Greasby, Frankby, Irby, Upton & Woodchurch Area Forum Area Co-ordinator’s Report Wednesday 8th February 2006 Michelle Gray Community Planning, Area Co-ordinator Tel: 0151 691 8213 Fax: 0151 691 8159 Email: [email protected] Contents Page No Section One 3 · Minutes from the last meeting and matters arising Section Two 12 Local Updates · Wirralbiz 13 · Neighbourhood Project Update 14 · It’s your call 15 · Recycling Update 16 · Wirral Independent Re-cycling Enterprise 17 · CSV – World Environment Day 18 · Don’t Travel to Tip – Surf to Salvage 19 · The Access to learning & Employment Project 20 · “PlayLikeBrazil” 21 · Charter of Participation for young people in Wirral 22 · Vital transport funding is announced for Wirral 23 · Results from consultations carried out in 2005 24 · Proposed Supplementary Planning Document for Development by Mobile Phone Operators 29 Section Three 31 · Area Forum Funding Progress Report Section Four 32 · Local Area Plan Section Five 34 · Youth Update – Support for young people affected by crime Section Six 35 · Streetscene 2 Minutes - (Greasby/Frankby/Irby, Upton, Woodchurch) Mtg - 4 October 2005 Present Chair Jean Quinn Ward Councillors SA Brown , G Gardiner , PTC Reisdorf , PA Smith Community Ron Green , Bert Grunnill (Upton Churches Together) , John Representatives Smith (Greasby Community Association) Lead Officer Marie Stacey (Head of Branch, School Effectiveness) Area Service Co- Michelle Gray ordinator Bebington & West Wirral Mike Brereton , Pat Higgins (Bebington and West Wirral PCT) PCT Merseyside Police Sgt. Paul Harrison Council Officers Jane Lunt (Children's Services Development Team) , Jim Thompson (Crime and Disorder Project Officer) , Mark Traynor (Streetscene Manager) In attendance: Eileen Coyle (Minute Taker) , Sheila Henry (Endeavour) , Stephen Hesford MP Apologies Cllr John George , Angela Green (Wirral CVS) , Inspector Ian Shaw , Eileen Sheppard (Community Liaison Officer) Index to Minutes Minute 1 - WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS Minute 2 - MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING AND MATTERS ARISING Minute 3 - YOUNG PEOPLES PUBLIC QUESTION TIME Minute 4 - PUBLIC QUESTION TIME Minute 5 - AREA CO-ORDINATORS REPORT Minute 6 - PRESENTATION: WORKING TOGETHER FOR WIRRAL'S CHILDREN AND YOUNG PEOPLE Minute 7 - PRIMARY CARE TRUST UPDATE: IRBY HEALTH CENTRE UPDATE Minute 8 - DATE OF NEXT MEETING Minute 9 - ANY OTHER BUSINESS Minute 1 - WELCOME AND INTRODUCTIONS The Chair welcomed 23 members of the public to the Area Forum meeting in Greasby. The Forum members introduced themselves. Minute 2 - MINUTES FROM PREVIOUS MEETING AND MATTERS ARISING The minutes of the Area Forum meeting on 21 June 2005 had been distributed with the Area Co-ordinator's Report. Matters arising: - - Irby Village (minute 4.i): The accumulation of litter continued to be a problem in the centre of Irby, particularly outside the shops and in and around the car park. Councillor Gardiner was aware that the bins next to shops were emptied and the pavements were cleaned regularly, but the wind blows rubbish into the clump of trees, then into the car park and back again on to the street. Complaints in the past had resulted in extra cleaning in the area, but the rubbish always returns. - Bench in Irby Village (minute 4 ii): A report recommending the retention of the bench in Irby Village would be submitted to the Environmental and Transportation Select Committee in the Autumn. - Local Transport Plan 2 Presentation (minute 6): The reference to Chester Business Park and Liverpool had been incorrectly reported in the minutes. 3 The minutes to be amended to read: 'There was a study being undertaken by Merseytravel and Taith (the North Wales Transport Consortium) to look at the possibilities of extending the scheme. For further information on the LPT2 you can contact Julie Barnes, Principal Officer, Technical Services Department, [email protected] or 0151 606 2365 - Woodchurch Estate [minute 4]: The junction of Pemberton Road/Houghton Road would revert to a 'T' junction. - Hedge Maintenance Scheme in Rotherham [minute 10]: Whilst the Rotherham scheme was highly commendable, financial resources were not available to adopt a similar approach in Wirral because of the many demands made upon the Streetscene operation. - Future Meetings/Presentations [Minute 9]: The presentations on Lottery Funding and the Development of Cycle Networks had been deferred to the meeting in February 2006. Minute Decision : Resolved that: i. the minutes of the meeting of 21 June 2005 be confirmed, with the agreed amendment; ii. the Streetscene Manager be asked to ensure that special attention be given to the area outside the shops and the car park in Irby centre. Minute 3 - YOUNG PEOPLES PUBLIC QUESTION TIME The Chair welcomed three young people to the meeting and invited questions. On behalf of the group, a Youth Worker asked for an update on the Coronation Park project. The Chair invited Ron Green to speak on the subject. Ron referred to a petition organised by young people asking for skateboard facilities in Greasby and the acknowledgement locally of the need for an activity area for young people. A site alongside the Community Centre had been proposed but following opposition it had been suggested that the facility should be located in Coronation Park. A group called the Greasby Outdoor Activity and Leisure (GOAL) group had been formed with the main objective of pursuing a multi-activity games area (MUGA) alongside or around the Pavilion in Coronation Park. A presentation on behalf of GOAL had been made at a meeting of this area forum, but no further information or feedback had been forthcoming. Wirral Borough Council had received the petition, but had taken no action. Ron appreciated that MUGA’s were provided for young people in deprived areas. He asked for information on the criteria applied when deciding which areas qualify for investment in sporting facilities, adding that there were pockets of deprivation in Greasby. A skateboard facility was much needed in this area and was long overdue. A member of the public expressed a dissenting view about the various plans to build a skate park and/or a multi-use games area in Coronation Park. As a neighbour of Coronation Park, he had concerns about those plans. Other neighbours, who until recently knew nothing about the plans, had expressed similar concerns. The minutes of the Area Forum meeting of 4 October 2004 referred to a meeting of West Kirby & Greasby Youth Forum when the focus of discussion had been the lack of recreational and leisure facilities for young 4 people in West Kirby and Greasby. The statement in the minutes that 'Work was going on behind the scenes' in regard to multi-use games areas and sports facilities in West Kirby and Greasby created an impression that the planning application procedure may not be as open and transparent as it should be. The member of the public asked the Forum that, notwithstanding the personal views of individual members regarding the plans, they ensure that full consultation is entered into with neighbouring residents; proper planning application procedures are followed; and objections are carefully considered. As neighbours to Coronation Park these residents should be contacted individually by letter and advised of the proposals and the process to raise objections. It was not sufficient to rely on lamppost notices, web pages or newspaper announcements. A list of the properties directly affected by the proposals would be provided for Planning Officers. The Council's website referred to several important items that cannot be the basis of objection to a planning application - for example - "Matters that are normally not relevant include . the devaluation of property or alternative proposals". The 'devaluation of property' was particularly relevant and unfortunate because if the plans go ahead and the fears of local residents are realised, any loss of value of their homes will not be made good by the Council, nor by those who propose the plans. The lost value will be local residents' problems alone. Regarding "alternative proposals" which are "not relevant" to the planning committee, the Area Forum needs to be made aware that Coronation Park is unsuited to the proposed developments. It is one of the smallest parks in Britain and is surrounded by homes on three sides. According to various Councils' websites, skateboard parks and multi-use games areas cost a minimum of £60,000 each. A far better location to spend that amount of money would be Upton Park, which is more than three times the size of Coronation Park, is more central to the area covered by this Forum and - best of all - has no neighbouring homes to raise objections. In response to a comment by Councillor Gardiner that a skateboard facility needed a large catchment area to make it worthwhile, the member of the public stated that the problems currently being experienced in Coronation Park would become worse. A skateboard facility would become a magnet for youths from other areas, adding to the problems already caused by some local youths, which include - vandalism, anti-social behaviour, alcohol consumption, the use of motorcycles within the park, youths urinating on fences, noise until late hours, foul language, intimidation experienced by local children and by residents in Brookdale Close retirement homes. It was important for the Area Forum to be aware that at the public meeting at Greasby Community Centre in May 2004, the meeting voted to locate a MUGA in Coronation Park only if the facility was supervised during opening hours. The need for supervision was crucial because of the likelihood that Coronation Park would become an area for undesirables to congregate in. Councillor Gardiner commented that the scheme was a long way off and no planning application would be submitted until funding had been 5 identified. Once a planning application is submitted, the application would proceed normally and would include consultation with neighbours. She would make a point of requesting additional consultation if and when a planning application is submitted.