Attached is the Wirral Plan Annual Report 2016/17.

Also attached is the Statutory Scrutiny Officer’s, ‘Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report 2016/17’.

To receive questions and answers on these reports in accordance with Standing Orders 10(2)(a) and 11.

The Mayor introduced the Wirral Plan Annual report and Overview and Scrutiny Annual report. The Leader spoke to the Wirral Annual Plan Report and highlighted the improvements and progress that had been achieved since the Plan had been created. He paid tribute to all Council staff and the Council’s partners who had helped deliver on the pledges so far and acknowledged that there were still many challenges ahead and asked that the Council note the report.

The Mayor then invited questions to Cabinet Members on the report.

In response to a question from Councillor Ian Lewis, Councillor George Davies’ commented that the Homelessness and Housing options team had intervened to prevent 1291 households becoming homeless. He accepted the point made that the Council had been unsuccessful in its bid to the Government’s £40m homelessness prevention programme but stated that the Council would make a further bid.

Councillors Clements and Blakeley asked questions of the Cabinet Member for Adult Social Care and Health and in response, Councillor Chris Jones’ comments included the following:

·  She would be delighted to be involved in helping in anyway where people had lost loved ones and the Government’s consultation on the Social Fund’s Funeral expenses payments.

·  She had responded by email to Councillor Blakeley and knew that every effort was being made to keep residents safe at the new Tollemache Road facility. She acknowledged that the incident which had occurred on Friday night when the electronic gates had been left open was due to human error. Councillor Jones expressed disappointment that so few Members had been to the open days for the facility, which was not just equal to but better than the previous facility, with every resident having a single ensuite room. Staff were being retrained in accordance with CQC best practice.

Responding to questions from Councillor Stuart Kelly and David Burgess-Joyce, the Cabinet Member for Delivering Differently, Councillor Chris Spriggs’ comments included:

·  She would provide a more detailed written response but a commitment to arts and culture were threaded through the Annual report and the Council was working closely with the Williamson Art Gallery Friends group to ensure their views were taken on board.

·  Although she had only been in the role for a few months she had already talked to many stakeholders involved in arts and culture on Wirral and she would be able to provide a list as soon as she could. The Wirral Chamber of Commerce had held an event at which there had been many attendees from the creative sector and she had spoken at an event in June at the Williamson Art Gallery at which there were more than 100 artists present. There would be further events in the coming months.

Responding to questions from Councillors Stuart Kelly and Andrew Hodson, the Leader of the Council, Councillor Phil Davies’ comments included:

·  He did not regret the change of tack with regard to proposals for Birkenhead Town Centre, the Council had to move away from the old fashioned way of economic development, change the model of investment and be a lot more ambitious. This was the idea behind the Wirral Growth Company with the Council putting its land and assets into the Company the Council would continue to get revenue streams from developments, of which there would be a greater need when the Rate Support Grant disappeared in 2021. He was proud of the ambitious investment proposals for £1bn of development opportunities and hoped that by December of this year to have appointed a preferred partner.

·  With regard to the Investment Development Manager’s contract, he would provide a written response to Councillor Hodson.

Responding to questions from Councillors Stuart Kelly, Les Rowlands, Lesley Rennie and Adam Sykes, the Cabinet Member for Highways and Transport, Councillor Stuart Whittingham’s comments included:

·  On the Merseytravel’s review of bus services he would provide a written response to Councillor Kelly.

·  On the list of footways and grass verges in dispute between the Council and Magenta Living he would provide a written response to Councillor Rowlands.

·  A written response would be provided to Councillor Rennie on the number of street lights repaired out of the 2,000 reported faulty at the end of March, 2017 and the out of service street light in Mount Road, Wallasey.

·  A written response would be provided to Councillor Sykes on meetings with users and businesses affected by the proposed changes in car parking charges at the country parks.

In response to a question from Councillor Cherry Povall, the Cabinet Member for Children and Families, Councillor Bernie Mooney, stated that the welfare of our children was everyone’s responsibility and as she would like to give the most accurate up to date information possible she would provide a written response.

In response to a question from Councillor Pat Cleary, the Cabinet Member for Environment, Councillor Phill Brightmore stated that he absolutely supported the goals for recycling and although the food waste collection proposals had been put on hold information on this would be published in the next few weeks.

At the conclusion of questions an amendment was moved in respect of the Wirral Plan Annual Report as follows:

Proposed by Councillor Phil Gilchrist

Seconded by Councillor Dave Mitchell

“Council:

(1)  objects to the description of the ‘underspend’ in the previous financial year as a ‘fantastic achievement’ (p44 of Agenda refers - p26 of the Annual Report).

(2)  does not concur with some of the inflated language in the Report nor see how this fits in with the experience of residents who are, at least, given a mention on (p43 of Agenda refers - p25 of the Annual Report) where it is stated that…"We will redouble our efforts to improve the public realm, road safety and work with residents in every community to ensure their concerns are listened to".

(3)  Council notes that the revenue out-turn for 2016/17 is described as an ‘underspend of £2.9million' and that it is being transferred to balances.

In the light of this action, Council notes that the introduction of car parking charges in our country parks was first proposed in the then Chief Executive’s ‘Future Council’ options in September 2014, that the Council has managed its finances without that income and that this matter (along with the level of balances and reserves) be drawn to the attention of Members considering the Call In of that issue.”

Following a speech by Councillor Gilchrist, the amendment and original motion having being formally seconded, and Councillor Phil Davies having replied, the amendment was put and lost (25:35) (One abstention).

The motion was put and carried (54:6) (One abstention).

Resolved (54:6) (One abstention) – That the Wirral Plan Annual Report for 2016/17 be noted.

The Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report was then considered by the Council and it was moved by Councillor Mike Sullivan, seconded by Councillor Paul Stuart and –

Resolved (60:0) (One abstention) – That the Overview and Scrutiny Annual Report be noted.