Help yourself to refreshments and visit the following exhibition stands:

Ø  7 Waves Radio (“local radio station”)

Ø  “You Decide” 2009 – 2010 (take a few minutes to complete our questionnaire on what additional services you would like to see in your area)

Ø  “Funds for You” (funding available for local community groups to apply for)

Ø  What’s on at the St James Centre

Q – On 11 March 2009, David Bird wrote to the Wirral Globe re: Trust looking for Public Membership with a target figure.  The Trust are forever asking for Public Membership, but why? They have meetings with big bosses and Governors and public do not really get a say’!

Joyce Jackson – ‘ at the meeting in question there were only six public members present so they were outnumbered by Governors.  The public are always invited to attend meetings, but not many did attend.  The public will still have the vote as it is a democratic decision’.  Meeting are advertised in the local press?

A petition signed by 176 people against speeding traffic on Fender Way was handed to the forum.

Harry Smith raised the point of the petition itself being political as it was on Liberal Democrat headed paper.  He explained that he has already had talks with Geoff Bell from Technical Services and has already achieved slow signs, one at Upton end which is already done and one at Bidston end.  He said they cannot put lights there to slow people down as people did not want that.  The Fire Service Department had advised the Council against sleeping policemen/road bumps due to the road being an access road.

Q – ‘Opposite the Observatory School there looked like an exercise for the Fire and Police Services.  Was it an emergency exercise Friday last week’?

Richard Clarke ‘ We were asked by the Council to open the tunnels, we had a large amount of equipment as no risk assessment for the tunnel had been done, we did not know what could be in the tunnel.  There was nobody in there – Council closed the tunnel straight away’.

Steve Foulkes – commented how these tunnels where part of our heritage.

Jean McIntosh -.  We are having problems with speeding cars and bikes on the Bidston Rise estate.  Registrations have been given to the Police but nothing has been done.  Are we going to wait for a child to be killed before anything happens?  What is going on’?

Sgt Mike Cavanagh – ‘I will look into it as I do not know what has been handed in’. 

Jean also commented that she is very disappointed over the Police response over the cars in Bidston Rise.  However she wanted to highlight to the forum that the Community Support Officers are doing a cracking job on Bidston Rise Estate.

There is a gang of youths always at the shops and I feel very intimidated along Hoylake Road, Bidston. Their ages range from 10 – 11 and 20 – 21.  sometimes they are nice but other times are very abusive, on one occasion out of approximately 14 kids, 9 of them were drinking – where do they get it from?

Sgt Mike Cavanagh – Police are doing stop and searches and this is still going on, this is part of the Tapestry Gardens scheme, we will definitely do something within the local area and will keep forum updated on progress.

Someone was attacked when walking home by a man who jumped out of an alley.  The assailant produced a knife but did not pierce the skin and ended up in a wheely bin and he is still shaken.  How long does it take for the Police to come and see you after an incident like this?  He will not walk past alleys now.  Alleygates were supposed to be fitted but the residents opposed. 

George Davies – ‘ Every house in that area had signs in their windows saying ‘say no to alleygates’.  I wanted alleygates and went back a second time and still had the same response.  We don’t have the funding anymore for alleygates.  You would have to pay yourself unfortunately and they cost around £1500 each.’

Steve Foulkes – ‘I could not understand why that area did not want them.  Have a look in the ‘You Decide’ for any possible funding’ for alleygates this is one of the options one the questionnaire.

Harry Smith – ‘From the Councils point of view there are no objections’

Q – ‘I thought they could go up and people could just petition after?’

Steve Foulkes advises against this as he would be unpopular afterwards and to go through ‘You Decide’.

George Davies – ‘Two years ago the entry to Alderley Avenue was the first to have alleygates.  They got fed up of waiting for the gates so paid for them themselves and they were made up however, they have now adopted that alley and are liable’

Chair advised forum members and the community to take advantage to look around the St James Centre and visit the exhibition stands, these provided information on:

• 7 Waves Radio
• What’s on at the St James Centre
• Bidston Hill
• Alchol awareness 
• You Decide – 2008/2009 expenditure
• “Funds for You” – £15,500 plus an additional £5,000 from NHS Wirral
• You Decide 2009/2010 – £20,000 for additional services plus an additional £18,200 for road safety
• Respect Bus – there are an opportunity to go on the respect bus that was outside the centre this bus was to travel all over Wirral to engage with all young people

The questionnaire was available for completion by any Wirral resident. Young people under the age of 16 will need parent/guardian consent. There will be a three month consultation period for this. Please take copies for relatives and neighbours, and let me know if you need any advice or information on the questionnaire or if there are any groups you would like us to consult with.