News in Heswall

The place: The Neston Club

The date and time: January 31 at 7pm. Television presenter Kate Humble has turned her hand to writing a cookbook, and 'Home Cooked' is described as a celebration of simple, seasonal home cooking full of flavour, comfort and joy. With more than 100 recipes from Kate's kitchen table, this is food to share from breakfast time to the evening meal – for lazy days, busy weeknights or gatherings, and everything in between. Inspired by Kate's rural life at home in Wales, and the popularity of Kate's cooking segments on her TV programmes, this deliciously appealing slice of country life contains all manner of seasonal recipes. Says Kate: "At the end of a long, tiring day, pottering about making something simple – but, hopefully, satisfying – feels like a small but significant achievement." On Monday January 31, Kate will give a talk about her life and work in general, and her new book in particular, and will also be signing copies. This is her second appearance at a Linghams event. Tickets cost £15 and £25 - to find out more, click or tap here, or call Linghams on 0151 342 7290.

A new group for Heswall women has been formed and is eager to attract members.

The Heswall and District Ladies Circle is aimed at women aged between 18 and 45 who live locally.

It was an away day this weekend for Heswall FC First Team as we faced Rainhill Town at the Prescot Soccer Centre. Our hosts were sat one place above us in the table so a close game was on the cards with both teams looking to take the points.

We started the game on the front foot and went ahead on 20 minutes when Shay Roberts rose above a 6ft Rainhill centre half and flicked a header into the path of on running Nathan Johnston. Jonno took the ball in his stride and smashed home at the near post for his 12th goal of the season.

Cyclist and Wirral sporting hero, Chris Boardman, is to become national commissioner of the Government's new cycling and walking body, Active Travel England, which launches today.

Active Travel England will be responsible for driving up the standards of cycling and walking infrastructure and managing the national active travel budget, awarding funding for projects that improve both health and air quality.

Yesterday's reports that plans for new J D Wetherspoon pubs are 'on hold' because of poor pandemic sales and mounting company debt do not have implications for Heswall's new Spoons.

The site of the former Exchange bar is currently home to extension and refurbishment works, part of the company's expansion plan drawn up to build 18 new pubs, upgrade some existing sites, and create 2000 jobs.

A Wirral councillor has suggested raking could resume on Hoylake beach, a source of huge controversy in recent years.

Since 2019, when Wirral Council decided to stop all management of the beach after it was strongly criticised for spraying it with the herbicide glyphosate, the policy of leaving it to nature has been a source of much debate locally.

The makers of the hybrid London Taxi, LEVC, have released the first details and artist impressions of a campervan conversion, called the e-Camper.

Campervan sales have grown hugely after the pandemic as holidaymakers are forced to stay in the UK rather than travel abroad. This has led to a raft of new conversions, including pure electric-powered camper versions of the Vauxhall Vivaro and Nissan e-NV200.

A leisure centre, libraries and golf courses are under threat, as Wirral Council looks to solve its £20m budget black hole.

Current plans, which could be changed following public consultation and committees, would see 11 libraries, Woodchurch Leisure Centre and two public golf courses closed down.

In November last year we reported that that the owners of Silk Road - on Telegraph Road - had been granted an alcohol licence for a proposed bar next door but one to Silk Road itself.

The unit that could be converted is the one formerly occupied by a Toni and Guy hairdressing salon. In the middle stands the former Papa John's pizza shop, which is also under the ownership of Shucos Ltd, the parent company of the Silk Road restaurants here in Heswall, and over the water in Liverpool, in Beetham Plaza.

Wirral Council's plan to save millions by closing a leisure centre, libraries and golf courses among other services moved

a step forward last night. The authority's cross-party policy and resources committee, which replaced its cabinet in 2020, agreed to put budget proposals which include the closure of 11 libraries, two public golf courses, Woodchurch Leisure Centre and more out to a public consultation. Tonight's move, which councillors agreed to by assent, does not mean that the cuts will definitely go ahead. Instead, it means that residents will be able to give the council their views on each budget proposal before a crucial meeting of the same committee on February 15 will put forward a budget which a further meeting of all 66 Wirral councillors must accept or reject on February 28. The proposals have led to outrage and disappointment among some. More than 3,200 people have signed a petition to save Woodchurch Leisure Centre, with some branding the plan "upsetting", "disgraceful" and "a real shame". Similarly, plans to close 11 of Wirral's 24 libraries have led to frustration, with a petition to save Hoylake Library gaining more than 750 signatures. Commenting on the petition on the change.org website, Helen van Marle said: "Don't take away everything that we have, books and learning will always be needed and we love our local library." The council's Labour leader Janette Williamson opened the meeting with a warning that Wirral Council does not have the funding to provide the same services this year as it did last year. Cllr Williamson emphasised that the authority must produce a balanced budget and that if it fails to do this government action will be the result, something which would be far worse and something she was not prepared to wait for. There was some positive news at the meeting, with improvements in funding from central government meaning savings of £20m rather than £27m must be found by the council in this year's budget. While giving his approval for the plans to go out to consultation, Cllr Tom Anderson, leader of the Conservative group, said some of the cuts proposed were "truly horrendous". Liberal Democrat group leader, Cllr Phil Gilchrist, said residents would be asking how the council got into what they see as a mess. He added that in 30 of his 43 years on the council, members had been asked to make cuts and that the authority needed a fair funding settlement from the government rather than having to "live from hand to mouth, year to year". Cllr Pat Cleary, who leads the local authority's Green Party group, called on the council to make sure it does not become so preoccupied with its structural deficit that it inflicts "unnecessary and irreparable damage to the social fabric of Wirral". He added that Wirral may have more libraries and leisure services than some other areas but it should not be criticised for this, instead it was an historic achievement that the borough should be proud of.