Community Radio at ESLA

Enterprise South Liverpool Academy recently played host to two weeks of community radio.

 

Working with Liverpool Community Radio,other local schools and community organisations andn members, there were a series of programmes on a whole range of topics. 

 

I went in to take part in a programme about young people and politics.

 

The whole set up was really impressive and I get the impression that ESLA is keen to do it all over again.  I do hope so!

 

IM Marsh parking restrictions

The Council plans to make the "traffic order" around the parking restrictions by the IM Marsh campus tomorrow (29th October).  There'll be an advertisement at the back of the Liverpool Post this week and then the actual regulations are due to come into effect on a date in December.

This follows a committee decision, after quite some time of discussions, earlier this year.

You can see the material from the committee at this link.

News about new jobs

The Liverpool Post has today published an on line story about a load of jobs moving to Garston, and possibly more being created.  It's to do with the Matchworks.

You can read the story at this link
http://www.liverpooldailypost.co.uk/business/business-news/services-group-amey-relocating-500-6245852?ptnr_rid=206460&?icid=eml_LiverpoolPost_NewsReadMore1

Fund raising football match

Update:   More than £190.00 was raised at this match for the Wirral Autistic Society.


There's a fund raising football match today (27th October) to raise money in memory of the young boy who sadly died in the road accident on Speke Road earlier this week.

It's a junior team who are playing juniors versus parents.

It kicks off at 12 30 on Garston Park.

Longer hours for two local pubs?

The George and the Derby Arms, both in Garston village, have applied for some changes to their hours and other bits of their licensing conditions.

The changes aren't huge - they are basically longer hours on a Sunday, a bit more music at one of the pubs and doing breakfasts at the other.

You can see the details at this link.

The info about what they're asking for is towards the bottom of the page at the moment.  If you want to comment, the form to use is towards the top of the page (word attachment)

Lower energy bills

A scheme to help people switch energy providers and save money is up and running on Merseyside.

You can switch as an individual, or join a joint switch in which negotiations take place on behalf of the group.

Apparently people who have never switched are most likely to benefit from this and most of us tend not to bother switching.

The information is at this link.

Buses - bizarre view of communication and consultation.

I had to laugh when I read todays letter in the Liverpool Post from Councillor Tim Moore.

Tim is attempting to say that the decision on bus lanes hasn't been rushed, is based on something, and has been communicated and consulted on.

As evidence for this he mentions two meetings with bus operators, and the ability of the public to have their say and help scutinise through two meetings at the Council.

He has got to be joking.

The decision was announced ahead of any committee meeting and was prominent in the press on 19 September.  The Transport commitee Tim says was an opportunity for people to have their say was less than a week later on a working day.  The "public" Cabinet meeting he cites was a mere two days after the committee.

If the Council had genuinely wanted a proper consultation, or even some communication before a decision, it wouldn't have worked to this timetable which looks and sounds very much like no other views were required.

It is good that there will be a scutiny group to look at the effects of the suspension but I have little doubt that this was an afterthought once opposition started being made clear.

I personally am agnostic about bus lanes.  But I believe all significant decisions should involve proper consultation and proper evidence.  In this case evidence could have been collected before any suspension rather than using the suspension as post hoc rationalisation.

As for the meetings with bus operators, both sides acknowledge they happened.  The bus people say these were meetings to tell them what was happening rather than to consult.  Without being there it's impossible to know but it will be interesting to find out what the timing of these meetings was (ie pre or post the press announcement)