CHANGE OF MEETING DATE

The Public Enquiry starts on 7^th February at 10 am at the Town hall. It would be good if as many of us as possible attended on the first day so that we can find out what the timetable is and which other days we need to attend. If we've been at the Town Hall all day we won't want a meeting in the evening so the February meeting is cancelled.

The next Partnership meeting will be in March.

APOLOGY

I have to apologise to you all as I have made a mistake which has caused problems for the Partnership.

After the preliminary meeting of the enquiry on Friday 6^th January I was concerned that the community's position was not made clear so I emailed the Planning Inspectorate asking for assurance that the Inspector was aware that a large body of the community are in favour of the Development.

Unfortunately, due to my limited skills on the computer, I sent the email on the Partnership headed paper which we used to use - the one which included the list of community groups.

We haven't used that paper for some time. We changed the photograph and removed the list when differences of opinion over the Neptune Development caused problems.

I don't know how I came to do it and I can only apologise to all concerned.

You will see from the attached letter - sent to the Planning Inspectorate and all Wirral Councillors - that this has given great offence.

I have sent an explanation to the Inspector and asked that my sincere apologies be sent to all parties. I don't know what else I can do?.

I also attach Leslie Parker - Davies's case against the Development which I think you should see as it refers to the Partnership.

I would be most grateful if you would telephone me with your comments as I feel that these are serious matters and I need to know what you think.

Please ring 639 5798 and, if I'm not in leave a message with your phone number and I'll ring you back. We live in troubled times!!

Apologies once again
Rusty.

Dear Miss Evans,

Neptune Seafront Development, New Brighton, Wirral

We appreciate that the cut-off date for submissions regarding the above scheme has passed but feel that a challenge must be made to an eleventh-hour claim of local support submitted to your office. We have had sight of a copy of a recent undated letter to you from Miss Rusty Keane, chairperson of the New Brighton Community Partnership.

Speaking on behalf of the partnership, Miss Keane states in her letter that: "As you know... we are in full support of the proposals and have already made a submission of support... I would like to be assured that the Inspector is aware that a large body of the local community - we believe them to be the majority.... are in full support of the current proposals."

With regard to the groups listed on the New Brighton Community Partnership's letterhead, we believe that this statement is misleading for the following reasons:

• It is untrue to suggest that a significant number of the organisations on the appended list are in support of the Neptune proposals. This group, New Brighton BRAVO, together with the Waterloo Road Residents Group and the Riverside Housing Association have voiced strong reservations about the scheme, as have Merseyside Cycling Campaign and the Field Rd Action Group. The Wellington Road Conservation Area Society and the owners of Fort Perch Rock are both Rule 6 objectors to the scheme. In a vote taken at a meeting of the Wallasey Civic Society in May 2005, the majority of members recorded their dissatisfaction with key elements of the proposals. As a member of this society's management committee, Miss Keane should be fully aware of this result. Several of the other bodies cited as supporters of the scheme have made it known that they remain impartial and have stated their inability or unwillingness to express a view. It is our understanding that these include Merseyside Police, the Tower Action Group and the Churches, with the exception of the St. James & Emmanuel Churches, which have expressed conflicting views. To our knowledge, other bodies such as Portland Court, the Sandrock Galleries, Grennan Residents, and Portland Court have not conducted surveys of opinion and cannot be claimed to support the scheme, as is implied by Miss Keane.
• It is our understanding that the New Brighton Heritage Action Group, which is also a Rule 6 objector to the scheme, has an entitlement to membership of the New Brighton Community Partnership under the terms of its constitution. Indeed the Group was allowed to be represented by two of its members and to make regular contributions to the partnership news sheet, "Walrus". Very conveniently, no mention is made in the letter from the partnership's chairperson of the Heritage Group's strong opposition or its overwhelming petition of signatories that are strongly opposed to Neptune's proposals.
• With regard to the remaining groups, at a special meeting of the Partnership held on the 6th September 2004, the 24 households in the Ball Avenue Homewatch returned 6 votes, of which 4 were in favour and 2 against the Neptune scheme. This was interpreted by the acting chairperson of the partnership as 66% support for the proposals. The spokesperson of the New Brighton Action Group, did not consider it necessary to ballot any members because he (who was personally in support of the Neptune scheme) claimed that he knew that "they" fully backed the scheme. This, we believe, was recorded as 100% support for the development. An executive member for the New Brighton Community Association said that he personally had confidence that the majority of the users of the community centre backed the scheme "wholeheartedly", without the need for a vote. This group is based in the local community centre which benefits from local authority assistance and whose premises have been used for the distribution and collection of standard letters of support, and displaying posters and commercially produced promotional material following the exhibition of Neptune's scheme in 2004. Finally, the current lessee of the Marine Lake who was originally opposed to its loss and replacement by a smaller, awkwardly shaped facility, subsequently accepted offers by Neptune of improved, "bespoke" changing and storage facilities and has now registered his personal support for the scheme as a whole.
• Your correspondent, Miss Keane, holds positions on the executive of Friends of Vale Park, Vale House Joint Management Committee, Magazine Brow Conservation Area, Save the Gorse and Reclaim the Quarry, all of which organisations are remote from the application site and well outside the impact area. In light of her publicly admitted commitment to the Neptune scheme, we believe that these groups may well have been strongly influenced by her personal views and do not necessarily provide convincing evidence of popular support whether their opinion on the scheme was balloted or not.
• The Royal National Lifeboat Institute, Primrose Court, Victoria Parade and the New Brighton Cycling Club are amongst those groups which have apparently dissociated themselves from the partnership some time ago.

We believe that this assessment demonstrates manipulation and a failure to indicate any widespread support for the scheme proposed by Neptune Developments Ltd from the member groups included in the partnership. We consider that the assertion made in the letter from Miss Keane that a large body of the local community supports the current proposals is unproven and indefensible. We trust that the evidence contained in this letter, regarding these unsubstantiated claims of popular backing, will be made known to the Inspector.

Finally we wish to challenge Miss Keane's wholly inaccurate assertion that local opposition to this scheme comes from "a small - if affluent! - group". The people of New Brighton have provided every penny of the very large amount of money raised to oppose Neptune's proposals by donations and exhaustive fund raising efforts. This has involved thousands of local residents and traders and the tireless efforts of the ordinary people of the area.

Yours sincerely,
Cynthia Stonall
Secretary

List of New Brighton Community Partnership's Letterhead Organisations claimed by the Chairperson to be in Support of the Neptune Scheme:

"Friends of Vale Park";
"Vale House Joint Management Committee";
"Save the Gorse";
"Reclaim the Quarry";
"Magazine Brow Conservation Area";
"Tower Action Group"(Gorse Hill Water Tower);
"Riverside Housing Association";
"Ball Avenue Homewatch Scheme";
"Wellington Road Conservation Area";
"New Brighton Traders & Business Association";
"St. James & Emmanuel Churches";
"Wallasey Civic Society";
"Portland Court" (an apartment building);
"Sandrock Galleries" (a group of residences);
"Grennan Residents" (an apartment building);
"Royal National Lifeboat Institute";
"New Brighton Action Group";
"Fort Perch Rock",
"Victoria Parade" (a residents group),
"New Brighton Community Association",
"St Andrews Church";
"Penkett Road Area Action Group";
"Waterloo Road" (residents group);
"Faith House" (meditation & yoga group);
"St Peter & Pauls" (RC church);
"Marine Lake" (lake leaseholder);
"Merseyside Police";
"Primrose Court" (sheltered accommodation);
"Field Road Action Group";
"Merseyside Cycling Campaign";
"New Brighton Cycling Club";
and, this group, "New Brighton BRAVO".

The original of this letter is available as an Adobe pdf file here.

A Postcard from New Brighton

Dear Ms. Eagle,

With the three-week planning inquiry into Neptune Development's scheme to regenerate New Brighton getting ever closer, I just want to register my support for the scheme. And to wish all those who have worked so hard to bring this development about, not mention the majority people in New Brighton who are desperate to see this scheme succeed, the very best of luck.

In order to express my views on this matter I have attached a "Postcard from New Brighton", the first of four actually! The other 3 will follow attached to separate emails. If you have time perhaps you can take a look, reading each postcard in order, starting with 1 and ending with 4. Each postcard has been saved as a JPEG which I hope you can read. However if you have any difficulty with any of the attached files then please let me know and I will send you hard copies.

As a footnote the last time I ever went to the old New Brighton Baths was for a TV recording of what proved to be a "one-off" pop concert. The warm-up act kept the audience in an excited state by getting them to constantly chant a verse that culminated in the phrase "Mighty New Brighton", the rest unfortunately I forget.

An odd story I know but somehow with all that's at stake it seems somehow appropriate, good luck "Mighty New Brighton"!

Kind regards,

Brian McGeagh (Mr)

Brian McGeagh's "Postcard from New Brighton" to Angela Eagle.
Click for full sized image.

CSJ Awards offer anti-poverty groups £25,000 in prizes

by Howard Lake
10 Mar 2006

Iain Duncan Smith MP, Chairman of the Centre for Social Justice, has launched the 2006 CSJ Awards. These are designed to recognise, reward and celebrate organisations making exceptional contributions in meeting the needs of some of Britain's most vulnerable people, and include a total prize fund of £25,000.

The judging panel for the awards includes senior representatives from the voluntary sector, politics and business, including Camila Batmanghelidjh of Kids' Company, Theresa May MP, and Frank Field MP.

Iain Duncan Smith MP, Chairman of the CSJ, launched the 2006 awards with the comment that: "The Centre for Social Justice is convinced that all of Britain's social problems are being effectively tackled by someone, somewhere. We also believe that the most impressive work in tackling poverty is often done by small groups who are quietly getting on with the job." The awards are designed to highlight these groups and this work.

As well as sharing in the prize money, this year's winners will benefit from publicity at the 28 June awards ceremony at Westminser in front of senior politicians, opinion-formers and philanthropists.

In addition, a promotional film will be made profiling the work of winning groups that can be used for fundraising and publicity purposes. Corporate giving to all short-listed projects will be encouraged through the website, www.effectivegiving.org.uk.

Furthermore, the CSJ intends to build long-term mutually beneficial relationships with all the most impressive applicants through the CSJ Alliance. The Alliance, currently comprising around forty groups, was launched by David Cameron MP in July 2005 and is available to advise politicians of all the mainstream parties.

More: www.centreforsocialjustice.org.uk.

Music Quiz night

Hope you don't mind, but I'm advertising a Music Quiz Night at the Old Manor Club, Withens Lane, Wallasey on 15th April. Start 7.30pm for 8.00pm. Cost-£4.00 per person. Teams and individuals welcome.Buffet and games. A real fun night. This is a LIVE event. Musician - Mr Neil Gaskell / m/c bill (me). Prizes!!!!!

If you would like tickets, please email me on the above address or ring 0151 638 4670 (me) or contact the club on 639 3020 or call in at the club. Hope to see you at this event.

Bill Mowbray

ISHTAR'S Belly dance Classes / Goddess/workshops Winter/spring 2006

www.ishtar.tv  - 07944 564 302 - ishtar@cybodule.freeserve.co.uk
 

Babylon Boudoir

You can now shop online at Ishtar's Babylon Boudoir; selling only unique, gorgeous things for belly dancers, dark angels and enchantresses. For Goddesses of all ages shapes and sizes! NEW Stock Stylish velvet belly dance top and matching pants, more tops dresses etc

Sensual online shopping experience. have a FREE READING from the Ishtar's Goddess Oracle... Let the Oracle find your Truth today...

Many items in the Babylon Boudoir are unique to our online store, made by talented artisans here and abroad. Prices start from £3! belly dance costumes, amazing unusual jewellery,Goddess and ritual dress, belly dance belts ,Goddess cards. A wide range of beautiful goddess statues, Bindi's, herbal aphrodisiacs, , headdresses, divination, music and so much more.

Updates temple of Ishtar www.ishtar.tv.

Click newz to discover info on the latest Classes/Workshops/Party Nights and more!

More pictures of Ishtar , students and friends at various shows over the last few months.(scroll down for details of the next show night)more articles,Ishtar's interview on Cincinnati radio ,new articles and more....

Coming soon- Show DVD a selection of extracts from a variety of shows from Ishtar and freinds. live downloadable video

www.ishtar.tv  - 07944 564 302 - ishtar@cybodule.freeserve.co.uk
 

Ishtar and Litith on SKY ONE! - recently me and my comraid Lithith were on Sky one talking about Goddess philosphy Did any one see?

Belly dance classes and workshops for winter/spring 2006

• Dancing with Wings
• Warrior Woman Belly dance
• How to be a LOVE Goddess
• Divine Archetypes become Personal Mythologies.

Full dates details on newz on www.ishtar.tv

Now online booking for workshops.

(For reviews and further details of workshops/classes (and performances) please see Endorsements.)

Ishtar's Arabesque night presents!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

CLUB ORIENTATION

on Friday 10th March 2006.Venue - Cotton Club beneath bar and grill. Bold street, Liverpool 1. Time-8.30pm-2.00am

A night of sparkling and exotic eastern inspired dec-A-dance. ENJOY your self at this most glamorous and opulent venues.

Be wowed by a wide variety of belly dance and unusual DARK CABARET music and dance Performances. The last event in July 2005 at the Cotton Club was a sell out! book now!!!!!!

Tickets available priced at £5 Ishtar's present students. All others- £8 (£6 unwaged ). £9 Door(no concessions on door please contact before turning up if possible in case we have sold out of tickets) Book and pay by post or online now!

See details of previous Arabesque nights here or for a gallery of Arabesque images click here.

The last event in July 2005 at the Cotton Club was a sell out!

Line Up ISHTAR and Shifting sands drummers ,- Yemeni performance artist FIAZER, Bollywood heart throb and filmmaker VEEJAY KUMAR super star ( is the love Guru), DRAG GEISHA , , Celtic Warrior belly dance, Gypsy Lament, Queen of the night dark and dangerous Goth belly dance . Very special guests . Fusion sounds for all to join in one big mad fusion-belly dance jam!!!!- men and women-Try out your ass shaking to great music. Dress up and sparkle the night away.

CELEBRATE CULTURE AND DIVERSITY.

Doors open 8.00pm ,show starts 8.30pm. dance to Arabesque tunes to from 10.30pm - 2.00am sexy cocktail bar!

A night of oriental deca-dance meet/make friends have a cultural and mind blowing experience

Time-8.30pm-2.00am

At the Cotton club, Bold st Liverpool 1 (Underneath bar and grill) This is a gorgeous sexy venue based on a 20s jazz Club Workshop all levels. Warrior Woman Belly dance5Sun 5th march 06 learn connect to your inner kick ass belly dancer. All women welcome.click on for details. Perform choreography at the show if you wish Nothing to wear visit.... Babylon Boudoir

(You can now shop online at Ishtar's Babylon Boudoir; selling only unique, gorgeous unique things for belly dancers, dark angels and enchantresses . For Goddesses of all ages shapes and sizes! NEW Stock Stylish velvet belly dance top and matching pants, more tops dresses etc

highly-acclaimed Ishtar's Goddess Oracle...
Let the Oracle find your Truth today...

Sensual online shopping experience. have a FREE READING from the Ishtar's Goddess Oracle... Let the Oracle find your Truth today...

Many items in the Babylon Boudoir are unique to our online store, made by talented artisans here and abroad. Prices start from £3! belly dance costumes, amazing unusual jewellery,Goddess and ritual dress, belly dance belts ,Goddess cards. A wide range of beautiful goddess statues, Bind's, herbal aphrodisiacs, , headdresses, divination ,music and so much more.

www.ishtar.tv  - 07944 564 302 - ishtar@cybodule.freeserve.co.uk
 

Ishtar's Goddess Oracle... Let the Oracle find your Truth today... free interactive oracle only at the boudoir!

Belly dance classes and workshops for winter/spring 2006

Warrior Woman Belly dance Sun 5th march 06 click on for details. Perform choreography at the show if you wish How to be a LOVE Goddess Divine Archetypes become Personal Mythologies. Full dates details on newz www.ishtar.tv Now online booking for workshops.

The last event in July 2005 at the Cotton Club was a sell out!

For details go to ishtar.tv look on galleries for pics.

Visit the all NEW Babylon Boudoir to find the highly-acclaimed Ishtar's Goddess Oracle... Let the Oracle find your Truth today...

Now on sale!

See Ishtar's Babylon Boudoir.

Message Board

New Brighton Photos

Paper Collection Calendar 2006

Your collection dates for 2006 are:

January	3rd / 17th / 31th
February	14th / 28th
March	14th / 28th
April	11th / 25th
May	10th / 24th
June	7th / 21st
July	5th / 19th
August	2nd / 16th / 30th
September	13th / 27th
October	11th / 25th
November	8th / 22nd
December	6th / 20th

More information at www.wirral.gov.uk/be/recycling/.