LIB DEM local leader Councillor Phil Gilchrist is calling for more public accountability in Birkenhead's Hamilton and Lairdside re-generation areas.

He is concerned that too many reports are mixed in with contract details.

"The documents are not sent to the Globe or the rest of the media because the paper work is labelled confidential using various clauses under the Local Government Act protecting the Council's interests," he said.

Coun Gilchrist says the public should have known more about Hamilton Quarter's proposals to pedestrianise and alter Birkenhead's historic Hamilton Square.

Coun Gilchrist says Hamilton Quarter has now agreed that he can have its reports and documents but they remain confidential and meetings are not open to the press.

He welcomes Wirral Council talking to residents about Lairdside proposals.

"However, at a committee meeting I was unable to support a watersports lake project because I still have no figures on how much it is going to cost to run. It could be an expensive chicken and an expensive egg with the burden on Wirral's Council Tax payers in years to come."

Converted for the new archive on 13 March 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.