A report by the Interim Director of Corporate Services informed Members of the process that had been undertaken to bring forward proposals for the allocation of the £200,000 revenue grant available for supporting economic regeneration in Wirral’s coastal resort towns of New Brighton, Hoylake and West Kirby. 

The report provided Members with details of the proposals that were considered at the special Participatory Budgeting workshops facilitated by West Wirral Area Forum and Wallasey and New Brighton Area Forum on the 14 and 17 March respectively. 

  Councillor J Green circulated a letter he had received from Caroline Allsop, a local business owner from Hoylake who requested the Cabinet to reject the recommendations set out in the report and re-visit the entire process. 

Councillor J Green declared a personal interest informing that he had been in attendance at the Forum meeting when this matter had been discussed.  He told the Cabinet that the experience had been very good and everyone had the opportunity to listen and discuss the presentation.  He had been impressed as there had been some good proposals put forward to get people back into work and some tourism ideas discussed.  People were in the position to make informed choices as a result.  It had been a very useful process.  However, there were still some lessons to learn and the Council would improve as a result.

Councillor I Lewis asked a question about Empty Shops Funding and it was noted, in particular, that the Council had set aside funding to bring about improvements to all the shopping centres in Wirral, including the one in Liscard.

RESOLVED: That

  (1)  it be agreed that funding be allocated to those projects ranked the highest by the West Wirral Area Forum up to the maximum sum available of £100,000, as set out in Appendix 1 to the report;

  (2)  it be agreed that funding be allocated to those projects ranked the highest by the Wallasey and New Brighton Area Forum up to the maximum sum available of £100,000, as set out in Appendix 2 to the report;

  (3)  it be noted that a Participatory Budgeting process was used to allocate this funding and that the event was well attended and over-subscribed; and that all the projects which were recommended for funding will provide support for Wirral’s Coastal Towns;  

(4)  It was agreed that a report will be brought back to a future Cabinet meeting outlining how the process of administrating participatory budgets will be further developed; and

 (5)  the Interim Director of Corporate Services and the Engagement Team be thanked for their hard work on this initiative.