FREEDOM OF THE BOROUGH

Hurrah for the Freedom of information Act.

We really need it along with all those dedicated whistleblowers out there so that we, the public, are not treated like mushrooms... kept in the dark and fed on manure.

Without FoI – a real flagship of democracy – we would all be none-the-wiser as politicians make financial decisions on our behalf.

We now know so much more about bizarre expenses claimed by politicians thanks to FoI.

Many things are passed in budget meetings that have involved little or no consultation.

It happens in central government and sadly in local cabinet administrations, too.

Happily, we are now “let in” on the machinations of modern day politics. All we have to do is ask The recent revelations that £17,600 was spent on refurbishing town hall toilets is once such revelation.

Shouldn’t this money have gone to creating more public toilets throughout the area instead of focusing funds on one facility that hardly any of us will ever use?

Along with the bedroom tax we now have a bathroom tax – and we are paying for it.

Apparently the loos were needed to be brought up to standard – is that bog-standard?

This was a piece of information that was not leaked, so to speak, but brought to our attention by someone simply asking to be given the truth.

And then we discovered that £25,000 was spent on replacing town hall carpets – this was , apparently, due to the popularity of weddings.

Staircases and carpets were also upgraded.

I suspect it was also to make Wallasey Town Hall look good for the one-off visit by the Antiques Road Show (not to be confused with council meetings) There is great scope for a sit-com here called Beating the Cistern.

Former Conservative councillor Ian Lewis, who submitted the FoI, could be a scriptwriter judging by his great turn of phrase.

“I’m sure the taxpayers of Wirral will be relieved...” he quipped about the toilet fiasco (cue music from any Carry On film).

The Inferno agrees with his observation and believes Wirral council should be saying “sorry for the inconvenience” of making the borough look silly.

Sometimes you wonder if our politicians know what they’re doing when making outlandish decisions with taxpayers’ money.

 

FANTASTIC FUNDRAISER

I was heartened to hear that the fantastic fundraiser Stephen Sutton will be given a posthumous MBE.

He was told a few days before his death on May 14.

But why, oh why, couldn’t Buckingham Palace have broken with protocol and presented the great man with the medal at his bedside?

Her Majesty or Prince William and Kate could have gone to see him.

It would have been a memorable image and in the process, have raised a smile to all those who helped this remarkable young man make so much money for charity with a little help from his friends.

Why did they leave the announcement of his award till after his death? His “thumbs-up” trademark stance and that magnificent, optimistic smile would have lit up every news programme.

It would have sent out a clear , uplifting message that we are all in it together when it comes to beating cancer.

 

MARK'S MBE

One man who will be beaming when he picks up his OBE is Mark Featherstone-Witty, the founding principal and chief executive of Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts.

Mark, now in his 19th year at the establishment (Paul’s old grammar school, works so hard in the general creative community, too. And every year he stands on stage on LIPA’s graduation day with Sir Paul in attendance.

Mark’s speech always brings tears to his own eyes and many members of the students and audience. So, having overseen so many award ceremonies himself, it is indeed a fine tribute that Mark gets his own gong for services to higher education.

Macca himself will be so proud.