News reports located on this page = 2.

Landlord fined for dangerous property

A Liverpool landlord has been hit with a bill of almost ₤9,500 for allowing a tenant to live in a dangerous, unlicensed property. John William Kildare, of Eldred Road in Childwall, failed to comply with an Improvement Notice issued by Liverpool City Council, as well as failing to apply for a licence. The house, on Hanford Avenue in Orrell Park, had a number of issues including damp and mould, various electrical issues and missing smoke alarms. A room was also subject to a Prohibition Order as due to suspected asbestos, within damaged ceiling tiles. He pleaded not guilty at the 1st hearing, on 19 December 2019, but was found guilty in his absence by Liverpool City Council at a trial earlier today, 24 February 2019. At Liverpool Magistrates Court, District Judge Andrew Shaw described the offences as:- "serious" and imposed a fine of ₤2,000 in relation to the unlicensed offence, ₤3,000 in relation to the failure to comply with the Improvement Notice and awarded the Council costs of ₤4,410. 

Overall, 70% of inspected properties in Liverpool have been found to be in breach of their licence condition since the Landlord Licensing scheme was launched in 2015, uncovering serious hazards such as fire risks, poor electrics and excess cold. The Council has carried out over 37,000 compliance actions, issued more than 2,500 legal and fixed penalty notices and prosecuted almost 250 landlords. In practical terms, it means action has been taken to improve the lives of tenants; whether that is making electrics safe, installing working fire doors, tackling damp, making kitchens and bathrooms fit for purpose and preventing illegal evictions. Liverpool alone was responsible for 85% of the national rise in prosecutions between 2012 and 2018.  The Government recently turned down an application for the City Council to continue a City wide scheme for another 5 years, and discussions are now under way about submitting a revised bid. 

Deputy Mayor and Cabinet member for housing, Councillor Lynnie Hinnigan, said:- "This prosecution highlights the desperate need for our Landlord Licensing scheme. Here we have a landlord operating with wanton disregard for the safety of their tenant and blatantly ignoring our attempts to get him to licence the property and carry out basic improvements to make it liveable. Landlord licensing is a foot in the door, enabling us to create a dedicated team who have made a huge difference to the lives of many vulnerable tenants. We are determined to take action where we can to ensure that housing is suitable and safe, and will robustly enforce and use all available powers in all instances."

George Harrison's life celebrated with Liverpool woodland memorial

TO mark what would have been George Harrison's 77th Birthday, on Tuesday, 25 February 2020, Liverpool City Council and the George Harrison Estate have announced that a new memorial woodland will open in Liverpool, in his honour. The George Harrison Woodland Walk, will be located in South Liverpool close to where George was born and grew up. The 12 acre Greenland site, opposite Allerton Towers, is currently a mixture of mature woodland and meadow.

Olivia Harrison, George's wife, said:- "'George was an avid gardener who found solace and joy in being in the outdoors. I don't think there is any better way to commemorate him in Liverpool than with a garden which can become a place of tranquillity and reflection for everyone. I am really looking forward to watching it change and grow over the coming years."

When it officially opens in 2021, it will be landscaped in order to be accessible, combining garden and woodland with a number of artistic installations inspired by the life and lyrics of the much loved Beatle.  The City Council and the Harrison family want to encourage artists to design new artworkforces which will take pride of place in the garden.

Mayor of Liverpool, Joe Anderson, said:- 'It has been 1 of my ambitions as mayor to find an appropriate way for us as a City to celebrate 1 of our most loved sons, so I am overjoyed that at last we can announce the George Harrison Woodland Walk. The site is beautiful, and the plans for the area in the coming months are really exciting. It feels right that at last we have a permanent memorial to celebrate George's life, loves and influence." 

More information on submitting an expression of interest should go online now. The longer term aim is for a 'nature classroom' to be opened on the site, allowing School children from across the region to spend time learning about nature and the environment. The site was acquired by Liverpool City Council, back in 2018, and workforce is set to begin in the coming months. The George Harrison Woodland Walk will formally open to the public in spring 2021.