THE Term “Merseyside” should be banned and Wirral should be marketing itself under the Liverpool name, says Liverpool’s deputy mayor.

Cllr Mike Storey has controversially called for Merseyside to be banished and for Wirral and the county’s other boroughs to stop vying to be recognised in their own right.

Councillor Mike Storey - a former leader of the city council - insists that globally no one knows where Merseyside is, but that everyone has heard of Liverpool.

He says the outer Merseyside boroughs - Wirral, Sefton, St Helens and Knowsley - should instead sit under Liverpool’s brand umbrella if they want to promote themselves.

Speaking on Liverpool talk station, City Talk 105.9, Cllr Storey said: “We have a fantastic brand – Liverpool. Who has heard of Merseyside?”

“Liverpool now is the brand. Let’s stop all of the boroughs of Merseyside vying for the position ‘we want to be so and so, we want to be this’.

“Liverpool is the brand and let’s build on that brand.”

Cllr Storey admitted that his comments would upset his colleagues within Merseyside’s five boroughs.

But Cllr Bob Moon, Wirral’s cabinet member for culture, tourism and leisure, said: “From the point of view of the European Union there are recognised city regions, and Wirral comes within the Liverpool city region.

“In terms of branding ourselves with Liverpool, I think that’s what people when they’re abroad anyway. It’s true that less people have heard of Wirral than Liverpool, so we tend to say that Wirral is ‘next to Liverpool’ and that in turn then helps people to locate us.

“The term Merseyside isn’t liked by a lot of people, I know that. But the Mersey is the main feature of our region and that’s obviously where the name has come from.”

He added: “We do work very closely with Liverpool and we consider ourselves part of the Liverpool brand destination.

“On the other hand we also consider ourselves part of the Chester brand, too. So I like to think that Wirral benefits from actually being in the slipstream of the two.”

Cllr Storey, a Liberal Democrat, was ratified as the deputy mayor back in May, meaning he will take the position of Lord Mayor for the 2009-2010 term. Storey is also the head teacher of Plantation Primary School in Halewood.

To hear his comments in full, visit www.citytalk.fm

Yer but Mayyyorrrrr!!!! Wirral is part of Cheshire... Not Merseyside????

I tell everyone who aint Local that I live in Liverpool anyway. You try telling people who live outside of the North West that you live in Wirral, and you will get a blank look from 99% of people.

Until you mention Liverpool of course. Thats known around the world. Through my line of business, I deal with people all around the world, and they all think I live in the wonderful city of Liverpool.

CH says we're Cheshire...

0151 say's we're Liverpool...

Officially we are in the metropolitan county of Merseyside. Beside's, we are as much by the side of the Mersey, and have as much right to own it, as Liverpool.

So id go for Merseyside. I dunno why they did'nt just make Wirral part of Liverpool a few years back when they we're going to. Oh yes I do actually, some do-gooders and soft arses though Wirral was so special and represented a place of significance in this world, it does in many ways, but to be honest, no fooker knows it or wants to know it.

And even when ya mention the Golf, no fooker knows where Wirral is, even moreso as its called the Royal Liverpool golf club looool.

I agree with that to be fair. Im sick and Tired of having to explain where Im from, especially if I have a stronger "Scouse" accent than say someone from Bootle (Its happened before). So much better and easier to just say Liverpool, and then not get the standard "Oh cool, where abouts" you tell them and they immediately say "Thats not Liverpool" gets annoying.

I had a fun conversation last night though, explaining to someone from Formby that Formby isnt actually Liverpool. But whatever.

Its a never ending subject, and no doubt will spark off a few more pointless Facebook groups.


One final point...any pictures of Liverpool waterfront are taken from the Wirral. So therefore we should be included. Id be proud to say Im from Liverpool

Ditto; I almost feel a sense of pride when I say it as it is.

There is few other places in this country to be proud of, but Liverpool is one of them. Also produ of being from the NW as opposed to down south like my dad + family (all originally from London's East End, now living in Bristol and Hereford most of em), but I guess thats just the N/S devide.

I dont want Wirral to be a borough of Liverpool and I decend from there and all my family bar immediate still live there, so its not just me being a wirral Snob
My reasons being is that all council money will then be pooled to use on Liverpool as a whole, and do you really think that we will see any of that money coming back to the wirral when it is needed so much in Liverpool with all the regeneration and improvement programmes that are going on or the areas of Liverpool that need regenerating. We have our own area's in need of regeneration, but these will go bottom of the list when compared to some areas of Liverpool. I also honestly believe that it will effect insurance premiums, do you remember them dropping when we took on the CH postcode.

Im proud to say im from liverpool as well cause people dont know wirral but because paul o'grady talks about it 99% of the time on his show its starting to get noticed cause birkenhead has its own little mark on the planet.. "Lairds, First public park in britain, First tramway created by George Francis Train and so on but to be honest if the wirral was cut off from Liverpool what would it be part of ??? Id say cheshire but cause of the ties with liverpool i would say Liverpool cause if the tunnels where gone and the ferry service we would have to go the long way round woudlnt we But anyway with my accent i just say liverpool so yer id ditto to that guys

only thing cheshire is know for is a bleeding cat!!
Oh an cheese.

matty

Does it matter that you have to explain where The Wirral is. 80% of the population thinks County Durham is in Birmingham. And theres a new brighton near to mold and I bet the residents from there get pissed off when speaking to people that are more familar with the Wallasey based location, but thats all it is a location and all that is needed is a little eplaination to where it is, My easy explanation is the sticky out bit between Liverpool and wales, to the west of Chester, most people then understand, and with the likes of Google maps, GPS, i-phones, N95's its gonna get a whole lot easier.

Plus it all depends what football team the person you are speaking too supports, Lower league team supporters usually know Tranmere rovers.

Now forgive me if I'm wrong BUT...........Did Liverpool celebrate it's 800th Birthday last year???Thus it being founded in 1207.
Now if we would all like to take a trip to St.Mary' gate or the old Priory as It's commonly known,you will see that was founded circa 1120,80 years before the great city of Liverpool,so we were the first inhabited land on the shores of MERSEYSIDE If I mention this to scousers they very rarely have an answer.

When abroad I always say I'm from near Liverpool and they always associate Liverpool with the football club,I then mention Tranmere Rovers and a Few(very few foreigners) know about us.

So I say lets stick with Merseyside,we were here first

Chris

i just say wirral, near liverpool when anyone ever asks - wirral is becoming a more known place tho (even a lot of ppl up here know of it and that it's near liverpool - whether that's just linking me and my accent i dont know lol) - also see a few fit birds on page 3 from wirral lately lol

oggie.good call mate.remind us all from where we originated and who was here first.nice 1.it was us that provided a ferry from Birkenhead to Liverpool and not the other way round.

would just like to say it was 1150 when we provided the first known ferry,and first ever town to have trams also.

I was Born and Bred in Birkenhead(not Liverpool) My old dad would turn over in his grave to be associated with them "Scouse gits" over the water. Wirral for ever!!!

I don't really want to be part of Liverpool. I like where the Wirral is now, it's like it's own little county in a sort of semi-island. I don't think we need help from Liverpool - which would only mean having to share money for those greedy f*ckers.

Capital Of Culture? I've yet to see anything beyond a giant spider walking up a building. It's just an excuse to open more and more Top-Shops and clothes stores.

i was born in liverpool but moved over ere when i was a kid,when people ask where im from i say wirral.when people from the wirral try an talk like a scouser they jus sound pathetic an nothin like a real scouse accent!!!

were is there f***in windmill lol

well a least we have r owen james bond a

Its merseyside

they think it should be brand liverpool

mad

Personally I think Wallasey should go independent from the rest of the UK and we should set up our own state!

We could have border patrols at Duke Street bridge and the Penny Bridge to stop any Birkonian immigrants trying to cross the docks!!

wallasey i think deliverence ring a bell and sister mum cums to mind blow up the bridges i say/ yours birkonian immigrant/

Whilst Liverpool is not one of the biggest cities in the country, Birkenhead IS one of the biggest towns. If you think Birkenhead should be dissolved, what should happen to every other town?

Explains the idiotic idea.

Born and bred in Birkenhead, and proud.

Also proud of being local to Liverpool, but I would never associate myself as a scouser or being from Liverpool.

Dosen't take much effort to explain that the Wirral is across the water from Liverpool.




As for Wallasey going independent, I'm all for it. Who in their right mind would want to be proud of living there?

Keep it Merseyside

joe u snue gliffer,wallasey although not great is a nicer place to live than birkenhead,prob not by much though!

i want nothing to do with liverpool, as i am sure the same goes for them, what a load of shite, money crisis, feul problems, immergration probs, and all they go on about is names for towns etc, what a fuuckin joke.

My Mum and sister in law are Scousers. I love the city, I lived there for just under 5 years BUT I want to stay Wirral and it will always be in Cheshire for me I'm afraid.

If people don't know where the Wirral is, that's their problem. I'll explain where it is for them.

It gets my back up when I'm called a scouser!! I'm not! And as for the "fake" scouse accents that seem to be spreading faster than a dose of the clap - do they not realise how silly they sound!?!

KEEP WIRRAL WIRRAL!!!

That exactly what i wanted to say, but it came out different lol

Does it always come out different

'It is unaffordable not to change'


the words of MP Frank Field



By Frank Field

NO change on how Wirral delivers us services is not an option, for two reasons.

The institution through which our public services are delivered started evolving in the 1870s when the first board schools were built (still some of our best buildings) and continued after WWI right up to today.

It is inconceivable that all these buildings are of the best quality and most strategically sited.

Costs also forbid a no change option.

No change would push council tax up by an extra £43 next year. It is unaffordable not to change.

The council are offering us a new means to deliver those services that can be afforded.

I know Wirral has been badly treated under successive Tory and Labour Governments when it comes to the level of national support we have received.

I have worked over the decades with Tory and Labour Wirral MPs and we have only won marginal adjustments to our base figure.

This national formula is based on the level of services we had just after Wirral Tories slashed services claiming to be the vanguard of the Thatcher era and we have suffered ever since.

With little room to manoeuvre the council is considering how it can most effectively spend our money.

There have been some decisions which are difficult to understand and there are issues like school crossing patrols, which need to be reviewed.

But I plead with voters not to let justifiable anger on such actions cloud the big vision that is being offered about the kind of Wirral we want. Change there has to be.

Let us make it our own.

The MPs met with council leaders last Friday to discuss how we can all have our say on these plans.

Where do we want the main centres of services?

Where should the satellite bases be sited?

Shouldn’t children’s services be delivered through schools?

Which buildings will be made over to current users to run their own activities?

Do we want fewer buildings and more services delivered to our doors?

These are the big questions that we are being asked. We will be able to change some of the plans.

I am seeking a listing for part of the Borough Road library.

That doesn’t mean however that the building cannot be developed if a brand new state of the art library is built nearby.

It is that I guess voters are not going to roll over and let the front part of this great building be bulldozed.

I love being English but we do have one particular character trait which is not always to our advantage.

I often feel that if we were promoted from inferno to paradise us English would still gather round to talk about the good old days. Let us join together now and transfer what we think of as a better yesterday into the future.

Frank Field MP will attend a public meeting on the proposed Prenton Dell landfill site on Saturday, December 6 at 11.30am at the Saddle Club, Roman Road, CH43 3DB.