Anger at £1.5m food waste bins

Councillor Bruce Berry said: “It’s clear residents given smaller bins instead. that Wirral’s recycling dropped when “Many of the people in our community Labour introduced a charge for the will struggle with these extra bins.” collection of the brown bins. The Council’s ‘consultation’ on the “I know many people in Moreton and plan was also slammed after it was Saughall Massie simply stopped using revealed most people in Wirral the service.” weren’t contacted.

“Now, in a panic move to reverse the In response, Conservatives have been decline, the Town Hall wants to spend delivering leaflets asking for views. £1.5 million on wheelie bins for food waste instead.” If you would like to give your views on the plans, visit our new website: “Labour’s plan will also see existing www.wirralconservatives.com/bins green wheelie bins removed and

Every supporter who joins as a member makes us that bit stronger. Councillor Bruce Berry, who is also a governor at Lingham Primary School, has welcomed the extra cash: “Primary schools in Moreton will be receiving a total of £108,870 from the Department for Education for spending on PE and Membership costs £25 a year sport. This is great news and should lead to children playing more sport.” (with reduced rates for the

Meanwhile, the Town Hall has also backed Bruce’s call for a review of sports pavilions in our parks, following complaints under 23s and Armed Forces). from players and clubs. See page 2 for details. www.conservatives.com/join

Promoted by Chris Blakeley on behalf of WCA, both at 15d Lancelyn Precinct, Spital Road, Wirral CH63 9JP and printed by Mortons Media Group Ltd, Media Centre, Morton Way, Horncastle LN96JR

Conservative councillors immediately “It would be fantastic news for our wrote to the Ministry of Defence, local maritime industries to be urging shipbuilders in our area to be included in these contracts.” considered for future contracts, Roads and pavements: “Every new contract that is awarded including eight new frigates are being We have asked the Town Hall for locally means more jobs secured, and repairs to roads and pavements, ordered for the Royal Navy. apprenticeships created for local including Westbrook Road, Councillor Bruce Berry said: “This is young people.” Jasmine Close and Joan Avenue. good news for our navy and also, we The Government gave Wirral an hope, for shipbuilding in Merseyside.” extra £306,000 to tackle pot holes last year. If there are any other roads that you think need attention, let us know - our contact details can be found on the back page or visit our website at wirralconservatives.com/survey

Children leaving care: Working with the Children’s Society, we asked the Council to exempt care leavers from Council Tax until their 25th birthday. Ofsted said children in care have been let down by Wirral Council’s ‘inadequate’ services. The number of children in care in Wirral, at 810, is twice the national average. All parties agreed with our call.

Overgrown trees: We used the Freedom of Information Act to obtain a list of trees in our area that have been assessed as ’high risk’. The list is available on our website: wirralconservatives.com/trees

Street lights: At October’s Council meeting, we again raised the issue of faulty street lights. Wirral now has 2,650 units that are unlit, while others are on 24 hours a day. Following our questions, the Town “The clubs and teams pay the with visits to some of the most Hall has agreed to spend Council for the use of the pitches neglected. I’d also like to hear £500,000 of the £94 million and to use these buildings.” from players, teams and league reserves on installing new units, organisers with their views on any “It’s clear that the Council has not starting this month. See page 3. of the Council-owned pavilions in been using the money to maintain our parks and pitches.” Local shopping areas: the buildings. The toilets,

The October meeting also saw changing areas and general “We’ve heard reports that some Labour submit their ‘Strategic condition are pretty disgusting.” Football players contacted Bruce, teams are actually now playing Regeneration Framework’ for unhappy with the poor condition of Wirral. Sadly, apart from Bruce submitted a notice to a outside Wirral because of the poor the building in Lingham Park, one meeting of all councillors, asking condition of the buildings. That’s Birkenhead, many areas have of more than 60 around Wirral been left out of the plan. We for a full review of the buildings in a crazy situation.” which are owned by the Council. order to access money held by the wanted to refer it back for more Wirral Council has £12 million Council for maintaining buildings. work but Labour refused. Bruce, working with Chris Blakeley available for ‘capital’ works

and Steve Williams, met with some This was followed by a meeting of including parks and open spaces, ‘Wirral View’ newspaper: of the players and went to the the Council’s Environment plus a further £5 million received We have AGAIN questioned the pavilion to see the state of the Committee, which saw Bruce in grants from the Government. logic of spending £270,000 a year building for themselves. present the case for investment. on the Town Hall’s newspaper. Our Once the review of sports pavilions Bruce said: “Frankly, it is a recent surveys have confirmed “After some debate and has been completed, it is hoped that many people in Moreton and disgrace and, since then, we’ve questioning of Council Directors, some of this money will then be Saughall Massie do not receive it, heard from other clubs and groups all councillors agreed that we’d used to improve these facilities. that buildings in other parks have even though they are paying for it! start with a review of the pavilions, also been neglected.”

Value for money: “Many of the scrambler bikes on For the second year running, the our roads or public spaces are Council’s auditors, Grant also later found to be stolen.” Thornton, have said that Wirral “They present a real danger to Council does not give value for road users and pedestrians. We money for the £800 million it need to see more action to seize spends every year. these bikes.” This followed complaints to Conservatives councillors from Cost of consultants: Conservatives have called for a Conservatives are asking the worried residents that many special Council meeting on parks, open spaces and shopping Town Hall to scrap the scrambler bikes. This takes place controversial review of library, areas are now dangerous for on 11 December at Wallasey leisure and cultural services by a pedestrians. Town Hall, starting at 6pm. firm of consultants at a cost of Councillor Chris Blakeley said: If you have any information on around £300,000. “Last month, the Town Hall scrambler bikes, call the Police on announced the new ‘Safer Wirral 101 (or 999 in an emergency). Council ‘reserves’ Hub’ to improve community Labour’s Cabinet Member for safety. Scrambler bikes are the Sign our online petition: Finance has revealed that Council www.wirralconservatives.com/ first test for the ‘Hub’.” reserves of cash now stand at scramblers £95 million. The minimum level of reserves a Council must hold is judged at £10 million.

‘Phil Davies TV’ While the Town Hall’s £270,000 newspaper, ‘Wirral View’, remains mired in controversy, a contract for live broadcasting of Council New ‘LED’ units in Moreton and Saughall Massie that are to be installed include lights in Belford Drive, meetings has now been Berrylands Close, Douglas Drive, Cartmel Drive and Town Meadow Lane. If there are any street lights in advertised for £275,000. This will your road that need attention, contact Bruce, Steve or Chris and they will ask the Town Hall for action. The enable residents to watch the list of all 600 lights can be found on our website at www.wirralconservatives.com/streetlights Leader of the Council live over the internet. Let’s hope it doesn't clash with Coronation Street!

Top director pay: The latest figures published by the Town Hall have revealed that senior director salaries are now costing £1.1 million a year - up from £860,000 six years ago.

Labour’s decision to increase the salary of the Council’s Chief treated by our NHS, this money is Nationally, the numbers of doctors, Executive means the job now good news for Wirral.” nurses and midwives have all costs the Council £192,256 - increased since 2010. more than the Secretary General In 2016/17, more than 94,000 of the United Nations! The Trust has, however, run into people attended A&E at Arrowe Park. That’s 4,000 more than six years ago. controversy over plans that would see staff charged for parking. Almost Theft from Council: The NHS is urging people to think The Town Hall has promised to The cash, announced in June, is part 10,000 people have signed a petition about whether an alternative to A&E is tighten up financial controls after of an extra £90 million being invested organised by the Wirral Globe against more suitable - such as the pharmacy an employee in the Finance in NHS A&E services around the the plan. or calling the NHS on 111 for advice. Department was found guilty at country by the Government. The Trust has said conditions on the Liverpool Crown Court of stealing The Trust that runs the hospital is also Councillor Steve Williams said: “With car parks, imposed by Wirral Council, £7,365 from the Council. the largest employer in Wirral - with more people than ever before being mean they have to restrict parking. 5,500 staff.

Every new member makes us stronger. The next Council elections take place in May This newsletter has been produced at no Membership costs £25 a year (with reduced 2018 and we’re putting together a team of cost to the taxpayer and is delivered by rates for the under 23s and members of the 22 candidates to stand in communities volunteers. We’re looking for people who Armed Forces). www.conservatives.com/join across Wirral. can help to deliver for 1-2 hours a month.

Action to tackle pollution on Wirral’s beaches Bus and coach safety: Did you know there are no legal  limits on the age of tyres used - on coaches or minibuses? Following a fatal crash in 2012, a campaign was started Wirral’s Conservative Councillors In December 2016, Conservatives Liverpool Bay. This led to fears to change the law and are now putting together a also axed plans by the previous among residents and environment introduce a 10 year limit. At programme of community clean ups Labour Government for campaigners about the effects of to remove plastic waste from our ‘Underground Coal Gasification’. UCG on the Wirral coastline and the last Council meeting, beaches. If you’d like to get Hilbre Island. The licences, granted in 2008, councillors gave their support. involved, let us know and we’ll would have enabled gas to be Schools in Wirral will also be include you on the mailing list. wirralconservatives.com/beaches asked to check with bus and extracted in the Dee Estuary and coach companies when hiring.

Hillsborough: Wirral Council Tougher penalties on the has posthumously awarded the Freedom of the Borough to the 96 victims of Hillsborough. way for animal abuse An all-Party working group made the arrangements for the ceremony that took place  in September.

Vauxhalls: News of 400 voluntary redundancies at In 2016, Merseyside was in the Top Councillor Steve Williams said: If you are interested in animal Ellesmere Port have been 10 areas for animal cruelty. “We’ve seen some awful cases of welfare issues and want to be kept abuse and neglect over the last up to date, a new Facebook page blamed on changing The new proposals, which will see year. has been set up: “Wirral Animal consumer demand. All maximum sentences increased Welfare News’. We’ll publish “Clearly, the current law is no councillors voted to urge from six months to five years, will details of how residents can give deterrent. I hope the new action to support the plant. be published shortly for their views in the consultation. consultation. sentences will be.”

Christmas Events: shops and COUNCILLOR traders in Moreton and Saughall BRUCE BERRY Massie are encouraging more [email protected] residents to do some of their 678 8139 or 07733 012414 shopping locally this Christmas. Twitter: @bruceberry22

Local fundraising by residents Here in Wirral, Conservative councillors were among those who Write: 6 Merlin Close, Saughall Steve and Angela Pouncey organised events, raising a fantastic £1,320. We organised Massie CH49 4PZ means Moreton once again has coffee mornings and an abseil at Leasowe Lighthouse to raise Christmas Lights around the money for this great cause. Cross. If you receive this Councillor Bruce Berry said: “More people than ever before are newsletter before 18th surviving cancer and Macmillan do a great job to support COUNCILLOR November, please come down patients and families. Thanks to everyone who supported my STEVE WILLIAMS for the Switch On at 5pm outside abseil or our coffee morning at the Community Centre.” [email protected] the Coach & Horses, which, this 677 8848 or 07974 717666 year, will be performed by Twitter: @cllr_s_williams Moreton resident and Write: 34 Beech Avenue, Centenarian, Cliff Crozier. Saughall Massie CH49 4NJ

Free home fire safety checks: While the number of house fires has fallen in recent years, there is still more that can be done to Councillor Steve Williams said: “As well as Winter Fuel COUNCILLOR reduce the risks in many homes. Payments, many pensioners will also be helped this winter CHRIS BLAKELEY Merseyside Fire & Rescue with £140 from the Warm Home Discount Scheme and, if it gets really cold, the extra Cold Weather Payments will kick in.” [email protected] Service carry out free home fire 677 9040 or 07803 614418 safety checks on request. Call Conservatives in Wirral have also written to around 11,000 Twitter: @cllrcblakeley the free number 0800 731 5958 older residents to encourage them to apply for a top up to their Write: 74 Grampian Way, pension known as Pension Credit. Call free on 0800 991234. Moreton CH46 0PZ