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New education hub in
Croxteth set for go ahead
PLANS for a multi million pound
redevelopment of Myerscough College's facilities at Croxteth Park in Liverpool
are set to get the green light.
Myerscough College provides a very specific, vocational and land use based
education service, which is the only one of its kind on Merseyside.
A report to the Cabinet, on Friday, 25 November 2016, is recommending that the former
Glendale Council Depot is transferred to the College, on a lease
basis and redeveloped as new, expanded teaching facilities to replace their
current outdated and inflexible accommodation.
The City Council is to contribute £500,000 to the scheme by way of a discounted
rent on the site, over the next 10 years, in addition to £1 million from the
College and £2 million from the Liverpool City Region Local Enterprise
Partnership (LEP).
Councillor Malcolm Kennedy, Cabinet member for regeneration, said:-
"The
College does fantastic work but is working out of accommodation that is no
longer suitable for modern teaching methods.
It will enhance and improve their work and mean that students interested in
studying for the qualifications that they offer can do so in the best quality
surroundings.
As well as delivering good quality education and training, it will also boost
the local economy as local workers and apprentices will be employed during the
construction phase."
When complete, the new-look Myerscough College Croxteth Centre; which was given
planning permission in October 2016; will be made up of single storey buildings
sited behind a wall opposite the Home Farm area of the site.
The new training facilities will include 3 animal studies blocks along with
stabling, aviaries and pens for goats, alpacas and hens adjacent to the Grade II
listed former Laundry House.
2 other buildings will be converted for animal housing and dog grooming, and a
3rd will be for reptiles, amphibians and tropical species as well as
accommodation for staff and students.
Helen Eaton, Myerscough's Assistant Principal for Liverpool said:-
"Myerscough Liverpool was first established in 1999 in partnership with the City
Council and over time we have developed to provide a range of courses at Croxteth Park.
We've worked closely with Glendale for a number of years and have been their
sole training provider for almost a decade and so taking control of their depot
is the next logical step of what will hopefully further enhance our education
offer to the students of Merseyside.
We carried out a review of our facilities at Croxteth Park before submitting our
plans and developing this area of the park is the most viable and cost
effective. We can't wait for work to begin."
Councillor Steve Munby, Cabinet member for neighbourhoods, added:- "This
scheme complements our wider plans for Croxteth Park.
The new arrangements with Myerscough will increase our income and free up space
in Croxteth Hall and Farm.
The previous transfer of the Farm to NSC, a local social enterprise, has bought
new investment in the farm, increased visitor numbers, local jobs and saved the
City Council around £250,000 a year.
We will shortly be seeking a partner to run the Hall and Park so that they
become self sustaining."
Myerscough Liverpool was first established to support the delivery of the
college's Merseyside work based learning contract at Croxteth Hall. Over time
the facility has developed to support the delivery of full time, part time and
short courses in both land based and sports subjects including Animal Care,
Arboriculture, Equine and Horticulture. |
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The Chancellor should use
£356m in unallocated Business Rates to ease the social care funding crisis
THE UK Government could ease the social
care crisis by handing back to Councils in the North West millions in surplus
cash raised from Business Rates, according to new figures published by UNISON.
If local authorities in the North West were given back their share of Business
Rates that have been collected by the UK Government, this would mean an extra £356m
to spend on social care, says UNISON.
UNISON's calculations are based on the same funding formula for the UK
Government's 'Better Care Fund,' which allocates resources to the NHS and local authorities.
If the UK Government were able hand back a proportion of Business Rates for
North West local authorities to spend on social care, local Council Taxpayers would
benefit too, says UNISON.
The extra Business Rates cash would remove the need for local authorities to
raise Council Tax by 2% to spend on social care, saving North West residents
£50m a year, says UNISON.
UNISON says many more people would be able to receive care in the region under
its proposal. Lancashire County Council would get nearly £48m more to spend and
Taxpayers would save £8m (because money from Business Rates would avoid the need
for Council Taxes to rise). Similarly Cumbria County Council would get £21m,
saving its Taxpayers £4m a year.
With Business Rates to spend on social care, Stockport Council would have
another £10.5m to spend, saving its Council Taxpayers £2.6m. Warrington Council
would gain £7.3m, saving £1.6m for local Taxpayers.
UNISON North West Regional secretary Kevan Nelson said:- "The social care
system is in dire straits. There's simply not enough money to fund the care
that's needed.
The losers are the thousands of dedicated homecare workers, who work long hours,
and whose already low wages are dragged below the legal minimum because of the
non-payment of travel time.
Those suffering the most are the elderly and the disabled, who rely on daily
visits so they can stay in their own homes. Visits are often too short to
administer the care needed, or care packages simply aren't available. Then
people have to stay in hospital far longer than is good for them, in beds that
are desperately needed for other patients.
Investing £356m in social care would be money extremely well spent. Not only
would it mean better care for the elderly, it would ease the pressure on
homecare staff, and free up beds in the NHS."
Last week UNISON general secretary Dave Prentis wrote to Philip Hammond setting
out where the autumn statement could make a real difference to public services.
The Chancellor could:-
► End public service job cuts, where fewer staff are trying to do more with less
resources.
► Fully fund student nurse bursaries, giving the NHS a better chance of recruiting
the additional health professionals it needs.
► End the 1% public sector pay cap, which has caused money worries for many public
servants.
Illegal goods seized outside
concert
ILLEGAL merchandise has been seized
from outside a Jess Glynne concert at ACC Liverpool at the weekend. City
Council licensing officers and Merseyside Police carried out an operation
which saw about £600 worth of t-shirts, and other goods taken from unlicensed
traders.
A vendor will be summonsed for street trading offences and a court order sought
to dispose of the goods. Councillor Frank Hont, cabinet member, said:- "The seizure of these items
sends out a message to unlicensed traders that their activities will not be
tolerated.
They hit at legitimate traders and people who buy from them should be aware that
there are no guarantees about the quality of the goods and their rights are not
protected." Click on
here to see our report about the concert. |
