Latest Activity Report

Welcome to another update on Green Party activities across Birkenhead and Tranmere.

It was dispiriting to see the widespread rioting affect our own area this week. Needless to say, such behaviour is totally unacceptable. However, it was good to see how quickly the local community came together and how swiftly some of the mindless minority have been brought to justice.

The whole sordid affair raises serious questions for our government. Worryingly, they have so far sought to deal with this issue purely in terms of crime and punishment. While punishing the guilty is hugely important, if we don’t seek to understand the underlying issues we are doomed to more of the same behavior.

The Pointless Party

My colleague, John Reardon, recently wrote a piece attacking Labour for its failure to support public sector workers.

Now the same can be said of the Labour party in Wirral. Just three months back in power and Labour councilors have voted to close care homes they previously campaigned to keep open; backtracked on plans to introduce 20mph zones in residential areas and, most shockingly of all, tried to prevent a modest pay award for the lowest paid workers on the Council. Incredibly, only the votes of Tory and Lib Dem Councillors secured a £250 increase in pay for a small number of Council employees. Labour’s embarrassment is laid bare in this report from the Birkenhead News. Suffice to say, when the Tories are doing a better job protecting the low-paid, you know Labour has completely lost it.

Streets update:

As usual, the Green Party continues to work hard on a daily basis to improve your quality of life. Some of the issues highlighted over the last month are outlined below with links to the full details on my web site:

·         For the latest on the (lack of) development along Church Road please click here

·         Thanks to Wirral Partnership Homes who finally got round to clearing the blocked drain on Holt Road/Kelvin Road

·         Technical Services has promised a cul-de-sac sign for Park Street which will hopefully put an end to this nonsense

·         There was a predictably disappointing response to my request for measures to address speeding traffic on Victoria Road and Harrowby Road

·         Wirral Council says it will install new lighting on Fountain Street/Whitford Road when “funds become available”

·         Planning permission is being sought to use the land between Seymour Street and Thompson Street as a temporary car park. More details here.