Proposed by Councillor Green

Seconded by Councillor Lesley Rennie

(1)  This Council welcomes the Cabinet’s U-turn in its decision to retain Woodchurch Leisure Centre, Bromborough Civic Centre, Upton Library and Pensby Library.

(2)  Council notes that Guinea Gap has only been given a stay of execution and that the future of Leasowe Recreation Centre remains uncertain.

(3)  Council is shocked that Woodchurch Library and Eastham Library, libraries that were not even mentioned in the original Strategic Asset Review, are now to be closed and believes that it is unacceptable to treat the residents and service users in this way.

(4)  Council believes that the public is totally opposed to the closures announced and contained in Cabinet minute 325 and Council therefore expresses its view that the closures announced by the Cabinet should not go ahead.

(5)  Council further believes that Wirral is made up of a series of geographically dispersed and diverse communities: Council believes that the best way of meeting the needs of these communities is by providing local, high quality services. Council therefore demands that officers cease any further actions on the current Strategic Asset Review (other than activity based on streamlining back office administrative functions) and start work immediately on a new plan which will retain and enhance all those services (libraries, leisure centres, community centres, theatre and museums, etc) that are currently under threat.

(6)  Council believes that the ruling administration has no mandate to close these vital services before the public has had the opportunity to express their wishes in the local elections.

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During the course if the debate, the Council adjourned at 8.40pm and reconvened at 8.50pm.

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Following a debate, it was proposed by Councillor Green that Standing Order 18(7) be waived to allow a card vote to be carried out following the application of the guillotine procedure.  The proposal was put and lost (28:35:1).

The objection was put and it was –

Resolved (25:39) – That the objection be not approved.

NB.  The following Councillors requested that their vote in favour of the objection be recorded:

Councillors T Anderson, C Blakeley, SL Clarke, WA Duffey, DM Elderton, GJ Ellis, Mrs L Fraser, JE Green, J Hale, T Harney, Karen Hayes, Paul Hayes, AC Hodson, PSC Johnson, J Keeley, I Lewis, SD Moseley, SR Mountney, C Povall, A Pritchard, Mrs LA Rennie, SL Rowlands, Sue Taylor, GCJ Watt, and Mrs K Wood.