Upton Matters

At yesterdays Full Council meeting the main debate was on the Social Services PIDA report. After a heated debate, the Labour and Lib Dem coalition closed ranks and voted down our call for an independent inquiry into the matter.   Have they really got so much to hide?

Also on the agenda was a Conservative motion to remove the threat of compulsory closures of Wirral’s community centers if they are not asses ‘transfered.’ Again Labour and Lib Dems closed ranks and voted together to block us.

Finally another motion from the Conservative group was to reinstate the lollipop men and women that the Labour/Lib Dem diktat sacked was also rejected.

This afternoon your Conservative Action Team was out and about in Overchurch knocking on doors and asking people what issues matter to them. The reception was tremendous and the vast majority of those people were delighted that Conservatives had done so much in their area and pledged their support to us during the next elections.

As always if you have an issue or a concern that you think we can help with please do not hesitate to get in touch.

The Cabinet member and Lib Dem Greasby Councillor Jean Quinn has announced a motion to reduce the speed limit around schools to 20mph. While I applaud and support this move I have to point out it was the same person who was responsible for the sacking Wirral’s lollipop men and women. Where was here concern for child safety then?

Incidentally the cost of hiring a barrister for two days worth of work at the library inquiry approx £35,000 is roughly the same cost that the Council saved sacking the School Crossing Patrol. What are this useless administration’s priorities?

Pictured: Geoff Gubb & Esther McVey

Yesterday your Conservative Action Team help a fundraising event in the Tennis Club Victory Hall on Rake land. The event was oversubscribed with 50 people attending. Thanks have to go to Kath, Jennifer and Jasmine who did a wonderful job preparing the Sunday lunch.

Pictured: Geoff Gubb, Paula Wareing – Headteacher Meadowside, Cllr Tom Anderson

Along with staff and governors your Conservative action team managed to raise collectively £2000 to be spend towards a specially adapted minibus for Meadowside School. Congratulations to all who have taken part!

At yesterdays special council meeting called by the Conservative group the saga into who saw the library report and when unfolded. The Director of Law revealed that he would ‘consider’ a request by my Colleague Cllr Ian Lewis of who saw the report. He has subsequently emailed all councillors to tell them he has shared the report with no less than 13 other people, eight of which are unelected. This is unbelievable! Why couldn’t the report be shared with the Leader of the largest party on Wirral? So much for democracy. The full list of who saw the report is below:

The past week I attended the Conservative Party Conference in Manchester. While there was a certain buzz around the place there was no illusion that the next general election is a given and that we have further to go to win the hearts and minds of the British people.

A few of the highlights to come out of conference were:

• Sure Start is safe and we will extend the health visitor service to help all young mums and dads, wherever they live
• We support the minimum wage and we will exclude the lowest paid public sector workers from a pay freeze
• The state pension will be linked to wages so that all pensioners share in the wealth of the country
• Freeze on public sector pay increases for those earning over £18,000 for one year to help pay off Gordon Browns Debt
• More troops and equipment to Afghanistan to ensure security and enable us to withdraw quicker.