A PETITION has been launched urging the council to restore the regular number chimes made by a Wirral town hall clock. 

It was revealed on Wednesday that the authority had cut the number of times Birkenhead Town Hall's clock tower chimes from four to once an hour after a local resident complained about the level of noise.

It is the first time in the iconic building's 137-year history that its chimes have been limited to once an hour.

A new Change.org petition has been launched by local resident Josephine Wood MBE, urging the Council to reverse their decision.

Josephine wrote on the petition site: "For 63 long years, the resonance of the Birkenhead Town Hall clock chiming has woven itself into the fabric of my existence.

"It paints audible strokes on the canvas of our shared experiences and serves as a quiet, steady narrator of our collective timeline.

"Recently, the local authority, Wirral Metropolitan Borough Council, has ruled that this familiar timekeeper will cease to ring out the quarter hours.

"This decision came about due to a single complaint. Just one voice, among the hundreds of thousands that live, work, and grow in the rhythm of the chiming clock.

"It seems disproportionate that the fond, timeless music of our town, the heartbeat of Birkenhead, should be silenced following a single grievance".

Birkenhead Town Hall Birkenhead Town Hall (Image: Wirral Council)

Mrs Wood explained that she felt it was 'unjust' to let the few dictate the happiness of the many, adding that it was unclear how much 'the council considered other perspectives and personal attachments to the iconic sound – a sound that embodies the history and spirit of our community'.

Wirral Council has been approached for a response to the petition. 

A spokesperson for authority said earlier this week: “A complaint was made by a resident near Birkenhead Town Hall regarding the frequency and volume of the chimes from the building’s clock tower, which sounded on the quarter hour.

"The authority has a duty to investigate in such cases. Following an assessment by the Council's Environmental Health at the resident’s location the chimes were found to be at a level of a statutory noise nuisance.

“On advice from the Council Heritage team and because the authority, like all others, has an obligation to comply with addressing a noise nuisance, a compromise was agreed to reduce the chimes to hourly while the authority looks into other available options.”

The clock’s chiming has sparked a passionate response from many residents.

Claire Salvatore said: "It's our history and precious to thousands of us"

Gaynor Simpson commented: "Bit by bit you are eroding our history and traditions. WBC you should be ashamed of yourself".

This is the third Change.org petition in a 12 month period asking for local authorities to restore the chimes of local clock towers, with previous petitions concerning Beith in Scotland, and Witheridge in Devon

The latest petition in Birkenhead can be found at Change.org/BirkenheadTownHallClock.