Archive for February, 2010
Seacombe Community Centre – Councillors’ roles
1st March 2010
During tonight’s Council meeting (watch for more news about it very soon) Adrian asked Cllr Denis Knowles to let us all know what his role had been in Seacombe Community Centre where he was the Council’s representative, on its management committee, for many years.
Cllr Knowles has been replaced by Cllr John Salter. As you saw from the previous posting john had lunch there a day or so ago with Cllr Adrian Jones (who for many years held his surgeries at the Centre). John will fully support the existing management committee in their preferences for the future, so will Adrian. But it will help us greatly if we can hear from Denis what he was doing all those years. We are sure he will have a good story to tell of regular attendance and first class support, it’s just that we haven’t heard it yet.
We’ll report further on this as soon as we hear from him.
25th February 2010
After spending some time with the ‘Wirral Live Hit Squad’ John and Adrian delivered some more Ward Newsletters (we had delivered MP Angela Eagle’s only a week before) and then called into the Community Centre. We were delighted to personally know almost everybody taking lunch. But this wasn’t just a social visit.
- Adrian and John take a break from leafleting and door knocking to enjoy an excellent lunch at the Seacombe Community Centre
Far from it! We were there for our own lunches – and jolly good value for money they are too.
Aimed primarily, but not exclusively, at the retired people of the locality, the Luncheon Club is a great service to the community. Wirral’s Social Services Department does a grand job by maintaining this extremely valuable service. Long may it continue.
The Community Centre is, however, eligible to be transferred to the community. A few weeks ago we attended a meeting with officers of the Council to begin to talk about it with the existing staff and volunteers. Our officers were delighted to discover that the existing team have kept the building in excellent order, doing almost all of the redecoration themselves and keeping it in tip top condition. The Team have also kept right on top of all necessary fire and safety and other regulations to the extent that the professional officers went away most favourably impressed.
There had been problems with one of the boilers – making it all but impossible for the children’s activities to continue. That was discussed at our meeting after which Adrian took it up with Council Officers. We can report that it has been fixed.
What relationship does the Council have with the Community Centre?
The Council has always sought to maintain a good relationship with the Centre, not least by nominating a Councillor to assist and support the volunteers’ management group as their direct link to the Town Hall.
For many years we understand that link was Cllr Denis Knowles. (Knowles is the defector who was elected with a large Labour majority - but when he fell out with Labour he crossed the floor of the Council Chamber and squeezed in among the Tories. That was at about 6.30pm on a day when, at lunch time, we understand he had signed Labour’s loyalty pledge.)
When we asked how well that link had worked, with Cllr Knowles as the Council’s nominee to the Community Centre, one of the Community Centre’s regular volunteers said:
‘Well he did call in just before Christmas, with the lady from Liscard.’ Nobody we spoke to could recall anything beyond that.
Cllr John Salter has replaced Denis Knowles. John promises to provide full support and Adrian, who held his surgeries at the Centre for many years, will also give full support at this critical time for he Centre’s future.
Comments Closed
Hit squad removes a graffito
25th February
The Wirral Live hit squad were out in force at the cleared land off Demesne Street today.
While John scrubs the wall Adrian .... err ... takes the photo.
John is seen scrubbing off the graffito after the sprayer has done his work (with environmentally friendly fluids).
But isn’t it sad that so many people are willing to deface other people’s walls and fences?
Guinea Gap Baths – Adrian’s stand proved correct
Adrian opposed the closure of Guinea Gap Baths and Seaombe Library, to the Council and to the Charteris Inquiry
23rd February 2010
Wasn’t it interesting to see how well the Labour budget was reported in today’s Liverpool Post? It is a budget providing huge benefits to Wirral.
One of the really good measures is that Guinea Gap Baths is no longer even under consideration for review. When defector Denis Knowles was publicly declaring the closure of the baths would be ‘For the greater good’ Adrian took the opposite view and made it clear in writing. This extract was published on our website some months ago but in view of the good news now hitting the headlines it deserves to be repeated:
January 2009
To: Leader of the Council
Dear Leader,
Asset Review – changes affecting Seacombe Ward
You will know that as Mayor it is necessary for me to maintain impartiality over the changes proposed within the recent Professional Officers’ Report, the recommendations of which are the subject of public consultation.
Even though I know I cannot do so within a reply to the party-political campaign presently being waged I feel entitled, and obliged, to make my views known within the present public consultation exercise. I therefore ask you to ensure that my comments as follows are considered.
I applaud the extensive public consultation and regret that another political party has used the opportunity for partisan campaigning when the wellbeing of Seacombe residents should take priority.
Guinea Gap baths should not in my view be closed unless alternative swimming is available nearby. It is not necessary for me to argue the case for free swimming for children and pensioners as that is well known to be among the Council’s most popular policies under your leadership. I therefore request a stay of this recommendation for at least some years until alternatives are available for further consultation.
Even if the present building is not viable the present library facilities in Seacombe could very probably be re-located rather than be withdrawn. The Seacombe Community Centre, for instance, is potentially under used and there are other possibilities in existing council buildings nearby. I believe lending and IT facilities should be protected in view of the high incidence of low income families and the high incidence of retired people compared with many other areas of Wirral.
Following the loss of Liscard Hall which (despite its name) was located in Seacombe but bordering closely on Liscard Ward, we have the remaining site. I request that urgent consideration be given to using that site for the location of the new, and improved, facilities that are recommended for the area. This would ensure that facilities are not removed from Seacombe, yet would not be inconveniently far for Liscard residents.
Without suggesting that this list of requests is exhaustive , as others this evening may well have further ideas that I could support, I would like you to take these on board. I believe my proposals would allay concerns that have been whipped up by people who should put the good of the Seacombe community ahead of party-political campaigning.
Best wishes,
Councillor Adrian Jones, Seacombe