Fire on Kirkstall Drive, Formby

I have been contacted by a few residents about a recent fire in the passageway on Kirkstall Drive which is adjacent to the Formby Bypass.

I have informed the Fire Service who will be visiting the site and will be speaking to local residents in the next few days.

Planning Matters

I have recently been sent a copy of Frequently Asked Questions by Sefton Council's planning Department regarding the Local Plan which among other things will set out the housing strategy for Formby over the next 15 years. If you wish to obtain a transcript of this letter,  please contact me at peter.maguire@councillors.sefton.gov.uk

Formby Labour Councillor Nina Killen attends Trinity St Peter's School Council meeting to hear pupils' concerns about traffic

Formby Labour Councillor Nina Killen attended a very special council meeting this week - Trinity St Peter's School Council.

The Harington Ward Labour Councillor met with the young members of the school council to hear their ideas for reducing the amount of traffic outside their school during school times.

Paradise Lane is regularly congested as parents drop their children off and pick them up.

Cllr Killen heard from the young school council members that it can often be difficult just to cross the road.

Cllr Killen said: "I would like to thank the school council members, the headteacher Mrs Deborah Pringle and Year Six teacher and school council facilitator Mrs Bev Riley for inviting me along to hear the concerns that the pupils have and some of their ideas to try ease the problem.

"I live close to this school and see for myself how busy this part of Formby gets at the start and end of the school day. During the peak time, it is often wisest to avoid Paradise Lane altogether because of the congestion.

"The young people on the school council were telling me that it can be very difficult just to cross the road to get to the school.

"Obviously parents dropping their children off want to get as close as possible to the school gate for safety reasons and also to avoid the weather.

"It is a problem which is mirrored outside schools throughout Sefton."

Cllr Killen said the pupils on the school council had come up with some good proposals.

Cllr Killen said: "The pupils have a unique perspective on the issue of traffic congestion outside the school.

"They had a number of good ideas which can help to reduce the problem. They suggested residents' parking permits, a zebra crossing, traffic lights and double yellow lines, but most thought a lollipop person would be the answer. The school already has a walking bus from the Grapes but they felt more children would walk if there was a lollipop person. 

"I was impressed by the pupils and I will give them all the support that I can to turn their ideas into a reality."

Trinity St Peter's School Council facilitator and Year Six teacher Mrs Bev Riley said: "The school council is looking at ways of reducing traffic on Paradise Lane and that's why we invited Cllr Killen to talk through some of the ideas which they have.

"Parents complain all the time about how dangerous the road can be. The school council is looking at just what can be done."

Homelessness in Sefton

I've had a number of letters from residents over recent weeks regarding Sefton's policy towards homelessness. Please see below the initiatives currently being undertaken in the Borough.

Cold Weather Provision

Sefton MBC has a well established Cold Weather Provision in partnership with Liverpool CC; this provision should mean that anyone rough sleeping has the opportunity to access overnight shelter and additional support.

This provision is available based on government set criteria i.e. when the temperature is estimated to be zero degrees Celsius or below for a period of 3 days or longer.  Services and groups throughout the area are made aware of when the shelter is open.

The service is based in the Liverpool City Centre area and is hosted by a local church who allows use of their church hall. The shelter is staffed by volunteers from homelessness groups and charities.

The service allows rough sleepers to shelter but does not provide beds. Any person accessing the shelter is given the opportunity of additional support the next morning via various homelessness groups and charities. Obviously the person has the opportunity to decline this assistance and in practice many do. 

No Second Night Out

“No Second Night Out” (NSNO) is a scheme that originated in London and the government wants to see replicated nation-wide. Sefton is part of the Liverpool City Region “NSNO” protocol (the first outside London) that aims to get first time rough sleepers off the streets as soon as possible.

NSNO allows incidents of rough sleeping to be reported to a central co-ordinating point. The report can be made by statutory bodies, VCF groups, partner agencies and members of the public. There is a contact free phone number; 0300 123 2041, and web-site; nosecondnightoutmerseyside.co.uk 

Once the referral is received staff from the Whitechapel Centre (the group contracted to undertake this work on behalf of the City region LA’s) will go out to the area where the rough sleeping is thought to occur and try to contact the person individually. If contact can be made they will offer him/her the range of options available to them.  Again the person has the opportunity to decline this assistance and in practice many do.  However the very nature of rough sleeping means that it is often difficult to make and maintain contact with a person who is rough sleeping.

Sit-up Service

Sefton MBC in conjunction with Liverpool CC also provides a “sit up” service outside the times when the Cold Weather Service is not in operation. This service provides overnight shelter for people who are rough sleeping or at risk of rough sleeping where shelter is required for a short period whilst a longer term solution is secured.

This service is provided by a range of homeless groups in the Liverpool City Centre area.

All these schemes seek to end rough sleeping and provide support and assist the individuals into more permanent accommodation should they wish to.

Conservative plans to split Formby in two as part of constituency boundary changes defeated by Labour in the House of Commons

Labour MP Bill Esterson said the defeat of Tory plans to split Sefton Central and the town of Formby was a victory for common sense.

 
MPs voted on Tory plans which would have created a new constituency which contained Maghull, Aintree, Melling, parts of Bootle, parts of Crosby and Formby would have been split in two.
 
Formby's Ravenmeols Ward would have stayed in the Crosby and Maghull constituency, while Harington Ward would have ended up in Southport.
 
Bill Esterson repeatedly spoke out against the plans which he said would have been devastating for the community of Formby.
 
Bill said: "The Conservatives wanted to push this undemocratic bill through to gerrymander constituencies up and down the country. In so doing they planned to split the historic community of Formby.
 
"At the public hearing I spoke out strongly against the plans because of the impact the plans would have had on Formby.
 
"People in that town told me how they opposed the plans and they wanted to remain as one distinct town. Not split in two with one Member of Parliament representing one part of the town and another Member of Parliament representing the rest.
 
"That would not have been in the best interests of the people of my constituency.
 
"Despite hearing my concerns, and the concerns of the people of Sefton Central and Formby, the Conservatives insisted on pushing through their plans.
 
"Common sense prevailed in the House of Commons as the Conservatives were outvoted and David Cameron's plans to cut Formby in two were thrown out as the Labour Party led the charge to oppose the Tory-Lib Dem Government's plans."
 
The Tories' plans were voted down in the Commons as 292 MPs voted in favour of the boundary changes and 334 voted to reject them.
 
Bill Esterson said it was right that people of Formby and Sefton Central were heard.
 
Bill said: "The Government was claiming that the changes were designed to reduce costs as the number of MPs was to be slashed from 650 to 600. Meanwhile they were duplicitously creating nearly 200 new peers in the Lords who are unelected and who cost more than £150,000 a year - each.
 
"This exposes the real purpose of these changes as the Conservatives aimed to gerrymander the constituency boundaries to create a majority for them after the next General Election. They tried to rig the system in favour of the Conservatives at the expense of the country and democracy at large.
 
"The cost of that would have been the slicing in two of strong communities.
 
"This was a party political move by the Conservatives and not in the interests of the country at large - and certainly not in the interests of the people of Formby and Sefton Central.
 
"That's why the Labour Party voted the bill down.
 
"After hearing the Formby residents' concerns, I was determined to fight the Tories' plans to the bitter end and I am delighted that the campaign to save Formby has been successful.
 
"This is a huge defeat for the Conservatives. Time has now been called on this sham of a Government."
 

Formby Labour Councillor Nina Killen backs 20mph speed restriction plan

Formby Labour Councillor Nina Killen said she is backing a 20mph restriction on some roads in Formby because "when it comes to road safety, every mile-per-hour counts".

The plans would see the north eastern part of the town with the new speed restriction - north of Piercefield Road, Ryeground Lane and Southport Road; and east of the railway line.

Sefton's proposals were given a warm welcome by a large proportion of consulted residents.

A total of 1,581 households in the affected area of Formby were consulted. Forty-two per cent of households responded to the consultation - 71% of whom were in favour of a 20mph restriction.

Formby councillors will this week vote on whether to introduce the new speed restrictions when they meet at the area committee.

Cllr Killen said she was backing the plans.

Cllr Killen said: "In this type of residential area, there really is no need to do any more than 20mph. We have a number of primary schools in this part of Formby and restricting traffic speed will help to save lives and keep our roads safer for not just our children, but also older people in our community.

"Studies show that every mile-per-hour over 20mph dramatically increases the risk of serious injury or death in the event of a collision. In areas of Portsmouth where 20mph zones have been introduced, there have been 22% fewer casualties.

"There are also proven improvements in air quality and pollution. Which is obviously beneficial for the whole community.


"There was an excellent return rate for the consultation, which was way higher than the average. With 71% of those people responding positively to the proposals, this is something which clearly has the support of people who live here.

"For these reasons I will be backing the proposals."

Cllr Killen, who has three young children, said "20's plenty for this part of Formby".

Cllr Killen said: "I live in this area. I also drive. I don't know why we would oppose a 20mph limit.

"Very often, when I am out and about with the children, it can be a real struggle to get across certain roads because of the speed of the traffic.

"But the studies show that people who travel at 20mph in speed restricted areas reach their destination no more than 40 seconds later because the flow of traffic is improved.

"It is better to arrive 40 seconds later than risk seriously injuring a child. It's a small price to pay."

Harington Ward Labour Councillor makes sure Formby residents have their say on which trees are planted in their community

Harington Ward Labour Councillor Nina Killen said she is delighted that Formby residents will get the chance to have their say which trees are to be planted on a green at the heart of the community where three trees have recently been removed.

 

Cllr Killen had been contacted by residents concerned that three trees have been taken down from the open green space on Wicks Green.

 

Residents believed that the trees had been mistakenly removed, but after being contacted by Cllr Killen, Sefton Council's arborists have confirmed that the trees were dead and they were removed for public safety.

 

But now Cllr Killen and her Harington Ward colleagues are working to secure funding to pay for replacements

 

Cllr Killen said: "I met with the residents around Wicks Green who were obviously concerned that the trees had been removed from the green.

 

"Three poplar trees were removed because they were dead and at least two others are at risk due to them being in a similar condition.

 

"The council had been concerned that the trees had become dangerous in the condition they were in and tell me they feared that the trees could have fallen in the road or injured someone.

 

"But I has passed on the concerns of some of the local residents that they had felt there had been no communication about the removal of the trees. Sefton officers have agreed to reassess whether the process can be more transparent to keep those living in the community more informed."

 

Due to the Tory-Lib Dem Government funding cuts, Sefton Council doesn't have the budget to replace the trees, but Cllr Killen said councillors are working on sourcing the funding from elsewhere.

 

Cllr Killen said: "Because of the financial constraints imposed on Sefton by the Tories and Lib Dems in Government, there is not a lot of money available to pay for replacements or management of the replacement trees.

 

"There is no money in the council's trees budget for replanting trees, so the money has to be found from elsewhere. But I am delighted that my ward colleagues have agreed with me that the trees need to be replaced.

 

"The residents have already made a contribution and we will work at sourcing the rest.

 

"Bigger more mature trees will cost more but may survive better so we'll have to strike a balance between cost and tree size. The council's tree planting manager, is going to put together a proposal with different options. So the residents themselves will get the chance to choose what type and how many trees they want. That will be their decision."

 

The trees will be planted this winter during the regular tree planting season, and they will be guaranteed for two years. If they don't take they will be replaced. 

 

Cllr Killen added: "I am really pleased we've been able to help the residents with this situation. I know tree felling is a very emotive issue and we've had a similar issue recently in the Village where trees have had to be taken down. 

 

"We are hoping that those trees will be replaced too.

 

"My ward colleagues and I have worked together with the residents to come to a decision which I think most residents are satisfied with. The trees are going to be replaced with ones which are more suited to the green and which will be of a more mature nature so much nicer to look at."