Archive for November, 2009

 25.11.2009

Originally reported on 21st September, 2009,  we are delighted to update that report.  The new work has started and is well advanced.  Yesterday Adrian met one of the leading members of the residents’ panel we helped to establish to work closely with ‘Street Scene’; she was able to relate how well the initiative has progressed.  At a time when the felling of trees has had some bad press this is an example of ‘People Power’ facilitated by your local Labour Councillors producing excellent local results.  For those new readers who may have missed the earlier report it is shown below.

21st September report.  There’s been a lot of bad publicity lately, in some quarters, about the loss of trees elsewhere in the borough.  Well, this ‘good news story’ just shows that when residents and councillors work together with our professional officers the results can be very pleasing indeed.  And while we are reporting lets give the thumbs up to David and Wayne of Amenity Tree Care (photo below, with Adrian) who were doing a highly professional job, using the correct safety equipment.

On 17th August we reported, here, that the original decision to cut down all of the trees in Clarendon Road had been reversed.  Council Officers met residents together with me, and Cllr John Salter, and the outcome was that instead of removing the remaining trees, as originally planned, there would instead be additional planting not just to replace those that are damaged or diseased but with extra trees as well to restore the original tree lined plan for the road. 

We were certainly off to a busy start this morning! 

A resident (Brian, seen in the picture – with a protective arm around the tree outside his home at no 10) called early to tell me that the Council’s contractors were already on site to begin the process of removing the diseased trees. 

Not being a man to take chances, Brian asked me to phone to make sure that his beloved tree was not to be felled.  Many thanks to the secretarial staff in David Green’s Department for quick phone calls to provide the assurances needed.  Thanks also to Street Scene Manager, Mr Chris Jones, for attending in person to check that everything was going to plan.

23.11.2009

All over the country Tory Councils are making severe cuts.  Our ‘News Feeds’ links take you direct to news reports of what is happening, and this is constantly up-dated.  But the question many are asking is ‘What might Tory cuts mean here in the Wirral?’

SURE START 

Unless Wirral Tories publish their exact intentions, should they be able to form an administration, then it is reasonable to assume that they will behave similarly to some other Tory Councils.  On present projections Tory cuts could mean almost one in five Sure Start centres closing.  This could, in the Wirral, mean up to 4 Sure Start centres closing. 

To find the names and locations of local Children’s Centres click on the link below:

www.surestart.gov.uk/surestartservices/settings/fundedsettings/

POLICE

Tory cuts to the Home Office budget would be equivalent to 112 fewer police officers in Merseyside police force.

SCHOOLS

Tory cuts to Labour’s school building programme would put at risk 22 school rebuilding projects, affecting the entire secondary school rebuilding programme in the Wirral.

SMALL GRANTS

Small grants awarded to local groups could be almost wiped out. These are examples of the sort of local groups that have received funding from this budget this year. Voluntary groups can continue to apply for funding in future years. However, the Tories’ £100 million cuts this year would threaten the funding of these groups today.

• Civil Services Pensioners Alliance Wirral
• Hoylake Choral Society
• Goyararu Contemporary Arts Centre
• Sandbrook Community Centre
• Wirral Festival of Music, Speech & Drama
• Peninsula Canoe Club
• Beechwood Falcon Jfc
• New Ferry Regen Action Group
• Youth and Elderley Society
• Bidston Junior Badmington Club
• Wirral Sapphires Majorettes Troupe
• Wirral Disability Swimming Development Group
• Tranmere Action Group
• Birkenhead Phab Club
• 3E’s
• Wirral Pathfinders Self Help Support Group
• Independent Direct Payment Forum
• Families Need Fathers

24.11.2009

The Tory tizz continues; have they nothing better to do? 

We’ve made plain that we won’t devote valuable front page web-space to the infantile spats (a minority of) Wallasey Tory Councillors want because of their ’youthful’  fetish with the English language (of which, by the way, they don’t always seem to have too steady a grasp).

If we’re really pestered to respond to their silliness we might, instead, open a ‘Spot the error page’ to assist them in their improvement.  On it we’ll comment on one Tory Cllr’s ‘Atlantic’ approach to punctuation; another’s inspired grammatical moments; and yet another’s novel approach to syntax and spelling. 

But we will only do this in a kindly and helpful way.  Indeed, these are not matters which would otherwise concern us at all, it’s not we who put them on the agenda;  we are neither intellectual snobs nor self appointed grammarians – which seems to be their own latest wheeze.  But if two or three Wallasey Tories want to put themselves in the grammatical spotlight we will feel duty bound to oblige them with a little fraternal help.   It’s the least we can do.  

But ‘Sorry Tories’ our front page is for the solid news that our readers have assured us distinguishes us favourably from your Tory-blues.