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50 Liverpool foster carers
needed for Liverpool children
LIVERPOOL'S Lord Mayor is getting
behind a drive to recruit more foster carers in the City. Councillor Erica
Kemp has agreed to throw open the doors of the Town Hall from 4pm to 7pm on Monday, 26
January 2015, to help recruit the 50 people needed now to care for looked after
children in the City.
The event follows on from the success of previous evenings which have seen
members of the public stop by for a cup of tea after work, enjoy a bowl of
scouse and find out about the rewarding role of a Foster Carer.
It is a chance to meet the Council's Foster Carers and ask as many questions as
you like about the day to day experience of supporting and caring for our City's
most vulnerable children.
Lord Mayor, Councillor Erica Kemp, said:- "I am delighted that the Town
Hall is able to host this event and give people the opportunity to find out more
about becoming a foster carer. It is a hugely rewarding role and something
that can completely change your life for the better, and we need more people to
come forward right now."
Deputy Lord Mayor, Councillor Tony Concepcion, will be present at the event.
Cabinet member for children's services, Councillor Jane Corbett, added:-
"Our team of foster carers do an amazing job providing a loving home for some of
our most vulnerable children. However, we really need more people to come
forward and support us. People can come from all sorts of backgrounds and all
walks of life; what matters is that they are willing to help care for our
children in a safe and loving environment. They deserve the very best support
that we can offer, and that is why we are doing all we can to recruit and
support foster carers."
Anyone who is interested in fostering can find out more by visiting:-
FosteringForLiverpool.Co.UK, or by calling
the recruitment line on:- 0151 515 0000.
Foster carers need to be aged over 21, but there is no upper age limit. They can
be single, married or co-habiting, straight or gay.
FSB urges
business owners to have their say on the devolution debate
NEW FSB survey seeks views
of entrepreneurs on proposals for Liverpool City Region devolution.
The Federation of Small Businesses is urging all small business
owners in Liverpool City Region to have their say on plans to
devolve power and authority from central government.
The FSB's Merseyside, West Cheshire and Wigan is seeking the views
of entrepreneurs in Liverpool, Halton, Knowsley, Sefton, St Helens
and Wirral via a short survey on the City Region devolution
proposals. They can take the survey:- 'Liverpool City Region
Devolution - the Small Business View', by clicking on
here.
With arguments over whether Liverpool should have an elected
'Metro'
Mayor at the forefront of the debate, the survey asks local business
owners to consider the different models of governance on the table; including an elected mayor, combined authority only, elected
authority or 'leader of leaders' model.
It also asks them to indicate which areas of power they think should
be devolved - Business support; innovation, research and design;
fiscal devolution; infrastructure; transport; housing, transfer of
ownership of public land; skills and employability support.
Elaine Moore, Chair of FSB Merseyside, West Cheshire and Wigan,
said:- "We are at a critical time when plans for exactly how
devolution will work in Liverpool are being drawn up in order to be
submitted to the Government for approval.
I would urge all small business owners in this City region to have
their say on which governance model they feel will work best for
them and which powers they would like to see devolved. It is
important for future growth and job creation that the voice of small
businesses is heard and heard clearly in this debate." |
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Search for owners of empty
homes
AN appeal has been launched to trace
the owners of a number of empty houses in Liverpool. The Council's vacant
property team is asking the public if they have any information about these
houses, some of which have been empty for more than 10 years. Searches carried
out by the City Council through the Land Registry, Council records, electoral
roll, probate records and other sources have failed to uncover details of the
owners' whereabouts. The Council has either already carried out work, or is
considering carrying out work on the houses, which have fallen into disrepair to
remove blight or prevent statutory or public health nuisances. If the owners
cannot be found the Council may be forced to acquire the properties by
compulsory purchase under the Housing Act or force the sale of the properties
under the Law of Property Act. The Council would recover any costs incurred
through the sale of the property and remaining funds would be held in a court
account for 12 years unless claimed by the owner.
Councillor Ann O'Byrne, the cabinet member for housing, said:- "Some of
the properties whose owners we are trying to trace have stood empty for years
and inevitably they deteriorate. When we carry out work on empty properties to
make them safe we would normally charge the owners for this work but in these
cases strenuous efforts have failed to provide details of their whereabouts, so
we are asking if anybody has information about them to let us know and we can
take the appropriate action. If we can find the owners officers want to talk to
them, in the first instance, about their plans for the property and how they can
work together to resolve the issues and get them back into use. If we cannot
find who owns the houses we have carried out work on then the law allows us to
put them up for sale and recover the money we have spent. While it is important
that we recover this money this is not just a question of us getting our costs
back, but we are determined to honour the Mayoral pledge to bring vacant houses
in the City back into use; as empty properties can blight neighbourhoods and it
is unacceptable that they should be left when they can provide decent homes."
Information is being sought about the owners of the following properties:-
► 7 Beaconsfield Street, L8 2UU
► 11 Holmes Street, L8 0RH
► 13 Dinorwic Road, L4 0UB
► 13 Priory Road, L4 2RT
► 34 Coleridge Street, L6 6BT
► 25 Breckside Park, L6 4DJ
► 54 Castlewood Road, L6 5AL
► 68 Mere Lane, L5 0QW
► 92 Hale Road, L4 3RW
► 94 Priory Road, L4 2SH
► 21 Sybil Road, L4 0RR
► 55 Fieldton Road, L11 9AE
► 30 Wendell Street, L8 0RQ
► 173 Ackers Hall Avenue, L14 4AY
► 12 Newark Street, L4 3RP
► 88 Sedley Street, L6 5AF
► 62 Tilston Road, L9 6AL
► 94 Townsend Avenue, L11 8NE
If you own 1 of these properties or you are aware of the owner and their contact
details please contact the vacant property team on:- 0151 233 3055.
The City Council have previously
sold 26 properties under the 'Law of Property Act' to
recover costs.
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