We would like to introduce The Woodchurch T.R.U.S.T (Which stands for Tenants - Residents - United - Strategy - Team). Our group has been established BY the residents for ALL the residents in Woodchurch so that we can find out exactly what YOU want concerning all the projects and policies that are being implemented and planned for where WE live. We meet the first Tuesday of the month, come and join us and find out what we are about for yourself.

• Click here to take our online Survey.....
• More information about us........
• News on latest project

We have some interesting plans but we really want to hear YOUR ideas for the area that WE all live in. Your input is extremely important and can really make a difference when talking to the agencies and providers that decide what is going to happen here. The T.R.U.S.T are all residents who are proud of where we live, and we hope that like us, you want to see our community thrive & grow in the right way !

Now that we have managed to secure the Leisure and the Community Centre it remains to be seen how much this will cost us in the long term. Woodchurch Library is now targeted for closure and moved into Upton Library which saves their building. The latest report from all the consultation and reviews about the strategic review is in the Local Development Framework which you can read following the link further down this page or on the council website.

It is really important that we now concentrate on how to develop the estate for the future, this is not the end of these issues it is just the start. Woodchurch needs to make sure we get what we need and we can only do that if we stay involved in what is happening here. Cick on our on line magazine for the full article and photos as well as other items that may be of interest.

Relocation of Gilbrook School to the former Arrowe Hill site

The Council has been carrying out a review of primary schools across Wirral over the last few years. One of the outcomes of this review process is that Arrowe Hill Primary School in Woodchurch will close as a primary school from 31 st August 2009. The Governing body of Gilbrook School had asked the Council to look at moving Gilbrook to a larger building with more outdoor space. The possibility of relocating Gilbrook to the former Arrowe Hill site has now been discussed between the Local Authority and the Governing body of Gilbrook School, and so far all are agreed that relocation would be beneficial.

Because the proposed site is more than 2 miles away from Gilbrook's existing site, we are consulting more widely with parents, staff, governors and other people related to Gilbrook School in order to help decide whether Gilbrook should relocate to the former Arrowe Hill site.

The Governing body believes that the benefits would be as follows:

• More classrooms, which should help reduce class sizes even further
• Better quality accommodation for the exclusion base
• More meeting spaces for various agencies including social care, health, education and parents, as well as one to one sessions with pupils
• More capacity to provide extended services – parents weekly workshops, for example
• More car parking and a larger staffroom
• More space to carry out additional behaviour support training and advice to mainstream schools

For further information click on the blue links:

Consultation Leaflet

Building and site information for Gilbrook and Arrowe Hill
Have your say

There will be a session at Gilbrook School on Wednesday 24 th June at 10 o'clock in the morning.The meeting is an opportunity for parents, staff, governors and other people directly related to the school to find out more information and talk to representatives of the Children and Young People's Department. People associated with other local or special schools, and members of the public who want to, can write in with their views. Anyone who wants to can write and say what they think. How to respond to the consultation

The postal address for return of feedback forms or written comments is:

Gilbrook Consultation
Director of Children's Services
Hamilton Building
Conway Street
Birkenhead
CH41 1FD

Or by e-mail to specialreview@wirral.gov.uk

The closing date for written and e-mailed comments is:
FRIDAY, 31 st JULY 2009

If you require further information, or would like to make any comments, please use the consultation feedback form .

You will need Acrobat Reader on your computer to read these reports.
The latest version of Acrobat Reader is available as a free download from Adobe's website.

The Local Development Framework is the next stage the council are planning to bring in as the blueprint for the next 15 -20 years and are looking to adopt this by 2011 read more about this on the following link:

Local Development Framework

WIRRAL Partnership Homes

WPH is working with partners LHT and Bardsley Construction to construct 20 two, three and four bedroom houses and bungalows for rent at Home Farm Road, Woodchurch and Juliet Gardens in Bebington.It says the flagship projects will be energy efficient and environmentally friendly.

The design will include means they will have solar panels, extra insulation and a ‘greener’ specification to minimize their carbon footprint. Brian Simpson, chief executive of Wirral Partnership Homes, said: “WPH is especially proud that its flagship development schemes will build such exceptional homes. Our residents deserve the best and we aim to work with our partners to fulfil our mission and provide them with homes of first choice.”

Is this the end for nasty neighbours?

New powers to tackle anti social behaviour across Wirral have come into force this week as part of a government scheme. Under the closure order a property where there is persistent disorder reported can be closed temporarily in a similar way to current crack house closure orders. The powers available to police and local authorities are tenure neutral and apply to any home including owner occupied properties. Other premises included are residential properties, common areas next to properties, factories, shops, pubs, clubs, public buildings, community centre's or halls and car parks.

The affected properties can remain sealed for 3 months, up to a maximum of 6 months, but other interventions will be used alongside the power to resolve the problem in the longer term .Caroline Laing, manager of Wirral’s anti-social behaviour team said The Home Office has responded to requests from practitioners and enacted this significant piece of legislation.

While use of this power will not be Wirral’s first response to a situation, it is a robust tool and hopefully will provide a significant deterrent to individuals who are either responsible for or fail to adequately control anti social behaviour and their premises.

Residents wishing to report anti-social behaviour are encouraged to contact 'It's Your Call', a borough-wide reporting service, on 606 2020

Pre-pay meter users 'due rebate'
Customers who use pre-payment meters have overpaid the energy companies nearly half a billion pounds over the past three years, it is being claimed.
The National Housing Federation (NHF) made the calculation using figures from Ofgem, the energy regulator.
It says higher charges paid by metered customers are in breach of EU rules and suggests clients may be entitled to claim the money back.
About 12% of energy customers use the meters, including many on low incomes.
Even though pre-pay customers pay for their fuel in advance, the big energy firms have frequently charged them more than other households, the NHF found.
Under EU directives introduced in 2004, energy firms are allowed to charge pre-pay meter users extra only if this reflects higher collection costs.
Scandal
Lawyers from the National Housing Federation claim these directives have been breached, and that the regulator Ofgem failed to stop this.
Between 2006 and 2008, they say, millions of pre-pay customers were charged well in excess of the average extra cost of installing and maintaining gas and electricity pre-pay meters, which is estimated by Ofgem as being £87 over direct debit tariffs.
“ It makes me very angry because that's my money, they should never have taken it and I want my money back ”
Hayley Cairns Customer
Some pre-pay meter customers have been charged up to £500 more than those paying by online direct debits.
Federation chief executive David Orr said: "It is an absolute scandal that Ofgem allowed energy firms to overcharge customers to the tune of £460m, and potentially breach EU rules for so many years.
"Ofgem has been asleep on the job, and it must urgently start defending the rights of ordinary people, instead of protecting the profits of big business.
"As a way of compensating pre-pay customers for the historic overcharging, Ofgem has a moral duty to go beyond the EU directives, and force the energy companies to equalize pre-pay meter prices with those for quarterly bills"
The National Housing Federation is now raising the possibility that customers might take action to get some money back.
Angry
Haley Cairns has been paying for her gas with a pre-pay meter for the past four and a half years, and on average she puts £60 on her meter every month, which amounts to about £720 a year.
Using the National Housing Federation calculation, that means she has paid an extra £550 since she moved in.
She told the BBC she is furious about it.
"It makes me very angry because that's my money, they should never have taken it and I want my money back."
Energy regulator Of gem admits customers on pre-paid meters were unjustifiably paying more, but it says it has now forced energy companies to bring prices within EU rules.
Garry Elate, of the Energy Retail Association, which represents energy companies, said companies had already brought down their prices in response to Of gem requirements.
"Those prices have come down by £300 million overall on pre-payment, so they are now at comparable prices to everyone else," he said.
Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/far/-/1/hi/uk/8099776.stm

Published: 2009/06/15 01:59:29 GMT
© BBC MMIX

Pest control-Domestic charges

Community Repaint

The project takes paint, wallpaper and borders which would have to be
disposed of, and redistributes them to those able to use them. It is part of
a national scheme www.communityrepaint.org.uk, and is administered locally by Wirral LA21 Network. Locally, it has saved many thousands of liters of paint and redistributed it to groups in need of it.
We are now able to supply wallpaper as well! This is just £1 per roll to
everyone (individuals or group members - this is NOT included in your annual subscription). Of course, if you have unused - and unopened - rolls of wallpaper you don't need, we would be pleased to take them. (Any opened rolls should be recycled in your grey bin).

We are based at:
Sandon Centre,
Falkland Road,
Wallasey CH44 8ER

During GMT (winter!) we are open Mon/Wed/Fri 1pm - 4pm without appointment, and possibly at other times, by appointment.
In BST (summer!) we are open Mon/Wed/Fri 1pm - 5pm without appointment and can do evenings by appointment.

Further details from Wirral LA21 Network on 0151 639 2121.
Ask for Jim or email jim@la21.net
Fax number is 639 4826.

Out of hours please call 0151 632 2047.

The website for the national scheme is www.communityrepaint.org.uk

Local Police News

Inspector Brian Griffiths gave an update of local policing policy's that have been effective and also endorsed events organised on the Woodchurch that have drastically reduced Anti Social Behaviour problems. A house in Atherton Drive had 10,000 worth of cocaine recovered and two men later charged with possession and intent to supply. He encourages anyone who has information regarding drugs to contact local officers or phone Crimestoppers anonymously on 0800 555 111. If you or someone you know is having problems with drug use contact the ACT helpline on 0800 028 1300. More details about what has been happening locally can be found at merseyside police

One Residents Experience of Llife after Debt

Are you in debt? This is my story and the people who helped me after I had given up more details ......