This report provides the Adult Social Care and Public Health Committee with an update on funding received from national government by Wirral Council for Drug Treatment and Recovery services.

Wirral Council has received three funding allocations to achieve reductions in drug related deaths, offending and illicit drug use. These are:

1. £2.8 million as part of the ADDER/Accelerator programme for which funding has now been provided for a two-year period 2021-2023.

2. £111,364 to increase capacity for residential detox for drug misusers during 2021-22. This is the Wirral share of collective funding of £651,991 allocated to Cheshire and Merseyside. Wirral has been put forward as the named lead Council to receive this funding on behalf of the nine Cheshire and Merseyside councils.

3. £210,000 to deliver the Individual Placement Support (IPS) scheme, led nationally by Public Health England, supporting drug users into employment. This funding is for 2 years.

Resolved – That

1)  The planned proposals for spending the £2.8million ADDER/Accelerator Programme grant funding as set out within the report and in more detail in Appendix 2 be agreed.

2)  the £651,991 in-patient drug detox grant funding allocated on behalf of the 9 Cheshire and Merseyside councils and the £111,364 share for Wirral Council be accepted.

3)  the funding of £140,000 per annum for two years granted to Wirral Council to deliver the national Individual Placement Support (IPS) into employment scheme be accepted.

This additional funding allocated to Wirral Council will strengthen the Council’s and local partners capacity to deliver a place-based person-centred approach to reduce drug related deaths, hospital admissions and offending.

Other options were considered in relation to developing the Wirral Delivery Plan based upon the Menu of Interventions provided by Public Health England. The Wirral Programme Delivery Plan was agreed upon following review of local intelligence and consultation with a wide range of partners.