behaviour, he was banned from entering the Sherlock Lane area of Poulton. This is a useful tool to correct behaviour.

• Hamilton Road / Mount Road area – youths causing disturbance, please let me know of any incidents in the area as will look into this, but it takes time to put corrective actions into place.

The chair thanked Sergeant Smith and Sergeant Higgins and the following questions / issues were raised:

1. Barbara Hardcastle – there was a meeting at the Town Hall re: the sale of drugs paraphernalia, do you know anything about this and does it stop the sale of goods (such as seeds being sold as souvenirs)?

A.  Sergeant Smith – this would depend on the bye-law in place.

Sergeant Higgins – it is what is done with the seeds rather than the sale of these.

The Chair confirmed that the meeting took place on 15^th December 2008 and requested that more information to be provided on the particular issue raised at the end of the meeting, and agreed to arrange for an update to be provided at the next meeting.

2. Dave Hanlon – who was responsible for the police surgery at Asda and has there been any feedback from this?

A.  Sergeant Smith – details of the police surgeries are included in our

newsletters. We try to hold as many surgeries as possible, subject to staffing availability.

3. Member of the public – the community patrol vans have not been seen in the Wallasey Village area recently.

A.  Chair – confirmed that the Council were responsible for this and agreed to ask why the area was not being patrolled. 

4. Councillor Taylor – could the sportsmobile be brought to the Wallasey area?

A. Chair – requested that the area co-ordinator look into this.

Dave Hanlon added that the Community Safety Team provided information on the community patrol at the Liscard and Seacombe area forum.

Fire Service

Tony Mooney informed the forum that there was a detailed update on pages 16-18 of the Community Engagement Report, and highlighted the following:

Integrated Risk Management Plan, he thanked everyone who had an input into the service’s draft plan, which will be considered before the final draft is published.

The service has managed to continue to exceed its challenging performance targets.

The service is trying to visit all schools within the borough, making young people aware of the impact of ASB on communities and what can happen if things are taken too far.

The Asda police surgeries are useful, there was a meeting held at Manor Road police station to look at holding an integrated day to maximise input. He agreed to provide further details on this once a date has been set.

The Chair thanked Tony Mooney for his update, no questions / issues were raised:

NHS Wirral (formerly PCT)

Dr Shyamal Mukherjee informed the forum that the Victoria Central Hospital (VCH) walk in centre at Wallasey is now open from 8am – 9pm Monday to Fridays and 8am – 7pm at weekends and Bank Holidays. There is a doctor on site, and the centre and deal with minor injuries and has x-ray facilities. The new build at the VCH site houses NHS wirral activities. The centre can now deliver more services in the area and will take the pressure from Arrowe Park. Other centres will be introduced around Wallasey to get services in the community.

A patients group has been set up across Wallasey, called the Voice of Wallasey, which has had an input on service development and commissioning. 

Access – the waiting time for hip and knee appointments is now 2-3 weeks.

The PCT has changed its name to NHS Wirral to assist in the promotion of working relationships.

NHS Wirral was assessed and received the highest score in three areas:

• Strategic planning
• Financial planning
• Governance

The Chair thanked Dr Shyamal Mukherjee for his update and the following questions / issues were raised:

5. Member of the public – is oncology moving from Clatterbridge to the Royal? Councillor Wood added that this had been in the Globe and requested a full report for the next forum.

A. I am not aware of this, but will report back at the next meeting.

6. Member of the public – has a restriction been placed on the number of scans carried out, as my appointment for an MRI scan has been put back 12 months.

A.  There is no waiting list, so may be for a medical reason. He agreed to take further details and report back personally.

NHS University Teaching hospital NHS Foundation Trust

Rod Jones informed the forum that there was a detailed update on pages 27-28 of the Community Engagement Report, and highlighted the following:

We are working together with our partners to control infections and improve standards. The Trust was awarded best district hospital in England in the Dr Foster Good Hospital Guide last year, which compares services and treatment outcomes at all hospitals across the country.

The chair thanked Rod Jones for his update and the following questions / issues were raised:

7. Councillor Wood – do you have any information on the move of oncology from Clatterbridge?

A.  No, as this is part of a separate trust, but I am not aware of any radical changes proposed.

Older People’s Parliament

Stan Thompson informed the forum that a newsletter was available at the meeting. An annual report to the Parliament gave details of the achievements and activities over the last 12 months, including the following:

• An increased local input and credibility linked to an increased membership.
• Running three themed day-conferences, which were successful with very positive feedback:
  • Crime and Respect, this was successful and was attended by a Judge, a Police Inspector and representatives from various local agencies, covering what is being done to help keep us safe and listening to our concerns
  • Housing, covering an overview on retirement villages, sustainable housing and a discussion with local planners on what older residents want in Wirral
  • Waste Collection, covering what is involved in waste collection services, how it is dealt with and how we can assist the local authority in recycling / disposing of the waste
• Monthly Active Health and Social Care Group meetings, resulting in a big survey of peoples’ experiences about going home from hospital. We are pleased that that our findings are being taken very seriously and changes being made, the hospital has already taken steps to have a short stay area at the side of the hospital, near the discharge lounge, for patients to be collected.
• Having Parliament representatives on many policy forming boards.
• Lifelong Learning; crime and Respect; Housing and Supporting Grandparents groups that all meet regularly.
• Appointment of a member to lead our input on national issues, we are affiliated to the National Pensioners Convention and Better Government for Older People.
• The work carried out by Brian Christian, based at Age Concern, who has produced two excellent newsletters and tries to keep us in some sort of order!

As our second year comes to an end we must thank Wirral Borough Council (in particular Steve Maddox, Tracey Smith and John Webb); NHS Wirral (in particular Kathy Doran and Tina long); The Hospital Trust; Riverside Housing (in particular Jayne Branch Murray) and Age Concern (in particular Jamie Anderson).

If anyone is interested in joining the Parliament please complete application form (copies available at the meeting) and help us to ensure our third year is even more successful.

The chair congratulated the Parliament on its success and thanked Stan Thompson for his update and he received a round of applause from the forum.

The following questions / issues were raised:

Dave Hanlon

8. What was happening re: hole in the road by the bus stop in New Brighton, previously reported to Chris Jones?

A.  Councillor Taylor confirmed that photographs of this had been sent in to Streetscene.

9. Issues around the problems with the buses service to / from Wallasey were raised with Simon Finnie from Arriva, at the Liscard and Seacombe area forum. Stan Thompson added that the problem re: signage on the buses was also raised. Simon’s response was as follows:

·  Since Liverpool One opened the bus stop has become more congested as the buses to Bootle also go form here. When Liverpool City Council deal with the issues in the City Centre there will be a stop just for Wirral services that will be nearer to Liverpool One, but this will not be in place until towards the end of the year.

·  The competition from the introduction of the 32/33 service generated extra passengers. Now that First Bus has withdrawn the service we have been left with more passengers. We recognise that something needs to be done and the new vehicles are being introduced to generate more passengers and from the end of May 2009 we will be sending three buses back out during the evening peak from 3.30 – 6.30pm. It is not in our interest not to stop and collect passengers.

·  All new buses have the number on the back, side and front and it is automatically updated. The older buses have had so many destinations added that it can be difficult to find the correct destination. This is much easier on the new buses, and 15 new single decker buses are due to be introduced in March 2009.The capital expenditure being allocated will result in 60% of buses at Laird Street having the number on the back, side and front.

10. Geoff Gorman – what has happened re: issue of transporters parking on the hill at Stoneacres?

A. Chair – the answer to this was included on page 13 of the area co-ordinators report. Dave Green agreed to discuss this in more detail at the end of the meeting.

Resolved that: 

(i)  the partners be thanked for their updates

(ii)  the chair to look into issue re: sale of paraphernalia and arrange for an update on this for the next meeting

(iii)  the chair to contact community patrol re: lack of patrols in Wallasey Village

(iv)  the area co-ordinator to look into the possibility of arranging for the sportsmobile to be brought to Wallasey

(v)  Tony Mooney to provide further information on an integrated surgery at Asda once a date has been set

(vi)  Dr Mukherjee to report back on situation re: oncology moving to the Royal

(vii)  Dr Mukherjee to take details re: scan and report back directly to the individual concerned