• Merseyside police/Community Safety
• Fire Service
• Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust
• NHS Wirral
• Older Peoples Parliament

Streetscene – Integrated Transport Block Funding.

David Green, Director of Technical Services, explained that in the 2007/08 financial year, two of the eleven Area Forums have already opted to have a share of the Integrated Transport Block at their disposal to fund local schemes. The delegation of the funding gives area forums the opportunity to think creatively of the improvements they would like to see introduced in their areas.

The Council’s Cabinet had received very positive feedback on the success of the scheme in the two areas involved, and is now inviting each area forum to consider whether it wishes to receive de-centralised funding in 2009/10.  The money can be used to provide lowered kerb crossings, modest local signposting and road lining schemes. Officer input will be available to all area forums to guide them in the decision-making process. The total budget for the Integrated Transport block is now £200,000 which, apportioned across the eleven Area Forums, would equate to around £18,000 per Area Forum. The alternative would be to administer the funding centrally.

The Council’s Cabinet wishes to receive feedback on the consultation at its meeting on 19 March.

The 20’s Plenty Initiative is related matter and the views of area forums are being sought on areas for inclusion in next year’s programme. The pilot has operated successfully in other areas, and suggestions are invited for roads in this locality that would be suitable for the scheme.

Members of the Area Forum expressed their views on the proposal, but did not reach a consensus view. Members of the public contributed to the debate.

The Chair advised that only Councillors and Community Representatives on the Area Forum are entitled to vote. He agreed that it would be useful to ask members of the public to express their views informally on whether the money should be delegated, before a formal vote is taken.

Members of the public demonstrated by a show of hands that they were all in favour of the proposal to de-centralise the funding.

Minute decision:  Resolved:  That this Area Forum is in favour of receiving an equal share of the Integrated Transport Block.

NHS Wirral:  Councillor Blakely expressed dissatisfaction that there is no representative present from the Primary Care Trust,  despite it being a huge organisation with ample personnel and resources. 

NHS Foundation Trust:  Alistair Bardsley advised that literature was available to the public at the back of the room. There is information on what is happening in terms of new buildings and improvements in facilities.  The Trust is working very hard to reduce the number of ‘super bugs’. For the three months July – September 2008 the number of Clostridium difficile cases reduced by 37% - from 124 cases to 78.

The Foundation Trust is keen to involve public members in helping it shape future services, and to recruit more members. Application forms and more information were available at the back of the room. Public Members for this area can take any issues members of the publish wish to raise to the Governing Body.

Members of the public raised the issues: -

Uniform policy for staff: control of patients’ who smoke; a suggestion to create a smokers’ room; Clatterbridge Oncology Unit – and the lack of control over smoking; any plans to abolish parking charges; the lack of attendants in car parks; charging people to use prime locations in the hospital grounds; insufficient parking spaces.

Alistair Bardley stated that he had noted the issues and would he would take them back.

Police:

Inspector Peter Kolokotroni reported that Anti social behaviour continues to reduce in the neighbourhood and across Wirral as a whole.  All crime has reduced across the board compared with the same period last year by 250 incidents, violence by 72, robbery is exactly the same with 14 for both years, burglary of a dwelling is down by 9, theft of motor vehicles down by 33, criminal damage down by 182 offences.

Theft from motor vehicles has increased by 25. Car crime is mainly theft from inside vehicles, where items are taken from unlocked vehicles etc. The Police have introduced a number of initiatives to tackle thefts. As a result a male was arrested and charged with four offences and a young male has been arrested for theft from motor vehicles.

Nationally, there is a Government drive to reduce knife crime. No weapons or knives were identified in a knife arch operation in Moreton in November. Future operations will be more co-ordinated and focus on railway stations, football matches etc.

Several drug raids have taken place in the area, one of which resulted in a crack house closure at an address in Curlew Way. Alcohol has been confiscated from youths and the licensee of a local pub has been prosecuted for the sale of alcohol to three, 15-year-old females. Police Officers and Education Welfare Officers carried out joint truancy sweeps in January and February. Seven young people were returned to school in January and 24 in February.

The Police provide a range of diversionary activities for young people. The young people sign a code of conduct, which means that they behave themselves, both in and outside school. If they breach the Code, they are not allowed to take part in the diversionary activities.

The neighbourhood team is trying to be more accessible to the public. There is a web site and monthly newsletters give email addresses, names and telephone numbers. In each ward, there will be a day each month when officers will vacate the station and go and knock on doors, give out short questionnaires, issue copies of the latest newsletter and ask people what their priories are.

Moreton Police Station will have an Open Day from 12 to 4 pm, on Saturday 7 Mach 2009, when people can meet their local officers and see the latest technology used to fight crime.

Inspector Kolokotroni responded to issues raised by members of the public on – the action taken to remove racist graffiti; the grading system when incidents are reported and Police; and the reasons Moreton Police Station is closed at weekends.

Fire and Rescue Service:

Lyndsey Kevan drew attention to the report in the Area Co-ordinator’s Report.

She explained she was new in post and was unable to answer questions, but she would report back at a later date to any questions raised.

Older People’s Parliament:

Margaret, Public Member for this area, drew attention to the information on the Older People’s Parliament at the back of the room. The Annual General Meeting will be on Thursday, 6 March 2009. She explained the committee system and reported on the topics discussed at meetings of the various committees and groups.

Minute decision:

Resolved:  That David Green, Alistair Bardsley, Inspector Kolokotroni, Lyndsey Kevan, and Margaret be thanked for the updates.