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The ones that didn't quite make it...

Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on April 18, 2008 10:14 AM

The design competition to replace Seaforth Radar Tower has attracted plenty of discussion and a few smiles at one or two designs which missed out on the shortlist.

Now the Mersey Observatory website has been launched, showing artists' impressions of the winning design, a brilliant panoramic view from the top of the current tower and all 92 entries for the competition. It's well worth a look: www.merseyobservatory.com

How Crosby Herald reporter got court restrictions lifted

Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on March 20, 2008 12:29 PM

Here's a little bit of background to this week's front page story about a 16-year-old's crime spree.
The case was heard in a youth court in Bootle on Tuesday, meaning there were some pretty strict rules in force.
The general public is barred from youth courts. Reporters are allowed to attend but are not allowed to identify a youth involved or give any information which may help people identify them. That means no name or address but also no mention of his or her school or anything too specific about them or their families.
However, the law does provide a few occasions when these restrictions may be lifted.
After seeing the defendant plead guilty to a string of crimes, Crosby Herald reporter Mark Johnson argued - successfully - that identifying a “persistent and serious offender” like Quinton, was in the public interest.
Mark says: "During a court interval I asked the usher to inform District Judge Michael Abelson that I would like to make representations and she then went to his chambers to make him aware.
"When court commenced, the District Judge asked me to explain who I was and which paper I wrote for and why I wanted the restrictions lifted.
"He agreed to lift them, saying, 'He has such a prolific record so I am minded to lift the anonymity protecting his name'."
The decision meant we were able to publish his name and address rather than simply calling him "a 16-year-old boy from Thornton".

This is how the Judicial Studies Board explains the 'public interest' provision:

The Youth Court also has the power to order the lifting of the reporting restrictions to any extent, in relation to a child or young person who has been convicted, if it is satisfied that it is in the public interest to do so. The child or young person may therefore be identified in relation to any proceedings related to the prosecution or conviction of the offender for the offence, the manner in which he or his parent or guardian should be dealt with in respect of the offence, the enforcement, variation, revocation or discharge of an order made in respect of the offence, the enforcement of any rule made under section 16(3) of the Criminal Justice Act 1982 in respect of an attendance centre order or the enforcement of any requirements relating to detention and training orders under section 76 (6)(b) of the Crime and Disorder Act 1998.

We believe it is in the public interest that the victims of his crimes are able to see justice being done, that his neighbours are aware of his crimes and that the whole case acts as a warning and a deterrent to others.
And we believe that someone who repeatedly breaks the law in such a reckless way should not be protected from the public view.

Increasingly interactive

Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on January 31, 2008 9:00 AM

“Interactive” has become one of the buzzwords of the internet era.
Local newspapers have always been interactive. Letters pages are very popular and because of our ‘local’ nature, the vast majority of people who feature in our stories are also our readers.
Since the re-launch of the Crosby Herald website last year we have been experimenting with some new ways of enabling our readers to get involved in the paper.
Blogs, like this one, which allow people to immediately comment on an item, are one example, and our forums have a steadily growing following.
One item which has attracted a lot of interest on the forum is the design competition for the Mersey Observatory.
More people have looked at and taken part in the discussion on the proposals than any other item on the forum.
Last week, a poll in which you can vote for your favourite design was added to our home page following a request from forum members.
And in today's paper we have taken up another idea put forward on the forum - an in-depth look at each of the designs ahead of the public exhibition next month.
Join in the discussion!

Radar tower debate

Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on January 11, 2008 1:49 PM

The designs for an iconic building to replace Seaforth Radar Tower are creating a buzz over on the Crosby Herald news forums, so we thought you might like to see one idea which didn't make the shortlist.

Uli Kraeling sent us this artist's impression:

tower.jpg

He said: "There will be a public consultation and exhibition but only of the five shortlisted designs. If this is supposed to be a structure with a truly popular appeal then the public should have the right to see all submitted proposals.

"I'm attaching a submission by Sidell Gibson Architects, London, which I think at least deservered a mention - and it would surely have done well in a public consultation."

What do you think?

Have your say here - you don't need a password, just an email address which will not be published - or join the discussion over on the forum.

Post Office responds to petitions

Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on December 28, 2007 9:56 AM

Hundreds of readers signed our petitions against the proposed closures of Rawson Road, Dale Acre Drive and Aintree Road post offices.

The petitions were sent off, along with forms printed in the paper, towards the end of the consultation deadline earlier this month.

We have now received a reply from Aale Syed, of Post Office Ltd's National Consultation Team. Here's an extract:

We view the six-week local public consultation as a very real and important opportunity for all interested parties to engage with us and let us know how our proposals impact on them, which will help inform and shape our final decision. I would, therefore, like to thank you for the time taken to consider our proposals and bring the views of the local community to our attention.
Jane Briginshaw, Network Development Manager, has been informed of the strength of feeling expressed in petition format. As you are aware public consultation has now finished we are currently considering all of the responses received before making our decisions in line with various Government specified criteria and factors, having taken all relevant public consultation responses into account. I would like to confirm that the petition will form part of this final process.

Ben Kay speaks to the Crosby Herald

Posted by Crosby Herald newsdesk on October 17, 2007 3:22 PM

England rugby union star Ben Kay has spoken to the Crosby Herald ahead of this weekend's world cup final clash with South Africa.
Kay, a former St Nicholas primary and Merchant Taylors pupil, has been on our 'wish list' for the current Big Interview series.
He did agree to do an interview some weeks ago but his world cup commitments delayed things and so we are delighted he took time out on such an important week.
Ben chatted on the phone to reporter Jennifer Finnegan from his hotel in France on Tuesday afternoon.
Among the subjects he talked about were his school days in Crosby and how he hopes to win on Saturday as a tribute to Ian Robinson, his rugby teacher at Merchants.
See Thursday's Crosby Herald for the full interview.