Cllr Steve Radford
Leader of The Liberal Party Group
41 Sutton Street
Tuebrook
Liverpool
L13 7EG
0151 259 5935
07920090322
Dear Editor
It is vital that Liverpool's Housing and Planning Leaders take note of the alarming statistics revealed by Inside Housing concerning the vast degree of new build flats and apartments being left vacant in other northern cities
There is no reason why we should carry on relentlessly copying the mistake of others project demolishing families homes to make way for flats to be bought up by speculators.
May I quote the recent Inside Housing Website article New builds left empty 15 December 2006 :
"Thousands of new homes are being deliberately left empty in England’s cities as investors try to cash in on large-scale house building programmes, an exclusive Inside Housing investigation has revealed.
Sources representing most of the major cities have said that a significant proportion of flats in apartment blocks are snapped up by property speculators – but then left vacant. In some blocks the number of empty homes matched the number actually lived in.
Our research found that up to 50 per cent of new flats were empty in Leeds (pictured), 40 per cent in Salford and up to 30 per cent in Hull (see box). Housing and regeneration professionals have expressed serious concerns about the trend at a time of acute housing shortage and concern over creating sustainable communities. "
Furthermore the Director of the Josweph Rowntree Foundation,
Lord Richard Best, was quoted. ‘Why are these blocks, possibly fully owned, standing entirely idle when we have a housing crisis all around?’"
In the case of Liverpool we are already seeing an alarming increase in waiting lists for all the social landlords. At the last Housing Committee the combined property pool waiting list stood at 23,500
Whilst there will always bean element of dated applications, housing officials recognosed the mismatch of housing needs as currently too many flats on offer and insufficient family homes
Stop demolishing families homes and prevent a housing market collapse by slowing the growth of already excessive vacant flats and apartments. We can and should learn from the mistakes of other cities before it is too late
Cl;lr Steve Radford
Leader of The Liberal Party Group
Dixie Dean Village Green Application Hearing adjourned till 15th January 2007:
Press Update 07920090322
Following 3 days of intense evidence presentations and cross examinations, the hearing has been adjourned to the 15th January ,by mutual agreement .
This will enable the city council to trace missing council maps and minutes, which may confirm or otherwise the virement of land from the ownership of the Housing Committee in 1984 to Libraries/Leisure Services
It appears there is a significant variation in the land size and possible land configuration between minutes dealing with the former Priory Grove Playing Fields between 1982 and 1984 and the matter is unresolved
The Village Green campaigners led by Christine Lunt and Alby Murphy expressed gratitude to both Mike Butler and Cllr Steve Radford. Mike Butler did a vast amount of the case presentation work and research whilst Cllr Steve Radford acted as advocate
On Wednesday 20th Dec Cllr Steve Radford presented a very emotive letter by the family of Dixie Dean appealing for the fields to be saved along with the personal statements from 89 local residents which triggered the hearing.
Over the three days ten local residents spoke passionately to save Dixie Dean Fields. They were opposed by Council Officers and Labour Cllr Frank Prendergast
Cllr Radford issued a public statement urging The Breckfield Academy to proceed and build on the John Hamilton site, ensuring both the school could be up and running at the earliest opportunity and save the Dixie Dean Fields "Without thos would be in the best interests of local young people and the wider community, the delays are due to the greed of the scholl seeking to be gifted a prime site by-passing the use of two former schools sites perfectly adequate to home the new school"
Cllrs Steve Radford, Hazel Williams and Chris Lenton
Liberal Party Councillors for Tuebrook and Stoneycroft
41 Sutton Street
Tuebrook
Liverpool L13 7EG
0151 259 5935
07920090322
Dear Editor
May we express our gratitude to Liverpool Enterprise for responding so swiftly when we identified subsidence in West Derby Road, near a previous collapse in Ivy leigh. Within a day or two a full investigation had been carried out and immediately the area was cordoned off.
Without doubt this prompt action saved lives from a potential collapse with traffic passing over.
Just as effectively the repair team carried out the substantial excavation work and filling in required ,within a week.
In doing so they minimsed disruption to traffic flow and damage to our shopping area.
We would wish to express our respect and gratitude for both the residents of Tuebrook and our business community
Cllrs Steve Radford, Hazel Williams and Chris Lenton
Liberal Party Coucillors for Tuebrook and Stoneycroft
as reported by Larry Nield in the Liverpool Daily Post
TRAFFIC problems are set to worsen after one of the key routes into Liverpool was partially closed last night when the road started to collapse.
It will mean the inward-bound stretch of West Derby Road, in Tuebrook, being closed for at least a week.
The closure could not have come at a worse time for commuters and Christmas shoppers, as well as fans heading to Anfield for today’s match.
But Tuebrook councillor Steve Radford said the closure was unavoidable.
He highlighted a similar incident a decade ago when a section of road just yards away collapsed, leaving an even bigger hole in the road.
A team from Enterprise Liverpool last night closed the inward bound stretch between Green Lane and Tuebrook Police Station.
Traffic was diverted to the outward bound leg of dual carriageway.
Delays are feared because all traffic, both inwards and outwards, will have to use a single lane each.
West Derby Road had become an alternative route into the city centre by motorists wanting to avoid roadworks along Edge Lane.
It is believed that a stretch of carriageway started to sink as a result of cellars from properties that used to line the route before it was made into a dual carriageway.
There is also a possibility of a number of caverns in the area.
A spokesman for Liverpool City Council said: “There has been no alternative to a partial road closure to enable emergency road works to be carried out. A depression appeared in the surface of the roadway. We expect the work to take about a week.”
West Derby Road is also one of the city’s main bus routes.
Cllr Radford, a Liberal member of the city council, said: “A side road just a few feet away from the edge of West Derby Road collapsed around 10 to 15 years ago.
“It left a gaping hole in the road that came up to my shoulder. If that had happened in West Derby Road, there could easily have been a fatality.
“We spotted the problem a few days ago and alerted the council to express our concerns. This could not have come at a worst time, but the council has no alternative. I applaud the prompt actions of starting to carry out remedial works.”
Drivers heading towards the area are asked to allow extra time or find alternative routes to reach their destinations.
Since this article was written the work has been completed in an expeditious fashion and Cllr Steve Radford went on site to thank the team supervisor in person
AT THE Housing Committee on October 31, I tabled a motion quoting research by the Joseph Rowntree Trust that showed across pathfinder schemes that there was an average gap of £35,000 between the cost of buying new, in effect replacement homes, than the compensation being offered.
The response by officers gives an interesting postcode analysis of where people moved from for some 180-plus families. But it does not address the critical question by comparing purchase prices and the compensation given.
How dare I expect officers to act with integrity and answer the questions asked of them?
No doubt they will claim financial confidentiality, but analysis of prices did not need to be given by name or address, a case number could have been allocated.
The fact that housing officers want to cover up the debt crisis imposed on families after they are forced from their homes by both deliberate dereliction and CPO should worry every councillor, and even more so the thousands of families threatened by the pending roll-out of more demolition/CPO areas.
Liverpool aims to scrap discounted rates on vacant homes. Sam Lister reports
by Sam Lister, Liverpool Daily Post
PROPERTY owners who leave buildings empty for more than six months face a big hike in council tax bills.
As revealed yesterday, Liverpool City Council is planning to scrap the discounted rate of 50%, so the full amount will be payable.
Councillors insist they have called for the changes to put an end to "land-banking" by property speculators hoping to make big profits by selling their land on when market values rise.
But the proposals will also net the local authority an extra £3.6m a year without any cuts to services or big increases in staffing costs.
Critics claim it will be bad for business because it will discourage investors and hit the smallest developers hardest. But officials believe it would encourage quick renovation, clearance or re-letting.
More than 8,350 empty buildings in the city will be billed for the full amount for the first time but 1,600 of those are owned by the city council.
Cllr Frank Doran, assistant executive member for neighbourhoods and housing, said: "Derelict properties have an enormous impact on this city. Property speculators don't want to put people into them because they want to sell them on as vacant buildings."
The plans go before the council's executive board on Friday and, if approved, are expected to be in place by the end of January and come into effect in April.
So, should owners of empty properties be charged full council tax?
We need a policy which works for everyone
NO: The case against - Donna Cooney, director of KMC Residential
WHILE Liverpool will be following some other city councils in raising the council tax threshold to 100% after a property has been vacant for six months, I would question the timing of the decision.
Back in 2002, Liverpool's auction rooms began to fill with speculative investors who got word that Liverpool had to be the next place to invest.
Nearby Manchester was beginning to mature for the residential investor, yet many Liverpool buildings, both commercial and residential lay in disrepair.
The market reached its height in 2004 when the Capital of Culture prize was announced.
A plateau in line with national trends characterised much of 2005, and while early 2006 saw slow upward movement, the last quarter has seen strong demand from private buyers and investors. This has particularly been the case for apartments, with the first time buyer income bracket up to about £140,000.
Property professionals may take this on the chin because they acknowledge, albeit unhappily, that it is "part of the risk."
They may well be baffled though by the timing of the decision in view of the upward trend in the market, the number of applications that have passed planning or are in the planning system, and the multiplier effects the residential property market here has had on the economy. It won't detract them from their long-term goal, of course, and thankfully, as the evolution of the Liverpool residential market continues apace, the professional investor and developer who always have the bigger picture in mind, now dominate the field.
But we know they will be questioning the council over one of its policy decisions on property.
Of the many Irish developers and investor clients we have, most will point to Dublin's success over the last 30 years, and I know there is a great deal of confidence that Liverpool has plenty of growth to come yet. Of course it has.
Moreover, what about the private buyer who buys another property to move into while trying to sell their existing home? Why should they pay additional council tax at 100% when they will not be using any services in owning the property?
A more carefully thought-out plan to raise additional income might be a much better way forward, rather than a blanket tax rise to 100% across the board.
Let us maintain the momentum the city is building up. Look at the current levels of increased confidence and substantial new inward investment Liverpool is now experiencing.
Please, let's have a more discerning policy with regards to these council tax rises so there is a rationale that works for developers, professional investors, and private buyers, too.
We should go even further and tax vacant land
YES: The case for - Cllr Steve Radford, Leader of Liverpool's Liberal Party group
WE IN the Liberal Party have constantly lobbied for changes in the British property or council tax systems to penalise derelict and under-utilised land and property.
In many working class communities, like my own in Tuebrook, we have been blighted by absentee landlords leaving houses long term vacant. They are a magnet for vandalism, arson and dumping.
A shift in the council tax system which taxes owners of these properties at the full rate must be an incentive for modernisation and reletting.
Liverpool has currently record numbers of some 23,500 families on the waiting list of the council and housing associations. Across the city there are 8,357 empty buildings. By taxing vac- ant properties, we would create a real incentive for landlords to relet rather than leave vacant in an expectation of capital gain.
But it is not just private landlords who are a major source of derelict. In my Tuebrook and Stoneycroft Ward alone, we have over 120 long-term vacant properties out of some 7,500 homes. Of these, half are owned by the city council and housing associations like Riverside.
Many have been vacant for years. The city council it- self is responsible for 1,600 of Liverpool's un- occupied buildings. A shift in the tax system which would mean housing ass- ociations being penalised for leaving properties vacant would be welcome.
I recall with anger after two years writing to Riverside Housing over 6 and 6A Russian Drive to relet or sell it.
We were dismayed to see this substantial house set on fire be- fore the housing association agreed to sell it. This story, I be- lieve, could be reported by every councillor who represents any of our city's terraced districts.
Of the significant number of long-term vacant private properties, many of them are subject to probate disputes or in the hands of solicitors of estate agents. By charging the full rate of council tax we can give a real incentive for them to progress negotiations.
It would also give the city council an incentive to record charges in ownership and monitoring vacant properties.
The city council's vacant initiative is a shambolic farce.
By raising revenue from the vacant properties we could buffer council tax incentives for the majority of householders. More importantly, we would reduce the cost on public services for main- taining the vacants, we would r- duce the waiting lists and help regenerate communities at minimal cost. In fact, we should go even further and start taxing vacant land as well as housing, a policy espoused by the Liberal economist Henry George Trust.
Help us preserve Clubmoor Rec for future generations:
Supporting the "caucus" residents association Cllr Steve Radford has agreed to act as their advocate at the pending planning hearing 24th January which will consider the Town Village Green application made by local residents determined to prevent further building on the REC which has shrunk over the last decade
Please support this campaign by either signing our tear off petition or even making a personal declaration on how you or your family have used the Clubmoor Rec for Sports and Recreation
In a petty act , the Lib Dem Cllr for Anfield Cllr Kiron Reid ,who betrayed his residents over Stanley park ,has lodged an objection to the village green application.
Many residents are furious as the former Lib Den Parliamentary Candidate ,he had previously asked for their support to save local parks - lets face it you can't get more two faced than a lib Dem !
Caucus meet at the United Reform Church , Cherry Lane at 10.30 each Friday morning why not pop in and lend your support.
Similar Village Green applications are being promoted to save Abingdon Playing Fields and Dixie Dean memorial fields
Tuebrook and Stoneycroft Cllrs and residents are delighted that Planning Offciesr have given a clear tumbs down to an outline plan to build a drive through takeaway on Woburn Hill/ Green Lane at the site of a former petrol station
The Liberal Party had issued an appeal to residents to sign a petition to preserve the very semi rural unique nature of Tynwald and Wobrun HIll in Stoneycroft. The response by residents had been terrific
At the Housing Committee on 31st October I tabled a motion quoting research by the Joseph Rowntree Trust that showed across pathfinder schemes that there was an average gap of £35,000 between the cost of buying new , in effect replacement homes , than the compensation being offered.
The response by officers gives a interesting post code analysis of where people moved from for some 180 plus families.But it does not address the critical question by comparing purchase prices and the compensation given - of course not !
How dare I expect officers to act with integrity and answer the questions asked of them ?
No doubt they will claim financial confidentiality, but of course and analysis of prices did not need to be given by name or address , a case number could have been allocated.
The fact that Housing Officers want to cover up the debt crisis imposed on families after they are forced from their homes by both deliberate dereliction and CPO should worry every councillor and even more so the thousands of families threatened by the pending roll out of more demolition / CPO areas
Please prevent a bedsit hotel at 1-3 Beech Street, the road is being renovated and this will deter further private investment as well as adding to congestion. Please attend the town hall from 11.00
Please stop the possible road closure of Queens Drive central reservation by Moscow Drive ,which is part of the Tesco Express proposals.
Please attend planning committee from 1.00 that afternoon as the item is at the close of the agenda
One year on, just how well has Warren Bradley done?
Dec 5 2006
City Editor Larry Neild looks at an eventful year for Liverpool’s successor to Mike Storey
by Larry Neild, Liverpool Daily Post - We have reduced parts of this lengthy article
FULL-TIME firefighter and city council leader Warren Bradley has been in the hot seat at the town hall for a year.
He outlined his vision for the next decade yesterday, announcing major schemes to attract more businesses to move to Liverpool.
So what does the wider community think of the Liberal Democrat leader after 12 busy months in office?
Ed Oliver, spokesman for city centre businesses and deputy chair of Liverpool Chamber of Commerce describing his first year as “refreshing”.
“Personally and from the business point of view, he has had a very good year. The majority of people in the business community have found him very business- like, and to the point. He is very focused on his drive to make Liverpool a business-friendly city. He will listen and that is very refreshing. He has done an excellent first year.”
Liverpool Downtown in Business chairman, Frank McKenna, said: “Warren has taken on the role of leader during a difficult period in the council’s history. To his credit he has made himself approachable and he has done his best to be accessible, particularly to people in the business sector. But I think his honeymoon period is coming to an end and next year he must start to deliver on some of the promises he has made. Then he will be judged on those results.”
Labour leader Joe Anderson is unimpressed by Cllr Bradley’s record, insisting the leader continues to ignore major issues facing the city.
“Warren Bradley is amiable as a person, but you have to look at his record over a number of years as a member of the executive board. He was a member of the board at a time when it attracted criticism from independent bodies, and you have to ask why didn’t he speak up then or highlight the issues now being raised.
“People said Warren would be a puppet and he has not demonstrated to me that he is anything but that. If you compare Liverpool to a wagon, the wheels have fallen off and he is doing nothing to repair them, apart from talking about him, him, him.
“A report by KPMG highlighted 43 recommendations that could have saved the city millions of pounds – I would estimate £30m over four years – and he was a member of the board at the time. He talks about the city being business-friendly, but go to Everton, Kirkdale, and other parts of the city and the people will tell you he is not people-friendly. The Government has poured £1.2bn into this city, yet we have decaying estates and major anti-social behaviour issues. I am afraid Warren has been leader at a time when there have been a number of fiascoes.”
Cllr Steve Radford, leader of the minority Liberal group on the city council, said: “He is pleasantly approachable compared to his predecessor, Cllr Mike Storey. His recent announcement about reducing the number of quangos in the city was very forthright and took courage.
“But I still feel that Liverpool is run by a Fourth Party – the officers, all unelected and all decision makes all too often despite the views of elected councillorss"
During the cross examination of evidence at the hearing for the Tunnel Road Fields application for Town/Village Green status several key issues were exposed.
Firstly, that the Kensington Regeneration Board made no attempt to consult residents in the Chatsworth Estate or St Dustan's Village over their plan to deprive them of their open space, which they had enjoyed and developed since 1963
Secondly ,that Kensington Regeneration Board misrepresented affairs, in that their recent newsletter they banner headlined that " local residents supported building on these fields" when they had made not even consulted the residents most immediately effected
Lastly that Kesnington Regeneration had organised a deliberate campaign to frustrate the Village Green Application. As part of their campaign residents of Edge Hill were misled that they had a claim to have homes built on this site and that this was the only way they could expect relief from the very Dereliction and Decanting Kensington Regeneration had inflicted upon their own communities
We now invite Kensington Regeneration to publicly apologise for failing to consult and engage meaningfully with the Chatsworth and St Dustan's Village communities.
Furthermore that Kensington Regeneration come clean and publish that they do have a plan "B" for continuing Housing redevelopment in Edge Hill ,if they are unable to gain approval to the build on Tunnel Road Fields should the Village Green application be upheld
The battle to save Dixie Dean Memorial Fields is to start on 18th December with the case to declare the Dixie Dean Fields a Town or Village Green being heard by a Planning Inspector. The Liberal Party has been supporting local residents trying to save their own fields. If you want to help write to Alby Murphy at 4 Hamilton Road, Liverpool L5
The Planning Committee on Tuesday 12th December is expected to consider
Possible Hostel/Hotel at Beech Street, here local residents and The Liberal party are seeking maximise current the private investment in the street and prevent undue congestion on this road by appealing for the application for a 30 bed premise to be rejected
The Tuerbook/Old Swan/Anfield area committee have voted against a Tesco Express at Queens Drive as the increased traffic would be linked with a road closure of the central reservationby Moscow Drive. Liberal Party Cllrs have raised a petition against this as it would mean residents be forced to drive further along the congested Queens Drive to get to their own homes
Look at alternative route for Edge Lane improvements is the call by the Liberal Party Group tabled for the City Coucnil on Wednesday 6th December. The question is whether the LibDems will have the political will to look afresh at this issue
Article by Catherine Jones of the Liverpool Echo reprtingTeam on location in Bankfield Road , Stoneycroft
A LIVERPOOL street plunged into parking chaos by a new college is facing yet more traffic.
Residents of Bankfield Road, Tuebrook, are enduring double parking and struggling to get access to their homes since Liverpool Community College opened.
And now they have been told their road is "the only suitable site" for the £25m relocation of West Derby School. Up to 100 worried householders were set to pack a meeting tonight despite city council reassurances that only 15% of pupils would come to school by car.
Last week refuse lorries were unable to get down the roads, because of parking problems caused by an overflow from the college car park.
Joe Johnson, 68, who has lived in neighbouring Uppingham Road for more than 30 years, said: "If this new school plan goes ahead it will make it a million times worse.
"It will pose horrendous problems. They've given us an outline plan, but somebody has got to take a decision about the traffic problems."
Liberal Party Cllr Steve Radford says he believes the city should look at alternative sites such as Lister Drive and the Queens Drive Deaf Schol site, for the new comprehensive school, which will be amalgamated with the Ernest Cookson special school.
But a council spokesman said: "The proposed site is across the road from one of the existing sites on Bankfield Road.
"This will improve safety for children as they'll no longer have to cross a busy road for lessons.
"It will also relieve current problems with congestion on Quarry Road.
"We've approached the community as early as possible to enable them to get involved.
"A traffic impact assessment is being carried out by independent consultants which will be scrutinised as part of the planning process.
"The school will have a smaller intake and the number of children there will be reduced by 300.
"Dedicated secure car parking will be provided, as well as improvements to junctions, and cycle and pedestrian facilities in the area.
"The scheme won't be given planning permission unless there's a robust traffic management plan in place."
Don't build on our only green space - as reported in the Liverpool Echo
A PUBLIC inquiry to decide whether homes should be built on grassland in Edge Hill opened yesterday.
Families from the Royston Street area have spent six years waiting to move on to a new estate being built there.
But residents from the neighbouring Chatsworth estate want to keep the grassland in Tunnel Road as a park.
Back in August they launched a last-ditch attempt to keep it by declaring it a village green
Now an independent planning inspector is weighing up each side's case.
Cllr Steve Radford, who is acting as advocate for the residents, said: "We got over the point that the only residents objecting were those who wanted homes built on the site.
"By custom and practice, the residents have got the right to expect it to be their local park be-cause they have been using it for more than 20 years."
If the residents succeed, the estate's developer Bellway Homes will have to go back to the drawing board.
Building the estate will mean streets between Edge Lane, Durning Road, Wavertree Road and Marmaduke Street will all come down.
The inspector, from Manchester, will hear evidence from both sides, and the inquiry is expected to last until Thursday.
Cllr Radford praised Liverpool council for holding the independent hearing, whichis taking place at the Northern Conference Centre on Hall Lane.
