Scrutiny Committee challenges location of hostels in most deprived communities and failure to tackle dramatic shortage of accomodation for homeless:

But don't worry the Lib Dems ignore even the views of their own councillors let alone anyone else !

Plans to upgrade two direct access hostels in Tuebrook and Kensington at a cost of £3.7m were rejected by the members of the Health and Adult Social Care Committee last night (21st Sept)

Moving the amendment which was carried by 8 votes to 5, Cllr Steve Radford said that the plans only upgraded current facilities whilst ignored the horrendous shortage of over 450 beds in the city,  therefore it showed poor value for tackling demand in the city.

He said tax payers were astonished that the council would spend £2.2m in Tuebrook just to increase the supply of beds from 21 to 23,  when the shortage was of the order of 450 across the city

He also critisised the way in which the hostels and the suggested interim sites were all in the most deprived areas of the city and those with high crime levels.

 It was not good enough to leave vulnerable yong people in the very environments which may have contributed to their problems. He said the prospect of putting a temp hostel into Everton was callous and supported objections by Labour Councillor Jane Corbett.

However, when the amendment was carried by the Committee, Lib Dem Exec Member Dave Antrobus, said he was going ahead regardless and would not review the Exec Board decision

Cllr Roz Gladden ,who had seconded the motion by Cllr Radford, said "I really wondered why we are here when decisions are pushed through regardless of the Scrutiny Committees views?"

Cllr Steve Radford suggested Labour Councilors went back to their government and stated how undemocratic the Cabinet Model is that Labour imposed on local councils