Wirral Council Leader Dave Jackson (Labour) writes exclusively for the Wirral Globe.

AS always in this job, a week can bring rapid swings between pessimism and optimism! It was sad to learn that the closure of Spillers was final and irrevocable, despite the best efforts of all concerned to try to prevent it. It seems like it has been part of life in Wirral for a very long time, and it will be sadly missed as a major employer.

But I was given cause for optimism by Wirral's Swedish Day. If you're wondering why Wirral should hold a Swedish Day, the answer is that it's part of our continuing quest to encourage firms from Europe to set up here. Last year two Swedish firms, encouraged by Wirral Direct, the council's inward investment team, set up production in Wirral. Jacobi Carbons chose Seacombe for its first expansion into the UK, and Ekamant UK Ltd chose Birkenhead.

This year we decided to hold an event to try to spread the word further into Sweden about the advantages of Wirral as a place to do business. The event included a presentation about business opportunities in Wirral and a tour of investment and regeneration sites, as well as lunch on the Plymouth.

I have to say that I was really impressed by the attitude shown by our Swedish guests towards involvement in Europe, and towards their workforces. It was good to meet people who are not deterred by conditions within the Social Chapter of Maastricht, and who believe that paying a decent wage and creating decent working conditions can only benefit a business in the end.

On top of this cheering occasion came the announcement that Mersey Docks and Harbour Board had bought out Forth Ports' interest in a ro ro ferry at the Twelve Quays side and were planning to go ahead with a ferry terminal on our side of the water as well as on the Liverpool side.

It's not only the actual ferries that have seemed to be on-off in the last few years, and to be given an indication that something may actually be going to happen was a real boost! It was particularly encouraging to those of us who have been arguing for years that such an investment will bring real jobs and real benefit to Wirral and help revitalise the port area.

I went to see the New Conway Park Railway Station as well last week. Soon they'll be taking the roof off a tunnel that was built over a 100 years ago, with ventilation shafts designed for steam trains driven underground. When the station opens we'll have a direct route into the centre of Birkenhead which should encourage more business in the town centre without adding to traffic congestion.

Progress is never achieved by just one change. It's the balance and accumulation of different changes that build towards a better future. Some changes, like the closure of Spillers, take us backwards. Others take us forwards. At the moment, despite setbacks, I reckon the balance for Wirral is still truly on the plus side.

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