Multiple problems. How to solve them?

Nothing " beautiful " about the parts of Liverpool that nobody sees !

"Unaware of the North " has been the war-cry of successive governments MaizieD.

There’s plenty of poverty in the South. We may not have to go as far in miles to find work, but time wise, with our overcrowded roads, public travel etc, it can take hours to a short journey. All my kids have worked in London at some point. We’re in the Southeast. Getting to and from work was often a nightmare. If you could actually get a train, then most likely no seats. The roads are impossible. I have two in law children from the North, and they’ve both always preferred getting around there than any where down South. It’s been so lovely they’ve all been able to work at home the last year. They hope to keep on doing so.

I'm not sure that Liverpool could be described as beautiful. Like all the great northern cities, it's impressive and the view across the Mersey is unique. Maybe when all this is over I'll set up tours of northern cities for southerners!

PS. Liverpool is about more than Derek Hatton. Maybe I'll start a political party to campaign against stereotypes.

MaizieD I'm a southerner and I have to confess that I'd never been north of Watford, apart from a holiday in Scotland, in my 20s until I was about 40. Never been to Liverpool but I remember Derek Hatton. I also am aware that Liverpool is a beautiful city, was a European Capital of Culture in 2008 and I guess that was the year the automata from Nantes arrived and walked through the city. I'm sorry that I have never visited it.

PS. Sorry, but I don't really indulge in football supporter-type humour.

No Maizie I don't think Birkenhead has moved. What a strange question! I live there until I was 18 and my parents continued to live on the Wirral until they died.

Gannygangan

I think you'll find that the Duke of Westminster was hugely instrumental in the development of Liverpool One, Ellanvanin. Ask any scouser.

Genuine sadness round here when he died.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/duke-westminster-proud-northerner-real-11732543

The Duke of Westminster's company, Grosvenor Groups, owns billions of pounds of property. I'm not sure that it invested in Liverpool One for philanthropic reasons - they wanted to make a profit.

The EU has, however, invested billions in Liverpool and Merseyside:

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/17-things-european-funding-done-10925208

Keep the pressure on the government to match that funding. Questions need to be asked if it doesn't.

It's sickening the way politicians have always turned a blind eye, even worse EV is that there was a proposed ( a couple of years back) that rented housing should be of an acceptable standard before it can be rented. The bill was voted out and did not become law. What does this say about the government?
If I was in charge ( now there's a title for a thread) of housing, I would:

- allow councils to purchase or build more housing with the proceeds of the stock they were obliged to sell

-permit councils ( and fund) to buy accommodation and act as a social landlord, giving people security of tenure which in turn would mean settled education for children, settled employment, and potentially the end of 'rent to buy' ghettos as people would be invested in their homes and neighbourhood.

- not permit housing benefit to be paid unless the property in question had passed acceptable standards of insulation, heating, gas and electric safety, room sizes etc.

It is a fundamental human right to have a safe, clean, secure home in which to raise your family, and it is disgraceful that in the 21st century in what we are told is a civilised country, we see reports such as that of Croydon council tower blocks.

I think you'll find that the Duke of Westminster was hugely instrumental in the development of Liverpool One, Ellanvanin. Ask any scouser.

Genuine sadness round here when he died.

www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/duke-westminster-proud-northerner-real-11732543

Are all councils corrupt. I hear Belfast is to give a large sum to use at bonfire celebrations . This will shut up a bunch of thugs.

growstuff

MaizieD

This constant comparison between poor north and rich south is false as well as unnecessarily divisive.

I moved to 'the North' 50 years ago, from Essex. The divide was very much in evidence even then, when the mines and the steel works etc. were still fully operational. Northerners were very aware of it. Southerners didn't even think about it. I think most of us barely knew where 'the North' was...

I disagree Maizie. I most certainly did know where the North is - although I must admit there's quite a lot North of Merseyside. Please don't contribute to the narrative of division. There are people in the "South" who are poor and plenty of pockets of deprivation. Even Essex is a split county.

You said you were raised in Birkenhead, growstuff. Has it moved down south?

There is a narrative of division that goes back many, many years. I was surprised by it when I moved to Yorkshire in the 70s. I was 'just saying'. It's nothing new.

Apologies for the crack about southerners not knowing where the north is. It is probably more accurate to say that they were 'unaware' of the north.

Misuse of public money in Liverpool, eh.? Who'da thought it ?
About time there was transparency on how the publics' taxes are spent !

Among other things.

Gannygangan I think you'll find that it was financed by the EU.

I don’t live on the Wirral I also don’t pay my council tax to Liverpool. Speke has lost of lot of industry over the years. It is benefiting now not before time because of retail outlets.

Years ago Council built housing was some of the best. The rooms were all a reasonable size etc and it was all a sensible lay out.
After the war a lot of housing was built near where we lived. The houses which fronted the estate were built to resemble housing which was already there along the road - lovely red brick.
It was such a retrograde step allowing the right to buy but not allowing the building of replacement housing. It would surely make more sense to offer long term tenants a cash sum should they wish to vacate the housing and purchase elsewhere - thus keeping the stock of municipal housing.
If you watch Grand Designs you will see different types of construction being done which is faster to build. Prefabs were a successful form of housing after the war and were very cosy - I had a friend living in one. Why can’t we look at those types of things to help solve the current shortage?
Everyone needs suitable housing and also the ability to work and be able to fund life for their family. If people have a home they know they will have for many years they may well invest more - maybe there could be rent reduction for people improving their Council home - new kitchen type of thing. Obviously any of these things would need to be monitored so no rubbish would be sanctioned. We need to be thinking outside the box for solutions.
A basic income for everyone would help to level things because higher earners would see their payments clawed back.

MaizieD

^This constant comparison between poor north and rich south is false as well as unnecessarily divisive.^

I moved to 'the North' 50 years ago, from Essex. The divide was very much in evidence even then, when the mines and the steel works etc. were still fully operational. Northerners were very aware of it. Southerners didn't even think about it. I think most of us barely knew where 'the North' was...

I disagree Maizie. I most certainly did know where the North is - although I must admit there's quite a lot North of Merseyside. Please don't contribute to the narrative of division. There are people in the "South" who are poor and plenty of pockets of deprivation. Even Essex is a split county.

Actually Redhead London doesn't get what it wants all the time - some districts most certainly don't.

The Wirral has high needs, although lower than some parts of Liverpool, especially around Speke. Most of your council tax goes on social care. It is paid to a central "pot" and you are allocated what the government thinks you need. Poorer areas which can't raise much receive more from the central pot than wealthier areas, but the differential has been narrowed over the last ten years. That's why you have noticed cuts to services, but wealthier areas haven't suffered such vicious cuts.

We earned our living on the Wirral we noticed a distinct slump in businesses over ten years ago. Businesses closing down boarded up and rents were too high. Councils will not invest in improvements unless it’s in their interest. Councils cry poverty lack of funding I would like to know what they actually do with all the revenue they get from Joe public’s council tax. We have reduced services more than ever but never a reduction in council tax,
There is deprivation in every city and problems in rural areas especially with transport. However central London gets what it wants every time. New network railway no problem it’s getting it.

Things can only get worse since we're no longer in line for help from the EU which, after Wales, ploughed millions into Liverpool One shopping area.

I thought it was the Duke of Westminster who gave millions to Liverpool and was it not down to him we got Liverpool 1?

Following

And here we are in the Midlands, in the bit that has remained obstinately dark purple on the infection map, and which has gone from national lockdown to local lockdown and back to national. Even in the Summer our infection rates were very high.

All of those problems are ours too.

This constant comparison between poor north and rich south is false as well as unnecessarily divisive.

I moved to 'the North' 50 years ago, from Essex. The divide was very much in evidence even then, when the mines and the steel works etc. were still fully operational. Northerners were very aware of it. Southerners didn't even think about it. I think most of us barely knew where 'the North' was...

There is a great deal of poverty in the south east and other areas in the south. As has been said Jaywick in Essex gets the poorest in the country prize.
Not everyone can be a city whizz kid and it’s certainly harder being poor in the south because of the high costs especially for property, be that owned or rented.
This constant comparison between poor north and rich south is false as well as unnecessarily divisive.