Asda shoppers air views as Wirral Council’s biggest-ever consultation goes into second week

Sep 22 2010 by Liam Murphy, Birkenhead News

WIRRAL Council's big consultation has completed the first of its six weeks handing out thousands of questionnaires to the borough's residents – and revealing plans to involve as many people as possible.

Approximately 6,000 questionnaires have now been distributed, mostly to community groups and other local organisations, and around 2,200 handed out at roadshows during the first week.

The roadshows have been visiting libraries, One Stop Shops, sports centres and even supermarkets to seek people's opinions.

The Wirral's Future: Be a Part of It consultation seeks people's views on how the authority will tackle looming budget cuts as the council faces a £100million deficit over the next four years.

So far 74 of the questionnaires have been returned, with 764 completed online, however, the council is also trying to make sure people from more deprived areas are included and that those who rarely take part in such consultations are asked for their views.

At the Asda store in Woodchurch where council officers were handing out questionnaires to shoppers, there was interest in the consultation, although some raised concerns about whether their views would be taken into account.

Elizabeth Bell, who came back and took extra questionnaires for her work colleagues, urged the council to "cut out expensive junkets". She said: "They can't tell us where to make cuts until they do that and look as if they are serious.

“But I do think the idea of being asked is brilliant - as long as it's not just a paper exercise."

Gill Parker and Lauren Nicholas both said they were open-minded about the consultation but interested to see how it would work, and another shopper who asked not to be named, said the consultation was “on the wrong things” and that the council needs to cut out unnecessary paperwork.

A spokeswoman for the council urged those who have taken questionnaires to complete them and return them to the authority.

The Reach Out team, which visits residents directly in their own homes and to help with employment, training and education, is going to be handing out questionnaires and telling people about the consultation at all of their Job Clubs.

The teams will also be talking to people about the consultation in Seacombe, Birkenhead, Beechwood, Tranmere, Woodchurch, and Leasowe where they go door-knocking every day.

Cllr Ian Lewis, cabinet member for customer and community engagement, said: "The Roadshow has hit the ground running with a fantastic first week.

"We've been overwhelmed by the number of people who see this is as their chance to tell the council how we should be spending their money.”

l THIS week the roadshows will be at: THURSDAY: Asda in Liscard and Morrisons in West Kirby (Thursday, 10am to 8pm)

FRIDAY: Seacombe One-stop Shop and Upton One-Stop Shop, 10am to 1pm and West Kirby One-Stop Shop, 1.30pm - 5pm.

SATURDAY: Bidston Village Heritage Day,

10am - 4pm

SUNDAY: Cadets 105 Parade, Seacombe Promenade, 10am to 4pm

MONDAY: Leasowe Library,

1.30 to 5pm; Hoylake Library, 2.30pm; The Oval, 6pm to 8.30pm; Charing Cross Neighbourhood Centre, 6.30pm - 9.30pm