All kinds going on across Merseyside this week
Flags, finances, feathered friends and other funny business
Good afternoon Mersey Monitorers,
If you’re new here, thank you for signing up to the Monitor. We’re a little independent public interest news site operating on a not-for-profit basis and our aim, first and foremost, is to keep you informed about decisions affecting our lives and what they might mean for our communities.
As a result, a lot of what we’re looking at comes in and around council meetings and decisions, because it’s here at local authority level things that affect us every day get decided - from what’s going on with the bins, the kind of housing we’re going to see, how our most vulnerable are being cared for to what extras our councils can and cannot afford to actually fund.
It’s been a busy old week across Merseyside and next week is shaping up for more of the same. We are, though, heading into a bit of quieter period council meeting-wise with the summer holidays now upon upon us, so we might take this opportunity to shake up our Sunday newsletter a little to make it a bit less diary-heavy in the coming weeks.
If you’re not new here (and we do appreciate you sticking around) you may already know that this week we‘ve been jumping about all over the city region keeping tabs on what is being discussed and decided by our elected representatives and bureaucratic officials. Part of that has meant taking at look at what’s in Liverpool’s new draft local plan…
Lisa Rand
… as well as Knowsley council and Kirkby’s Pride in Place Neighbourhood Board’s somewhat controversial decision to throw loads of cash at bringing padel to Kirkby.
Lisa Rand
We do also have a little update on that, as it happens. During last week’s cabinet meeting, where £2.5m was approved from the council to the £5m scheme on top of the £2.5m already set aside by the Pride in Place board, council leader Graham Morgan left the meeting while it was discussed due to a conflict of interest.
Those of us watching all things Kirkby padel then waited with keen interest to find out what this conflict of interest might be. Well, we didn’t have to wait too long and now all has been revealed, sort of. Turns out a family friend of Cllr Morgan was behind him getting up and leaving the room while the item was being approved.
According to draft minutes released the following day, this is because that family friend of Cllr Morgan is a shareholder in Padel Play Ltd. Rather confusingly though, according to Companies House records, that company was compulsorily dissolved in November last year after not filing any accounts or a confirmation statement.
Given it no longer appears to exist, we’re not entirely sure how the family friend is still a shareholder, unless perhaps there’s been some kind of a mix up somewhere. We’ve been back to the council for clarification and will bring you any new information on this declaration of interest as it arrives.
We’ve also been getting into the birds of Sefton, well, the ones in the Botanic Gardens aviary at least (sshhh don’t tell the cats, who used to make up half the team here at the Monitor until we sacked them off for their frankly outrageous behaviour. Ever since, they’ve been keeping a suspiciously low profile. We do suspect, though, that they’ve been watching us surreptitiously from odd positions, like the top of the door frame, for reasons they may never quite disclose, so we’re keeping our wits about us.)
We also looked a little more generally at issues surrounding Sefton’s first full council since elections shook up the political landscape in the borough, leaving the ruling Labour group with a much reduced majority.
You can find out more about Sefton’s new full council numbers challenges here:
Lisa Rand
In the event, Sefton Labour had enough councillors to steer the outcome of all the votes on the night, which brought bad news for those hoping to save Southport’s much-loved aviary with the proceeds from the sale of a lodge at the park. Our write-up on that fiery meeting in the sweltering Southport heat can be found here:
Lisa Rand
A couple of other intriguing tidbits we’ve not (yet) got round to a story about include:
- A big increase in animal products coming through the Port of Liverpool, as discussed at a Mersey Port Health Authority meeting on Friday. Unsurprisingly, that’s brought with it a rise in inspections. We’re going to take a look at what’s behind it all hopefully, so we’ll let you know whatever we find out.
- We’ve also been trying to get to the bottom of certain statements made by the Reform leader in St Helens through the relatively long-winded process of submitting a Freedom of Information request since those pronouncements - about ‘ceasing all engagement’ with Pride and Refugee Week - were made by leader Cllr Woodward. We asked for details about documents such as any equality impact assessments, formal reports or considerations of public sector equality duties, amongst other things, but were told, curiously, that no such information was held.
What does this all mean? We’re not entirely sure yet, but in case you’re interested, the full FOI is below. We’ve asked for an internal review about some of those exemptions and will give you any updates when we get them.
But now, enough of what happened, onwards to the future, and what’s about to go down this coming week…
Decisions, decisions, decisions
As ever, this guide is far from exhaustive, but we would like to be as comprehensive as possible, so if we’ve overlooked something important, please do get in touch and we can add it in. You can email themerseymonitor@outlook.com or drop us a text on 07442 402 023.
If you’re not reading this by email, just click on an event to expand the box and see more details, including any booking links. All events listed are free to attend. We have not verified the information in the events listings, so please do get in touch if something appears amiss.
Monday 20th July
Wirral health and wellbeing board, 2pm, Wallasey town hall
What’s being discussed: SEND improvement, joint strategic needs assessment, better care fund update, the neighbourhood health model and adult social care.
How to get involved: Online, in person, details here
Wirral full council, 6pm, Wallasey town hall
What’s being discussed: Changes to committee memberships following the resignation of Cllr Tony Jones from Labour, who is now sitting as an independent, alongside approving last year’s £75m capital programme, constitutional amendments and a number of governance appointments among other items.
How to get involved: The usual - online, in person, details here
St Helens appointments committee, 12pm, St Helens Town Hall
What’s being discussed: Appointment of a director of public health both interim and permanent.
How to get involved: Online or in person, more here
St Helens cabinet, 4pm, St Helens town hall
What’s being discussed: Well, we’re confused as anything with this one. The calendar says it was supposed to be last week, but the agenda’s all tucked up on Monday’s listing and there’s no webcasting for last week, so we’re assuming this is happening on Monday (but stand ready to be corrected.)
If happening, agenda includes: council coffers, a flag policy (yes, St Helens’ very own episode of ‘fun with flags’ going on here), the councillor community fund (the ward member grant scheme with a new name) and an article 4 directive for HMOs.
How to get involved: More here.
St Helens audit and governance committee, 5.30pm, St Helens town hall
What’s being discussed: Third meeting of the day in St Helens today, possibly, items include the council’s annual complaints and whistleblowing reports, treasury and internal audit updates, alongside proposed changes to procurement rules and contract exemptions.
How to get involved: Watch online or in person, more here
Tuesday 21st July
Sefton Licensing subcommittee, 11am, Bootle town hall
What’s being discussed: an application for a premises license for Brownmoor Bistro in Crosby.
How to get involved: You can watch at the town hall, details here
Wirral tourism, communities, culture and leisure committee, 6pm, Wallasey town hall
What’s being discussed: Budgets, updates, the town of culture bid and heritage champions, mainly.
How to get involved: Online. in person, more here
Knowsley development session, health and wellbeing board, 3pm, Huyton municipal buildings
What’s being discussed: This looks to be a non public session for those on the health and wellbeing board and there’s no public agenda either.
How to get involved: Don’t think you can, a smidgeon more here
Knowsley health and adult social care scrutiny committee, 6pm, Huyton municipal buildings
What’s being discussed: The board’s annual review and integrated neighbourhood health services.
How to get involved: Watch online, attend in person (as long as you bring ID), details here
Liverpool Safe, sustainable and thriving neighbourhoods scrutiny committee, 5pm, Liverpool town hall
What’s being discussed: The draft Local Plan, selective licensing, cabinet reports, a housing task and finish group report and key performance in neighbourhoods.
How to get involved: You have public speaking rights but need to get that in two days before, you can watch online or attend in person. More here.
St Helens planning committee, 5.30pm, St Helens town hall
What’s being discussed: Applications for Unit 2 Omega Loop, land at Monastery lane, Sutton Oak Primary school and two applications for Earlstown town hall.
How to get involved: the usual suspects - online or in person, more here
Wednesday 22nd July
Wirral policy and resources committee, 6pm, Wallasey town hall
What’s being discussed: A draft four-year council plan, proposals for affordable housing land sales, Pride in Place funding, a refreshed parking strategy and the award of Wirral’s new refuse collection and street cleansing contract.
How to get involved: Online/ in person, details here
Knowsley children and young people scrutiny committee, 6pm, Huyton municipal buildings
What’s being discussed: Youth justice and childhood obesity
How to get involved: Online or in person, as long as you being ID. Details here.
Liverpool culture and economy scrutiny committee, 5pm, Liverpool town hall
What’s being discussed: The Local plan, North docks and the UK Real Estate Investment & Infrastructure Forum.
How to get involved: Members of the public can request to speak, as long as this is done two days before, or just watch either online or in person. More here.
St Helens full council, 6.15pm, St Helens town hall
What’s being discussed: Not a lot considering it’s the first proper full council since recent elections - a question about value for money over the appointment of a political assistant for the new Reform administration set against the backdrop of library closures, revenue and capital outturn reports, code of conduct revisions (and how it all relates to social media) annual reports from other committees and a motion about protecting the green belt in the council’s local plan refresh.
How to get involved: In person, online, details here.
Thursday 23rd July
Sefton cabinet, 10am, Bootle town hall
What’s being discussed: Land disposals, solar panels, SEND transport, children’s community services and treasury reports.
How to get involved: We think this might be online too, but definitely in person, more here
Wirral Council reserve, Council 6pm, Wallasey town hall
What’s being discussed: Not entirely sure what this meeting is, if it’s a placeholder or if it’s a thing, or what’s being discussed
How to get involved: See above, not much more here
Liverpool hackney carriage and private hire licensing sub-committee, 10am, Liverpool town hall
What’s being discussed: License applications and consideration of existing licenses.
How to get involved: Discussions go behind closed doors because they involve people’s personal information, so you can’t in any particularly meaningful sense. More here.
Liverpool finance and resources scrutiny committee, 5pm, Liverpool town hall
What’s being discussed: The council’s disability action plan, the community renewal fund and the state of the coffers.
How to get involved: It’s public question time bonanza in Liverpool this week - make sure you get yours in two days before. You can also watch online or in person, details here.
before you put your diary away …
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