New Brighton Lifeboat Station

For sometime now, the RNLI have been experiencing difficulties due to the current site of the lifeboat station on King’s Parade.  The building is too small and cannot accomodate the two craft and a tractor.  They also have problems launching the vessel as they have to be towed on a trailer along the prom to the main slipway at the bottom of Victoria Road.  On a busy afternoon with a congested prom, this can make the difference between life and death in an emergency.  The RNLI have asked the Council to consider leasing land on the Tower Grounds for a new lifeboat station.  At Cabinet tonight, the  recommendation was accepted that the RNLI now embark  on a full consultation process with local residents,  community groups and user groups.  The proposed site is at the bottom of Egerton Street on the right hand side.  If you would like to know more, please get in touch and I can let you have a copy of the proposal and plans.

A Spicy Night for The Girls

Last night the business ladies of New Brighton met at Magic Spices on Seabank Road for a bit of local networking.  The ‘Girls That Gab’ get together monthly to keep abreast of New Brighton news and views as the town under goes a huge transformation.  Members include the ladies from Victoria Dental Practice, Orrells Opticians, Peninsula Dining Room, Bargain Booze, Holistic Hands, Pure, Zinky, David Roberts Solicitors, Victoria Pharmacy, Claires, Forbers and 7th Heaven.  Our next evening is going to be a ‘Wear It Pink’ fund-raising evening for Breast Cancer Awareness Month.  More details to follow!

Improvements for Parks

Last night there was a ‘call-in’ meeting following the Cabinet’s recent decision to outsource/privatise/seek tenders for the management of our parks and countryside services.  One of the local papers has wrongly headlined this as privatisation of the parks, it’s isn’t.  It’s about the management of the parks and countryside services – the Council Taxpayer will retain ownership of these assets.  The plan has been working its way through the Town Hall since January 2008, with all parties – Conservative, Liberal Democrat and New Labour- on the small committee formed to see it through.  I should know, I was on the committee! Many of of our parks have been sadly neglected over the last 20 years.  The new plans will see staff have their existing pay and conditions protected while at the same time running the service with more consultation by users and friends groups as well as around £5 million of savings AND investing to make services better. Sadly, Labour decided to criticise a process they set up, of which their members were present and which, since September 2009, they had the opportunity to amend or act on. They also paid a company called Capita Symons a huge amount of money to investigate and report back on how we could better look after these really important issues.  Instead, they sat on their hands, until now.  This delayed the time before we can see improvements to our parks and ‘outdoor’ services, presumably Labour didn’t want to annoy their donors with ‘Labour pro-privatisation’ stories…

Breast Cancer Awareness Month

In July 2009, my little sister, Jude was diagnosed with breast cancer, she was 36.  It was devastating and words cannot describe the shock and numbness you feel when you hear the news.  It was an aggresive grade 3 cancer but thankfully it was discovered in its early stages.   A year on, following a lumpectomy, chemo and radiotherapy she’s recently had a mammogram and everything is fine but she will now be on Tamoxifen for the next few years.  She does suffer with unpleasant side-effects but it’s a small price to pay.  October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month and many of you will have experienced or been affected by breast cancer.  Recently it was announced that UK breast cancer mortality rates had decreased but there are still around 46,000 new cases diagnosed every year and around 12,000 deaths.  Breast cancer research has been integral to the reduction of mortality rates over the past 20 years, leading to improvements in diagnosis, treatment and care.  Increased awareness and the introduction of the NHS screening programme have also played a significant role. However, in the UK, current mortality rates are above the European average.  On Friday October 29, people all over the UK will wear it pink to raise money so that Breast Cancer Campaign can continue to fund vital research, taking us a step closer to beating breast cancer. For further information and a fundraising pack go to www.wearitpink.co.uk or call 0800 107 3104.

New Businesses on Victoria Road

I am glad to see two new businesses have opened on Victoria Road.  Zinky is a new accessories shop run my a very nice lady called Maria.  The shop has all sorts of jewellery, brooches, trinkets and dreamcatchers and she’ll soon be selling fashion items too.  The other shop is a R.B Ink, a tattoo studio and I imagine he’ll do well as it’s a while since we had one in New Brighton.  I wish them both well with their new ventures.

Free Swimming? Job Done.

Following the change in Administration in May, the new progressive partnership of Conservatives and LibDems made no secret of the fact that savings had to be made in all services and reviews were in progress.  It was confirmed at Cabinet last night that free swimming for senior citizens and under 18s during school holidays would continue.  In addition we will be extending the free swimming to children in care & their carers and also current and ex-service personnel, living in the Borough.  I am also happy to add that, those entitled to free swimming,  do actually now have somewhere to swim  after managing to save three of the Borough’s pools from closure following the flawed Strategic Asset Review, supported by Labour.

A Fitting Tribute

A proposal has been submitted to Cabinet to name a section of the newly developed King’s Parade ‘Ian Fraser Walk’ after one of the great, local war heroes.  Lt. Commander Ian Fraser, VC, DSC, RD and Bar, JP, RNR (Rtd) during Word War II and in particular, the award of the Victoria Cross, the highest award for bravery for an attack he made on Japanese warship, Takao in a midget submarine in 1945.  Ian Fraser was also a successful local businessman, Magistrate,  and life-long supporter of the Lifeboats Service and was awarded the Freedom of the Borough in 1993.  I think it’s a great idea and I am sure the Fraser family will be delighted with the accolade.

Scum

How on earth did low-life, Wendy Lewis walk away from Blackpool Magistrates Courts with a suspended sentence for urinating on a war memorial?  In my opinion, this is a typical example of how the public and police are regularly let down by the courts.  What an insult to our armed forces and those who paid the ultimate sacrifice.  Read more here: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-lancashire-11080456

Wirral’s Future, Be Part of It

If you don’t know about the new initiative, ‘Wirral’s Future, Be Part of It’, you soon will.  This is a Borough-wide consultation exercise about goods, services and how you’d like your money to be spent.  We will shortly be consulting about plans to devolve more decisions, power and cash to local communites as part of our drive for more ‘localism’.  Those who want more of a say in running services, you’ll have it.  Those who just want more information on costs and services, you’ll get it and those who are content to leave it to the politicians and Council to provide decent services at a reasonable cost, we’ll do it.  Read more here: http://www.wirral.gov.uk/my-services/council-and-democracy/have-your-say/wirrals-future-consultation/consulting-living-wirral.

 

Have Your Say with Merseyside Police

This evening I attended the new style ‘Have Your Say’ meeting with Merseyside Police at Vale House, Vale Park.  These new  meetings, organised by our local Police are the opportunity for any members of the public to join in and literally ‘have your say’ on local police issues.  The meetings are going to be monthly and everyone is welcome. 

• During the past month there has been an operation with Trading Standards for under-age alcohol sales.  From 14 licensed premises tested there was only 1 under-age sale and the employee had a hefty on the spot fine.  A previous, similar operation got 4 under-age sales from 14 so both agencies were pleased with the reduction. 
• A routine check up on a suspicious character on a bike in Wallasey resulted in a house search in New Brighton which turned up a large amount of cannabis.
• Following intelligence and increased late night patrols there were 4 arrests in Hope Street for possession of class A and class B drugs
• Concerns were raised about the ongoing problems with feral youths in Rake Lane Cemetery.
• The lastest hotspots for police attention in relation to ASB are The Quarry, Egerton Street and Shiel Road/Field Road. 

The next meeting will be at Manor Road Police Station on Thursday 23 September at 7pm, please come along…