The Chair invited the partners to give brief updates:

NHS Wirral:

Tina Long informed the Forum that a detailed briefing was available in the Area Co-ordinator’s report and highlighted the following:

·  Planning permission for the redevelopment of St Catherine’s Hospital has been approved

·  Swine Flu – Wirral still has a relatively low number of incidents, but this could increase in the winter months. In most cases the symptoms are fairly mild, but tammy flu vaccinations for vulnerable groups will start next week and people will be invited in by their GPs along with the seasonal flu vaccinations.

The Chair thanked Tina Long for her update and the following questions / issues were raised:

1. Jim Cadwallader – How often do specialist dieticians go into schools to ensure that issues such as children with celiac disease are picked up, as it can result in young people being chastised for creating a disruption when it could be that they have such a disease and that the food they have eaten has triggered off their change in behaviour? I have been working in schools on a drumming project and am concerned about this.

Tina Long – we are doing a lot of work with schools and working with the Council to put sessions into schools looking at all aspects of health.

Wirral University Teaching Hospital Trust:

Sandra Shannon informed the Forum that she was pleased to be attending her first Forum. She confirmed that leaflets and information on the Trust were available at the meeting, and highlighted the following:

·  Infection control – there has been a lot of successes in reducing infection with MRSA down by 50% from last year and bowel infection further reduced by 30% form last year.

·  Improvements - there has been a big focus on improvements and capital investment, including:

o  £1.6m investment by NHS Wirral to provide a specialist stroke centre

o  Development of a multi-purpose women’s / children’s hospital service, including birthing pools, overnight facilities for parents, ward upgrades. Photos of the new facilities were available at the meeting

o  New dialysis unit

o  Installation of a second MRI scanner at Arrowe Park Hospital.

The Chair thanked Sandra Shannon for her update and the following questions / issues were raised:

2. Chair – when will the new hospital open?

Sandra Shannon – it will be a phased approach over the nest 18 months. The Ronald MacDonald accommodation facility for parents has opened.

Police:

Inspector Mike Blease informed the Forum of the following:

·  Robberies were down; there had been no robberies in the neighbourhood since 26 July 2009.

·  Since 1 April 2009 we have had to improve public confidence levels re: anti-social behaviour, the police ran a survey on this and our neighbourhood had the best return figures (80%).

·  We have been working hard at reducing crime and levels have dropped compared with the previous year

·  Bernard Lawson is the temporary Acting Chief Constable and a new Chief Constable should be in place by January 2010

·  New Police Station – planning permission has been approved and station should be ready by early 2012. Birkenhead and Laird Street Police Stations will close and Well Lane Police Station will remain.

The Chair thanked Inspector Blease for his update and the following questions / issues were raised:

Councillor Meaden

3. Have you noticed any decrease in incidents now that the alley gates have been secured?
4. At the Youth Parliament conference yesterday the young people asked for statistical information on anti-social behaviour (ASB) within age groups, as only read about bad youths not good youths in the media, yet mainly often only read about adult ASB in the newspapers.
5. At the previous Forum it was agreed that you would bring a Tsar gun to the meeting

Inspector Blease – (3) yes, since catching the perpetrator (the window cleaner) the gates are now secure and the quality of life for the residents has improved dramatically. (4) Older people (25+) would go straight to an ASB order whereas other options would be considered for younger people prior to issuing an ASB order, therefore need to be careful when using statistics. (5) This has been delayed as a de-activated gun is not yet available.

Councillor Bill Davies –

6. What is your view of the knife culture in Birkenhead?
7. Has the level of violence decreased at clubs and are detectors used to see if weapons are being carried?
8. Is there a fixed penalty for people riding bicycles through the Precinct, as the security staff say that they are not allowed to stop them?

Inspector Blease – (6) incidents are mainly domestic, it is very rare to see people on the streets with knives. (7) Incidents at night clubs are tackled to make them safer places, e.g. premises where glass has been used as a weapon is made to use plastic glasses to stop incidents. (8) The security staff does not have powers to stop cyclists, and the Police have to prioritise where to put resources.

(7) Ian Lowrie added that part of the condition of club licences is that they must have CCTV system to video image and if this is not available the club could lose its licence.

9. Peter Exley – Why are motorists being observed and cars being pulled in when coming out of the tunnel / train stations, causing delays?

Inspector Blease – spotters looking out for drivers using mobile phones, not wearing seat belts etc. pass on information and these drivers are stopped. The Police do not pull over all cars, such events are usually surveys, such as the census where the Police assist to ensure safety.

10. Jim Cadwallader – thanked Inspector Blease for help with building links with schools and Police through the CSOs.

Jim Crocker

11. Can something be done about the traffic in problem in Ionic Street, as this is getting out of hand?
12. Disabled access is required at railway stations – such as Rock Ferry.
13. Collette McDonagh – The lower level lift at Hamilton Square are being switched off causing difficulties for passengers.

(11) Inspector Blease agreed to look into this.

(12) & (13) The Chair requested that the Area Co-ordinator take these issues up with Merseytravel.

14. Collette McDonagh – can there be more co-ordination with Wirral Partnership Homes (WPH) on the dates of the Neighbourhood Action Group (NAG) meetings, as WPH had date of 7^th October for meeting.

Inspector Blease – confirmed that the meeting is due to take place on 21^st October and that WPH would be informed of this.

Community Safety:

Ian Lowrie informed the Forum that information on the work of the Community Safety team was included in the Area Co-ordinator’s report and highlighted the following:

·  We need to design out crime by putting into policies and checklists to aim to stop crime before it happens - an inter-agency meeting on serious inquisitive crime is taking place tomorrow.

·  St Catherine’s Hospital has been designed to stop crime happening.

·  Crime and Reduction Partnership – involves a number of different agencies and meets quarterly. It is responsible for checking on crime and disorder and putting strategies into place.

·  Face the public session – event will be held on 3^rd November 2009, 9.30 – 1.00pm at the Belmont Suite, Tranmere Rovers (including lunch). Anyone interested in attending should contact Kim Harvey at Royal Standard House on 0151 644 4500Inside Justice Week – on 22^nd October 2009 the courts will be closed for the day and sessions aimed at violent crime, e.g. mock trials, will be held. This will involve young people and will hopefully be effective in reducing crime and showing what is involved, such as witness protection.

·  Hate Crime – there will be a conference early next year to look at the six strands of hate crime and to help ensure that this becomes a thing of the past.

The Chair thanked Ian Lowrie for his update and the following questions / issues were raised:

15. Jim Cadwallader – One in ten Caucasian young men find it difficult to read and write. Are you coming across these under the hate crime as they find it difficult to communicate?

Ian Lowrie – I have not come across this as an issue, but people that are arrested are assessed and helped through the process where appropriate.

Fire & Rescue Service

The Chair advised the Forum that Richie Clarke had to leave the meeting early, but that an update was available on page 15 of the Area Co-ordinator’s report.

16. Peter Exley - the new recycling scheme requires van/trailers to have a permit at the recycle centre and wood is not treated as recyclable – why is this as wood can be used to make chipboard?

Garry Cummings – agreed to look into this issue and report back

Minute Decision:

Resolved that –

(i)  The partners be thanked for their updates

(ii)  Inspector Blease to bring a tsar gun to the next meeting; look into traffic problem in Ionic Street; and contact WPH re: date of NAG meeting

(iii)  Andy Brannan to contact Merseytravel re: disabled access at railway stations / lifts at Hamilton Square Station and report back on these issues

(iv)  Garry Cummings to report back on the issue of wood as a recyclable product