Bright future for Anfield

HOUSING in Anfield is about to enter a new era, thanks to ambitious plans from the city council.  The council’s Cabinet has approved proposals on Friday 30 March to drive forward the regeneration of a key area in L4 affected by the ending of the Housing Market Renewal Initiative (HMRI) - and for the area to be re-named ‘Anfield Village.’

It will signal the start of a programme of work by the city council, the Homes and Communities Agency and Arena Housing Association, to refurbish properties in the area and create a revitalised community where people want to live.

The plans will bring together the former phases 6 and 7 of the Anfield Breckfield HMRI Area into one major project. The area, which contains more than 600 properties, falls within the boundary of Back Rockfield Road, Walton Breck Road, Sleepers Hill and Saker Street.

Liverpool City Council, working with its partners, plans to refurbish as many properties as possible, but some will have to be demolished, as part of the overall strategy to regenerate the area and drive up the quality of housing.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Housing and Community Safety, Councillor Ann O’Byrne, said:- "Our Anfield Village plans aim to accelerate the regeneration of the area, providing modern, affordable homes which people want to live in and creating a vibrant, attractive neighbourhood that everybody can be proud of.

There’s a great deal of work to do, but I’m delighted that firm plans are now being put in place to finally breathe new life into housing in the area. It’s really good news for the local community who have been left in limbo since the scrapping of the HMRI programme.

I’m looking forward to these plans really gaining momentum in the coming months. Working together with residents, we can deliver long overdue housing improvements for Anfield and start building a brighter future for the area."

The majority of the properties in the new Anfield Village are small terraces with access straight from the pavement, high vacancy rates, no back gardens and in poor condition. Partners have agreed that the properties and surrounding environment will have to be significantly altered, in order to be attractive to new and existing residents.

A number of options are being explored, including creating larger houses for families by knocking 2-into-1 and carrying out selective demolition to create space for gardens in the remaining properties.

Partners are also working together to explore possible sources of funding, such as the new Empty Homes Grant, which is available for local authorities to bid in to, and is particularly aimed at areas of low housing demand.

The full range of options for the area are now being worked up, to be presented to residents at community consultation events in April. Work could begin as early as this summer.

UKIP challenged over "dodgy" maths

LATEST Treasury figures have revealed claims made by UKIP about the costs of EU membership to be a "complete fabrication", a (local) Euro-MP has claimed.

Southport Liberal Democrat MEP Chris Davies has accused UKIP of making up figures that suggest that EU costs are 50 times higher than that paid by the UK Treasury.

He has challenged UKIP's Southport MEP Paul Nuttall to explain his "dodgy maths" in public. Davies said:- "UKIP must explain why its sums don't add up. There is a debate to be had about getting value for money from the EU, but there cannot be serious discussion with people who make up the figures as they go along."

A draft Treasury letter that is due to be sent to every taxpayer shows how the money raised through taxes is spent. It reveals that the UK's net contribution to the EU costs a taxpayer earning the average £26,000 per year just £51, or less than £1 per week.

The figure compares to interest payments on the national debt that cost the same person £548 per year, and a welfare bill that requires average taxes of £3,537.

Administration costs for the UK government alone, at £172 per person, are 3 times higher than the entire contribution to the EU.

UKIP have claimed that our EU cost is £2,516 per year for the average taxpayer, but calculations made by Davies have shown that this is the amount that would be paid by someone earning £1,291,710 in salary.

Said Davies:- "Only in the crazy world of UKIP does the average taxpayer earn well over £1 million per year.  UKIP deputy leader Paul Nuttall has already had to apologise for one invented press story this year. Will he now accept my challenge to explain why the Treasury has got it wrong or will he also apologise for his latest false claims?"

More help for young people to find work

MORE emphasis is to be placed on getting young people in the most deprived parts of Liverpool into education, training and work.  A new, more flexible £2.7 million service launched on Monday April 2 to target people aged 16-19 who are not in education, employment or training, known as NEETs.

It will operate from 18 locations around the city, including council buildings and youth centres, plus a building in the city centre close to Liverpool One. There will also be a bus providing a roaming mobile service across the city.  Staff will also be on hand at key times such as career options events, school leaving times, exam results days and recruitment fairs.

There will be a dedicated telephone helpline and an interactive careers website which will be available for young people, parents and teachers to find out about opportunities and support across Merseyside.  The service will provide more support to the most vulnerable young people as it is recognised they face the biggest challenges in getting into training and work. This will include young people with learning disabilities, teenage parents, care leavers and young offenders.

Councillor Nick Small, cabinet member for employment, enterprise and skills, said:- "These are tough times for young people but that makes it even more important that we redouble our efforts to help and support them develop their skills and knowledge.  It is really vital we make sure that when the economy improves our young people are best placed to take advantage of the growth in jobs and employment because competition is tougher than ever. We have had huge success getting hundreds of people on to the first rung of the employment ladder through our various apprenticeship schemes, so there are opportunities out there, even in these difficult times.  We are changing the service so that rather than waiting for people to come through the door, it is actively going out and seeking young people and going to the places where we know they will be.  It’s really important that we focus on the areas of the city where we know there are high numbers of young people who are not in employment, education or training so we are getting to those who need our help the most."

‘Apprenticeship Ambassadors’ from training providers will join advisors in visiting young people in their home to encourage them to sign up to improve their skills through an apprenticeship or training.  The helpline service will also be available 12 hours per day every weekday and for a number of hours over the weekend.

The latest figures show there are around 1,800 young people aged 16 to 19 classed as NEET in Liverpool. 

The service will be provided by Greater Merseyside Connexions Partnership.  The website is merseyinteractive.com and the helpline number is:- 0800 012 6606.