Who’s Resorting to Misleading Information? You Decide!

Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies, the outgoing Wirral Council ‘leader’ has repeatedly stated that campaigners opposing the Hoylake Golf Resort have been spreading ‘misleading’ information. However, apparently when asked to meet with campaigners to clarify his accusation he went strangely quiet. If Pip and his Council cronies are so outraged about ‘misleading’ information, we wonder why they haven’t bothered to correct any of the ‘misleading’ information being put out by the developers for the Hoylake Golf Resort?

In recent media articles and on their website the Nicklaus Joint Venture Group (NJVG) have stated the building the luxury golf resort houses will mean that the Hoylake Golf Resort link road will not be funded by the public purse. This information is incorrect as the Golf Resort road WILL be funded from the public purse. This ‘misleading’ information was brought to the attention of Wirral Council officers in February, but no response was received.

We understand that at the last Wirral West Constituency Meeting on 14^th March a member of the public asked David ‘Golf’ Ball, Assistant Director of Housing and Economic Growth, to clarify whether the NJVG were correct to state that the road would not be publicly funded.

David Ball responded:

I’m not quite sure why the Nickalaus Joint Venture Group have said there is no public money going in to the road because as we did report, as you have rightly said, to the last Cabinet meeting …the link road has an opportunity for a number of sources of funding, one could be through grant from the Liverpool City Region as a transport scheme or the other alternative approach is to recycle the capital receipt that the Council would receive from the golf resort project into part funding that road, and that is my understanding of the position at the present time, so I don’t know why the Nicklaus Joint Venture Group said there was no public money required for that because that’s not my understanding of the position

Responding to cries from the audience about people being misled Cllr Jeff ‘Yellow’ Green stated:

To be fair to David…David won’t be able to give an answer about why people are being misled by the Joint Ventures web site, but I am sure he will go back and speak to them and make sure that it is corrected, is that right?

to which David Ball gave a resounding:

Yes!

However at the time of this post, more than 6 weeks after the constituency meeting and 10 weeks after the ‘misleading information’ was first highlighted to Council officials, the incorrect information is still on the NJVG website.

Other misleading information which the NJVG is stating on their website is about the quality of the farmland that could be annexed by Hoylake Golf Resort. NJVG claim it is “poor quality grade 4 cultivated land”. The Wirral Society obtained further information from the Soil Association and Landis.org. They also sought the opinion of Cranfield University who produce the Soilscapes website and are sponsored by DEFRA. Rather than being poor farmland, the Soilscapes websites indicate that much of the land is productive, suitable for dairying or beef and some cereal or feed production. Cranfield University were also of the opinion that the soil could even be graded as ALC Class 1 if better irrigation was introduced. We don’t know exactly what that means but even we know that Class 1 sounds better than Grade 4.

https://www.wirralsociety.net/hoylake-golf-resort-agricultural-land-assessment/

Finally, we would like to highlight that one of the pages on the resort website says “Hoylake Resort will provide a beacon for tourism within Wirral” – accompanied by photos NOT of Wirral’s many fabulous tourist attractions and wonderful natural areas, but instead by photographs of the Liverpool skyline and bizarrely , Wallasey Town Hall. Not a green in sight! – which politically is just how Power Boy Pip and Co would like it!

Does this mean that the NJVG know what many already suspect – that despite what the top Council spinners may say about making Hoylake a “world class destination”, most golfers will finish their rounds of golf and disappear along the publicly funded road straight on to the motorway to go and visit the world class international attractions in Liverpool just 15 minutes away!…

Not that we’re suggesting that Wirral Council’s ruling administration would ever resort to misleading information. However we’d like to point out that in a recent Labour leaflet distributed in Birkenhead & Tranmere there was the usual ‘Vote Green Get Blue’ rhetoric and alleged evidence that  that Cllr Pat Cleary votes with the Tories. We are reliably informed that the image is being pointed out to residents on the doorstep.

It is certainly a ‘misleading’ piece of editing but certainly not as technically proficient as piecing together the panoramic that shows the full vote that was occurring out of view which had six out of seven Labour Councillors with their hands up as well!

A Green Party leaflet exposes the ‘misleading  information’ here :

Now that’s what we call evidence of ‘misleading information’.

Over to you Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies to evidence campaigners opposing the Hoylake Golf Resort have been spreading ‘misleading’ information.  Although no doubt he’ll be too busy counting the minutes until his leaving do to be held at Wallasey Town Hall on May 8th…

 

 

A Day of Protest at Wallasey Town Hall Part 2 : A scorched earth approach to Wirral’s Green Belt

Many thanks to those who have sent us photos from last night’s extraordinary turnout at the Wirral Council Extraordinary Meeting to discuss Wirral’s Green Belt and specifically Notices of Motion on the Hoylake Golf Resort. There were many pictures to choose from but we’ve tried to keep them as apolitical as possible. We’ll be also be posting a couple of further candid shots later as we think they’re particularly telling and worthy of a post of their own.

When it came to it the Green Belt debate was by the by as the Labour group seemed to want to carry on their ongoing self-immolation in front of a large audience.  Not only do certain sections of the local Labour Party hierarchy seem to have a scorched earth policy when it comes to the Green Belt it also seems to apply to members of their own party.

First up there was Cllr Chris Meaden and a ‘personal statement’  about her recent deselection about which you’d really need to have a heart of stone not to laugh. It was the usual unsubstantiated attacks on other Labour Party members and ‘poor-me’ on parade.The blown kisses to family members in the public gallery was a nice touch to end on.  There was a standing ovation from the Tory benches (yes, the Tory benches) as Meaden had previously warned that the Labour Group ,which she had been a part of for so many years, wouldn’t stand they’d been told they couldn’t ( by the party whip? The party ‘leader’? Sonic rays from outer space?) So does Meaden want us believe that  in all the years she’d been a councillor that she never followed such directions?  A sickening postscript to this show of disloyalty on both sides of the Labour schism was Cllr Steve ‘Foulkesy’ Foulkes telling Cllr Meaden he would still be her ‘fwend’ ! Not so much BFF but BSF!

Our favourite aspect of the night’s proceedings were the repeated digs from right across the political spectrum pointing to Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies’ failure of leadership. However it was best evidenced by Wirral’s most prominent political power couple Labour’s Cllr Jo Bird and Cllr Tony Norbury. We couldn’t help thinking that the former would make the better future leader but it was clear that she wanted shut of Pip pronto! Cllr Norbury was more mealymouthed about why he was voting against the Tory Notice of Motion to ditch the Hoylake Golf Resort (which was narrowly lost) claiming that the evening’s proceedings were a political stunt and protesting was a complete waste of time . Norbury thereby managed to alienate the public gallery and further protestors in the overflow Committee rooms.  Way to go, Tone!

Norbury went on to claim that although he agreed with the Notice of Motion a) he wouldn’t side with Tories and b) if he did he would be suspended by the Labour whip. So kudos goes to Labour Cllr Jean Robinson for sticking by her principles and calling time on the Council ‘leader’s expensive ego trip and not kowtowing to political pressure.Whether she’ll be suspended  by the Labour Group for doing so is a moot point but if she isn’t it will make Cllr Norbury’s protestations seem like empty words…

 

A Day of Protest at Wallasey Town Hall Part 1 : ‘There’s always one…’

He’s ‘armless really…

As we predicted in Sunday’s  Hoylake Golf Resort : Protest and Protect post the start to the week would be a challenging one for the ruling Labour administration at Wirral Council.

However we couldn’t have predicted that it would start so early with an unexpected surprise at the end of what seems to be the dreariest Wirral Council meeting ever. As you can see from our exclusive footage serial whistleblower Martin Morton makes a return to the scene of many a crime. We are grateful for his son for forwarding the footage , apparently Morton Jnr is at University studying film and is making a video about whistleblowing. Should be essential viewing and if it involves Wirral Council –  x-rated!

 

Of course we just took that the message on Morton’s t-shirt – LORDY, I HOPE THERE ARE TAPES – was addressed directly to us at Wirral Leaks. Is this an example of what is known in modern parlance as ‘meta’? For as we know ‘His Lordship’ has known about Wirralgate since 2013 and knows that there are tapes (as does Mr Morton and many others) and which would (and should have) brought the corrupt ruling Labour administration crashing down a long time ago .

However we appreciate that for many of our readers and the wider public that the origins of the quote on the t-shirt may be somewhat obscure. We’ve done a bit of research and apparently these are the infamous words of former FBI Director James Comey commenting on alleged recorded conversations between him and US President Donald Trump.

Unfortunately you won’t see the footage on the Wirral Council website or, rather disappointingly on John Brace’s video coverage – although we understand that he wouldn’t want to spoil the enjoyment of the 4 people who have endured the video so far.

Unfortunately there is no sound but we understand that belligerent Cllr Bernie ‘The Bruiser’ Mooney shouts out :

“There’s always one…”  

and you can lip read Mr Morton’s reply :

” Yes,there is…

Apparently the cheeky wave from Morton was directed at Wirral Council’s Head of Communications Kev ‘Lost Boy’ MacCallum who was sitting there stony-faced and cross-armed and you can see Cllr Phill ‘Two L and Back’ Brightmore leaving his seat to get a good look at the message on the t-shirt. Meanwhile the three wise monkeys at the back ( Head of Law Philip McCourt, council ‘leader’ Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies and council CEO  Eric ‘Feeble’ Robinson appear to be having a jolly good laugh at Morton’s expense )

Watching that sickening section of footage (we advise you watch it on full screen and focus on the three of them) we can’t help thinking that Morton should have pulled this stunt way back in 2013 at the Improvement Board meeting where Power Boy Pip couldn’t even stay in the room when Morton spoke. Now, like a typical coward –  and oh how weakness and cowardice have characterised his political career – Pip feels confident with  a room full of cronies behind him to LOL.

We’re left wondering as to who will have the last laugh?  History tells us it will be Pip and co – but that’s only because other people who had the means to do something about it, have instead, simply allowed it or in some cases through fear or favour , facilitated it. Shame on you all…

 

 

 

 

Kingdom Comeuppance ? – Part 2

 

More leaked emails from Wirral Council featuring correspondence between Liberty Antiques shop owner  Sean Martin and various councillors is most illuminating on the political machinations that are going on behind the scenes.

We’re confident that our campaigning friends at Wirral Against The Litter Police (Kingdom Security) understand the motives of a ‘Tory-Come-Lately’ or a ‘Labour Appeaser’ as clearly there is much political capital that can be made from the increasingly contentious situation in the run up to the local elections in May.

Our main concern is that the current ruling administration would rather stick with a highly unpopular course of action than be seen to cave in to public pressure . The same approach also applies to the plans for the Hoylake Golf Resort/Celtic Manor Resort and the publication of Wirral View.

This also seems to be the approach of Cllr Anita Leech , Wirral Council Cabinet Member for Environment about whom it is alleged knows nothing of Kingdom’s actions – which is simply either untrue or a failure of scrutiny. Although it must be said from other comments she’s alleged to have made at least she seems to be upfront about her motives – money for Wirral Council and political power for her party.

All we know is that the controversy surrounding Kingdom will run and run until  hopefully they are run out of town…

Liberty Antiques <libertyantiques@gmail.com> Thu, Feb 14, 12:10 AM  to all Wirral councillors

Good morning all Wirral Councillors I received a call today from a small business owner in Pensby who had just received a £300 fine from Kingdom. This is what he said to me: “I feel that Wirral Council have given someone the authority to enter our premises and take £300 from our till and there is nothing I can do about it” As an elected councillor whose job it is to serve the public if you think what Kingdom are doing is right you have lost touch with reality and you should be ashamed of yourself.

Your views on this matter would be welcomed

Kind Regards Sean Martin

Ellis, Gerry (Councillor) Thu, Feb 14, 8:34 PM

Dear Mr Martin

Thanks for the copy of your message to councillors. I totally agree with you. It was a discrace (sic) for Kingdom to behave in the way they did. However, I understand that our Cabinet Member responsible for Waste was not aware of Kingdom’s actions and she has now ordered them to cease the practise until council officers have investigated what is going on and reviewed the policy.

With best wishes  Councillor Gerry Ellis Hoylake & Meols Ward 

Liberty Antiques < Thu, Feb 14, 8:58 PM  to Gerry Ellis

I am sorry sir but you are deluded if you think that. Her own constituents have been telling her for the last 4 weeks and she has been rude and dismissive with quotes such as “the council need the money” and “it’s either us or the tories so take your pick” . My local representatives Pat Hackett and Tony Jones have been canvassing her for the last 2 weeks without success. Pat Hackett actually asked her to come down to meet us and listen to our concerns and she ignored his request

I stand over my beliefs

Kind Regards SEAN —

EXCLUSIVE : Hoylake Golf Resort /Celtic Manor Resort – Extraordinary Wirral Council meeting

For those of you who peruse the Wirral Council calendar of meetings and who might be wondering what the Extraordinary Meeting called for 25 February 2019 was all about we can exclusively reveal, courtesy of the above leaked email, that it’s all about the Hoylake Golf Resort (aka Celtic Manor Resort).

As you can see the letter requisitioning the meeting emanates from the Wirral Council Conservative Group :

Now where do you think the ever opportunistic Conservative Group might have read about ‘the opposition voiced recently by the Local Campaign Forum of The Labour Party’ ?

We’ll give you one guess : Hoylake Golf Resort : ‘Wirral Local Campaign Forum reflects the views of the members which may at times differ from the Labour Group’

Whilst a credit would have been nice we are more than compensated by the thought that the Extraordinary Meeting will be a test of Wirral Council leader Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies’ ‘leadership’ (no laughing at the back) . After all Pip has bewilderingly pushed for this misbegotten development against all known reason, logic and finance and after the sinking of Wirral Waters courtesy of his naive faith in Stella Shiu this was presumably to be his ‘lasting legacy’ on Wirral (we can  make some suggestions as to what his lasting legacy really should be but we’ll leave that for a later date )

Not only will Pip face opposition from the Conservative Group and presumably the might of the Green Party ( yes,that’s you Cllr Pat Cleary) but opposition within his own ranks of newly elected or up and coming councillors who will no longer do as their told or bend to the will of a power crazed elite. But will they stick by their new found principles and back the Local Campaign Forum of The Labour Party AND the Conservative Group ?  Now there’s a political dilemma !

Pass the popcorn…

 

 

Hoylake Golf Resort : ‘Wirral Local Campaign Forum reflects the views of the members which may at times differ from the Labour Group’

A  press release we have just received from the Wirral Local Campaign Forum (formerly known as the Wirral District Labour Party) is the clearest indication yet of the schism between local party members and the old guard of Labour Group . The LCF declares its opposition to the Hoylake Golf Resort – or Celtic Manor Resort as its being rebranded in certain quarters – which has been a flagship development for the ruling administration under the ‘leadership’ of council ‘leader’ Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies.

We did predict that 2019 would be an interesting year for politics on Wirral. One week in and things just got a whole lot more interesting…

 

Enter Stage Right

One thing that we failed to mention in our Exit Stage Left story concerned with Cllr Moira ‘Matron’ McLaughlin’s bitter and twisted ‘personal statement’ at Monday’s full Council meeting was her mention of the threat of  the ideological driven ‘hard left’ and those who have ‘no ideology but will do the bidding’ . Like that’s never happened before! For far too long Labour councillors have been willing to back all kinds of abuses of power as long as they got an easy ride and the only ideology at play was pure self interest.

However Matron may want to do some research as to whether the ‘lefties’ are quite as ideologically pure and driven as she makes out.Also at Monday’s meeting Bromborough Labour councillors Jo Bird and Joe Walsh vote in favour of building a housing estate with a golf course attached on  Wirral’s Green Belt. Perhaps they think it’s for social housing and communal sporting facilities and not luxury homes and an exclusive private golf course?

Another example of Matron applying the blinkers when it came to having a pop at former Labour council leader Yvonne Nolan and her being ‘parachuted in’ to safe Labour ward was when it came to up and coming Labour councillor Liz Grey. As you can see from correspondence we’ve received below there is currently a ‘wrong’ and a ‘right’ sort of socialist. Which is which is becoming increasingly hard to tell!

Hi

So as Frank Field prepares to embark on his new career as an ‘Educator’ with his new Free School for Birkenhead perhaps he has a position in mind for the rapidly rising star on Labour’s benches at Wirral Council

Elizabeth Grey ( Liz to the comrades) managed to convince the good members of Bidston St James to select her despite being another emigre . They also don’t seem to have a problem her being the Head of Religious Education at the prestigious (and private fee paying) Birkenhead School.

Comrade Grey obviously doesn’t see any problem with private education and would no doubt be an asset to Mr Field’s new school.Either way it’s reassuring that despite announcing his ‘retirement’ Phil Davies is still scrabbling around gettting as many of his place men (or women) into position as possible to try and force his Golf Course, Growth Company and privatisation of the NHS through before he leaves the people of Wirral to clean up his shitty mess…

Golf Gaffe

We’ve long held that the Hoylake Golf Resort proposal is not so much a golf course as a Trojan horse to a housing development on the Green Belt…and we’re not the only ones who think so. A message we received this week rightly questions the Wirral Council ruling administration’s boundless passion for a sport in decline and the gaffe they’ve made in a report which highlights this fact. But then we need to remember that golf is an enthusiasm pursued by some influential people within the Council and the local business community (we’ll let you join the dots) and which inspired this lament about a senior officer who has been “spending months organising a Wallasey golf day for managers to use up their flexi to play with contractor sponsors who generously donate to your day and prizes …”

Hi Wirralleaks,

Why are the Council proposing to spend £millions of public money on building a new Golf Resort (and luxury housing estate) on Green Belt Land in Hoylake when they are proposing to “offoad” municipal courses because golf is in decline??? You couldn’t make this stuff up!

Wirral Council are reviewing their future provision of Municipal Golf Courses.

In a Golf courses Cabinet report to be presented to Cabinet next Monday, Councillor Phillip Brightmore, (cabinet Member of Leisure and Recreation) is recommending the transfer of Arrowe Park and The Warren Municipal Golf Courses to an “alternative specialist golf provider”.

Interestingly the report states “…….with the national trend in golf usage being generally down, (not just for municipal golf courses but also for the majority of private golf clubs)” and “Participation in municipal golf in Wirral is in decline and follows a national trend in that people tend to have less disposable leisure time to spend on playing a five or six hour round of golf. Those people that would have traditionally played golf in the past have migrated to a more ‘time determined’ sport (such as cycling, running,fitness) to fulfil their leisure time demands. Some smaller private member golf clubs are suffering from the same problem and it is noticeable how some ‘community’ based golf clubs have responded to this problem by reducing membership/joining fees and offering ‘pay and play’ packages which compete favourably with our existing municipal fees and charges”.

So, at a time when even the Council acknowledge that golf courses are becoming less and less financially viable – is it really the right decision to invest £millions of public money in a new Golf resort in Hoylake – or will the resort, as many believe, become just a white elephant, ripe for further housing development once the new access road and luxury housing estate has been built?

Best wishes!

Wirral’s Green Belt : The Changing ‘Story’

Our latest leak about the Green Belt includes many points of interest including the big news that Story Homes have pulled out of the Hoylake Golf resort proposals. Their replacement, Redrow , bring an interesting track record to devlopments . As does disgraced Cllr Steve ‘Foulkesy’ Foulkes  who we are told is to become the Chair of Wirral Council’s  Planning Committee. We have to ask whether, with his proven track record of flagrant dishonesty , that this is the right person to be involved in making decisions about multi-million pound development plans – or indeed any council business at all…

Hi Wirralleaks

Are you aware that Story Homes have pulled out of the Golf Resort and the preferred housebuilder is now REDROW!!!??  David Ball has confirmed this to us last week at the Wirral West Constituency Meeting. In an email David Ball stated “Story Homes had a change of strategic direction by their owner and decided that the Hoylake project did not now align with the new direction.”

 

Of course, this is a diplomatic way of saying that “they have decided to pull out” but it would be very interesting to know why they pulled out. Why have they decided to pull out of the golf resort, yet they are actively pursuing other landowners on the Wirral looking to develop other Green Belt Land? – see attached letters.

 

It seems that Story Homes “change of strategic direction” still includes trying to build houses on Wirral’s Green Belt – just not on the Golf Resort site. Has the Hoylake Golf resort project become too toxic for them? Maybe they were aware of the massive public opposition and they feared bad publicity? Maybe they were worried about flooding, as the golf resort houses are to be built in the middle of a flood plain? Or maybe they no longer wanted to be involved with the Nicklaus Joint Venture Group as they, and there partners Branded Hotel Management, have lost a number of Directors recently. Perhaps they were struggling to get financial backing for the project as the NJVG have a history of bankruptcy?

 

It would be interesting to know when exactly did Story homes pull out and is this the reason why the design studies have been delayed.

 

I am sure you are aware that REDROW are embroiled in a bitter battle with the people of Liverpool. Redrow and their friend “Redrow Joe” Anderson are trying to build 51 executive homes on Calderstones Park. Over 40,000 have signed a petition and the public are funding a judicial review next month. Labour have lost seats in South Liverpool because of their policy of selling off Green Spaces to Redrow, yet still Joe Anderson will not listen.

 It would be interesting to know if  (Cllr) Phil Davies spoke to Joe Anderson to ask if his Redrow friends could “rescue” the golf resort project after Story Homes pulled out.

 

It is also concerning that Redrow will now be in charge of building a housing estate on a flood plain. A simple google search of “redrow” and “flooding” reveals scores of housing projects built by Redrow where there have been flooding problems. There is even a facebook page called “I bought a Redrow home and my garden is a swamp!”

 

https://www.walesonline.co.uk/news/local-news/residents-living-new-housing-estate-14386420

 

http://www.leaderlive.co.uk/news/16157885.Flooding_concerns_in_Hawarden_near_recent_Redrow_housing_development/

 

https://www.blackpoolgazette.co.uk/news/fury-over-leaky-luxury-homes-and-flood-issues-1-8682734

 

You may also be aware that the Labour LCF passed the following motion last Friday. I understand that there were no votes against with the 3 Labour Group members (Councillors) abstaining:

 This branch / CLP / LCF calls upon the Labour Group to:

1. Complete a re-evaluation of the housing needs for Wirral taking into account the historical population and household numbers and trends, the recent lack of economic growth and the likely dramatic effects of Brexit on the economic prospects for Wirral.
2. Challenge the Government’s housing targets for Wirral arguing that there is compelling evidence to adopt an alternative approach to the calculation of housing needs.
3. Argue that the above factors will dramatically reduce the anticipated housing needs for Wirral and suggest a much lower figure.
4. Complete a consultation with the membership to include prioritising the construction of council houses, starter and affordable homes on a brownfield first basis. The consultation should include a local policy conference to discuss inter alia compulsory purchase options for land owned by Peel Holdings and the development of our own regeneration plan for that area and other areas, bearing in mind that the Wirral Waters site is eligible for substantial Government grants.
5. Complete a revised and widely agreed local plan to be consulted on in all our communities. This public consultation should be led by Councillors in cooperation with the wider party to ensure the voices of all Wirral’s citizens are listened to and acted upon.
6. Oppose the re-designation of Greenbelt for house building, to reiterate its commitment to preserving Wirral’s Greenbelt and to cancel the proposed Hoylake Golf Resort.

The LCF has 6 delegates elected by each of the 4 Wirral Constituency Labour Parties, one delegate from each Labour Party branch, representatives of the Labour Group (Labour Councillors), and one from the Co-operative Party and Young Labour. The motion was carried with no votes against, with the 3 Labour group representatives abstaining.

Finally, we have also been made aware that Steve Foulkes (“Research Associate” at Unilever) has been made chair of planning – i.e. he will decide what land Leverhulme can develop – a conflict of interest surely?

 

 

Wirral’s Green Belt and the Growth of Grassroots Activism – Part 1

We don’t know who is advising Wirral Council leader Cllr Phil ‘Power Boy Pip’ Davies but we can guess which belligerent spin merchant it might be. Whoever they are they’re doing about as good a job as Theresa May’s choreographer.

Witness the botched Green Belt PR fiasco which has not only exposed the ruling administration in their failed attempt to gaslight the Wirral public but has also led to a growth in grassroots activism.  As you can see below the people who have been grouping  together to share their concerns about the Green Belt have also been running crop circles around dissembling council officers and councillors.

Are the Council misleading the public about other options considered for the Hoylake Golf Resort Site? In the Common Questions section of the Council’s Hoylake Golf Resort web page, question 36  (see above) asks what consideration the Council have given to other options for the site,( including a Wild Fowl and Wetlands Resort). The Council answers by stating that no other scheme “measures against the golf resort in terms of positive impact” and that the golf resort provides “the best return for Wirral across a number of indicators”. In numerous public forums some Councillors and Council Officers have reiterated this statement and have insisted that other options for the site have been looked at and been discounted.

A Freedom of Information request was submitted in April 2018, requesting copies of reports or studies which looked at the other options for the site and to provide details of the “measures” and “indicators” which the Council say they have used. Initially the Council responded by providing a copy of a 2004 document – “Regeneration Plan for West Kirby and Hoylake – Strategic Options Report”. This report only looked at one option for the Golf Resort Site – i.e the golf resort! The Council were then challenged further and, again, the Council were requested to provide information showing that they had looked at other options for the site. The Council responded that the request was “manifestly unreasonable” and that the “cost or burden of dealing with the request” was too great and refused to provide further information.

The Council were then requested to undertake an internal review of the Freedom of Information request and, only then, (5 months later) did the Council admit that there is “no recorded information….of the nature of a single or series of studies that specifically weigh up the options of the current golf resort proposal vis-à-vis other options on that particular site”. So why have Councillors and Council Officers repeatedly insisted that other options have been looked at and discounted? Full details of the FOI request and the Council response can be read in the following FOI link