This is the text of an email I sent to the regeneration team at Wirral MBC to accompany my apologies for the next community consultation meeting - which I can't make.
Please accept my apologies for the next meeting which I won’t be able to make.
Good news since the last meeting is the exemplary response of the wardens and clean up team who have been on the ball when it comes to cleaning up behind the fly tippers and window smashers. The last resident on Seymour Street (No 17) moved out this morning the 19th April so I expect that the vandals will move in some time later today and strip off the gutters, lead, copper, coping stones and anything else they can lay their hands on. If these houses can now be pulled down ASAP that will be a great help.
Bad news has also been the continued activities of local violent gangs who have been very active locally intimidating people – launching a series of raids on the Co-op, breaking their windows, assaulting staff, security guards and on one occasion a police car that was called to attend a disturbance at the Co-op. We have also had a spate of incidents on Liversidge Road, Church Road and Seymour Street with cars vandalised and people – including me – intimidated and threatened.
Against this background the recent claims by the police in the local press that Birkenhead is now much safer than Heswall - don’t go down very well in Tranmere. The police have been more active and have had an impact that local residents notice and are grateful for - but much, much more remains to be done. The police need to further raise their profile and CCTV is a real must-do for us in the regeneration process. We definitely need to make community safety in the new Tranmere a central component in the regeneration strategy for the area. Failure to do so will condemn the area to continue the decline – albeit with newer houses.
How about this for a specific target – make Higher Tranmere so safe that the shops don’t need security guards? That would be the sort of area that people will want to live in. I think we need specific plans on lighting, on CCTV, on policing, and on youth facilities – alongside our housing plans.
Have a good meeting folks.
Sorry I can’t be with you.
James
The minutes of the last residents meeting now follow this blog.
Thursday, April 19, 2007
Church Road Residents Meeting March Minutes
Church Road Residents Meeting
Royal Standard House, 7th March 2007 at 2:00pm
Present
Hazel Roberts Resident
Steph Reid Tranmere Alliance
Graham Williams
James Kay Resident
Cllr Phil Davies Wirral Council
Rob Walsh Together
Bruce Lister Lovell
Chris Bowen Wirral Council
Nicola Rigby Newheartlands
Emma Foley Wirral Council
Apologies
John Steele Together
James Hurley Wirral Council
Matters Arising from Previous Minutes
JK asked if item 5.4 from the previous minutes could be re-worded to read.
HR and JK both stressed the importance of providing CCTV in the new retail development, particularly in light of the recent increase in anti-social behaviour by large groups of youths on Church Road. GW said that a recent Church Road Meeting had to be relocated from the Methodist Church due to intimidation by the youths. Cllr Davies said he would speak to Mick Blease to request a greater police presence in the area. The issue will also be taken up by HR at the next JAG.
Cllr Davies said he was pleased that the signage had been installed within agreed timescales.
HMRI Update
CB sported that HMRI funding for Wirral would be around £10 million with an additional £6million of Council resources. A signified amount of this funding will be directed at Tranmere and Rock Ferry. In the last few months the Council has brought in £0.5million from the North West Development Agency and £1million from English Partnerships. It is hoped that a large proportion of the properties in the Church Road Clearance Area will have been brought in by March 2008.
Newheartlands will be bidding for the next round of funding in Autumn 2007.
Development Update
CB said that although the Planning Application had not been submitted, the issues that are outstanding are close to being resolved, hopefully so that the application can be submitted before the end of the month.
It was recognised that the relocation of some businesses was less straight forward than others; however the Council was prepared to go the extra mile to help businesses through this process as far as practicable.
BL said that as far as Lovell were concerned the main Church Road site must be exclusively residential, with the neighbourhood shopping centre on the Abakhan Site.
HR said that she had been to see Frank Field who had said he saw no reason why the outline planning application couldn’t be submitted whilst relocation options were being considered by businesses in the area.
BL said that he had revised the Development Programme based on the outline planning application being submitted at the end of the month. This showed a projected start date at the end of 2007. BL said that rather than start just before Christmas, Lovell would prefer to work to a start date of January 2008.
All sites for Phase 1 of the scheme are vacant with the exception of Waterloo Bathrooms who have now moved down to New Chester Road. Their lease doesn’t expire until April after which time plans will be put in place to demolish the building as soon as possible.
BL is about to commission work on the detailed design in advance of a decision on the outline planning application to speed up the design process – residents will be kept in the loop.
BL asked for views on whether there should be accommodation over the shops. There arguments for building flats included better policing of the shops at night and a better urban form if we build to 2 stories; however, there are concerns about potential management problems of the flats.
SR has been speaking to a couple who run a post office and convenience store in Beechwood and asked if it was likely that they could occupy the large ‘anchor store’ in the new retail development. BL said that it is more likely that the anchor store will be one of the national multiples, but no decisions have yet been made on who this would be.
Marketing & Communications
Newheartlands are organising a Launch Event for the ‘Live Wirral’ branding on 17th May 2007 at Tranmere Rovers Football Club. NR is hoping to get a high profile figure to speak at the event and some suggestions were made.
GW and JK agreed that marketing needs to be aimed at different levels, place marketing to attract new residents into the area, and more localised Marketing Strategy aimed at developing a sense of community and belonging for existing residents.
A.O.B
EF mentioned that Compass Regeneration Academy had a sponsored (free) place available on the next course in April for a resident or member of a community group. The course would be one day a week (Thurs) for 12 weeks and anyone interested needs to be available for all sessions. Anyone interested in learning more about regeneration should contact EF.
RW was asked if he could resurrect the Youth Group which he attempted to facilitate last year. Cllr Davies said the Council are currently reviewing their youth provision. It was agreed that this issue needed further discussions outside the Church Road Residents Group.
Date of Next Meeting
Wednesday 25th April 2006 at 2:00pm, at Royal Standard House, Tranmere.
Royal Standard House, 7th March 2007 at 2:00pm
Present
Hazel Roberts Resident
Steph Reid Tranmere Alliance
Graham Williams
James Kay Resident
Cllr Phil Davies Wirral Council
Rob Walsh Together
Bruce Lister Lovell
Chris Bowen Wirral Council
Nicola Rigby Newheartlands
Emma Foley Wirral Council
Apologies
John Steele Together
James Hurley Wirral Council
Matters Arising from Previous Minutes
JK asked if item 5.4 from the previous minutes could be re-worded to read.
HR and JK both stressed the importance of providing CCTV in the new retail development, particularly in light of the recent increase in anti-social behaviour by large groups of youths on Church Road. GW said that a recent Church Road Meeting had to be relocated from the Methodist Church due to intimidation by the youths. Cllr Davies said he would speak to Mick Blease to request a greater police presence in the area. The issue will also be taken up by HR at the next JAG.
Cllr Davies said he was pleased that the signage had been installed within agreed timescales.
HMRI Update
CB sported that HMRI funding for Wirral would be around £10 million with an additional £6million of Council resources. A signified amount of this funding will be directed at Tranmere and Rock Ferry. In the last few months the Council has brought in £0.5million from the North West Development Agency and £1million from English Partnerships. It is hoped that a large proportion of the properties in the Church Road Clearance Area will have been brought in by March 2008.
Newheartlands will be bidding for the next round of funding in Autumn 2007.
Development Update
CB said that although the Planning Application had not been submitted, the issues that are outstanding are close to being resolved, hopefully so that the application can be submitted before the end of the month.
It was recognised that the relocation of some businesses was less straight forward than others; however the Council was prepared to go the extra mile to help businesses through this process as far as practicable.
BL said that as far as Lovell were concerned the main Church Road site must be exclusively residential, with the neighbourhood shopping centre on the Abakhan Site.
HR said that she had been to see Frank Field who had said he saw no reason why the outline planning application couldn’t be submitted whilst relocation options were being considered by businesses in the area.
BL said that he had revised the Development Programme based on the outline planning application being submitted at the end of the month. This showed a projected start date at the end of 2007. BL said that rather than start just before Christmas, Lovell would prefer to work to a start date of January 2008.
All sites for Phase 1 of the scheme are vacant with the exception of Waterloo Bathrooms who have now moved down to New Chester Road. Their lease doesn’t expire until April after which time plans will be put in place to demolish the building as soon as possible.
BL is about to commission work on the detailed design in advance of a decision on the outline planning application to speed up the design process – residents will be kept in the loop.
BL asked for views on whether there should be accommodation over the shops. There arguments for building flats included better policing of the shops at night and a better urban form if we build to 2 stories; however, there are concerns about potential management problems of the flats.
SR has been speaking to a couple who run a post office and convenience store in Beechwood and asked if it was likely that they could occupy the large ‘anchor store’ in the new retail development. BL said that it is more likely that the anchor store will be one of the national multiples, but no decisions have yet been made on who this would be.
Marketing & Communications
Newheartlands are organising a Launch Event for the ‘Live Wirral’ branding on 17th May 2007 at Tranmere Rovers Football Club. NR is hoping to get a high profile figure to speak at the event and some suggestions were made.
GW and JK agreed that marketing needs to be aimed at different levels, place marketing to attract new residents into the area, and more localised Marketing Strategy aimed at developing a sense of community and belonging for existing residents.
A.O.B
EF mentioned that Compass Regeneration Academy had a sponsored (free) place available on the next course in April for a resident or member of a community group. The course would be one day a week (Thurs) for 12 weeks and anyone interested needs to be available for all sessions. Anyone interested in learning more about regeneration should contact EF.
RW was asked if he could resurrect the Youth Group which he attempted to facilitate last year. Cllr Davies said the Council are currently reviewing their youth provision. It was agreed that this issue needed further discussions outside the Church Road Residents Group.
Date of Next Meeting
Wednesday 25th April 2006 at 2:00pm, at Royal Standard House, Tranmere.
Thursday, April 05, 2007
Even more violence at the Co-op
The cycle of violence at the Co-op seems to go on and on. I went in again yesterday to be told that there had been yet a further outbreak of violence with the same group of young thieves grabbing beer and running out - beating anyone who gets in their way. On this occasion I am told a young female staff member was injured. I am surprised that the Co-op can get staff to work there given the number of violent incidents there have been recently in and around the shop.
I then go home and read in the Wirral News that violence is going down in Birkenhead. Not in the Tranmere bit of Birkenhead it isn't!
We need more assertive policing of this area and a CCTV installation would make us feel more secure. TRACE has called repeatedly over the last two years for CCTV to be part of the security system in the 'new Higher Tranmere'. Now would be a good time!
I then go home and read in the Wirral News that violence is going down in Birkenhead. Not in the Tranmere bit of Birkenhead it isn't!
We need more assertive policing of this area and a CCTV installation would make us feel more secure. TRACE has called repeatedly over the last two years for CCTV to be part of the security system in the 'new Higher Tranmere'. Now would be a good time!
Sunday, April 01, 2007
More violence at Tranmere Co-op
Going past the Co-op on Sunday (1st of April) at about 5pm I noticed the security guard being helped into an ambulance. He had a neck brace on and looked groggy. I went into the shop about ten minutes later and was told that "the same group of lads who had been trying to steal beer and food last week" had been back in with some girls and had tried to steal beer and readymeals. The security guard chased them out and was set upon by thugs wielding wooden staves. The police were called. The staff told me that they know the names of the people concerned and these have been passed on to the police.
I have also been told by other people locally (not Co-op staff) that those who were arrested a few weeks ago - for smashing in the windows at the shop -[the same ones again?] had been released because they were too young to be charged. They had allegedly come back into the Co-op to brag about getting away with it. This may just be a rumour but if it is true it is just not acceptable. If they are old enough to destroy property and hurt people - then they are old enough to bear the consequences. More importantly even than that people in Tranmere need to be protected from these thugs.
What is going on in Tranmere? It feels like the area is sliding into lawlessness. A previous report on this blog (see 1st March below) has talked about violent youth gangs in the area. The Police, local Magistrates and the local media should be working together to make this a no-go area for these types of thugs.
What do you think?
I have also been told by other people locally (not Co-op staff) that those who were arrested a few weeks ago - for smashing in the windows at the shop -[the same ones again?] had been released because they were too young to be charged. They had allegedly come back into the Co-op to brag about getting away with it. This may just be a rumour but if it is true it is just not acceptable. If they are old enough to destroy property and hurt people - then they are old enough to bear the consequences. More importantly even than that people in Tranmere need to be protected from these thugs.
What is going on in Tranmere? It feels like the area is sliding into lawlessness. A previous report on this blog (see 1st March below) has talked about violent youth gangs in the area. The Police, local Magistrates and the local media should be working together to make this a no-go area for these types of thugs.
What do you think?
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