Proposed by Councillor Steve Foulkes

Seconded by Councillor Harry Smith

(1)  Council condemns the sheer hypocrisy of the Conservative Liberal Democrat Alliance who have preached extensively the values of consultation with staff, trade unions and the public, only to ignore all their own so called values as soon as a major decision has to be taken.

(2)  Council condemns their abject failure to listen to their own staff on ways of saving money, choosing instead to drive through the privatisation of everything within the Council’s Parks and Countryside service, including the maintenance and administration of all Wirral’s open spaces, which includes Wirral’s coastline and estuaries.

(3)  Council further condemns their craven refusal to allow an in house bid, hiding behind difficulties in making “the separation between client and bid team”, particularly as the Audit Commission report following up the HESPE PIDA makes it clear that this is quite possible if the proper procedures are followed.

(4)  Council finally condemns their complete failure to consult with the public before taking this decision, even though they have already set up a major budget consultation exercise which could have specifically covered this issue.

(5)  Council believes that these failures demonstrate that their commitment to consultation is purely for propaganda purposes only and is therefore a cynical sham.

(6)  Council further believes that a change in the way we operate such major services, which goes far beyond a simple change in a grounds maintenance contract, should be considered as a major policy change and therefore subject to a vote in full Council, which is currently denied to us.

Amendment submitted in accordance with Standing Order 7(2):

Proposed by Councillor David Elderton

Seconded by Councillor Bob Moon

Replace all after “(1) Council condemns the sheer hypocrisy of the” with:

Labour Group, who started the PACSPE process under the previous Labour and Liberal Democrat administration, in reversing their position now the policy is being carried through to completion by the current administration.

(1)  Council welcomes the direct communication between the administration and staff and thanks staff for responding with their suggestions and ideas.

(2)  Council notes the approach taken by the previous but one, All-Party administration to award the waste collection contract to Biffa and previous Labour / Liberal Democrat administration to award the highways maintenance contract to Colas and believes the same process has been followed for PACSPE.

(3)  Council thanks those Labour Councillors who have participated in the PACSPE process, albeit not attending the most recent meeting.

The amendment was put and carried (38:23:1)

Resolved (38:23:1) – Council condemns the sheer hypocrisy of the Labour Group, who started the PACSPE process under the previous Labour and Liberal Democrat administration, in reversing their position now the policy is being carried through to completion by the current administration.

(1)  Council welcomes the direct communication between the administration and staff and thanks staff for responding with their suggestions and ideas.

(2)  Council notes the approach taken by the previous but one, All-Party administration to award the waste collection contract to Biffa and previous Labour / Liberal Democrat administration to award the highways maintenance contract to Colas and believes the same process has been followed for PACSPE.

(3)  Council thanks those Labour Councillors who have participated in the PACSPE process, albeit not attending the most recent meeting.