Only you can save centres

May 20 2009 by Lorna Hughes, Birkenhead News

I NOTE the comments from the residents concerned about the future of Heswall Hall following the asset transfer from the local authority in early 2011.

Residents should be aware that the plan is for all community centres to be transferred to management committees by that time.

The centres are to be totally self-funding as all local authority finance will be withdrawn.

For those where committees are in place like Hoylake, Greasby and West Kirby, the implications are still considerable as volunteers will have to run a business and employ staff, which is a big commitment in your spare time.

It is far from clear how centres without a strong, able management team and a capability to generate revenue will survive at all.

If your local Centre does not currently have a Joint Management Committee in place you have a short time to act or you are likely to lose it.

As this it taking place over a longer period than the proposed library closures the impact has not been fully recognised, but the effect on many of the 17 Centres will be the same, I fear.

Over a few years we may lose half of our current community centres and it is only volunteers who can save them.

VAUGHAN WILLIAMS

Chairman, Joint Management Committee, Hoylake Community Centre

Open minded

WEST Kirby needs common sense to prevail.

95% of local residents are against the boutique hotel and sailing centre proposals, and the loss of essential amenities:

Car parking for 150 cars in Dee Lane/Promenade

Loss of parking in Lake Users area

No provision for First Aid Station

No provision for yacht chandlery shop

Design of sailing centre impracticable.

However, two weeks ago West Kirby Sailing Club hosted a prestigious team sailing racing event, with over 250 competitors arriving from the USA and Europe and umpires from as far away as Australia. Competitors, umpires, friends and supporters were provided with accommodation by members of West Kirby Sailing Club (no white elephant hotel required).

The people of West Kirby are open-minded and will support a suitable development in the right place which will retain all amenities that they enjoy.

GIFFORD J TURNER

Hoylake

CCTV prison

HOW refreshing to see that yet again council taxpayers’ money has been wisely invested.

This time West Kirby, the sleepy seaside town has further become part of HM Open Air Prison Wirral.

Along with his central government colleagues Steve Foulkes has spent his years in charge slowly lavishing tax payers’ money on CCTV systems throughout the borough.

Meanwhile our services have been cut back and towns and villages left to rot.

I would like to ask why the installation of a camera was decided upon for the West Kirby Sailing Club end of the promenade. Was it so that he can spot me running around the marina, or walking the dog?

I would have preferred that my money was used to keep my local library open!

If the installation of invasive cameras must persist, I would insist that there is one new camera installed in every councillor’s office that I can access over at any time, so I can see how wisely residents’ tax revenue is being spent.

NAME AND ADDRESS SUPPLIED

via www.wirralnews.co.uk

MP scandal

THE electorate is well aware we have a global financial crisis.

However, the financial crisis in this country must go back years. The news released this week regarding MP’s expenses is a scandal.

I would suggest three things to be done:

An independent team to draw up a list of allowable expenses for all MPs.

Independent auditors examining each MP’s accounts annually.

An independent body to decide the increase in MP salaries.

This needs to be done NOW, not after the next General Election.

P EVANS

Wallasey

Not iconic

FURTHER to David Kirwan’s letter of May 6.

Is the councillor aware that the hotel, said by council to be “iconic”, looks like a pile of cardboard boxes and no more than might be seen on any beach waterfront in the world?

Hardly iconic and not at all innovative. Designs such as these can be seen in the text books of last year students.

Opposition to the proposal may be vociferous but the council nevertheless does not hear. Decay of buildings is not due to protest by neighbours but due to owners and occupiers’ neglect and the council not providing encouragement.

Councillor Kirwan makes assertions at the same rate as the council without providing evidence. What does he mean by “other local pressure groups” and “other opportunities” and what evidence does he have for opposition leading to decay?

The town needs encouragement, not swamping with an unsympathetic hotel and pair of buildings lacking empathy with their neighbours.

JOHN H HUTCHINSON

West Kirby