Decision details

Wirral Plan: A 2020 Vision - Cross-Cutting Strategies: Wirral Together Strategy

Decision Maker: Cabinet

Decision status: Recommendations Approved

Is Key decision?: Yes

Is subject to call in?: Yes

Purpose:

This report provides Cabinet with the Wirral Together strategy; a key strategic document which articulates ambitions related to volunteering and community involvement which will assist the delivery of all areas of the Wirral Plan.

Decisions:

MatthewPatrick UPDATED

Councillor Matthew Patrick, Cabinet Member – Localism and Engagement, said:

 

“In Wirral we are extremely lucky to have thousands of residents who are engaged, who care passionately about their local communities and who think nothing of giving up their time to help others. The response to the recent incident in New Ferry is a shining example of how a community can come together and support itself.

 

“This Strategy is about Wirral getting better at supporting those residents who want to volunteer. It is about helping people to help themselves and others, through making it simpler, easier and more attractive to be a volunteer.”

 

Councillor Matthew Patrick introduced a report which reminded the Cabinet that The Wirral Plan: A 2020 Vision set out a shared partnership vision to improve outcomes for Wirral residents.  Delivery of the priorities and outcomes described in the Plan were underpinned through the delivery of a set of key strategies.

 

Appended to the report was the Wirral Together Strategy; a key strategic document which articulated ambitions related to volunteering and community involvement which would assist the delivery of all areas of the Wirral Plan.

 

Councillor Patrick thanked Annette Roberts, Chief Executive of Community Action Wirral and a member of Wirral’s Partnership Board who had carried out a wonderful job leading the development of a Strategy which recognised the essential role that active citizens and volunteers played in building strong communities. He also thanked all those who had been engaged in this over the last 12 months when a lot of meetings had been held.

 

Councillor Patrick informed that the three priorities of the Strategy were to inspire people to get involved in their communities, to encourage more people to volunteer in Wirral and to work together to remove barriers to volunteering.

 

The Cabinet noted that the Strategy included a set of partnership actions to be delivered over the course of the three-year Strategy.  The Strategy would be reviewed on an annual basis with regular performance reporting taking place through appropriate governance arrangements.

 

It was noted that this matter affected all Wards within the Borough and was therefore a key decision.

 

Councillor Chris Jones informed that volunteering was a huge issue and it was great that this Strategy was around volunteering.

 

Councillor Bernie Moody welcomed this important Strategy and that there were no barriers in the volunteers’ way.

 

Councillor Phil Davies made reference to the Strategy’s action plan.  He considered that the Strategy was excellent and that lots of people would like to be afforded the opportunity to be a volunteer.  This Strategy was a positive move forward and would help the Council deliver the Wirral Plan.

 

RESOLVED:

 

That the Wirral Together Strategy, which was appended to the report, be approved.

Report author: Lucy Barrow

Publication date: 21/06/2017

Date of decision: 19/06/2017

Decided at meeting: 19/06/2017 - Cabinet

Effective from: 29/06/2017

Accompanying Documents: