Wirral News Your Views, 11/04/2012

Apr 11 2012 Birkenhead News

Time to have elected mayor for Wirral

YOUR item about Steve Foulkes stepping down as Labour leader (Wirral News, April 4) surely begs the question: Is it time for Wirral to have an elected mayor?

Mr Foulkes makes the point that leading the council is a full-time job and cannot be done by a part-time councillor.

The wretched performance of senior officers (on six-figure salaries) cries out for firm executive leadership.

We can assume the disgraceful behaviour about which the public is aware (the Cheshire Lines building, the road contract, social services overcharging) represents only the tip of the iceberg.

Management by committee is never the best way to get things done.

Give us an elected mayor who will sort out these overpaid officers who clearly have no interest in serving the people of Wirral.

Charlie Picken

Via email

Price is nonsense

THIS is normally the week postage prices increase, but this year it’s not such a blow – the increase is not until the end of the month and people on benefits will get their Christmas stamps at 2011 prices.

But who on earth came up with 40p, 50p, 60p (which are reasonable prices for the service – imagine trying to deliver a letter yourself to the other end of the country for that price!) – and yet – wait for it – 69p?

I don’t happen to know any Post Office staff who learned their 69-times-table in school – or I am being simply too cynical to think that Royal Mail actually want everyone to ‘donate’ the extra 1p to make life easier all round?

Jim O'Neil,

Shaw Street, Hoylake

We do our bit

IN RESPONSE to Mr Smith who complained about Wallasey people littering New Brighton (Wirral News, April 4) he may like to know that a good many local people do take pride in their area, are very active in maintaining its appearance and have been since before the welcome improvements along Tower Promenade.

I am part of a local group, the New Brighton Shore Volunteers, and for the last three years we have cleaned a stretch of beach along Magazine Promenade once a month, for nine months of the year. We do this with the support of Wirral Council and New Brighton Community Partnership. In the three years we have been active, the appearance of this stretch of beach has improved dramatically and it’s now a much safer and attractive spot than previously. We are often thanked by passers-by for our efforts and our numbers are steadily increasing.

Such has been the impact that we struggle to find a lot of litter in our regular spot and so last weekend we cleaned along Tower Promenade which is the area Mr Smith has commented upon. We know our example has inspired others to be more mindful of the issue.

I agree with Mr Smith that this area can look very untidy and I was appalled myself last week at the overflowing bins and discarded food trays and bottles which were a real eyesore, but he is wrong to simply blame Wallasey people for this as it’s just as much the fault of visitors to the area and this problem will only increase as the area becomes even more popular.

I also agree that dog fouling is a problem and I’m also at a loss to understand why some dog owners go the trouble of picking up their dogs’ mess only to dump the bag or tie it to the railings like some sort of decoration. This is unsanitary, unsightly, lazy and should stop.

Mr Smith is very welcome to join us for future beach cleans should he wish to take part and my details can be made available to any other readers wanting to take pride in their community and to make sure that Wallasey and New Brighton go from strength to strength.

Paul Roberts,

New Brighton

Too many signs

I READ that a 20mph speed limit is to be imposed in the Wirral.

Why 20mph? Why not 5 to 15?

Why not turn most roads into cul de sacs?

In other words, is the scheme really necessary or is it just an exercise in power and more jobs for the staff?

I am thinking about the existing miles of yellow lines and thousands of signs already in place, not to mention all those ridiculous ‘accident route alert’ signs.

Where will it stop and what will be the effect on shopkeepers etc?

I suppose we will blunder on as usual.

It is only money after all.

D ROBERTS,

via email