Councillor George Davies introduced a report that sought Cabinet approval to the terms provisionally agreed for the disposal of land at Saughall Massie Road, Saughall Massie, to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Authority (MFRA) for the construction of a new fire station.

Councillor George Davies Cabinet Member – Housing and Community Safety informed that the transfer of the land was by way of a long lease rather than an outright sale thereby enabling the Council to better control the future use of the site, adding that the disposal of land had arisen primarily as the result of cuts to the Mersey Fire and Rescue Authority budgets by Central Government.

The Leader, Councillor Phil Davies echoed the Cabinet Member’s comment, informing the Cabinet that the matter, part of an extensive process involving legal services and formal planning applications had not been called in by the Secretary of State, and would save lives though improved access to 26 thousand households as a result of the construction of the new fire station supporting the Wirral Plan 2020 pledges to ensure the best use of the Council’s real estate assets and to ensure that Wirral’s neighbourhoods were safe.

RESOLVED: That the land identified be transferred to Merseyside Fire and Rescue Service by way of a long lease for the construction of a new fire station.